Coherently coupling distinct spin ensembles through a high-Tc superconducting resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghirri, A.; Bonizzoni, C.; Troiani, F.; Buccheri, N.; Beverina, L.; Cassinese, A.; Affronte, M.

2016-06-01

The problem of coupling multiple spin ensembles through cavity photons is revisited by using (3,5-dichloro-4-pyridyl)bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl (PyBTM) organic radicals and a high-Tc superconducting coplanar resonator. An exceptionally strong coupling is obtained and up to three spin ensembles are simultaneously coupled. The ensembles are made physically distinguishable by chemically varying the g factor and by exploiting the inhomogeneities of the applied magnetic field. The coherent mixing of the spin and field modes is demonstrated by the observed multiple anticrossing, along with the simulations performed within the input-output formalism, and quantified by suitable entropic measures.

Broken symmetry dielectric resonators for high quality factor Fano metasurfaces

DOE PAGES

Campione, Salvatore; Liu, Sheng; Basilio, Lorena I.; ...

2016-10-25

We present a new approach to dielectric metasurface design that relies on a single resonator per unit cell and produces robust, high quality factor Fano resonances. Our approach utilizes symmetry breaking of highly symmetric resonator geometries, such as cubes, to induce couplings between the otherwise orthogonal resonator modes. In particular, we design perturbations that couple “bright” dipole modes to “dark” dipole modes whose radiative decay is suppressed by local field effects in the array. Our approach is widely scalable from the near-infrared to radio frequencies. We first unravel the Fano resonance behavior through numerical simulations of a germanium resonator-based metasurfacemore » that achieves a quality factor of ~1300 at ~10.8 μm. Then, we present two experimental demonstrations operating in the near-infrared (~1 μm): a silicon-based implementation that achieves a quality factor of ~350; and a gallium arsenide-based structure that achieves a quality factor of ~600, the highest near-infrared quality factor experimentally demonstrated to date with this kind of metasurface. Importantly, large electromagnetic field enhancements appear within the resonators at the Fano resonant frequencies. Here, we envision that combining high quality factor, high field enhancement resonances with nonlinear and active/gain materials such as gallium arsenide will lead to new classes of active optical devices.« less

Broken symmetry dielectric resonators for high quality factor Fano metasurfaces

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

Campione, Salvatore; Liu, Sheng; Basilio, Lorena I.

We present a new approach to dielectric metasurface design that relies on a single resonator per unit cell and produces robust, high quality factor Fano resonances. Our approach utilizes symmetry breaking of highly symmetric resonator geometries, such as cubes, to induce couplings between the otherwise orthogonal resonator modes. In particular, we design perturbations that couple “bright” dipole modes to “dark” dipole modes whose radiative decay is suppressed by local field effects in the array. Our approach is widely scalable from the near-infrared to radio frequencies. We first unravel the Fano resonance behavior through numerical simulations of a germanium resonator-based metasurfacemore » that achieves a quality factor of ~1300 at ~10.8 μm. Then, we present two experimental demonstrations operating in the near-infrared (~1 μm): a silicon-based implementation that achieves a quality factor of ~350; and a gallium arsenide-based structure that achieves a quality factor of ~600, the highest near-infrared quality factor experimentally demonstrated to date with this kind of metasurface. Importantly, large electromagnetic field enhancements appear within the resonators at the Fano resonant frequencies. Here, we envision that combining high quality factor, high field enhancement resonances with nonlinear and active/gain materials such as gallium arsenide will lead to new classes of active optical devices.« less

HIFI-C: a robust and fast method for determining NMR couplings from adaptive 3D to 2D projections.

PubMed

Cornilescu, Gabriel; Bahrami, Arash; Tonelli, Marco; Markley, John L; Eghbalnia, Hamid R

2007-08-01

We describe a novel method for the robust, rapid, and reliable determination of J couplings in multi-dimensional NMR coupling data, including small couplings from larger proteins. The method, "High-resolution Iterative Frequency Identification of Couplings" (HIFI-C) is an extension of the adaptive and intelligent data collection approach introduced earlier in HIFI-NMR. HIFI-C collects one or more optimally tilted two-dimensional (2D) planes of a 3D experiment, identifies peaks, and determines couplings with high resolution and precision. The HIFI-C approach, demonstrated here for the 3D quantitative J method, offers vital features that advance the goal of rapid and robust collection of NMR coupling data. (1) Tilted plane residual dipolar couplings (RDC) data are collected adaptively in order to offer an intelligent trade off between data collection time and accuracy. (2) Data from independent planes can provide a statistical measure of reliability for each measured coupling. (3) Fast data collection enables measurements in cases where sample stability is a limiting factor (for example in the presence of an orienting medium required for residual dipolar coupling measurements). (4) For samples that are stable, or in experiments involving relatively stronger couplings, robust data collection enables more reliable determinations of couplings in shorter time, particularly for larger biomolecules. As a proof of principle, we have applied the HIFI-C approach to the 3D quantitative J experiment to determine N-C' RDC values for three proteins ranging from 56 to 159 residues (including a homodimer with 111 residues in each subunit). A number of factors influence the robustness and speed of data collection. These factors include the size of the protein, the experimental set up, and the coupling being measured, among others. To exhibit a lower bound on robustness and the potential for time saving, the measurement of dipolar couplings for the N-C' vector represents a realistic "worst case analysis". These couplings are among the smallest currently measured, and their determination in both isotropic and anisotropic media demands the highest measurement precision. The new approach yielded excellent quantitative agreement with values determined independently by the conventional 3D quantitative J NMR method (in cases where sample stability in oriented media permitted these measurements) but with a factor of 2-5 in time savings. The statistical measure of reliability, measuring the quality of each RDC value, offers valuable adjunct information even in cases where modest time savings may be realized.

Complementary and alternative medicine usage and its determinant factors among Iranian infertile couples.

PubMed

Dehghan, Mahlagha; Mokhtarabadi, Sima; Heidari, Fatemeh Ghaedi

2018-04-04

Background The aim of this study was to determine the status of utilizing some complementary and alternative medicine techniques in infertile couples. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 250 infertile couples referred to a hospital in Kerman using convenience sampling. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to study the prevalence and user satisfaction of complementary and alternative medicines. Results Results indicated that 49.6% of the infertile couples used at least one of the complementary and alternative medicines during the past year. Most individuals used spiritual techniques (71.8% used praying and 70.2% used Nazr) and medicinal plants (54.8%). Safety is the most important factor affecting the satisfaction of infertile couples with complementary treatments (couples think that such treatments are safe (54.8%)). Discussion Concerning high prevalence of complementary and alternative treatments in infertile couples, incorporating such treatments into the healthcare education and promoting the awareness of infertile individuals seem crucial.

The Chinese-Western Intercultural Couple Standards Scale.

PubMed

Hiew, Danika N; Halford, W Kim; van de Vijver, Fons J R; Liu, Shuang

2015-09-01

We developed the Chinese-Western Intercultural Couple Standards Scale (CWICSS) to assess relationship standards that may differ between Chinese and Western partners and may challenge intercultural couples. The scale assesses 4 Western-derived relationship standards (demonstrations of love, demonstrations of caring, intimacy expression, and intimacy responsiveness) and 4 Chinese-derived relationship standards (relations with the extended family, relational harmony, face, and gender roles). We administered the CWICSS to 983 Chinese and Western participants living in Australia to assess the psychometric properties of the scores as measures of respondents' relationship standards. The CWICSS has a 2-level factor structure with the items reflecting the 8 predicted standards. The 4 Western derived standards loaded onto a higher order factor of couple bond, and the 4 Chinese derived standards loaded onto a higher order factor of family responsibility. The scale scores were structurally equivalent across cultures, genders, and 2 independent samples, and good convergent and discriminant validity was found for the interpretation of scale scores as respondents' endorsement of the predicted standards. Scores on the 8 scales and 2 superordinate scales showed high internal consistency and test-retest coefficients. Chinese endorsed all 4 family responsibility standards more strongly than did Westerners, but Chinese and Western participants were similar in endorsement of couple bond standards. Across both cultures, couple bond standards were endorsed more highly than were family responsibility standards. The CWICSS assesses potential areas of conflict in Chinese-Western relationships. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Determination of the electromechanical coupling factor of gallium orthophosphate (GaPO4) and its influence on resonance-frequency temperature dependencies.

PubMed

Nosek, Jaroslav; Pustka, Martin

2006-01-01

The quartz homeotype gallium orthophosphate (GaPO4) is a representative of piezoelectric single crystals of large electromechanical coupling factor. It is known that its coupling factor kappa26 associated with the resonators vibrating in the thickness-shear mode is approximately two times greater than that of quartz. This property increases the spacing between the series and parallel resonance frequencies of resonators, as well as the difference between the resonance frequency temperature dependencies of the fundamental and harmonic resonance frequencies of resonators vibrating in the thickness-shear mode. In this paper, the methods for determination of the coupling factor kappa26 are presented, and the computed values are compared with the measured ones. The influence of the coupling factor to the resonance-frequency temperature dependencies of the fundamental and third harmonics of selected rotated Y-cut GaPO4 resonators vibrating in the thickness-shear mode is presented. The purely elastic case for a laterally unbounded plate, which corresponds closely to the limiting case of high harmonic resonance frequency-temperature behavior was assumed for the calculations. The computed temperature coefficients for the Y-cut orientation and calculated turnover point temperatures TTP for different (YX1) orientations are presented.

Fabrication of an integrated high-quality-factor (high-Q) optofluidic sensor by femtosecond laser micromachining.

PubMed

Song, Jiangxin; Lin, Jintian; Tang, Jialei; Liao, Yang; He, Fei; Wang, Zhaohui; Qiao, Lingling; Sugioka, Koji; Cheng, Ya

2014-06-16

We report on fabrication of a microtoroid resonator of a high-quality factor (i.e., Q-factor of ~3.24 × 10(6) measured under the critical coupling condition) integrated in a microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser three-dimensional (3D) micromachining. Coupling of light into and out of the microresonator has been realized with a fiber taper that is reliably assembled with the microtoroid. The assembly of the fiber to the microtoroid is achieved by welding the fiber taper onto the sidewall of the microtoroid using CO2 laser irradiation. The integrated microresonator maintains a high Q-factor of 3.21 × 10(5) as measured in air, which should still be sufficient for many sensing applications. We test the functionality of the integrated optofluidic sensor by performing bulk refractive index sensing of purified water doped with tiny amount of salt. It is shown that a detection limit of ~1.2 × 10(-4) refractive index unit can be achieved. Our result showcases the capability of integration of high-Q microresonators with complex microfluidic systems using femtosecond laser 3D micromachining.

Coupling strength assumption in statistical energy analysis

PubMed Central

Lafont, T.; Totaro, N.

2017-01-01

This paper is a discussion of the hypothesis of weak coupling in statistical energy analysis (SEA). The examples of coupled oscillators and statistical ensembles of coupled plates excited by broadband random forces are discussed. In each case, a reference calculation is compared with the SEA calculation. First, it is shown that the main SEA relation, the coupling power proportionality, is always valid for two oscillators irrespective of the coupling strength. But the case of three subsystems, consisting of oscillators or ensembles of plates, indicates that the coupling power proportionality fails when the coupling is strong. Strong coupling leads to non-zero indirect coupling loss factors and, sometimes, even to a reversal of the energy flow direction from low to high vibrational temperature. PMID:28484335

Highly efficient coupler for dielectric slot waveguides and hybrid plasmonic waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jiyao; Ohtera, Yasuo; Yamada, Hirohito

2018-05-01

A compact, highly efficient optical coupler for dielectric slot waveguides and hybrid plasmonic waveguides based on transition layers (air slot grooves) was investigated. The power-coupling efficiency of 75% for the direct coupling case increased to 90% following the insertion of an intermediate section. By performing time-averaged Poynting vector analysis, we successfully separated the factors of transmission, reflection, and radiation at the coupler interface. We found that the insertion of optimal air grooves into the coupler structure contributed to the improvement of coupling performance. The proposed compact structure is characterized by a high transmission efficiency, low reflection, small length, and broad-band spectrum response.

Sexual Interaction in Nonclinical Couples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woody, Jane D.; D'Souza, Henry J.

1997-01-01

Reports on the sexual functioning and interaction of 58 nonclinical heterosexual couples as measured by the Sexual Interaction System Scale (SISS). On all five SISS factors, the nonclinical sample scored significantly better than persons in therapy for sexual dysfunction; they also reported satisfactory relationship adjustment and high levels of…

Coupling of small, low-loss hexapole mode with photonic crystal slab waveguide mode.

PubMed

Kim, Guk-Hyun; Lee, Yong-Hee; Shinya, Akihiko; Notomi, Masaya

2004-12-27

Coupling characteristics between the single-cell hexapole mode and the triangular-lattice photonic crystal slab waveguide mode is studied by the finite-difference time-domain method. The single-cell hexapole mode has a high quality factor (Q) of 3.3Chi106 and a small modal volume of 1.18(lambda/n)3. Based on the symmetry, three representative types of coupling geometries (shoulder-couple, butt-couple and side-couple structures) are selected and tested. The coupling efficiency shows strong dependence on the transverse overlap of the cavity mode and the waveguide mode over the region of the waveguide. The shoulder-couple structure shows best coupling characteristics among three tested structures. For example, two shouldercouple waveguides and a hexapole cavity result in a high performance resonant-tunneling-filter with Q of 9.7Chi105 and transmittance of 0.48. In the side-couple structure, the coupling strength is much weaker than that of the shoulder-couple structure because of the poor spatial overlap between the mode profiles. In the direct-couple structure, the energy transfer from the cavity to the waveguide is prohibited because of the symmetry mismatch and no coupling is observed.

High quality-factor fano metasurface comprising a single resonator unit cell

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

Sinclair, Michael B.; Warne, Larry K.; Basilio, Lorena I.

A new monolithic resonator metasurface design achieves ultra-high Q-factors while using only one resonator per unit cell. The metasurface relies on breaking the symmetry of otherwise highly symmetric resonators to induce intra-resonator mixing of bright and dark modes (rather than inter-resonator couplings), and is scalable from the near-infrared to radio frequencies and can be easily implemented in dielectric materials. The resulting high-quality-factor Fano metasurface can be used in many sensing, spectral filtering, and modulation applications.

Investigating spousal concordance of diabetes through statistical analysis and data mining.

PubMed

Wang, Jong-Yi; Liu, Chiu-Shong; Lung, Chi-Hsuan; Yang, Ya-Tun; Lin, Ming-Hung

2017-01-01

Spousal clustering of diabetes merits attention. Whether old-age vulnerability or a shared family environment determines the concordance of diabetes is also uncertain. This study investigated the spousal concordance of diabetes and compared the risk of diabetes concordance between couples and noncouples by using nationally representative data. A total of 22,572 individuals identified from the 2002-2013 National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan constituted 5,643 couples and 5,643 noncouples through 1:1 dual propensity score matching (PSM). Factors associated with concordance in both spouses with diabetes were analyzed at the individual level. The risk of diabetes concordance between couples and noncouples was compared at the couple level. Logistic regression was the main statistical method. Statistical data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. C&RT and Apriori of data mining conducted in IBM SPSS Modeler 13 served as a supplement to statistics. High odds of the spousal concordance of diabetes were associated with old age, middle levels of urbanization, and high comorbidities (all P < 0.05). The dual PSM analysis revealed that the risk of diabetes concordance was significantly higher in couples (5.19%) than in noncouples (0.09%; OR = 61.743, P < 0.0001). A high concordance rate of diabetes in couples may indicate the influences of assortative mating and shared environment. Diabetes in a spouse implicates its risk in the partner. Family-based diabetes care that emphasizes the screening of couples at risk of diabetes by using the identified risk factors is suggested in prospective clinical practice interventions.

Investigating spousal concordance of diabetes through statistical analysis and data mining

PubMed Central

Liu, Chiu-Shong; Lung, Chi-Hsuan; Yang, Ya-Tun; Lin, Ming-Hung

2017-01-01

Objective Spousal clustering of diabetes merits attention. Whether old-age vulnerability or a shared family environment determines the concordance of diabetes is also uncertain. This study investigated the spousal concordance of diabetes and compared the risk of diabetes concordance between couples and noncouples by using nationally representative data. Methods A total of 22,572 individuals identified from the 2002–2013 National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan constituted 5,643 couples and 5,643 noncouples through 1:1 dual propensity score matching (PSM). Factors associated with concordance in both spouses with diabetes were analyzed at the individual level. The risk of diabetes concordance between couples and noncouples was compared at the couple level. Logistic regression was the main statistical method. Statistical data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. C&RT and Apriori of data mining conducted in IBM SPSS Modeler 13 served as a supplement to statistics. Results High odds of the spousal concordance of diabetes were associated with old age, middle levels of urbanization, and high comorbidities (all P < 0.05). The dual PSM analysis revealed that the risk of diabetes concordance was significantly higher in couples (5.19%) than in noncouples (0.09%; OR = 61.743, P < 0.0001). Conclusions A high concordance rate of diabetes in couples may indicate the influences of assortative mating and shared environment. Diabetes in a spouse implicates its risk in the partner. Family-based diabetes care that emphasizes the screening of couples at risk of diabetes by using the identified risk factors is suggested in prospective clinical practice interventions. PMID:28817654

Coupling of lithium niobate disk resonators to integrated waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berneschi, S.; Cosi, F.; Nunzi Conti, G.; Pelli, S.; Soria, S.; Righini, G. C.; Dispenza, M.; Secchi, A.

2011-01-01

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) disk resonators fabricated in single crystals can have high Q factors within their transparency bandwidth and may have application both in fundamental and applied optics. Lithium niobate (LN) resonators thanks to their electro-optical properties may be used in particular as tunable filters, modulators, and delay lines. A critical step toward the actual application of these devices is the implementation of a robust and efficient coupling system. High index prisms are typically used for this purpose. In this work we demonstrate coupling to high-Q WGM LN disks from an integrated optical LN waveguide. The waveguides are made by proton exchange in X-cut LN. The disks with diameters of about 5 mm and thickness of 1 mm are made from commercial Z-cut LN wafers by core drilling a cylinder and thereafter polishing the edges into a spheroidal profile. Both resonance linewidth and cavity photon lifetime measurements were performed to calculate the Q factor of the resonator, which is in excess of 108.

Unidirectional reflectionless propagation in non-Hermitian metamaterial based on phase coupling between two resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Hongda; Bai, Ruiping; Gu, Xintong; Zhang, Cong; Gu, Guang Rui; Zhang, Ying Qiao; Jin, Xing Ri; Lee, YoungPak

2018-05-01

Unidirectional reflectionless propagation in a non-Hermitian metamaterial is obtained based on phase coupling between two resonators. The unidirectional reflectionless propagation can be obtained at exceptional point by adjusting polarization angle θ and distance d between two resonators. Moreover, coherent prefect absorptions are obtained near exceptional point with the high absorbance of ∼0.99 and high quality factor of ∼83.

Enhanced Raman scattering of single nanoparticles in a high-Q whispering-gallery microresonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Rui-Shan; Jin, Wei-Liang; Yu, Xiao-Chong; Liu, Yong-Chun; Xiao, Yun-Feng

2015-04-01

We study Raman scattering of single nanoparticles coupled to a high-Q whispering-gallery microresonator. It is found that cavity resonances greatly enhance the Raman signal, and the enhancement factor is as high as 108. Unlike the noncavity case, the signal power exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on particle size, and it reaches the maximum when the Rayleigh scattering loss and the cavity intrinsic loss are comparable. We further analyze how the Raman signal intensity is influenced by different parameters including cavity quality factors and taper-cavity coupling strength. The detection limit of observing single-nanoparticle Raman signal is discussed finally. As a potential application, this mechanism may provide an alternative way to detect specific biological targets without the need of precovered biorecognitions.

Priorities for family building among patients and partners seeking treatment for infertility.

PubMed

Duthie, Elizabeth A; Cooper, Alexandra; Davis, Joseph B; Sandlow, Jay; Schoyer, Katherine D; Strawn, Estil; Flynn, Kathryn E

2017-04-05

Infertility treatment decisions require people to balance multiple priorities. Within couples, partners must also negotiate priorities with one another. In this study, we assessed the family-building priorities of couples prior to their first consultations with a reproductive specialist. Participants were couples who had upcoming first consultations with a reproductive specialist (N = 59 couples (59 women; 59 men)). Prior to the consultation, couples separately completed the Family-Building Priorities Tool, which tasked them with ranking from least to most important 10 factors associated with family building. We describe the highest (top three) and lowest (bottom three) priorities, the alignment of priorities within couples, and test for differences in prioritization between men and women within couples (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Maintaining a close and satisfying relationship with one's partner was ranked as a high priority by majorities of men and women, and in 25% of couples, both partners ranked this factor as their most important priority for family building. Majorities of men and women also ranked building a family in a way that does not make infertility obvious to others as a low priority, and in 27% of couples, both partners ranked this factor as the least important priority for family building. There were also differences within couples that involved either men or women ranking a particular goal more highly than their partners. More women ranked two factors higher than did their partners: 1) that I become a parent one way or another (p = 0.015) and 2) that I have a child in the next year or two (p < 0.001), whereas more men ranked 4 factors higher than their partners: 1) that our child has [woman's] genes (p = 0.025), 2) that our child has [man's] genes (p < 0.001), 3) that I maintain a close relationship with my partner (p = 0.034), and 4) that I avoid side effects from treatment (p < 0.001). Clinicians who support patients in assessing available family-building paths should be aware that: (1) patients balance multiple priorities as a part of, or beside, becoming a parent; and (2) patients and their partners may not be aligned in their prioritization of achieving parenthood. For infertility patients who are in relationships, clinicians should encourage the active participation of both partners as well as frank discussions about each partner's priorities for building their family.

Peptide profiling of Internet-obtained Cerebrolysin using high performance liquid chromatography - electrospray ionization ion trap and ultra high performance liquid chromatography - ion mobility - quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Gevaert, Bert; D'Hondt, Matthias; Bracke, Nathalie; Yao, Han; Wynendaele, Evelien; Vissers, Johannes Petrus Cornelis; De Cecco, Martin; Claereboudt, Jan; De Spiegeleer, Bart

2015-09-01

Cerebrolysin, a parenteral peptide preparation produced by controlled digestion of porcine brain proteins, is an approved nootropic medicine in some countries. However, it is also easily and globally available on the Internet. Nevertheless, until now, its exact chemical composition was unknown. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to ion trap and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to quadrupole-ion mobility-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-IM-TOF MS), combined with UniProt pig protein database search and PEAKS de novo sequencing, we identified 638 unique peptides in an Internet-obtained Cerebrolysin sample. The main components in this sample originate from tubulin alpha- and beta-chain, actin, and myelin basic protein. No fragments of known neurotrophic factors like glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) were found, suggesting that the activities reported in the literature are likely the result of new, hitherto unknown cryptic peptides with nootropic properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improved pressure-velocity coupling algorithm based on minimization of global residual norm

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

Chatwani, A.U.; Turan, A.

1991-01-01

In this paper an improved pressure velocity coupling algorithm is proposed based on the minimization of the global residual norm. The procedure is applied to SIMPLE and SIMPLEC algorithms to automatically select the pressure underrelaxation factor to minimize the global residual norm at each iteration level. Test computations for three-dimensional turbulent, isothermal flow is a toroidal vortex combustor indicate that velocity underrelaxation factors as high as 0.7 can be used to obtain a converged solution in 300 iterations.

Spectral tuning of optical coupling between air-mode nanobeam cavities and individual carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machiya, Hidenori; Uda, Takushi; Ishii, Akihiro; Kato, Yuichiro K.

Air-mode nanobeam cavities allow for high efficiency coupling to air-suspended carbon nanotubes due to their unique mode profile that has large electric fields in air. Here we utilize heating-induced energy shift of carbon nanotube emission to investigate the cavity quantum electrodynamics effects. In particular, we use laser-induced heating which causes a large blue-shift of the nanotube photoluminescence as the excitation power is increased. Combined with a slight red-shift of the cavity mode at high powers, detuning of nanotube emission from the cavity can be controlled. We estimate the spontaneous emission coupling factor β at different spectral overlaps and find an increase of β factor at small detunings, which is consistent with Purcell enhancement of nanotube emission. Work supported by JSPS (KAKENHI JP26610080, JP16K13613), Asahi Glass Foundation, Canon Foundation, and MEXT (Photon Frontier Network Program, Nanotechnology Platform).

Coherently coupling distinct spin ensembles through a high critical temperature superconducting resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghirri, Alberto; Bonizzoni, Claudio; Troiani, Filippo; Affronte, Marco

The problem of coupling remote ensembles of two-level systems through cavity photons is revisited by using molecular spin centers and a high critical temperature superconducting coplanar resonator. By using PyBTM organic radicals, we achieved the strong coupling regime with values of the cooperativity reaching 4300 at 2 K. We show that up to three distinct spin ensembles are simultaneously coupled through the resonator mode. The ensembles are made physically distinguishable by chemically varying the g-factor and by exploiting the inhomogeneities of the applied magnetic field. The coherent mixing of the spin and field modes is demonstrated by the observed multiple anticrossing, along with the simulations performed within the input-output formalism, and quantified by suitable entropic measures.

The Interplay Between Interpersonal Stress and Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Over Time for Young At-Risk Couples

PubMed Central

Capaldi, Deborah M.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Tiberio, Stacey S.

2013-01-01

The substantial number of young people in romantic relationships that involve intimate partner violence, a situation deleterious to physical and mental health, has resulted in increased attention to understanding the links between risk factors and course of violence. The current study examined couples’ interpersonal stress related to not liking partners’ friends and not getting along with parents as contextual factors associated with couples’ psychological partner violence and determined whether and when couples’ friend and parent stress increased the likelihood of couples’ psychological partner violence. A linear latent growth curve modeling approach was used with multiwave measures of psychological partner violence, friend stress, parent stress, and relationship satisfaction obtained from 196 men at risk for delinquency and their women partners over a 12-year period. At the initial assessment, on average, the men were age 21.5 years and the women were age 21 years. Findings indicated that couples experiencing high levels of friend and parent stress were more likely to engage in high levels of psychological partner violence and that increases in couples’ friend stress predicted increases in couples’ partner violence over time, even when accounting for the couples’ relationship satisfaction, marital status, children in the home, and financial strain. Interactive effects were at play when the couples were in their early 20s, with couples being most at risk for increases in psychological partner violence if they experienced both high friend stress and low relationship satisfaction. Couples’ friend stress had the greatest effect on psychological partner violence when the couples were in their early to mid 20s when levels of friend stress were high. As the couples reached their 30s, low relationship satisfaction became the leading predictor of couples’ psychological partner violence. PMID:23358887

Simulation Study of Near-Surface Coupling of Nuclear Devices vs. Equivalent High-Explosive Charges

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

Fournier, Kevin B; Walton, Otis R; Benjamin, Russ

2014-09-29

A computational study was performed to examine the differences in near-surface ground-waves and air-blast waves generated by high-explosive energy sources and those generated by much higher energy - density low - yield nuclear sources. The study examined the effect of explosive-source emplacement (i.e., height-of-burst, HOB, or depth-of-burial, DOB) over a range from depths of -35m to heights of 20m, for explosions with an explosive yield of 1-kt . The chemical explosive was modeled by a JWL equation-of-state model for a ~14m diameter sphere of ANFO (~1,200,000kg – 1 k t equivalent yield ), and the high-energy-density source was modeled asmore » a one tonne (1000 kg) plasma of ‘Iron-gas’ (utilizing LLNL’s tabular equation-of-state database, LEOS) in a 2m diameter sphere, with a total internal-energy content equivalent to 1 k t . A consistent equivalent-yield coupling-factor approach was developed to compare the behavior of the two sources. The results indicate that the equivalent-yield coupling-factor for air-blasts from 1 k t ANFO explosions varies monotonically and continuously from a nearly perfec t reflected wave off of the ground surface for a HOB ≈ 20m, to a coupling factor of nearly zero at DOB ≈ -25m. The nuclear air - blast coupling curve, on the other hand, remained nearly equal to a perfectly reflected wave all the way down to HOB’s very near zero, and then quickly dropped to a value near zero for explosions with a DOB ≈ -10m. The near - surface ground - wave traveling horizontally out from the explosive source region to distances of 100’s of meters exhibited equivalent - yield coupling - factors t hat varied nearly linearly with HOB/DOB for the simulated ANFO explosive source, going from a value near zero at HOB ≈ 5m to nearly one at DOB ≈ -25m. The nuclear-source generated near-surface ground wave coupling-factor remained near zero for almost all HOB’s greater than zero, and then appeared to vary nearly - linearly with depth-of-burial until it reached a value of one at a DOB between 15m and 20m. These simulations confirm the expected result that the variation of coupling to the ground, or the air, change s much more rapidly with emplacement location for a high-energy-density (i.e., nuclear-like) explosive source than it does for relatively low - energy - density chemical explosive sources. The Energy Partitioning, Energy Coupling (EPEC) platform at LLNL utilizes laser energy from one quad (i.e. 4-laser beams) of the 192 - beam NIF Laser bank to deliver ~10kJ of energy to 1mg of silver in a hohlraum creating an effective small-explosive ‘source’ with an energy density comparable to those in low-yield nuclear devices. Such experiments have the potential to provide direct experimental confirmation of the simulation results obtained in this study, at a physical scale (and time-scale) which is a factor of 1000 smaller than the spatial- or temporal-scales typically encountered when dealing with nuclear explosions.« less

Using constitutive activity to define appropriate high-throughput screening assays for orphan g protein-coupled receptors.

PubMed

Ngo, Tony; Coleman, James L J; Smith, Nicola J

2015-01-01

Orphan G protein-coupled receptors represent an underexploited resource for drug discovery but pose a considerable challenge for assay development because their cognate G protein signaling pathways are often unknown. In this methodological chapter, we describe the use of constitutive activity, that is, the inherent ability of receptors to couple to their cognate G proteins in the absence of ligand, to inform the development of high-throughput screening assays for a particular orphan receptor. We specifically focus on a two-step process, whereby constitutive G protein coupling is first determined using yeast Gpa1/human G protein chimeras linked to growth and β-galactosidase generation. Coupling selectivity is then confirmed in mammalian cells expressing endogenous G proteins and driving accumulation of transcription factor-fused luciferase reporters specific to each of the classes of G protein. Based on these findings, high-throughput screening campaigns can be performed on the already miniaturized mammalian reporter system.

Combining symmetry collective states with coupled-cluster theory: Lessons from the Agassi model Hamiltonian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermes, Matthew R.; Dukelsky, Jorge; Scuseria, Gustavo E.

2017-06-01

The failures of single-reference coupled-cluster theory for strongly correlated many-body systems is flagged at the mean-field level by the spontaneous breaking of one or more physical symmetries of the Hamiltonian. Restoring the symmetry of the mean-field determinant by projection reveals that coupled-cluster theory fails because it factorizes high-order excitation amplitudes incorrectly. However, symmetry-projected mean-field wave functions do not account sufficiently for dynamic (or weak) correlation. Here we pursue a merger of symmetry projection and coupled-cluster theory, following previous work along these lines that utilized the simple Lipkin model system as a test bed [J. Chem. Phys. 146, 054110 (2017), 10.1063/1.4974989]. We generalize the concept of a symmetry-projected mean-field wave function to the concept of a symmetry projected state, in which the factorization of high-order excitation amplitudes in terms of low-order ones is guided by symmetry projection and is not exponential, and combine them with coupled-cluster theory in order to model the ground state of the Agassi Hamiltonian. This model has two separate channels of correlation and two separate physical symmetries which are broken under strong correlation. We show how the combination of symmetry collective states and coupled-cluster theory is effective in obtaining correlation energies and order parameters of the Agassi model throughout its phase diagram.

Psychological and Relational Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Profiles Among Pregnant Adolescent Couples

PubMed Central

Lewis, Jessica B.; Sullivan, Tami P.; Angley, Meghan; Callands, Tamora; Divney, Anna A.; Magriples, Urania; Gordon, Derrick M.; Kershaw, Trace S.

2017-01-01

We sought to identify relationship and individual psychological factors that related to four profiles of intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant adolescent couples: no IPV, male IPV victim only, female IPV victim only, mutual IPV, and how associations differ by sex. Using data from a longitudinal study of pregnant adolescents and partners (n = 291 couples), we used a multivariate profile analysis using multivariate analysis of covariance with between and within-subjects effects to compare IPV groups and sex on relationship and psychological factors. Analyses were conducted at the couple level, with IPV groups as a between-subjects couple level variable and sex as a within-subjects variable that allowed us to model and compare the outcomes of both partners while controlling for the correlated nature of the data. Analyses controlled for age, race, income, relationship duration, and gestational age. Among couples, 64% had no IPV; 23% male IPV victim only; 7% mutual IPV; 5% female IPV victim only. Relationship (F = 3.61, P < .001) and psychological (F = 3.17, P < .001) factors differed by IPV group, overall. Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, relationship equity, perceived partner infidelity, depression, stress, and hostility each differed by IPV profile (all P < .01). Attachment anxiety, equity, depression and stress had a significant IPV profile by sex interaction (all P < .05). Couples with mutual IPV had the least healthy relationship and psychological characteristics; couples with no IPV had the healthiest characteristics. Females in mutually violent relationships were at particularly high risk. Couple-level interventions focused on relational issues might protect young families from developing IPV behaviors. PMID:27135634

Electron-lattice coupling after high-energy deposition in aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorbunov, S. A.; Medvedev, N. A.; Terekhin, P. N.; Volkov, A. E.

2015-07-01

This paper presents an analysis of the parameters of highly-excited electron subsystem of aluminum, appearing e.g. after swift heavy ion impact or laser pulse irradiation. For elevated electron temperatures, the electron heat capacity and the screening parameter are evaluated. The electron-phonon approximation of electron-lattice coupling is compared with its precise formulation based on the dynamic structure factor (DSF) formalism. The DSF formalism takes into account collective response of a lattice to excitation including all possible limit cases of this response. In particular, it automatically provides realization of electron-phonon coupling as the low-temperature limit, while switching to the plasma-limit for high electron temperatures. Aluminum is chosen as a good model system for illustration of the presented methodology.

Grief reactions of couples to perinatal loss: A one-year prospective follow-up.

PubMed

Tseng, Ying-Fen; Cheng, Hsiu-Rong; Chen, Yu-Ping; Yang, Shu-Fei; Cheng, Pi-Tzu

2017-12-01

To explore couples' perceptions of the effects of perinatal loss on their marital relationship, social support and grief 1 year postloss, and analyse what factors changed the severity of their grief. Perinatal losses are traumatic events in the lives of families and can have serious long-term consequences for the psychological health of parents and any subsequent children. A prospective follow-up study. We recruited, at a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan, a convenience sample of 30 couples whose babies either miscarried or were stillborn. At 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2), 6 months (T3) and 1 year (T4) after the pregnancy loss, all participants completed four questionnaires. To analyse the changing status of their grief and its related factors, we used a generalised estimating equation (GEE) to account for correlations between repeated observations. Postbereavement grief levels fell over the four time-points. Mothers reported feeling more grief than did the fathers. Couples with a history of infertility, no religious beliefs or no living children before the loss felt more grief from a perinatal miscarriage or stillbirth. Furthermore, couples reported more grief if their marital satisfaction level was low, if their socioemotional support from husband's parents was low or if they had never participated in a ritual for their deceased baby. Six months postloss is the crucial period for bereaved parents after a perinatal loss. Being a mother, having no previous living children and low-level socioemotional support from the husband's parents are significant high-risk factors for a high level of grief 1 year after perinatal death. We recommend that health professionals increase their ability to identify the factors that psychologically affect postloss grief. Active postloss follow-up programmes should focus on these factors to offer specific support and counselling. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Out Drinking the Joneses: Neighborhood Factors Moderating the Effects of Drinking on Relationship Quality over the First Four Years of Marriage.

PubMed

Crasta, Dev; Funk, Janette L; Lee, Soonhee; Rogge, Ronald D

2017-12-27

Neighborhood quality has been cross-sectionally linked to both relationship behaviors and relationship well-being. Consistent with the Vulnerability Stress-Adaptation model of relationship functioning (Karney & Bradbury, 1995), we hypothesized that associations between social behaviors (e.g., drinking) and relationship quality could be moderated by neighborhood factors. Specifically, we characterized neighborhoods along multiple dimensions using multiple methods (self-report, census) to investigate how neighborhood factors might clarify ambiguous effects of alcohol use on marital functioning. A nationally recruited sample of 303 newlywed couples completed a baseline assessment around the time of marriage and was then assessed yearly across the first 4 years of marriage (94% retention). Three level HLM slope-intercept models were used to model changes in relationship satisfaction across the first 4 years of marriage. Results suggested that, for couples living in highly disordered neighborhoods, positive shifts in overall levels of drinking within specific waves of assessment were associated with corresponding negative shifts in satisfaction whereas in neighborhoods without perceived disorder, this effect was reversed. For couples living in neighborhoods with low levels of domestic structures (high census rates of single renters without children), within-couple discrepancies favoring higher rates of husband drinking in specific waves predicted poorer relationship quality for both partners in those same waves whereas those same discrepancies predicted higher satisfaction in high domesticity neighborhoods (high census rates of married homeowners with children). The findings provide insight into the different roles of alcohol use in relationship maintenance and highlight the importance of using external context to understand intradyadic processes. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

Individual and Partner Risk Factors Associated with Abnormal Cervical Cytology among Women in HIV-discordant Relationships

PubMed Central

Soh, Jason; Rositch, Anne F.; Koutsky, Laura; Guthrie, Brandon L.; Choi, Robert Y.; Bosire, Rose K.; Gatuguta, Ann; Smith, Jennifer S.; Kiarie, James; Lohman-Payne, Barbara; Farquhar, Carey

2014-01-01

Individual and sexual partner characteristics may increase risk of abnormal cervical cytology among women in HIV-discordant relationships. Papanicolaou smears were obtained in a prospective cohort of Kenyan HIV-discordant couples. Of 441 women, 283 (64%) were HIV-infected and 158 (36%) were HIV-uninfected with HIV-infected partners. Overall, 79 (18%) had low-grade and 25 (6%) high-grade cervical abnormalities. Lack of male circumcision, male HSV-2 seropositivity and lower couple socioeconomic status were associated with cervical abnormalities (p<0.05). HIV-uninfected women with HIV-infected male sex partners (CD4>350 cells/µL) had the lowest prevalence of high-grade cervical lesions. HIV-infected women (CD4>350 cells/µL) and HIV-uninfected women with HIV-infected partners (CD4≤350 cells/µL) were at similar intermediate risk (P>0.05), and HIV-infected women (CD4≤350 cells/µL) had significantly higher risk of high-grade cervical abnormalities (p=0.05). Women in HIV-discordant relationships have high rates of cervical lesions and this may be influenced by couple-level factors, including HIV status and CD4 count of the infected partner. PMID:24047885

Adjoint BFKL at finite coupling: a short-cut from the collinear limit

DOE PAGES

Basso, Benjamin; Caron-Huot, Simon; Sever, Amit

2015-01-08

In the high energy Regge limit, the six gluons scattering amplitude is controlled by the adjoint BFKL eigenvalue and impact factor. In this paper we determine these two building blocks at any value of the ’t Hooft coupling in planar N=4 SYM theory. This is achieved by means of analytic continuations from the collinear limit, where similar all loops expressions were recently established. We check our predictions against all available data at weak and strong coupling.

Kinetic Resolution of α-Hydroxy-Substituted Oxime Ethers by Enantioselective Cu-H-Catalyzed Si-O Coupling.

PubMed

Dong, Xichang; Kita, Yuji; Oestreich, Martin

2018-04-12

A catalyst-controlled enantioselective alcohol silylation by Cu-H-catalyzed dehydrogenative Si-O coupling of hydroxy groups α to an oxime ether and simple hydrosilanes is reported. The selectivity factors reached in this kinetic resolution are generally high (s≈50), and these reactions thereby provide reliable access to highly enantioenriched α-hydroxy-substituted oxime ethers. The synthetic usefulness of these compounds is also demonstrated. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Index extraction for electromagnetic field evaluation of high power wireless charging system.

PubMed

Park, SangWook

2017-01-01

This paper presents the precise dosimetry for highly resonant wireless power transfer (HR-WPT) system using an anatomically realistic human voxel model. The dosimetry for the HR-WPT system designed to operate at 13.56 MHz frequency, which one of the ISM band frequency band, is conducted in the various distances between the human model and the system, and in the condition of alignment and misalignment between transmitting and receiving circuits. The specific absorption rates in the human body are computed by the two-step approach; in the first step, the field generated by the HR-WPT system is calculated and in the second step the specific absorption rates are computed with the scattered field finite-difference time-domain method regarding the fields obtained in the first step as the incident fields. The safety compliance for non-uniform field exposure from the HR-WPT system is discussed with the international safety guidelines. Furthermore, the coupling factor concept is employed to relax the maximum allowable transmitting power. Coupling factors derived from the dosimetry results are presented. In this calculation, the external magnetic field from the HR-WPT system can be relaxed by approximately four times using coupling factor in the worst exposure scenario.

PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AND PERSONALITY PROFILE IN DIVORCE SEEKING COUPLES

PubMed Central

Batra, Lalit; Gautam, Shiv

1995-01-01

To what extent psychiatric morbidity and personality factors contribute to marital disharmony and decision to divorce is still an unanswered question in Indian setting. This study was undertaken with aims to find out (1) the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in persons seeking divorce; (2) the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in persons who had good marital adjustment; (3) the nature of psychiatric morbidity observed in these subjects, and (4) the personality profile of these subjects. Fifty randomly selected divorce seeking couples (n=100) from the matrimonial court of Jaipur City and thirty couples with good marital adjustment (n=60) selected from the community were studied. Probable psychiatric cases identified by administering GHQ (Hindi version) were diagnosed according to ICD-10 and personality profile of all cases was studied by using 16 PF. High psychiatric morbidity (50%) was found among divorce seeking couples in comparison to control group (13%). There was a high prevalence of neurone disorders (22%) and mood disorders (16%) in experimental group. Schizophrenia and related disorders (10%) and substance abuse disorder (2%) were seen only in the experimental group. Specific personality factors related to divorce seeking individuals and persons with stable marriage have been identified. The implications of this study are highlighted. PMID:21743746

Hostile marital interactions, proinflammatory cytokine production, and wound healing.

PubMed

Kiecolt-Glaser, Janice K; Loving, Timothy J; Stowell, Jeffrey R; Malarkey, William B; Lemeshow, Stanley; Dickinson, Stephanie L; Glaser, Ronald

2005-12-01

A growing epidemiological literature has suggested that marital discord is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. In addition, depression and stress are associated with enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines that influence a spectrum of conditions associated with aging. To assess how hostile marital behaviors modulate wound healing, as well as local and systemic proinflammatory cytokine production. Couples were admitted twice to a hospital research unit for 24 hours in a crossover trial. Wound healing was assessed daily following research unit discharge. Volunteer sample of 42 healthy married couples, aged 22 to 77 years (mean [SD], 37.04 [13.05]), married a mean (SD) of 12.55 (11.01) years. During the first research unit admission, couples had a structured social support interaction, and during the second admission, they discussed a marital disagreement. Couples' interpersonal behavior, wound healing, and local and systemic changes in proinflammatory cytokine production were assessed during each research unit admission. Couples' blister wounds healed more slowly and local cytokine production (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-1beta) was lower at wound sites following marital conflicts than after social support interactions. Couples who demonstrated consistently higher levels of hostile behaviors across both their interactions healed at 60% of the rate of low-hostile couples. High-hostile couples also produced relatively larger increases in plasma IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha values the morning after a conflict than after a social support interaction compared with low-hostile couples. These data provide further mechanistic evidence of the sensitivity of wound healing to everyday stressors. Moreover, more frequent and amplified increases in proinflammatory cytokine levels could accelerate a range of age-related diseases. Thus, these data also provide a window on the pathways through which hostile or abrasive relationships affect physiological functioning and health.

Psychological and relational correlates of intimate partner violence profiles among pregnant adolescent couples.

PubMed

Lewis, Jessica B; Sullivan, Tami P; Angley, Meghan; Callands, Tamora; Divney, Anna A; Magriples, Urania; Gordon, Derrick M; Kershaw, Trace S

2017-01-01

We sought to identify relationship and individual psychological factors that related to four profiles of intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant adolescent couples: no IPV, male IPV victim only, female IPV victim only, mutual IPV, and how associations differ by sex. Using data from a longitudinal study of pregnant adolescents and partners (n = 291 couples), we used a multivariate profile analysis using multivariate analysis of covariance with between and within-subjects effects to compare IPV groups and sex on relationship and psychological factors. Analyses were conducted at the couple level, with IPV groups as a between-subjects couple level variable and sex as a within-subjects variable that allowed us to model and compare the outcomes of both partners while controlling for the correlated nature of the data. Analyses controlled for age, race, income, relationship duration, and gestational age. Among couples, 64% had no IPV; 23% male IPV victim only; 7% mutual IPV; 5% female IPV victim only. Relationship (F = 3.61, P < .001) and psychological (F = 3.17, P < .001) factors differed by IPV group, overall. Attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, relationship equity, perceived partner infidelity, depression, stress, and hostility each differed by IPV profile (all P < .01). Attachment anxiety, equity, depression and stress had a significant IPV profile by sex interaction (all P < .05). Couples with mutual IPV had the least healthy relationship and psychological characteristics; couples with no IPV had the healthiest characteristics. Females in mutually violent relationships were at particularly high risk. Couple-level interventions focused on relational issues might protect young families from developing IPV behaviors. Aggr. Behav. 43:26-36, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychiatric morbidity and subsequent divorce: a couple-level register-based study in Finland.

PubMed

Metsä-Simola, Niina; Martikainen, Pekka; Monden, Christiaan W

2018-05-02

Studies that assess the role of mental health for the risk of divorce are scarce and mostly rely on individual-level data, although divorce is a couple-level phenomenon. Using data on couples, we examine the effects of both spouses' psychiatric morbidity on the risk of divorce, and whether socio-demographic factors affect these associations. We followed 96,222 Finnish married couples for 6 years using register-based data on both spouses and their household. New incidence of psychiatric morbidity and subsequent divorce was identified from dates of prescription medication purchases and hospital admissions, and dates of registered divorce. Socio-demographic factors were measured annually for both spouses and their household. The effect of incident psychiatric morbidity on divorce risk was analyzed using Cox regression. Psychiatric morbidity in men increased the age-adjusted risk of divorce more than twofold and in women nearly twofold. The risk of divorce was particularly pronounced immediately after new incidence of psychiatric morbidity, before settling to a persistently high level. Psychiatric morbidity in both spouses increased the risk of divorce almost threefold. Adjustment for socio-economic factors had little effect on these associations. Psychiatric morbidity is a persistent risk factor of divorce. The risk is larger when both spouses experience psychiatric morbidity compared to only one spouse. The findings are consistent with the idea that poor relationship quality and dissatisfaction in couples suffering from mental health problems have long-term consequences for marital stability. Treatment of psychiatric morbidity should not focus only on the individual but on couple-level dynamics.

Dirac-, Rashba-, and Weyl-type spin-orbit couplings: Toward experimental realization in ultracold atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bao-Zong; Lu, Yue-Hui; Sun, Wei; Chen, Shuai; Deng, Youjin; Liu, Xiong-Jun

2018-01-01

We propose a hierarchy set of minimal optical Raman lattice schemes to pave the way for experimental realization of high-dimensional spin-orbit (SO) couplings for ultracold atoms, including two-dimensional (2D) Dirac type, 2D Rashba type, and three-dimensional (3D) Weyl type. The proposed Dirac-type SO coupling exhibits precisely controllable high symmetry, for which a large topological phase region is predicted. The generation of 2D Rashba and 3D Weyl types requires that two sources of laser beams have distinct frequencies of factor 2 difference. Surprisingly, we find that 133Cs atoms provide an ideal candidate for the realization. A common and essential feature is of high controllability and absent of any fine-tuning in the realization, and the resulting SO coupled ultracold atoms have a long lifetime. In particular, a long-lived topological Bose gas of 2D Dirac SO coupling has been proved in the follow-up experiment. These schemes essentially improve over the current experimental accessibility and controllability, and open a realistic way to explore novel high-dimensional SO physics, particularly quantum many-body physics and quantum far-from-equilibrium dynamics with novel topology for ultracold atoms.

Double resonance calibration of g factor standards: Carbon fibers as a high precision standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herb, Konstantin; Tschaggelar, Rene; Denninger, Gert; Jeschke, Gunnar

2018-04-01

The g factor of paramagnetic defects in commercial high performance carbon fibers was determined by a double resonance experiment based on the Overhauser shift due to hyperfine coupled protons. Our carbon fibers exhibit a single, narrow and perfectly Lorentzian shaped ESR line and a g factor slightly higher than gfree with g = 2.002644 =gfree · (1 + 162ppm) with a relative uncertainty of 15ppm . This precisely known g factor and their inertness qualify them as a high precision g factor standard for general purposes. The double resonance experiment for calibration is applicable to other potential standards with a hyperfine interaction averaged by a process with very short correlation time.

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

Beck, M. A., E-mail: mabeck2@wisc.edu; Isaacs, J. A.; Booth, D.

We describe the design and characterization of superconducting coplanar waveguide cavities tailored to facilitate strong coupling between superconducting quantum circuits and single trapped Rydberg atoms. For initial superconductor–atom experiments at 4.2 K, we show that resonator quality factors above 10{sup 4} can be readily achieved. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the incorporation of thick-film copper electrodes at a voltage antinode of the resonator provides a route to enhance the zero-point electric fields of the resonator in a trapping region that is 40 μm above the chip surface, thereby minimizing chip heating from scattered trap light. The combination of high resonator quality factor andmore » strong electric dipole coupling between the resonator and the atom should make it possible to achieve the strong coupling limit of cavity quantum electrodynamics with this system.« less

Sterilization Anxiety and Fertility Control in the Later Years of Childbearing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groat, H. Theodore; And Others

1990-01-01

Examined anxiety surrounding sterilization decision making, using data from 338 couples with completed childbearing, almost evenly divided between those who were sterilized and those who were not. Separate factor analyses for husbands and wives revealed 3 distinct dimensions of anxiety. Anxiety factors were highly predictive of sterilization…

Hierarchical and coupling model of factors influencing vessel traffic flow.

PubMed

Liu, Zhao; Liu, Jingxian; Li, Huanhuan; Li, Zongzhi; Tan, Zhirong; Liu, Ryan Wen; Liu, Yi

2017-01-01

Understanding the characteristics of vessel traffic flow is crucial in maintaining navigation safety, efficiency, and overall waterway transportation management. Factors influencing vessel traffic flow possess diverse features such as hierarchy, uncertainty, nonlinearity, complexity, and interdependency. To reveal the impact mechanism of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow, a hierarchical model and a coupling model are proposed in this study based on the interpretative structural modeling method. The hierarchical model explains the hierarchies and relationships of the factors using a graph. The coupling model provides a quantitative method that explores interaction effects of factors using a coupling coefficient. The coupling coefficient is obtained by determining the quantitative indicators of the factors and their weights. Thereafter, the data obtained from Port of Tianjin is used to verify the proposed coupling model. The results show that the hierarchical model of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow can explain the level, structure, and interaction effect of the factors; the coupling model is efficient in analyzing factors influencing traffic volumes. The proposed method can be used for analyzing increases in vessel traffic flow in waterway transportation system.

Hierarchical and coupling model of factors influencing vessel traffic flow

PubMed Central

Liu, Jingxian; Li, Huanhuan; Li, Zongzhi; Tan, Zhirong; Liu, Ryan Wen; Liu, Yi

2017-01-01

Understanding the characteristics of vessel traffic flow is crucial in maintaining navigation safety, efficiency, and overall waterway transportation management. Factors influencing vessel traffic flow possess diverse features such as hierarchy, uncertainty, nonlinearity, complexity, and interdependency. To reveal the impact mechanism of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow, a hierarchical model and a coupling model are proposed in this study based on the interpretative structural modeling method. The hierarchical model explains the hierarchies and relationships of the factors using a graph. The coupling model provides a quantitative method that explores interaction effects of factors using a coupling coefficient. The coupling coefficient is obtained by determining the quantitative indicators of the factors and their weights. Thereafter, the data obtained from Port of Tianjin is used to verify the proposed coupling model. The results show that the hierarchical model of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow can explain the level, structure, and interaction effect of the factors; the coupling model is efficient in analyzing factors influencing traffic volumes. The proposed method can be used for analyzing increases in vessel traffic flow in waterway transportation system. PMID:28414747

High quality factor, fully switchable terahertz superconducting metasurface

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

Scalari, G., E-mail: scalari@phys.ethz.ch; Maissen, C.; Faist, J.

2014-12-29

We present a complementary THz metasurface realised with Niobium thin film which displays a quality factor Q = 54 and a fully switchable behaviour as a function of the temperature. The switching behaviour and the high quality factor are due to a careful design of the metasurface aimed at maximising the ohmic losses when the Nb is above the critical temperature and minimising the radiative coupling. The superconductor allows the operation of the cavity with high Q and the use of inductive elements with a high aspect ratio. Comparison with three dimensional finite element simulations highlights the crucial role of the inductivemore » elements and of the kinetic inductance of the Cooper pairs in achieving the high quality factor and the high field enhancement.« less

Ringing phenomenon in coupled cavities: Application to modal coupling in whispering-gallery-mode resonators

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

Trebaol, Stephane; Dumeige, Yannick; Feron, Patrice

We present a simple model to describe the transient response of two coupled resonators probed by a monochromatic wave whose frequency is rapidly swept across the resonances with respect to their characteristic photon lifetimes. The model is applied to analyze the dynamic behavior of the modal coupling between two degenerate resonances of the same cavity. In particular, this can be used to describe the coupling of counterpropagating whispering gallery modes (WGMs) by Rayleigh scattering. The theory is successfully compared to experiments carried out in silica microspheres. These results show that this ringdown technique can be extended to accurately measure linearmore » properties and frequency splittings of high-quality factor WGM microresonators.« less

Two-Photon Rabi Splitting in a Coupled System of a Nanocavity and Exciton Complexes.

PubMed

Qian, Chenjiang; Wu, Shiyao; Song, Feilong; Peng, Kai; Xie, Xin; Yang, Jingnan; Xiao, Shan; Steer, Matthew J; Thayne, Iain G; Tang, Chengchun; Zuo, Zhanchun; Jin, Kuijuan; Gu, Changzhi; Xu, Xiulai

2018-05-25

Two-photon Rabi splitting in a cavity-dot system provides a basis for multiqubit coherent control in a quantum photonic network. Here we report on two-photon Rabi splitting in a strongly coupled cavity-dot system. The quantum dot was grown intentionally large in size for a large oscillation strength and small biexciton binding energy. Both exciton and biexciton transitions couple to a high-quality-factor photonic crystal cavity with large coupling strengths over 130  μeV. Furthermore, the small binding energy enables the cavity to simultaneously couple with two exciton states. Thereby, two-photon Rabi splitting between the biexciton and cavity is achieved, which can be well reproduced by theoretical calculations with quantum master equations.

Two-Photon Rabi Splitting in a Coupled System of a Nanocavity and Exciton Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Chenjiang; Wu, Shiyao; Song, Feilong; Peng, Kai; Xie, Xin; Yang, Jingnan; Xiao, Shan; Steer, Matthew J.; Thayne, Iain G.; Tang, Chengchun; Zuo, Zhanchun; Jin, Kuijuan; Gu, Changzhi; Xu, Xiulai

2018-05-01

Two-photon Rabi splitting in a cavity-dot system provides a basis for multiqubit coherent control in a quantum photonic network. Here we report on two-photon Rabi splitting in a strongly coupled cavity-dot system. The quantum dot was grown intentionally large in size for a large oscillation strength and small biexciton binding energy. Both exciton and biexciton transitions couple to a high-quality-factor photonic crystal cavity with large coupling strengths over 130 μ eV . Furthermore, the small binding energy enables the cavity to simultaneously couple with two exciton states. Thereby, two-photon Rabi splitting between the biexciton and cavity is achieved, which can be well reproduced by theoretical calculations with quantum master equations.

Terahertz absorber based on Fano-like resonance of inverted quadrangular frustum pyramid metal grooves and sensor application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yingying; Sun, Bo

2018-07-01

We investigate the multi-resonance coupling of inverted quadrangular frustum pyramid (IQFP) groove metal arrays at terahertz frequencies. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and groove resonance are induced, resulting in resonance coupling. The dipole of the groove resonance drives the quadrupole of the SPR and creates a sharp Fano-like resonance. The effects of geometry parameters including the width (at the bottom) and height are analyzed in detail. The results show that with the decrease in the sidewall slope of the groove, the confinement of the groove region on the electromagnetic field decreases, thereby increasing the resonance coupling. The Fano-like resonance is enhanced. The sensitivity and quality factor are discussed. The results show that the Fano-like resonance has high sensitivity and quality factor. With the increase in the sidewall slope of the groove, the sensitivity increases, and the quality factor decreases. The results show that the Fano-like resonance of IQFP groove metal arrays has a significant potential for biological monitoring and sensing.

Improvement in reduced-mode (REM) diodes enable 315 W from 105-μm 0.15-NA fiber-coupled modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanskar, M.; Bao, L.; Chen, Z.; Dawson, D.; DeVito, M.; Dong, W.; Grimshaw, M.; Guan, X.; Hemenway, M.; Martinsen, R.; Urbanek, W.; Zhang, S.

2018-02-01

High-power, high-brightness diode lasers have been pursued for many applications including fiber laser pumping, materials processing, solid-state laser pumping, and consumer electronics manufacturing. In particular, 915 nm - and 976 nm diodes are of interest as diode pumps for the kilowatt CW fiber lasers. As a result, there have been many technical thrusts for driving the diode lasers to have both high power and high brightness to achieve high-performance and reduced manufacturing costs. This paper presents our continued progress in the development of high brightness fiber-coupled product platform, nLIGHT element®. In the past decade, the power coupled into a single 105 μm and 0.15 NA fiber has increased by over a factor of ten through improved diode laser brightness and the development of techniques for efficiently coupling multiple emitters. In this paper, we demonstrate further brightness improvement and power-scaling enabled by both the rise in chip brightness/power and the increase in number of chips coupled into a given numerical aperture. We report a new chip technology using x-REM design with brightness as high as 4.3 W/mm-mrad at a BPP of 3 mm-mrad. We also report record 315 W output from a 2×12 nLIGHT element with 105 μm diameter fiber using x-REM diodes and these diodes will allow next generation of fiber-coupled product capable of 250W output power from 105 μm/0.15 NA beam at 915 nm.

Bending, longitudinal and torsional wave transmission on Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with high propagation losses.

PubMed

Wang, X; Hopkins, C

2016-10-01

Advanced Statistical Energy Analysis (ASEA) is used to predict vibration transmission across coupled beams which support multiple wave types up to high frequencies where Timoshenko theory is valid. Bending-longitudinal and bending-torsional models are considered for an L-junction and rectangular beam frame. Comparisons are made with measurements, Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA). When beams support at least two local modes for each wave type in a frequency band and the modal overlap factor is at least 0.1, measurements and FEM have relatively smooth curves. Agreement between measurements, FEM, and ASEA demonstrates that ASEA is able to predict high propagation losses which are not accounted for with SEA. These propagation losses tend to become more important at high frequencies with relatively high internal loss factors and can occur when there is more than one wave type. At such high frequencies, Timoshenko theory, rather than Euler-Bernoulli theory, is often required. Timoshenko theory is incorporated in ASEA and SEA using wave theory transmission coefficients derived assuming Euler-Bernoulli theory, but using Timoshenko group velocity when calculating coupling loss factors. The changeover between theories is appropriate above the frequency where there is a 26% difference between Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko group velocities.

A study of the vibrational energies of two coupled beams by finite element and green function (receptance) methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar, K.; Keane, A. J.

1995-04-01

The behaviour of two hinged-hinged beams, point coupled by springs (translational, rotary and a combination of both) with weak to strong coupling is studied from the point of view of vibrational energies, input power and power transferred through the coupling. Two configurations are studied: in the first case the beams are placed parallel to each other and only the transverse, Euler-Bernoulli modes are considered; the second configuration is more complicated with the beams placed perpendicular to each other, executing axial as well as transverse vibrations. These models are studied by using a finite element analysis (FEA) package and, alternatively, via the modally derived Green functions of the uncoupled subsystems. In both cases the beams are given proportional damping and one of the beams is driven by a point harmonic force. The effects of coupling stiffness and modal summation bandwidth are studied. It is shown that there is good agreement between the FEA and the Green function approach over a range of coupling strengths, but that at higher strengths the number of uncoupled modes used significantly affects the accuracy of the Green function method used here. The beams in the second configuration are then further studied from the point of view of SEA coupling loss factors. The frequency averaged coupling loss factors are calculated for weak and strong coupling, first by using a power injection method, where the power balance equations are formed on the assumption of only direct coupling loss factors. Then, the entire matrix of direct and indirect coupling loss factors is derived by using a deterministic modal approach. These are compared and the indirect coupling loss factors are found to be significant in magnitude in respect to the direct coupling loss factors. Several cases are studied in which the coupling powers and energy levels are predicted by using only the direct coupling loss factors and compared with the exact results obtained by using both direct and indirect factors. These agree only under certain conditions for weak coupling and show rather poorer agreement in the case of strong coupling. This behaviour demonstrates the importance of taking into account indirect coupling loss factors in SEA models having several subsystems.

Effect of temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of rail pads on high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Kai; Wang, Feng; Wang, Ping; Liu, Zi-xuan; Zhang, Pan

2017-03-01

The soft under baseplate pad of WJ-8 rail fastener frequently used in China's high-speed railways was taken as the study subject, and a laboratory test was performed to measure its temperature and frequency-dependent dynamic performance at 0.3 Hz and at -60°C to 20°C with intervals of 2.5°C. Its higher frequency-dependent results at different temperatures were then further predicted based on the time-temperature superposition (TTS) and Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) formula. The fractional derivative Kelvin-Voigt (FDKV) model was used to represent the temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of the tested rail pad. By means of the FDKV model for rail pads and vehicle-track coupled dynamic theory, high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibrations due to temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of rail pads was investigated. Finally, further combining with the measured frequency-dependent dynamic performance of vehicle's rubber primary suspension, the high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibration responses were discussed. It is found that the storage stiffness and loss factor of the tested rail pad are sensitive to low temperatures or high frequencies. The proposed FDKV model for the frequency-dependent storage stiffness and loss factors of the tested rail pad can basically meet the fitting precision, especially at ordinary temperatures. The numerical simulation results indicate that the vertical vibration levels of high-speed vehicle-track coupled systems calculated with the FDKV model for rail pads in time domain are higher than those calculated with the ordinary Kelvin-Voigt (KV) model for rail pads. Additionally, the temperature- and frequency-dependent dynamic properties of the tested rail pads would alter the vertical vibration acceleration levels (VALs) of the car body and bogie in 1/3 octave frequencies above 31.5 Hz, especially enlarge the vertical VALs of the wheel set and rail in 1/3 octave frequencies of 31.5-100 Hz and above 315 Hz, which are the dominant frequencies of ground vibration acceleration and rolling noise (or bridge noise) caused by high-speed railways respectively. Since the fractional derivative value of the adopted rubber primary suspension, unlike the tested rail pad, is very close to 1, its frequency-dependent dynamic performance has little effect on high-speed vehicle-track coupled vibration responses.

Pre-implantation genetic screening using fluorescence in situ hybridization in couples of Indian ethnicity: Is there a scope?

PubMed Central

Saxena, Shailaja Gada; Desai, Kundanbala; Shewale, Lata; Ranjan, Prabhat

2014-01-01

CONTEXT: There is a high incidence of numerical chromosomal aberration in couples with repeated in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure, advanced maternal age, repeated unexplained abortions, severe male factor infertility and unexplained infertility. Pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS), a variant of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, screens numerical chromosomal aberrations in couples with normal karyotype, experiencing poor reproductive outcome. The present study includes the results of the initial pilot study on 9 couples who underwent 10 PGS cycles. AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of PGS in couples with poor reproductive outcome. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Data of initial 9 couples who underwent 10 PGS for various indications was evaluated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Blastomere biopsy was performed on cleavage stage embryos and subjected to two round fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y as a two-step procedure. RESULTS: Six of the 9 couples (10 PGS cycles) conceived, including a twin pregnancy in a couple with male factor infertility, singleton pregnancies in a couple with secondary infertility, in three couples with adverse obstetric outcome in earlier pregnancies and in one couple with repeated IVF failure. CONCLUSION: In the absence of availability of array-comparative genomic hybridization in diagnostic clinical scenario for PGS and promising results with FISH based PGS as evident from the current pilot study, it is imperative to offer the best available services in the present scenario for better pregnancy outcome for patients. PMID:24829527

Termination of pregnancy following a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome: A qualitative study of the decision-making process of pregnant couples.

PubMed

Lou, Stina; Carstensen, Kathrine; Petersen, Olav Bjørn; Nielsen, Camilla Palmhøj; Hvidman, Lone; Lanther, Maja Retpen; Vogel, Ida

2018-05-23

In Denmark, first trimester screening has a very high uptake (>90%). If Down syndrome is diagnosed, termination rates are high (>95%). The aim of this study was to investigate the timing of the decision to terminate pregnancy following a diagnosis of Down syndrome and the factors influencing this decision. Semi-structured, qualitative interview study with 21 couples who had received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome and decided to terminate the pregnancy. Participants were recruited from obstetric departments between February 2016 and July 2017. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: "initial decision-making", "consolidating the decision", "reasons and concerns shaping the termination of pregnancy decision", "the right decision is also burdensome", and "perceived influences in decision-making". For most couples, the initial decision to terminate pregnancy was made before or during the diagnostic process, but it was re-addressed and consolidated following the actual diagnosis. Imagining a family future with a severely affected Down syndrome child was the main factor influencing the termination of pregnancy decision. The decision was articulated as "right" but also as existentially burdensome for some, due to fear of regret and concern about ending a potential life. The decision to terminate pregnancy was considered a private matter between the couple, but was refined through interactions with clinicians and social networks. All couples made an initial decision prior to receiving the Down syndrome diagnosis. Knowledge of the couple's initial decision may facilitate patient-centered communication during and after the diagnostic process. Couples may benefit from counseling to deal with grief and existential concerns. © 2018 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Unstart coupling mechanism analysis of multiple-modules hypersonic inlet.

PubMed

Hu, Jichao; Chang, Juntao; Wang, Lei; Cao, Shibin; Bao, Wen

2013-01-01

The combination of multiplemodules in parallel manner is an important way to achieve the much higher thrust of scramjet engine. For the multiple-modules scramjet engine, when inlet unstarted oscillatory flow appears in a single-module engine due to high backpressure, how to interact with each module by massflow spillage, and whether inlet unstart occurs in other modules are important issues. The unstarted flowfield and coupling characteristic for a three-module hypersonic inlet caused by center module II and side module III were, conducted respectively. The results indicate that the other two hypersonic inlets are forced into unstarted flow when unstarted phenomenon appears on a single-module hypersonic inlet due to high backpressure, and the reversed flow in the isolator dominates the formation, expansion, shrinkage, and disappearance of the vortexes, and thus, it is the major factor of unstart coupling of multiple-modules hypersonic inlet. The coupling effect among multiple modules makes hypersonic inlet be more likely unstarted.

General expressions for the coupling coefficient, quality and filling factors for a cavity with an insert using energy coupled mode theory.

PubMed

Elnaggar, Sameh Y; Tervo, Richard; Mattar, Saba M

2014-05-01

A cavity (CV) with a dielectric resonator (DR) insert forms an excellent probe for the use in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometers. The probe's coupling coefficient, κ, the quality factor, Q, and the filling factor, η are vital in assessing the EPR spectrometer's performance. Coupled mode theory (CMT) is used to derive general expressions for these parameters. For large permittivity the dominating factor in κ is the ratio of the DR and CV cross sectional areas rather than the dielectric constant. Thus in some cases, resonators with low dielectric constant can couple much stronger with the cavity than do resonators with a high dielectric constant. When the DR and CV frequencies are degenerate, the coupled η is the average of the two uncoupled ones. In practical EPR probes the coupled η is approximately half of that of the DR. The Q of the coupled system generally depends on the eigenvectors, uncoupled frequencies (ω1,ω2) and the individual quality factors (Q1,Q2). It is calculated for different probe configurations and found to agree with the corresponding HFSS® simulations. Provided there is a large difference between the Q1, Q2 pair and the frequencies of DR and CV are degenerate, Q is approximately equal to double the minimum of Q1 and Q2. In general, the signal enhancement ratio, Iwithinsert/Iempty, is obtained from Q and η. For low loss DRs it only depends on η1/η2. However, when the DR has a low Q, the uncoupled Qs are also needed. In EPR spectroscopy it is desirable to excite only a single mode. The separation between the modes, Φ, is calculated as a function of κ and Q. It is found to be significantly greater than five times the average bandwidth. Thus for practical probes, it is possible to excite one of the coupled modes without exciting the other. The CMT expressions derived in this article are quite general and are in excellent agreement with the lumped circuit approach and finite numerical simulations. Hence they can also be applied to a loop-gap resonator in a cavity. For the design effective EPR probes, one needs to consider the κ, Q and η parameters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

General expressions for the coupling coefficient, quality and filling factors for a cavity with an insert using energy coupled mode theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elnaggar, Sameh Y.; Tervo, Richard; Mattar, Saba M.

2014-05-01

A cavity (CV) with a dielectric resonator (DR) insert forms an excellent probe for the use in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometers. The probe’s coupling coefficient, κ, the quality factor, Q, and the filling factor, η are vital in assessing the EPR spectrometer’s performance. Coupled mode theory (CMT) is used to derive general expressions for these parameters. For large permittivity the dominating factor in κ is the ratio of the DR and CV cross sectional areas rather than the dielectric constant. Thus in some cases, resonators with low dielectric constant can couple much stronger with the cavity than do resonators with a high dielectric constant. When the DR and CV frequencies are degenerate, the coupled η is the average of the two uncoupled ones. In practical EPR probes the coupled η is approximately half of that of the DR. The Q of the coupled system generally depends on the eigenvectors, uncoupled frequencies (ω1, ω2) and the individual quality factors (Q1, Q2). It is calculated for different probe configurations and found to agree with the corresponding HFSS® simulations. Provided there is a large difference between the Q1, Q2 pair and the frequencies of DR and CV are degenerate, Q is approximately equal to double the minimum of Q1 and Q2. In general, the signal enhancement ratio, I/Iempty, is obtained from Q and η. For low loss DRs it only depends on η1/η2. However, when the DR has a low Q, the uncoupled Qs are also needed. In EPR spectroscopy it is desirable to excite only a single mode. The separation between the modes, Φ, is calculated as a function of κ and Q. It is found to be significantly greater than five times the average bandwidth. Thus for practical probes, it is possible to excite one of the coupled modes without exciting the other. The CMT expressions derived in this article are quite general and are in excellent agreement with the lumped circuit approach and finite numerical simulations. Hence they can also be applied to a loop-gap resonator in a cavity. For the design effective EPR probes, one needs to consider the κ, Q and η parameters.

Perfect absorption of low-frequency sound waves by critically coupled subwavelength resonant system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Houyou; Cheng, Ying; Tao, Jiancheng; Liu, Xiaojun

2017-01-01

The perfect absorption (PA) for low-frequency audible sound waves has been achieved by critically coupling the inherent loss factor to the inherent leakage factor of a system, which is constructed by attaching a deep-subwavelength lossy resonant plate (LRP) to a backed rigid wall closely. We have certified it by using the graphical method in the complex frequency plane. By coupling the LRP to an air cavity in front of the rigid wall, the high efficient (>80%) low-frequency broadband absorption is obtained from 99.1 Hz to 294.8 Hz. Here, the thickness of LRP is only 1/13.5 of the relevant wavelength at 294.8 Hz. The impedance analyses further demonstrate that the impedances are perfectly matched between the system and the surrounding background medium at PA.

Collection efficiency of a single optical fiber in turbid media.

PubMed

Bargo, Paulo R; Prahl, Scott A; Jacques, Steven L

2003-06-01

If a single optical fiber is used for both delivery and collection of light, two major factors affect the measurement of collected light: (1) the light transport in the medium that describes the amount of light that returns to the fiber and (2) the light coupling to the optical fiber that depends on the angular distribution of photons entering the fiber. We focus on the importance of the latter factor and describe how the efficiency of the coupling depends on the optical properties of the medium. For highly scattering tissues, the efficiency is well predicted by the numerical aperture (NA) of the fiber. For lower scattering, such as in soft tissues, photons arrive at the fiber from deeper depths, and the coupling efficiency could increase twofold to threefold above that predicted by the NA.

Couple interdependence impacts HIV-related health behaviours among pregnant couples in southwestern Kenya: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Rogers, Anna Joy; Achiro, Lillian; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Hatcher, Abigail M; Kwena, Zachary; Musoke, Pamela L; Turan, Janet M; Weke, Elly; Darbes, Lynae A

2016-01-01

Introduction HIV infection is frequently transmitted within stable couple partnerships. In order to prevent HIV acquisition in HIV-negative couples, as well as improve coping in couples with an HIV-positive diagnosis, it has been suggested that interventions be aimed at strengthening couple relationships, in addition to addressing individual behaviours. However, little is known about factors that influence relationships to impact joint decision-making related to HIV. Methods We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 40 pregnant women and 40 male partners in southwestern Kenya, an area of high HIV prevalence. Drawing from the interdependence model of communal coping and health behaviour change, we employed thematic analysis methods to analyze interview transcripts in Dedoose software with the aim of identifying key relationship factors that could contribute to the development of a couples-based intervention to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and their male partners. Results In accordance with the interdependence model, we found that couples with greater relationship-centred motivations described jointly engaging in more health-enhancing behaviours, such as couples HIV testing, disclosure of HIV status, and cooperation to improve medication and clinic appointment adherence. These couples often had predisposing factors such as stronger communication skills and shared children, and were less likely to face potential challenges such as polygamous marriages, wife inheritance, living separately, or financial difficulties. For HIV-negative couples, joint decision-making helped them face the health threat of acquiring HIV together. For couples with an HIV-positive diagnosis, communal coping helped reduce risk of interspousal transmission and improve long-term health prospects. Conversely, participants felt that self-centred motivations led to more concurrent sexual partnerships, reduced relationship satisfaction, and mistrust. Couples who lacked interdependence were more likely to mention experiencing violence or relationship dissolution, or having difficulty coping with HIV-related stigma. Conclusions We found that interdependence theory may provide key insights into health-related attitudes and behaviours adopted by pregnant couples. Interventions that invest in strengthening relationships, such as couple counselling during pregnancy, may improve adoption of beneficial HIV-related health behaviours. Future research should explore adaptation of existing evidence-based couple counselling interventions to local contexts, in order to address modifiable relationship characteristics that can increase interdependence and improve HIV-related health outcomes. PMID:27887669

Couple interdependence impacts HIV-related health behaviours among pregnant couples in southwestern Kenya: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Rogers, Anna Joy; Achiro, Lillian; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Hatcher, Abigail M; Kwena, Zachary; Musoke, Pamela L; Turan, Janet M; Weke, Elly; Darbes, Lynae A

2016-01-01

HIV infection is frequently transmitted within stable couple partnerships. In order to prevent HIV acquisition in HIV-negative couples, as well as improve coping in couples with an HIV-positive diagnosis, it has been suggested that interventions be aimed at strengthening couple relationships, in addition to addressing individual behaviours. However, little is known about factors that influence relationships to impact joint decision-making related to HIV. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 40 pregnant women and 40 male partners in southwestern Kenya, an area of high HIV prevalence. Drawing from the interdependence model of communal coping and health behaviour change, we employed thematic analysis methods to analyze interview transcripts in Dedoose software with the aim of identifying key relationship factors that could contribute to the development of a couples-based intervention to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and their male partners. In accordance with the interdependence model, we found that couples with greater relationship-centred motivations described jointly engaging in more health-enhancing behaviours, such as couples HIV testing, disclosure of HIV status, and cooperation to improve medication and clinic appointment adherence. These couples often had predisposing factors such as stronger communication skills and shared children, and were less likely to face potential challenges such as polygamous marriages, wife inheritance, living separately, or financial difficulties. For HIV-negative couples, joint decision-making helped them face the health threat of acquiring HIV together. For couples with an HIV-positive diagnosis, communal coping helped reduce risk of interspousal transmission and improve long-term health prospects. Conversely, participants felt that self-centred motivations led to more concurrent sexual partnerships, reduced relationship satisfaction, and mistrust. Couples who lacked interdependence were more likely to mention experiencing violence or relationship dissolution, or having difficulty coping with HIV-related stigma. We found that interdependence theory may provide key insights into health-related attitudes and behaviours adopted by pregnant couples. Interventions that invest in strengthening relationships, such as couple counselling during pregnancy, may improve adoption of beneficial HIV-related health behaviours. Future research should explore adaptation of existing evidence-based couple counselling interventions to local contexts, in order to address modifiable relationship characteristics that can increase interdependence and improve HIV-related health outcomes.

Index extraction for electromagnetic field evaluation of high power wireless charging system

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This paper presents the precise dosimetry for highly resonant wireless power transfer (HR-WPT) system using an anatomically realistic human voxel model. The dosimetry for the HR-WPT system designed to operate at 13.56 MHz frequency, which one of the ISM band frequency band, is conducted in the various distances between the human model and the system, and in the condition of alignment and misalignment between transmitting and receiving circuits. The specific absorption rates in the human body are computed by the two-step approach; in the first step, the field generated by the HR-WPT system is calculated and in the second step the specific absorption rates are computed with the scattered field finite-difference time-domain method regarding the fields obtained in the first step as the incident fields. The safety compliance for non-uniform field exposure from the HR-WPT system is discussed with the international safety guidelines. Furthermore, the coupling factor concept is employed to relax the maximum allowable transmitting power. Coupling factors derived from the dosimetry results are presented. In this calculation, the external magnetic field from the HR-WPT system can be relaxed by approximately four times using coupling factor in the worst exposure scenario. PMID:28708840

[Effect of psychological factors in pregnancy on the development of parent-child relations. 2. Transition from prenatal to postnatal phase].

PubMed

von Klitzing, K; Amsler, F; Schleske, G; Simoni, H; Bürgin, D

1996-01-01

In a longitudinal prospective study on 38 couples and their first child, we examined the influence of prenatally assessed psychological factors of the parents on somatic and psychic aspects of birth, the quality of the newly established parent-child relationship and the early development of the baby. Half-standardized psychoanalytic interviews with the couple (pre- and postnatally conducted, video-recorded), the Giessen test for couples, an evaluation of the parents' birth narratives and a parent questionnaire about functional symptoms of the baby were used. We found a high continuity between the pre- and the postnatal measurements of the partnership and the emotional experiences of the parents. Somatic complications of the birth event were not correlated with prenatally assessed psychological factors. But there exists a highly significant correlation between the mental representations and the relationships of the parents and the emotional experiences of birth, the early relationship between the parents and their baby and manifestations of functional disorders of the newborn. Relevant psychological and psychosocial aspects should be included in the medical care of pregnant women. One should listen to the imaginations and expectations of the parents about the future parentship, including ambivalent feelings. The father should also be seen for psychological assessment.

Single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth double-ring fiber laser stabilized by an efficiently taper-coupled high roundness microsphere resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Hongdan; Liu, Linqian; Ding, Zuoqin; Wang, Jie; Xiao, Yu; Zhang, Zuxing

2018-06-01

This paper proposes and demonstrates a single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth fiber laser, using an ultra-high roundness microsphere resonator (MSR) with a stabilized package as the single-longitudinal-mode selector inside a double-ring fiber cavity. By improving the heating technology and surface cleaning process, MSR with high Q factor are obtained. With the optimized coupling condition, light polarization state and fiber taper diameter, we achieve whispering gallery mode (WGM) spectra with a high extinction ratio of 23 dB, coupling efficiency of 99.5%, a 3 dB bandwidth of 1 pm and a side-mode-suppression-ratio of 14.5 dB. The proposed fiber laser produces single-longitudinal-mode laser output with a 20-dB frequency linewidth of about 340 kHz, a signal-to-background ratio of 54 dB and a high long-term stability without mode-hopping, which is potential for optical communication and sensing applications.

A new gene that controls seed coat wrinkling in soybean

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seed coat wrinkling is a major factor affecting the germinability of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed produced in high-temperature environments, such as in the early soybean production system (ESPS) of the midsouthern United States. Exposure of seed to high temperatures, coupled with alternatin...

Highly Anisotropic Magnon Dispersion in Ca_{2}RuO_{4}: Evidence for Strong Spin Orbit Coupling.

PubMed

Kunkemöller, S; Khomskii, D; Steffens, P; Piovano, A; Nugroho, A A; Braden, M

2015-12-11

The magnon dispersion in Ca_{2}RuO_{4} has been determined by inelastic neutron scattering on single crytals containing 1% of Ti. The dispersion is well described by a conventional Heisenberg model suggesting a local moment model with nearest neighbor interaction of J=8  meV. Nearest and next-nearest neighbor interaction as well as interlayer coupling parameters are required to properly describe the entire dispersion. Spin-orbit coupling induces a very large anisotropy gap in the magnetic excitations in apparent contrast with a simple planar magnetic model. Orbital ordering breaking tetragonal symmetry, and strong spin-orbit coupling can thus be identified as important factors in this system.

Development and validation of a new kind of coupling element for wheel-hub motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perekopskiy, Sergey; Kasper, Roland

2018-05-01

For the automotive industry, electric powered vehicles are becoming an increasingly relevant factor in the competition against climate change. Application of one special example - a wheel-hub motor, for electric powered vehicle can support this challenge. Patented slotless air gap winding invented at the chair of mechatronics of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg has great application potential in constantly growing e-mobility field, especially for wheel-hub motors based on this technology due to its advantages, such as a high gravimetric power density and high efficiency. However, advantages of this technology are decreased by its sensibility to the loads out of driving maneuvers by dimensional variations of air gap consistency. This article describes the development and validation of a coupling element for the designed wheel-hub motor. To find a suitable coupling concept first the assembly structure of the motor was analyzed and developed design of the coupling element was checked. Based on the geometry of the motor and wheel a detailed design of the coupling element was generated. The analytical approach for coupling element describes a potential of the possible loads on the coupling element. The FEM simulation of critical load cases for the coupling element validated results of the analytical approach.

Macroscopic Magnetic Coupling Effect: The Physical Origination of a High-Temperature Superconducting Flux Pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Coombs, Tim

2018-04-01

We have uncovered at the macroscopic scale a magnetic coupling phenomenon in a superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 -δ (YBCO) film, which physically explains the mechanism of the high-temperature superconducting flux pump. The coupling occurs between the applied magnetic poles and clusters of vortices induced in the YBCO film, with each cluster containing millions of vortices. The coupling energy is verified to originate from the inhomogeneous field of the magnetic poles, which reshapes the vortex distribution, aggregates millions of vortices into a single cluster, and accordingly moves with the poles. A contrast study is designed to verify that, to provide the effective coupling energy, the applied wavelength must be short while the field amplitude must be strong, i.e., local-field inhomogeneity is the crucial factor. This finding broadens our understanding of the collective vortex behavior in an applied magnetic field with strong local inhomogeneity. Moreover, this phenomenon largely increases the controlled vortex flow rate by several orders of magnitude compared with existing methods, providing motivation for and physical support to a new branch of wireless superconducting dc power sources, i.e., the high-temperature superconducting flux pump.

Power-Factor Calculation under Consideration of Cross Saturation of the Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Brushless Field Excitation

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

Lee, Seong T; Burress, Timothy A; Hsu, John S

2009-01-01

This paper introduces a new method for calculating the power factor with consideration of the cross saturation between the direct-axis (d-axis) and the quadrature-axis (q-axis) of an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM). The conventional two-axis IPMSM model is modified to include the cross-saturation effect by adding the cross-coupled inductance terms. This paper also contains the new method of calculating the cross-coupled inductance values as well as self-inductance values in d- and q-axes. The analyzed motor is a high-speed brushless field excitation machine that offers high torque per ampere per core length at low speed and weakened flux at highmore » speed, which was developed for the traction motor of a hybrid electric vehicle.« less

Viscoelastic relaxations of high alcohols and alkanes: Effects of heterogeneous structure and translation-orientation coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi

2017-03-01

The frequency-dependent shear viscosity of high alcohols and linear alkanes, including 1-butanol, 1-octanol, 1-dodecanol, n-hexane, n-decane, and n-tetradecane, was calculated using molecular dynamics simulation. The relaxation of all the liquids was bimodal. The correlation functions of the collective orientation were also evaluated. The analysis of these functions showed that the slower relaxation mode of alkanes is assigned to the translation-orientation coupling, while that of high alcohols is not. The X-ray structure factors of all the alcohols showed prepeaks, as have been reported in the literature, and the intermediate scattering functions were calculated at the prepeak. Comparing the intermediate scattering function with the frequency-dependent shear viscosity based on the mode-coupling theory, it was demonstrated that the slower viscoelastic relaxation of the alcohols is assigned to the relaxation of the heterogeneous structure described by the prepeak.

Conflicts Within the Family and Within the Couple as Contextual Factors in the Determinism of Male Sexual Dysfunction.

PubMed

Boddi, Valentina; Fanni, Egidia; Castellini, Giovanni; Fisher, Alessandra Daphne; Corona, Giovanni; Maggi, Mario

2015-12-01

The deterioration of a couple's relationship has been previously associated with impairment in male sexual function. Besides a couple's dystonic relationship, other stressors can unfavorably influence dyadic intimacy. A largely neglected etiopathogenetic factor affecting couple sexuality is the frustration caused by conflicts within the family. To evaluate the possible associations between male sexual dysfunction (SD) and conflictual relationships within the couple or the family. A consecutive series of 3,975 men, attending the Outpatient Clinic for SD for the first time, was retrospectively studied. Conflicts within the family and within the couple were assessed using two standard questions: "Are there any conflicts at home," and "Do you have a difficult relationship with your partner?" respectively, rating 0 = normal relationships, 1 = occasional quarrels, and 2 = frequent quarrels or always. Several clinical, biochemical, and psychological (Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire) parameters were studied. Among the 3,975 patients studied, we observed a high prevalence of conflicts within the family and within the couple (32% vs. 21.2%). When compared with the rest of the sample, subjects reporting both type of conflicts showed a higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities. Hence, all data were adjusted for this parameter and for age. Family and couple conflicts were significantly associated with free floating anxiety, depression symptoms, and with a higher risk of subjective (self-reported) and objective (peak systolic velocity at the penile color Doppler ultrasound <35 mm/sec2) erectile dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire. Female sexual function parameters, as reported by the patient, retained a significant association with both type of conflicts. This study indicates that the presence of often unexplored issues, like conflicts within the family or within the couple, can represent an important contextual factor in the determinism of male SD. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Bulk crystalline optomechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renninger, W. H.; Kharel, P.; Behunin, R. O.; Rakich, P. T.

2018-06-01

Control of long-lived, high-frequency phonons using light offers a path towards creating robust quantum links, and could lead to tools for precision metrology with applications to quantum information processing. Optomechanical systems based on bulk acoustic-wave resonators are well suited for this goal in light of their high quality factors, and because they do not suffer from surface interactions as much as their microscale counterparts. However, so far these phonons have been accessible only electromechanically, using piezoelectric interactions. Here, we demonstrate customizable optomechanical coupling to macroscopic phonon modes of a bulk acoustic-wave resonator at cryogenic temperatures. These phonon modes, which are formed by shaping the surfaces of a crystal into a plano-convex phononic resonator, yield appreciable optomechanical coupling rates, providing access to high acoustic quality factors (4.2 × 107) at high phonon frequencies (13 GHz). This simple approach, which uses bulk properties rather than nanostructural control, is appealing for the ability to engineer optomechanical systems at high frequencies that are robust against thermal decoherence. Moreover, we show that this optomechanical system yields a unique form of dispersive symmetry-breaking that enables phonon heating or cooling without an optical cavity.

On modal cross-coupling in the asymptotic modal limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culver, Dean; Dowell, Earl

2018-03-01

The conditions under which significant modal cross-coupling occurs in dynamical systems responding to high-frequency, broadband forcing that excites many modes is studied. The modal overlap factor plays a key role in the analysis of these systems as the modal density (the ratio of number of modes to the frequency bandwidth) becomes large. The modal overlap factor is effectively the ratio of the width of a resonant peak (the damping ratio times the resonant frequency) to the average frequency interval between resonant peaks (or rather, the inverse of the modal density). It is shown that this parameter largely determines whether substantial modal cross-coupling occurs in a given system's response. Here, two prototypical systems are considered. The first is a simple rectangular plate whose significant modal cross-coupling is the exception rather than the norm. The second is a pair of rectangular plates attached at a point where significant modal cross-coupling is more likely to occur. We show that, for certain cases of modal density and damping, non-negligible cross coupling occurs in both systems. Under similar circumstances, the constraint force between the two plates in the latter system becomes broadband. The implications of this for using Asymptotic Modal Analysis (AMA) in multi-component systems are discussed.

Refinements of Stout’s Procedure for Assessing Latent Trait Unidimensionality

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

in the presence of guessing when coupled with many high-discriminating items. A revision of DIMTEST is proposed to overcome this limitation. Also, an...used for factor analysis. When guessing is present in the responses to items, however, linear factor analysis of tetrachoric correlations can produce...significance when d=1 and maintaining good power when d=2, even when the correlation between the abilities is as high as .7. The present study provides a

Sharing motherhood: maternal jealousy among lesbian co-mothers.

PubMed

Pelka, Suzanne

2009-01-01

Previous research has not adequately addressed how gay and lesbian couples emotionally negotiate unequal biological ties to their children. Because each co-parent has the potential to be their child's biological parent and because same-sex couples highly value relationship equality, unequal biological ties to children may cause feelings of jealousy between co-parents. To counter this, increasing numbers of lesbian couples have been using in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to biologically co-mother, using the eggs of one partner and the womb of the other. While hardly common, this strategy can affect the emotional dynamics between the co-mothers and their children. This article explores how variables common to many lesbian-led families (including method of conception) may contribute to or protect against jealousy. Presented data comes from an 18-month ethnographic study of 30 lesbian-led families with young children living in a major northeastern city. Ten couples adopted infants, 10 couples used assisted insemination (AI), and 10 couples used IVF to biologically co-mother. Lesbians' use of IVF to co-mother has not been previously studied. Methods included in-depth interviews, participant observation, and self-administered questionnaires. Couples who adopted or used IVF reported less jealousy than couples who conceived using AI. Factors that correlate with the likelihood of experiencing maternal jealousy include both partners wanting to be a birth mother, perceptions of unequal biological ties to children, and infertility. Professionals serving lesbian co-mothers should be sensitive to the presence and absence of the above factors.

Quasiparticle band gap of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites: Crystal structure, spin-orbit coupling, and self-energy effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Weiwei; Gao, Xiang; Abtew, Tesfaye A.; Sun, Yi-Yang; Zhang, Shengbai; Zhang, Peihong

2016-02-01

The quasiparticle band gap is one of the most important materials properties for photovoltaic applications. Often the band gap of a photovoltaic material is determined (and can be controlled) by various factors, complicating predictive materials optimization. An in-depth understanding of how these factors affect the size of the gap will provide valuable guidance for new materials discovery. Here we report a comprehensive investigation on the band gap formation mechanism in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites by decoupling various contributing factors which ultimately determine their electronic structure and quasiparticle band gap. Major factors, namely, quasiparticle self-energy, spin-orbit coupling, and structural distortions due to the presence of organic molecules, and their influences on the quasiparticle band structure of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are illustrated. We find that although methylammonium cations do not contribute directly to the electronic states near band edges, they play an important role in defining the band gap by introducing structural distortions and controlling the overall lattice constants. The spin-orbit coupling effects drastically reduce the electron and hole effective masses in these systems, which is beneficial for high carrier mobilities and small exciton binding energies.

Double resonance calibration of g factor standards: Carbon fibers as a high precision standard.

PubMed

Herb, Konstantin; Tschaggelar, Rene; Denninger, Gert; Jeschke, Gunnar

2018-04-01

The g factor of paramagnetic defects in commercial high performance carbon fibers was determined by a double resonance experiment based on the Overhauser shift due to hyperfine coupled protons. Our carbon fibers exhibit a single, narrow and perfectly Lorentzian shaped ESR line and a g factor slightly higher than g free with g=2.002644=g free ·(1+162ppm) with a relative uncertainty of 15ppm. This precisely known g factor and their inertness qualify them as a high precision g factor standard for general purposes. The double resonance experiment for calibration is applicable to other potential standards with a hyperfine interaction averaged by a process with very short correlation time. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanically coupled CMOS-MEMS free-free beam resonator arrays with enhanced power handling capability.

PubMed

Li, Ming-Huang; Chen, Wen-Chien; Li, Sheng-Shian

2012-03-01

Integrated CMOS-MEMS free-free beam resonator arrays operated in a standard two-port electrical configuration with low motional impedance and high power handling capability, centered at 10.5 MHz, have been demonstrated using the combination of pull-in gap reduction mechanism and mechanically coupled array design. The mechanical links (i.e., coupling elements) using short stubs connect each constituent resonator of an array to its adjacent ones at the high-velocity vibrating locations to accentuate the desired mode and reject all other spurious modes. A single second-mode free-free beam resonator with quality factor Q > 2200 and motional impedance R(m) < 150 kΩ has been used to achieve mechanically coupled resonator arrays in this work. In array design, a 9-resonator array has been experimentally characterized to have performance improvement of approximately 10× on motional impedance and power handling as compared with that of a single resonator. In addition, the two-port electrical configuration is much preferred over a one-port configuration because of its low-feedthrough and high design flexibility for future oscillator and filter implementation.

Deep inductively coupled plasma etching of ELO-GaN grown with high fill factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Haiyong; Lee, Jaesoong; Ni, Xianfeng; Leach, Jacob; Özgür, Ümit; Morkoç, Hadis

2011-02-01

The epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) gallium nitride (GaN) was grown with high fill factor using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching of ELO-GaN based on Cl2/Ar/SiCl4 gas mixture was performed. Surface properties of ELO-GaN subjected to ICP etching have been investigated and optimized etching condition in ELO-GaN with ICP etching is presented. Radiofrequency (RF) power and the flow rate of Cl2 gas were modified during the experiments. The window region, wing region and the edge region of ELO-GaN pattern present different etching characteristics. Different etching conditions were studied to get the minimized plasma-induced damage, relatively high etching rates, and excellent surface profiles. Etch depths of the etched ELO-GaN with smooth surface up to about 19 μm were achieved. The most suitable three-step etching condition is discussed with the assessment based on the morphology observation of the etched surface of ELO-GaN patterns.

Cultural intersections: a qualitative inquiry into the experience of Asian Indian-White interracial couples.

PubMed

Inman, Arpana G; Altman, Abby; Kaduvettoor-Davidson, Anju; Carr, Amanda; Walker, Jessica A

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the "lived experience" of Asian Indian (AI)-White couples in interracial marriages. Ten highly educated AI-White professional couples were individually interviewed about their subjective experience of being in an interracial marriage, the challenges and strengths of this marriage, and the potential role of culture in their marriages. Data were analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research methodology. Results indicated that the couples' marital experiences were influenced by a complex intersection of ecosystemic factors with significant psychological impacts. These findings highlight shortcomings in drawing simplistic conclusions regarding the success or failure of an interracial marriage and have important implications for theory, research, and clinical practice. 2011 © FPI, Inc.

Online gaming and risks predict cyberbullying perpetration and victimization in adolescents.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Miao, Nae-Fang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Lee, Ching-Mei; Huang, Tzu-Fu; Pan, Yun-Chieh

2015-02-01

The present study examined factors associated with the emergence and cessation of youth cyberbullying and victimization in Taiwan. A total of 2,315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected in 2010 and 2011. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine the factors. Multivariate analysis results indicated that higher levels of risk factors (online game use, exposure to violence in media, internet risk behaviors, cyber/school bullying experiences) in the 10th grade coupled with an increase in risk factors from grades 10 to 11 could be used to predict the emergence of cyberbullying perpetration/victimization. In contrast, lower levels of risk factors in the 10th grade and higher levels of protective factors coupled with a decrease in risk factors predicted the cessation of cyberbullying perpetration/victimization. Online game use, exposure to violence in media, Internet risk behaviors, and cyber/school bullying experiences can be used to predict the emergence and cessation of youth cyberbullying perpetration and victimization.

Effects of dyes, gold nanocrystals, pH, and metal ions on plasmonic and molecular resonance coupling.

PubMed

Ni, Weihai; Chen, Huanjun; Su, Jing; Sun, Zhenhua; Wang, Jianfang; Wu, Hongkai

2010-04-07

The effects of various factors on the resonance coupling between elongated Au nanocrystals and organic dyes have been systematically investigated through the preparation of hybrid nanostructures between Au nanocrystals and the electrostatically adsorbed dye molecules. A nanocrystal sample is chosen for each dye to match the longitudinal plasmon resonance wavelength with the absorption peak wavelength of the dye as close as possible so that the resonance coupling strength can be maximized. The resonance coupling strength is found to approximately increase as the molecular volume-normalized absorptivity is increased. It is mainly determined by the plasmon resonance energy of the Au nanocrystals instead of their shapes and sizes. Moreover, the resonance coupling can be reversibly controlled if the dye in the hybrid nanostructures is pH-sensitive. The coupling can also be weakened in the presence of metal ions. These results will be highly useful for designing resonance coupling-based sensing devices and for plasmon-enhanced spectroscopy.

Coupling solid-phase microextraction and high-performance liquid chromatography for direct and sensitive determination of halogenated fungicides in wine.

PubMed

Millán, S; Sampedro, M C; Unceta, N; Goicolea, M A; Rodríguez, E; Barrio, R J

2003-05-02

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for the analysis of six organochlorine fungicides (nuarimol, triadimenol, triadimefon, folpet, vinclozolin and penconazole) in wine was developed. For this purpose, polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene-coated fibers were utilized and all factors affecting throughput, precision, and accuracy of the SPME method were investigated and optimized. These factors include: matrix influence, extraction and desorption time, percentage of ethanol, pH, salt effect and desorption mode. The performed analytical procedure showed detectability ranging from 4 to 27 microg l(-1) and precision from 2.4 to 14.2% (as intra-day relative standard deviation, RSD) and 4.7-25.7% (as inter-day RSD) depending on the fungicide. The results demonstrate the suitability of the SPME-HPLC-DAD method to analyze these organochlorine fungicides in red wine.

Packaged microsphere-taper coupling system with a high Q factor.

PubMed

Dong, Yongchao; Wang, Keyi; Jin, Xueying

2015-01-10

A novel packaged microsphere-taper coupling system which consists of a glass tube and two glass plates is proposed and demonstrated in this paper. We analyze the impact of the microsphere distortion on the resonant spectrum and it is observed that a very high quality factor (Q) up to 1.08×10(8) can be achieved by optimizing the microsphere position and orientation relative to the fiber taper. The maintenance of Q and a stable spectrum are realized by placing the packaged structure in a sealed organic glass box. Furthermore, to verify the practicability of the sealed device, thermal sensing experiments are carried out, which indicates the excellent convenience of the device with a resolution of 1.12×10(-4)°C. The portability and robustness of the packaged structure make it strikingly attractive and illustrate its potential in practical microcavity sensors and lasers.

High efficiency incandescent lighting

DOEpatents

Bermel, Peter; Ilic, Ognjen; Chan, Walker R.; Musabeyoglu, Ahmet; Cukierman, Aviv Ruben; Harradon, Michael Robert; Celanovic, Ivan; Soljacic, Marin

2014-09-02

Incandescent lighting structure. The structure includes a thermal emitter that can, but does not have to, include a first photonic crystal on its surface to tailor thermal emission coupled to, in a high-view-factor geometry, a second photonic filter selected to reflect infrared radiation back to the emitter while passing visible light. This structure is highly efficient as compared to standard incandescent light bulbs.

Ecological genetics of floret mass variation in Bromus tectorum (Poaceae)

Treesearch

Susan E. Meyer

2010-01-01

Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass, downy brome) is a highly invasive inbreeding annual grass that dominates millions of hectares of former shrubland in interior western North America. Factors contributing to its success include strong genetic regulation of key adaptive traits coupled with high phenotypic plasticity in response to resource availability (Meyer and Allen...

Photonic ring resonator filters for astronomical OH suppression

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

Ellis, S. C.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuehn, K.

Ring resonators provide a means of filtering specific wavelengths from a waveguide, and optionally dropping the filtered wavelengths into a second waveguide. Both of these features are potentially useful for astronomical instruments. In this paper we focus on their use as notch filters to remove the signal from atmospheric OH emission lines from astronomical spectra. We derive the design requirements for ring resonators for OH suppression from theory and finite difference time domain simulations. We find that rings with small radii (< 10 μm) are required to provide an adequate free spectral range, leading to high index contrast materials suchmore » as Si and Si 3N 4. Critically coupled rings with high self-coupling coefficients should provide the necessary Q factors, suppression depth, and throughput for efficient OH suppression, but will require post-inscription tuning of the coupling and the resonant wavelengths. The overall prospects for the use of ring resonators in astronomical instruments is promising, provided efficient fibre-chip coupling can be achieved.« less

Photonic ring resonator filters for astronomical OH suppression

DOE PAGES

Ellis, S. C.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuehn, K.; ...

2017-01-01

Ring resonators provide a means of filtering specific wavelengths from a waveguide, and optionally dropping the filtered wavelengths into a second waveguide. Both of these features are potentially useful for astronomical instruments. In this paper we focus on their use as notch filters to remove the signal from atmospheric OH emission lines from astronomical spectra. We derive the design requirements for ring resonators for OH suppression from theory and finite difference time domain simulations. We find that rings with small radii (< 10 μm) are required to provide an adequate free spectral range, leading to high index contrast materials suchmore » as Si and Si 3N 4. Critically coupled rings with high self-coupling coefficients should provide the necessary Q factors, suppression depth, and throughput for efficient OH suppression, but will require post-inscription tuning of the coupling and the resonant wavelengths. The overall prospects for the use of ring resonators in astronomical instruments is promising, provided efficient fibre-chip coupling can be achieved.« less

Unstart Coupling Mechanism Analysis of Multiple-Modules Hypersonic Inlet

PubMed Central

Wang, Lei; Cao, Shibin

2013-01-01

The combination of multiplemodules in parallel manner is an important way to achieve the much higher thrust of scramjet engine. For the multiple-modules scramjet engine, when inlet unstarted oscillatory flow appears in a single-module engine due to high backpressure, how to interact with each module by massflow spillage, and whether inlet unstart occurs in other modules are important issues. The unstarted flowfield and coupling characteristic for a three-module hypersonic inlet caused by center module II and side module III were, conducted respectively. The results indicate that the other two hypersonic inlets are forced into unstarted flow when unstarted phenomenon appears on a single-module hypersonic inlet due to high backpressure, and the reversed flow in the isolator dominates the formation, expansion, shrinkage, and disappearance of the vortexes, and thus, it is the major factor of unstart coupling of multiple-modules hypersonic inlet. The coupling effect among multiple modules makes hypersonic inlet be more likely unstarted. PMID:24348146

Safer Conception for Couples Affected by HIV: Structural and Cultural Considerations in the Delivery of Safer Conception Care in Uganda.

PubMed

Mindry, Deborah; Wanyenze, Rhoda K; Beyeza-Kashesya, Jolly; Woldetsadik, Mahlet A; Finocchario-Kessler, Sarah; Goggin, Kathy; Wagner, Glenn

2017-08-01

In countries with high HIV prevalence and high fertility desires, the rights of HIV-affected couples to have children are a pressing issue. Conception among people living with HIV carries risks for both horizontal and vertical HIV transmission. In Uganda ~100,000 HIV-infected women become pregnant annually. Providers face a number of challenges to preventing HIV transmission, reducing unplanned pregnancies, and ensuring safer conception. We report findings from interviews with 27 HIV-affected couples (54 individuals) in Uganda. We explored key cultural and structural factors shaping couples' childbearing decisions. Our data reveal a complex intersection of gender norms, familial expectations, relationship dynamics, and HIV stigma influencing their decisions. Participants provided insights regarding provider bias, stigma, and the gendering of reproductive healthcare. To reduce horizontal transmission HIV and family planning clinics must address men's and women's concerns regarding childbearing with specific attention to cultural and structural challenges.

Turning a low Q fiber resonator into a high-sensitivity displacement sensor using slow light concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, Mikel; Angulo-Vinuesa, Xabier; Martin-Lopez, Sonia; Lopez-Amo, Manuel; Gonzalez-Herraez, Miguel

2013-05-01

High-Q resonators have been widely used for sensing purposes. High Q factors normally lead to sharp spectral peaks which accordingly provide a strong sensitivity in spectral interrogation methods. In this work we employ a low-Q ring resonator to develop a high sensitivity sub-micrometric resolution displacement sensor. We use the slow-light effects occurring close to the critical coupling regime to achieve high sensitivity in the device. By tuning the losses in the cavity close to the critical coupling, extremely high group delay variations can be achieved, which in turn introduce strong enhancements of the absorption of the structure. We first validate the concept using an Optical Vector Analyzer (OVA) and then we propose a simple functional scheme for achieving a low-cost interrogation of this kind of sensors.

Assessing infertility-related stress: the factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory in Italian couples undergoing infertility treatment.

PubMed

Donarelli, Zaira; Gullo, Salvatore; Lo Coco, Gianluca; Marino, Angelo; Scaglione, Piero; Volpes, Aldo; Allegra, Adolfo

2015-01-01

The factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) and its invariance across gender were examined in Italian couples undergoing infertility treatment. About 1000 subjects (both partners of 500 couples) completed two questionnaires prior to commencing infertility treatment at a private Clinic in Palermo, Italy. Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the original factor structure of the FPI was partially confirmed. Two correlated factors (Infertility Life Domains and Importance of Parenthood) were obtained via a post hoc Exploratory Factor Analysis. Finally, the invariance of this factor structure across gender was confirmed. The study supported the relevance of two interrelated factors specific to infertility stress which could help clinicians to focus on the core infertility-related stress domains of infertile couples.

Optimizing plasmonic nanoantennas via coordinated multiple coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Linhan; Zheng, Yuebing

2015-10-01

Plasmonic nanoantennas, which can efficiently convert light from free space into sub-wavelength scale with the local field enhancement, are fundamental building blocks for nanophotonic systems. Predominant design methods, which exploit a single type of near- or far-field coupling in pairs or arrays of plasmonic nanostructures, have limited the tunability of spectral response and the local field enhancement. To overcome this limit, we are developing a general strategy towards exploiting the coordinated effects of multiple coupling. Using Au bowtie nanoantenna arrays with metal-insulator-metal configuration as examples, we numerically demonstrate that coordinated design and implementation of various optical coupling effects leads to both the increased tunability in the spectral response and the significantly enhanced electromagnetic field. Furthermore, we design and analyze a refractive index sensor with an ultra-high figure-of-merit (254), a high signal-to-noise ratio and a wide working range of refractive indices, and a narrow-band near-infrared plasmonic absorber with 100% absorption efficiency, high quality factor of up to 114 and a wide range of tunable wavelength from 800 nm to 1,500 nm. The plasmonic nanoantennas that exploit coordinated multiple coupling will benefit a broad range of applications, including label-free bio-chemical detection, reflective filter, optical trapping, hot-electron generation, and heat-assisted magnetic recording.

Interfacing planar superconducting qubits with high overtone bulk acoustic phonons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kervinen, Mikael; Rissanen, Ilkka; Sillanpää, Mika

2018-05-01

Mechanical resonators are a promising way for interfacing qubits in order to realize hybrid quantum systems that offer great possibilities for applications. Mechanical systems can have very long energy lifetimes, and they can be further interfaced to other systems. Moreover, integration of a mechanical oscillator with qubits creates a potential platform for the exploration of quantum physics in macroscopic mechanical degrees of freedom. The utilization of high overtone bulk acoustic resonators coupled to superconducting qubits is an intriguing platform towards these goals. These resonators exhibit a combination of high-frequency and high-quality factors. They can reach their quantum ground state at dilution refrigeration temperatures and they can be strongly coupled to superconducting qubits via their piezoelectric effect. In this paper, we demonstrate our system where bulk acoustic phonons of a high overtone resonator are coupled to a transmon qubit in a planar circuit architecture. We show that the bulk acoustic phonons are interacting with the qubit in a simple design architecture at the quantum level, representing further progress towards the quantum control of mechanical motion.

Determination of effective loss factors in reduced SEA models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chimeno Manguán, M.; Fernández de las Heras, M. J.; Roibás Millán, E.; Simón Hidalgo, F.

2017-01-01

The definition of Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) models for large complex structures is highly conditioned by the classification of the structure elements into a set of coupled subsystems and the subsequent determination of the loss factors representing both the internal damping and the coupling between subsystems. The accurate definition of the complete system can lead to excessively large models as the size and complexity increases. This fact can also rise practical issues for the experimental determination of the loss factors. This work presents a formulation of reduced SEA models for incomplete systems defined by a set of effective loss factors. This reduced SEA model provides a feasible number of subsystems for the application of the Power Injection Method (PIM). For structures of high complexity, their components accessibility can be restricted, for instance internal equipments or panels. For these cases the use of PIM to carry out an experimental SEA analysis is not possible. New methods are presented for this case in combination with the reduced SEA models. These methods allow defining some of the model loss factors that could not be obtained through PIM. The methods are validated with a numerical analysis case and they are also applied to an actual spacecraft structure with accessibility restrictions: a solar wing in folded configuration.

Metabolic coupling and the Reverse Warburg Effect in cancer: Implications for novel biomarker and anticancer agent development.

PubMed

Wilde, Lindsay; Roche, Megan; Domingo-Vidal, Marina; Tanson, Katherina; Philp, Nancy; Curry, Joseph; Martinez-Outschoorn, Ubaldo

2017-06-01

Glucose is a key metabolite used by cancer cells to generate ATP, maintain redox state and create biomass. Glucose can be catabolized to lactate in the cytoplasm, which is termed glycolysis, or alternatively can be catabolized to carbon dioxide and water in the mitochondria via oxidative phosphorylation. Metabolic heterogeneity exists in a subset of human tumors, with some cells maintaining a glycolytic phenotype while others predominantly utilize oxidative phosphorylation. Cells within tumors interact metabolically with transfer of catabolites from supporting stromal cells to adjacent cancer cells. The Reverse Warburg Effect describes when glycolysis in the cancer-associated stroma metabolically supports adjacent cancer cells. This catabolite transfer, which induces stromal-cancer metabolic coupling, allows cancer cells to generate ATP, increase proliferation, and reduce cell death. Catabolites implicated in metabolic coupling include the monocarboxylates lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) are critically necessary for release and uptake of these catabolites. MCT4 is involved in the release of monocarboxylates from cells, is regulated by catabolic transcription factors such as hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), and is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts. Conversely, MCT1 is predominantly involved in the uptake of these catabolites and is highly expressed in a subgroup of cancer cells. MYC and TIGAR, which are genes involved in cellular proliferation and anabolism, are inducers of MCT1. Profiling human tumors on the basis of an altered redox balance and intra-tumoral metabolic interactions may have important biomarker and therapeutic implications. Alterations in the redox state and mitochondrial function of cells can induce metabolic coupling. Hence, there is interest in redox and metabolic modulators as anticancer agents. Also, markers of metabolic coupling have been associated with poor outcomes in numerous human malignancies and may be useful prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lithospheric Structure and Isostasy of Central Andes: Implication for plate Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahatsente, R.; Rutledge, S.

2017-12-01

A significant section of the Peru-Chile convergent zone is building up stresses. The interseismic coupling in northern and southern Peru is significantly high indicating, elastic energy accumulation since the 1746 and 1868 earthquakes of magnitude 8.6 and 8.8 , respectively. Similar seismic patterns have also been observed in Central Chile. The plate interface beneath Central Chile is highly coupled, and the narrow zones of low coupling separate seismic gaps. The reasons for the seismic gaps and plate coupling are yet unknown, but the configuration of the slab is thought to be the main factor. Here, we assessed the locking mechanism and isostatic state of the Central Andes based on gravity models of the crust and upper mantle structure. The density models are based on satellite gravity data and are constrained by velocity models and earthquake hypocenters. The gravity models indicate a high-density batholithic structure in the fore-arc, overlying the subducting Nazca plate. This high-density body pushes downward on the slab, causing the slab to lock with the overlying continental plate. The increased compressive stress closer to the trench, due to the increased contact area between the subducting and overriding plates, may have increased the plate coupling in the Central Andes. Thus, trench parallel crustal thickness and density variations along the Central Andes and buoyancy force on the subducting Nazca plate may control plate coupling and asperity generation. The western part of the Central Andes may be undercompensated. There is a residual topography of 800 m in the western part of the Central Andes that cannot be explained by the observed crustal thicknesses. Thus, part of the observed topography in the western part of the Central Andes may be dynamically supported by mantle wedge flow below the overriding plate.

Survey of reasons for discontinuation from in vitro fertilization treatment among couples attending infertility clinic

PubMed Central

Kulkarni, Grishma; Mohanty, Nimain C.; Mohanty, Ipseeta Ray; Jadhav, Pradeep; Boricha, B. G.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: With the increase in infertility burden, more and more couples are opting for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the availability of various treatment options, the major concern that needs to be addressed is the reasons why such couples, initially motivated so strongly, drop out in fairly high numbers from IVF cycles. With this point of view the study was designed. AIM: The objective of this study was to explore the reasons why couples discontinue fertility treatment. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This retrospective study was carried out among couples in the age group of 20-40 years who opted for IVF at Tertiary care hospital and a private infertility center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records for 3 years (2009-2012) were taken out and included in the study for analysis. Socio-demographic details along with indication for IVF and reasons for drop-separate IVF therapy were recorded on case record form and were analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of the patients had tubal pathology, thus making it the commonest female related factor for indication of IVF. Oligoasthenospermia (13%) was the commonest cause of male related infertility factor. Financial burden was the primary cause for terminating treatment in majority of the IVF cases. CONCLUSIONS: Financial burden (62.5%) was the commonest reason for drop out among couples from IVF cycle. PMID:25624660

Greybody factors for a spherically symmetric Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet-de Sitter black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cheng-Yong; Li, Peng-Cheng; Chen, Bin

2018-02-01

We study the greybody factors of the scalar fields in spherically symmetric Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet-de Sitter black holes in higher dimensions. We derive the greybody factors analytically for both minimally and nonminimally coupled scalar fields. Moreover, we discuss the dependence of the greybody factor on various parameters including the angular momentum number, the nonminimally coupling constant, the spacetime dimension, the cosmological constant, and the Gauss-Bonnet coefficient in detail. We find that the nonminimal coupling may suppress the greybody factor and the Gauss-Bonnet coupling could enhance it, but they both suppress the energy emission rate of Hawking radiation.

Why do even satisfied newlyweds eventually go on to divorce?

PubMed

Lavner, Justin A; Bradbury, Thomas N

2012-02-01

Although divorce typically follows an extended period of unhappiness that begins early in marriage, some couples who are very happy throughout the first several years of marriage will also go on to divorce. This study aimed to identify risk factors early in marriage that distinguish initially satisfied couples who eventually divorce from those who remain married. We identified 136 couples reporting stably high levels of relationship satisfaction in the first 4 years of marriage. We compared the couples who went on to divorce by the 10-year follow-up with the couples who remained married on initial measures of commitment, observed communication, stress, and personality. Divorcing couples displayed more negative communication, emotion, and social support as newlyweds compared with couples who did not divorce. No significant differences were found in the other domains, in relationship satisfaction, or in positive behaviors. Overall, results indicate that even couples who are very successful at navigating the early years of marriage can be vulnerable to later dissolution if their interpersonal exchanges are poorly regulated. We speculate that, paradoxically, the many strengths possessed by these couples may mask their potent interpersonal liabilities, posing challenges for educational interventions designed to help these couples.

An Efficient Process for Pd-Catalyzed C–N Cross-Coupling Reactions of Aryl Iodides: Insight Into Controlling Factors

PubMed Central

Fors, Brett P.; Davis, Nicole R.; Buchwald, Stephen L.

2009-01-01

An investigation into Pd-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides is described. NaI is shown to have a significant inhibitory effect on these processes. By switching to a solvent system in which the iodide byproduct was insoluble, reactions of aryl iodides were accomplished with the same efficiencies as aryl chlorides and bromides. Using catalyst systems based on certain biarylphosphine ligands, aryl iodides were successfully reacted with an array of primary and secondary amines in high yields. Lastly, reactions of heteroarylamines and heteroaryliodides were also conducted in high yields. PMID:19348431

Fertility desires of Yoruba couples of South-western Nigeria.

PubMed

Oyediran, Kolawole Azeez

2006-09-01

Using the matched wife-husband (763) sample from the data collected from Ogbomoso and Iseyin towns in Oyo State, Nigeria, this paper examines factors associated with couples' fertility intention. The analysis used logistic regression models for predicting the effects of selected socioeconomic background characteristics on a couple's fertility intention. Results indicate high levels of concurrence among husbands and wives on fertility intention. Where differences exist, husbands are more pronatalists than their wives. About 87% of pairs of partners reported similar fertility preferences. Of these couples, 59.5% wanted more children while only 27.8% reported otherwise. The logistic regression models indicated that a couple's fertility intention was associated with age, education, place of residence, frequency of television-watching and number of living children. Therefore, programme interventions aimed at promoting fertility reduction in Nigeria should convey fertility regulation messages to both husbands and wives.

Relationship factors and couples' engagement in sun protection.

PubMed

Manne, S L; Coups, E J; Kashy, D A

2016-08-01

Individuals may be more motivated to adopt health practices if they consider the benefits of these behaviors for their close relationships. The goal of this study was to examine couple concordance with sun protection and use the interdependence and communal coping theory to evaluate the role of relationship factors in sun protection. One hundred and eighty-four married couples aged 50 years and older completed measures of objective skin cancer risk, perceived risk, sun protection benefits, relationship-centered motivations for sun protection, discussions about sun protection, and sun protection. A mediational model was evaluated. Results indicated a high level of couple concordance. Partners who adopted a relationship-centered motivation for sun protection were more likely to discuss sun protection with one another, and partners who discussed sun protection together were more likely to engage in sun protection. One partner's attitude about personal risk and sun protection benefits was associated with the other partner's sun protection. Wives had higher relationship-centered motivation and discussed sun protection more with their husbands. Behavioral interventions may benefit from encouraging couples to discuss sun protection and encouraging married individuals to consider the benefits of sun protection for their relationship and for their spouse's health. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coupling efficiency of laser beam to multimode fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Jinfu; Xu, Jianqiu

2007-06-01

The coupling efficiency of laser beam to multimode fiber is given by geometrical optics, and the relation between the maximum coupling efficiency and the beam propagation factor M2 is analyzed. An equivalent factor MF2 for the multimode fiber is introduced to characterize the fiber coupling capability. The coupling efficiency of laser beam to multimode fiber is calculated in respect of the ratio M2/MF2 by the overlapping integral theory. The optimal coupling efficiency can be roughly estimated by the ratio of M2 to MF2 but with a large error range. The deviation comes from the lacks of information on the detail of phase and intensity profile in the beam factor M2.

Excitonic Emission of Monolayer Semiconductors Near-Field Coupled to High-Q Microresonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javerzac-Galy, Clément; Kumar, Anshuman; Schilling, Ryan D.; Piro, Nicolas; Khorasani, Sina; Barbone, Matteo; Goykhman, Ilya; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Ferrari, Andrea C.; Kippenberg, Tobias J.

2018-05-01

We present quantum yield measurements of single layer $\\textrm{WSe}_2$ (1L-$\\textrm{WSe}_2$) integrated with high-Q ($Q>10^6$) optical microdisk cavities, using an efficient ($\\eta>$90%) near-field coupling scheme based on a tapered optical fiber. Coupling of the excitonic emission is achieved by placing 1L-WSe$_2$ to the evanescent cavity field. This preserves the microresonator high intrinsic quality factor ($Q>10^6$) below the bandgap of 1L-WSe$_2$. The nonlinear excitation power dependence of the cavity quantum yield is in agreement with an exciton-exciton annihilation model. The cavity quantum yield is $\\textrm{QY}_\\textrm{c}\\sim10^{-3}$, consistent with operation in the \\textit{broad emitter} regime (i.e. the emission lifetime of 1L-WSe$_2$ is significantly shorter than the bare cavity decay time). This scheme can serve as a precise measurement tool for the excitonic emission of layered materials into cavity modes, for both in plane and out of plane excitation.

End-stage renal disease in both husband and wife in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, C-H; Fang, Y-W; Chen, H-S

2009-10-01

The incidence and prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are extremely high in Taiwan. It is an interesting fact that both the husband and wife in some families of Taiwan suffer from ESRD. Therefore, we attempted to identify the potential risk factors of such couples. This is a retrospective observational study. Six couples receiving maintenance dialysis in our hospital from 1996 to 2006 were enrolled in this study. Detailed medical history; drugs history including over-the-counter drugs (OCD), analgesics and herbal remedies; occupational history and onset of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) were recorded. These data are correlated with pre-dialysis laboratory findings. The outcomes of dialysis and TCC were also recorded and analyzed. Two males were Chinese herbal medicine practitioners. All the patients (12/12) had taken Chinese herbs and most of them (10/12) had also taken OCD (especially cold remedies and analgesics). We found all of them had bilateral contracted kidneys, mild proteinuria and trace glucosuria. One patient's renal biopsy revealed Chinese herb nephropathy. Four patients (33%) suffered from TCC. Three patients expired during follow up due to hyperkalemia, extensive TCC and suicide, respectively. The prevalence of Chinese herbs or compound analgesics abuse is high in couples with ESRD. The clinical features and high incidence of TCC are compatible with drug related chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis. Abuse of offending agents should be considered as a risk factor in family members with ESRD.

Near-Field Based Communication and Electrical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azad, Umar

A near-field power transfer equation for an inductively coupled near-field system is derived based on the equivalent circuit model of the coupled resonant loops. Experimental results show that the proposed near-field coupling equation is trustworthy as it correctly predicts the transferred power versus distance relationship for different values of loaded quality factors at the transmitter and the receiver. Capacity performance of near-field communication (NFC) links is analyzed for noise limited and interference limited scenarios based on information theory. The analytical results provide guidelines for design of inductively coupled antenna systems as the power and capacity budget of the link is carried out. Examples of inductively coupled VLF NFC links are evaluated for different operating scenarios, demonstrating the efficacy and importance of the proposed near-field link budget. However, in a conventional setup of inductively coupled NFC link, the power coupled through and the bandwidth must be traded off. Direct Antenna Modulation (DAM) is a feasible scheme to break this dilemma. With DAM utilized in NFC link, the power and bandwidth product limit in a high Q system can be circumvented because the non-linear/time-varying nature of the operation allows high speed modulations decoupled from the charging and discharging process of the high-Q resonator. In this work, the theory of NFC link with DAM on the transmitter is presented and validated with an experimental setup. Improvement in reception of the high-speed modulation information is observed in the experiment, implying that a superior capacity performance of a NFC link is achieved through DAM versus the traditional scheme. The resonant coupling efficiency is limited by the product of the quality factors Q, of the transmitter and receiver and the coupling coefficient k. We observe that in order to achieve maximum efficiency, the ratio of the load-to-loss impedances at both the source and load should be equal to a prescribed value. This is the same condition that yields simultaneous impedance matching at source and load. The efficiency limit is then calculated for single transmitter and two uncoupled receivers. In that case, optimal efficiency is obtained when the load-to-loss impedance ratio is equal to the same prescribed value for all devices simultaneously. However, this condition does not provide for simultaneous matching at the source and loads, which turns out to be impossible. The analysis is then generalized for a single transmitter and N uncoupled receivers and we find that as the number of receivers increases, the total efficiency limit also increases. Finally, we present the efficiency limits and optimal conditions for a system consisting of single and multiple repeaters between transmitter and receiver, which have been shown previously to relay power to larger distances.

Stress and Intimate Partner Aggression

PubMed Central

Eckhardt, Christopher I.; Parrott, Dominic J.

2016-01-01

Evidence suggests that stressed couples also tend to be aggressive couples. Chronic external stresses interact with individuals’ dispositional and regulatory deficiencies, resulting in a spillover of these stresses into the relationship. High individual stress in combination with problematic interaction styles and problem-solving abilities increases the likelihood of IPA. We applied the I3 Model to better organize the instigating, impelling, and inhibiting factors and processes that moderate the stress-IPA association. Evidence suggests that certain forms of stress, such as IPA victimization, reliably instigate IPA perpetration, with weak inhibitory processes and impaired problem solving moderating the stress-IPA association. More research is needed that specifies the ‘perfect storm’ of factors that increase our understanding of how, and for whom, stress increases IPA risk. PMID:28497106

Stress and Intimate Partner Aggression.

PubMed

Eckhardt, Christopher I; Parrott, Dominic J

2017-02-01

Evidence suggests that stressed couples also tend to be aggressive couples. Chronic external stresses interact with individuals' dispositional and regulatory deficiencies, resulting in a spillover of these stresses into the relationship. High individual stress in combination with problematic interaction styles and problem-solving abilities increases the likelihood of IPA. We applied the I 3 Model to better organize the instigating, impelling, and inhibiting factors and processes that moderate the stress-IPA association. Evidence suggests that certain forms of stress, such as IPA victimization, reliably instigate IPA perpetration, with weak inhibitory processes and impaired problem solving moderating the stress-IPA association. More research is needed that specifies the 'perfect storm' of factors that increase our understanding of how, and for whom, stress increases IPA risk.

Charge tuning of nonresonant magnetoexciton phonon interactions in graphene.

PubMed

Rémi, Sebastian; Goldberg, Bennett B; Swan, Anna K

2014-02-07

Far from resonance, the coupling of the G-band phonon to magnetoexcitons in single layer graphene displays kinks and splittings versus filling factor that are well described by Pauli blocking and unblocking of inter- and intra-Landau level transitions. We explore the nonresonant electron-phonon coupling by high-magnetic field Raman scattering while electrostatic tuning of the carrier density controls the filling factor. We show qualitative and quantitative agreement between spectra and a linearized model of electron-phonon interactions in magnetic fields. The splitting is caused by dichroism of left- and right-handed circular polarized light due to lifting of the G-band phonon degeneracy, and the piecewise linear slopes are caused by the linear occupancy of sequential Landau levels versus ν.

Visible high power fiber coupled diode lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhler, Bernd; Drovs, Simon; Stoiber, Michael; Dürsch, Sascha; Kissel, Heiko; Könning, Tobias; Biesenbach, Jens; König, Harald; Lell, Alfred; Stojetz, Bernhard; Löffler, Andreas; Strauß, Uwe

2018-02-01

In this paper we report on further development of fiber coupled high-power diode lasers in the visible spectral range. New visible laser modules presented in this paper include the use of multi single emitter arrays @ 450 nm leading to a 120 W fiber coupled unit with a beam quality of 44 mm x mrad, as well as very compact modules with multi-W output power from 405 nm to 640 nm. However, as these lasers are based on single emitters, power scaling quickly leads to bulky laser units with a lot of optical components to be aligned. We also report on a new approach based on 450 nm diode laser bars, which dramatically reduces size and alignment effort. These activities were performed within the German government-funded project "BlauLas": a maximum output power of 80 W per bar has been demonstrated @ 450 nm. We show results of a 200 μm NA0.22 fiber coupled 35 W source @ 450 nm, which has been reduced in size by a factor of 25 compared to standard single emitter approach. In addition, we will present a 200 μm NA0.22 fiber coupled laser unit with an output power of 135 W.

Microwave Hybrid Integrated Circuit Applicatins of High Transition Temperature Superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Shih-Lin

This research work involves microwave characterization of high Tc superconducting (HTS) thin film using microstrip ring resonators, studying the nonlinear properties of HTS thin film transmission lines using two-tone intermodulation technique, coupling mechanisms and coupling factors of microstrip ring resonators side coupled to a microstrip line, two-port S-parameters measurements of GaAs MESFET at low temperature, and the design and implementation of hybrid ring resonator stabilized microwave oscillator using both metal films and superconducting films. A microstrip ring resonators operating at 10 GHz have been fabricated from YBCO HTS thin films deposited on one side of LaAl_2O_3 substrates. Below 60^circ Kelvin the measured unloaded Q of the HTS thin film microstrip ring resonators are more than 1.5 times that of gold film resonators. The two distinct but very close resonance peaks of a ring resonator side coupled to a microstrip line are experimentally identified as due to odd-mode and even-mode coupling. These two mechanisms have different characteristic equivalent circuit models and lead to different coupling coefficients and loaded resonance frequencies. The coupling factors for the two coupling modes are calculated using piecewise coupled line approximations. The two-port S-parameters measurement techniques and GaAs MESFET low temperature DC and microwave characteristics have been investigated. A system errors model including the errors caused by the line constriction at low temperature has been proposed and a temperature errors correction procedure has been developed for the two-port microwave S-parameters measurements at low temperature. The measured GaAs MESFET DC characteristics shows a 20% increase in transconductance at 77^circ K. There is also a 2 db increase in /S21/ at 77^circ K. The microwave oscillator stabilized with both metal and HTS thin film ring resonators have been studied. The tuning ability of the oscillator by a varactor diode has also been investigated. The phase noise performance of one side of the high Tc film oscillator does not show appreciable improvement over the gold film oscillator. With a varactor diode, the oscillator tuning range can be 300 MHz more. Two-tone intermodulation distortion (IMD) at 6.3 GHz in an HTS YBCO superconducting thin film microstrip transmission line on LaAl_2O _3 substrates are experimentally studied. At fixed input power, the 3rd order IMD power as function of temperature shows a minimum at a temperature around 60^circ Kelvin. With DC current applied, the second order IMD is observed and shows a strong functional dependance to the applied DC current and input power.

Factors influencing the regioselectivity of the oxidation of asymmetric secondary amines with singlet oxygen.

PubMed

Ushakov, Dmitry B; Plutschack, Matthew B; Gilmore, Kerry; Seeberger, Peter H

2015-04-20

Aerobic amine oxidation is an attractive and elegant process for the α functionalization of amines. However, there are still several mechanistic uncertainties, particularly the factors governing the regioselectivity of the oxidation of asymmetric secondary amines and the oxidation rates of mixed primary amines. Herein, it is reported that singlet-oxygen-mediated oxidation of 1° and 2° amines is sensitive to the strength of the α-C-H bond and steric factors. Estimation of the relative bond dissociation energy by natural bond order analysis or by means of one-bond C-H coupling constants allowed the regioselectivity of secondary amine oxidations to be explained and predicted. In addition, the findings were utilized to synthesize highly regioselective substrates and perform selective amine cross-couplings to produce imines. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chromatographic background drift correction coupled with parallel factor analysis to resolve coelution problems in three-dimensional chromatographic data: quantification of eleven antibiotics in tap water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector.

PubMed

Yu, Yong-Jie; Wu, Hai-Long; Fu, Hai-Yan; Zhao, Juan; Li, Yuan-Na; Li, Shu-Fang; Kang, Chao; Yu, Ru-Qin

2013-08-09

Chromatographic background drift correction has been an important field of research in chromatographic analysis. In the present work, orthogonal spectral space projection for background drift correction of three-dimensional chromatographic data was described in detail and combined with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to resolve overlapped chromatographic peaks and obtain the second-order advantage. This strategy was verified by simulated chromatographic data and afforded significant improvement in quantitative results. Finally, this strategy was successfully utilized to quantify eleven antibiotics in tap water samples. Compared with the traditional methodology of introducing excessive factors for the PARAFAC model to eliminate the effect of background drift, clear improvement in the quantitative performance of PARAFAC was observed after background drift correction by orthogonal spectral space projection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An assessment of inductive coupling roadway powered vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leschly, K. O.; Feinberg, A.; Heft, R.; Warren, G.

1980-01-01

The technical concept underlying the roadway powered vehicle system is the combination of an electrical power source embedded in the roadway and a vehicle-mounted power pickup that is inductively coupled to the roadway power source. The feasibility of such a system, implemented on a large scale was investigated. Factors considered included current and potential transportation modes and requirements, economics, energy, technology, social and institutional issues. These factors interrelate in highly complex ways, and a firm understanding of each of them does not yet exist. The study therefore was structured to manipulate known data in equally complex ways to produce a schema of options and useful questions that can form a basis for further, harder research. A dialectical inquiry technique was used in which two adversary teams, mediated by a third-party team, debated each factor and its interrelationship with the whole of the known information on the topic.

Synchronization of electrically coupled micromechanical oscillators with a frequency ratio of 3:1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Dong; Wei, Xueyong; Xu, Liu; Jiang, Zhuangde; Huan, Ronghua

2018-01-01

In this Letter, synchronization of micromechanical oscillators with a frequency ratio of 3:1 is reported. Two electrically coupled piezoresistive micromechanical oscillators are built for the study, and their oscillation frequencies are tuned via the Joule heating effect to find out the synchronization region. Experimental results show that the larger coupling strength or bias driving voltage is applied and a wider synchronization region is obtained. Interestingly, however, the oscillator's frequency tunability is dramatically reduced from -809.1 Hz/V to -23.1 Hz/V when synchronization is reached. A nearly 10-fold improvement of frequency stability at 1 s is observed from one of the synchronized oscillators, showing a comparable performance of the other. The stable high order synchronization of micromechanical oscillators is helpful to design high performance resonant sensors with a better frequency resolution and a larger scale factor.

Modeling viscosity and diffusion of plasma mixtures across coupling regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnault, Philippe

2014-10-01

Viscosity and diffusion of plasma for pure elements and multicomponent mixtures are modeled from the high-temperature low-density weakly coupled regime to the low-temperature high-density strongly coupled regime. Thanks to an atom in jellium modeling, the effect of electron screening on the ion-ion interaction is incorporated through a self-consistent definition of the ionization. This defines an effective One Component Plasma, or an effective Binary Ionic Mixture, that is representative of the strength of the interaction. For the viscosity and the interdiffusion of mixtures, approximate kinetic expressions are supplemented by mixing laws applied to the excess viscosity and self-diffusion of pure elements. The comparisons with classical and quantum molecular dynamics results reveal deviations in the range 20--40% on average with almost no predictions further than a factor of 2 over many decades of variation. Applications in the inertial confinement fusion context could help in predicting the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities.

Induced high-order resonance linewidth shrinking with multiple coupled resonators in silicon-organic hybrid slotted two-dimensional photonic crystals for reduced optical switching power in bistable devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Thu Trang; Ngo, Quang Minh; Vu, Dinh Lam; Le, Khai Q.; Nguyen, Truong Khang; Nguyen, Hieu P. T.

2018-01-01

Shrinking the linewidth of resonances induced by multiple coupled resonators is comprehensively analyzed using the coupled-mode theory (CMT) in time. Two types of coupled resonators under investigation are coupled resonator optical waveguides (CROWs) and side-coupled resonators with waveguide (SCREW). We examine the main parameters influencing on the spectral response such as the number of resonators (n) and the phase shift (φ) between two adjacent resonators. For the CROWs geometry consisting of n coupled resonators, we observe the quality (Q) factor of the right- and left-most resonant lineshapes increases n times larger than that of a single resonator. For the SCREW geometry, relying on the phase shift, sharp, and asymmetric resonant lineshape of the high Q factor a narrow linewidth of the spectral response could be achieved. We employ the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to design and simulate two proposed resonators for practical applications. The proposed coupled resonators in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) slotted two-dimensional (2-D) photonic crystals (PhCs) filled and covered with a low refractive index organic material. Slotted PhC waveguides and cavities are designed to enhance the electromagnetic intensity and to confine the light into small cross-sectional area with low refractive index so that efficient optical devices could be achieved. A good agreement between the theoretical CMT analysis and the FDTD simulation is shown as an evidence for our accurate investigation. All-optical switches based on the CROWs in the SOI slotted 2-D PhC waveguide that are filled and covered by a nonlinear organic cladding to overcome the limitations of its well-known intrinsic properties are also presented. From the calculations, we introduce a dependency of the normalized linewidth of the right-most resonance and its switching power of the all-optical switches on number of resonator, n. This result might provide a guideline for all-optical signal processing on a silicon PhC chip design.

Factorial and construct validity of the revised short form integrative psychotherapy alliance scales for family, couple, and individual therapy.

PubMed

Pinsof, William M; Zinbarg, Richard; Knobloch-Fedders, Lynne M

2008-09-01

The Integrative Psychotherapy Alliance model brought an interpersonal and systemic perspective to bear on theory, research, and practice on the psychotherapeutic alliance. Questions have been raised about the independence of the theoretical factors in the model and their operationalization in the Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy Alliance Scales. This paper presents results of a confirmatory factor analysis of the scales that delineated at least three distinct interpersonal factors as well as shorter versions of the three scales to facilitate their use in research and practice. The paper also presents the results of a study testing each factor's association with client retention and progress over the first eight sessions in individual and couple therapy. At least two of the interpersonal factors were uniquely associated with progress in individual and couple functioning. Implications of the results for theory, research, practice, and training in individual, couple, and family therapy are elaborated.

Prevalence, concordance and determinants of human papillomavirus infection among heterosexual partners in a rural region in central Mexico

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Although human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in heterosexual couples has been sparsely studied, it is relevant to understand disease burden and transmission mechanisms. The present study determined the prevalence and concordance of type-specific HPV infection as well as the determinants of infection in heterosexual couples in a rural area of Mexico. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 504 clinically healthy heterosexual couples from four municipalities in the State of Mexico, Mexico. HPV testing was performed using biotinylated L1 consensus primers and reverse line blot in cervical samples from women and in genital samples from men. Thirty-seven HPV types were detected, including high-risk oncogenic types and low-risk types. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate factors associated with HPV. Results The prevalence of HPV infection was 20.5% in external male genitals and 13.7% in cervical samples. In 504 sexual couples participating in the study, concordance of HPV status was 79%; 34 partners (6.7%) were concurrently infected, and 21 out of 34 partners where both were HPV positive (61.8%) showed concordance for one or more HPV types. The principal risk factor associated with HPV DNA detection in men as well as women was the presence of HPV DNA in the respective regular sexual partner (OR = 5.15, 95%CI 3.01-8.82). In men, having a history of 10 or more sexual partners over their lifetime (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.3 - 4.8) and having had sexual relations with prostitutes (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.01 - 2.8) increased the likelihood of detecting HPV DNA. Conclusions In heterosexual couples in rural regions in Mexico, the prevalence of HPV infection and type-specific concordance is high. High-risk sexual behaviors are strong determinants of HPV infection in men. PMID:20667085

A comparative study on the solubility and stability of p-phenylenediamine-based organic redox couples for non-aqueous flow batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyun-seung; Lee, Keon-Joon; Han, Young-Kyu; Ryu, Ji Heon; Oh, Seung M.

2017-04-01

A methyl-substituted p-phenylenediamine (PD), N,N,N‧,N‧-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD), is examined as a positive redox couple with high energy density for non-aqueous Li-flow batteries. Methyl substitution affects the solubility of the redox couple, as the solubility is increased by a factor of ten, to a maximum solubility of 5.0 M in 1.0 M lithium tetrafluoroborate-propylene carbonate supporting electrolyte due to elimination of the hydrogen bonding between the solute molecules. The methyl substitution also enhances the chemical stability of the cation radical and di-cation being generated from PD, as the redox center is shielded by the methyl groups. Furthermore, this organic redox couple demonstrate two-electron redox reactions at 3.2 and 3.8 V (vs. Li/Li+); therefore, the volumetric capacity is twice higher compared to conventional one-electron involved redox couples. In a non-flowing Li/TMPD coin-cell, this organic redox couple demonstrates very stable cycleability as a positive redox couple for non-aqueous flow batteries.

Improved control of the betatron coupling in the Large Hadron Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persson, T.; Tomás, R.

2014-05-01

The control of the betatron coupling is of importance for safe beam operation in the LHC. In this article we show recent advancements in methods and algorithms to measure and correct coupling. The benefit of using a more precise formula relating the resonance driving term f1001 to the ΔQmin is presented. The quality of the coupling measurements is increased, with about a factor 3, by selecting beam position monitor (BPM) pairs with phase advances close to π/2 and through data cleaning using singular value decomposition with an optimal number of singular values. These improvements are beneficial for the implemented automatic coupling correction, which is based on injection oscillations, presented in the article. Furthermore, a proposed coupling feedback for the LHC is presented. The system will rely on the measurements from BPMs equipped with a new type of high resolution electronics, diode orbit and oscillation, which will be operational when the LHC restarts in 2015. The feedback will combine the coupling measurements from the available BPMs in order to calculate the best correction.

The influence of filtering and downsampling on the estimation of transfer entropy

PubMed Central

Florin, Esther; von Papen, Michael; Timmermann, Lars

2017-01-01

Transfer entropy (TE) provides a generalized and model-free framework to study Wiener-Granger causality between brain regions. Because of its nonparametric character, TE can infer directed information flow also from nonlinear systems. Despite its increasing number of applications in neuroscience, not much is known regarding the influence of common electrophysiological preprocessing on its estimation. We test the influence of filtering and downsampling on a recently proposed nearest neighborhood based TE estimator. Different filter settings and downsampling factors were tested in a simulation framework using a model with a linear coupling function and two nonlinear models with sigmoid and logistic coupling functions. For nonlinear coupling and progressively lower low-pass filter cut-off frequencies up to 72% false negative direct connections and up to 26% false positive connections were identified. In contrast, for the linear model, a monotonic increase was only observed for missed indirect connections (up to 86%). High-pass filtering (1 Hz, 2 Hz) had no impact on TE estimation. After low-pass filtering interaction delays were significantly underestimated. Downsampling the data by a factor greater than the assumed interaction delay erased most of the transmitted information and thus led to a very high percentage (67–100%) of false negative direct connections. Low-pass filtering increases the number of missed connections depending on the filters cut-off frequency. Downsampling should only be done if the sampling factor is smaller than the smallest assumed interaction delay of the analyzed network. PMID:29149201

Regulation of platelet activating factor receptor coupled phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity

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

Morrison, W.J.

1988-01-01

The major objectives of this study were two-fold. The first was to establish whether binding of platelet activating factor (PAF) to its receptor was integral to the stimulation of polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) in rabbit platelets. The second was to determine regulatory features of this receptor-coupled mechanism. ({sup 3}H)PAF binding demonstrated two binding sites, a high affinity site with a inhibitory constant (Ki) of 2.65 nM and a low affinity site with a Ki of 0.80 {mu}M. PAF receptor coupled activation of phosphoinositide-specific PLC was studied in platelets which were made refractory, by short term pretreatments, to either PAF ormore » thrombin. Saponin-permeabilized rabbit platelets continue to regulate the mechanism(s) coupling PAF receptors to PLC stimulation. However, TRP{gamma}S and GDP{beta}S, which affect guanine nucleotide regulatory protein functions, were unable to modulate the PLC activity to any appreciable extent as compared to PAF. The possible involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) activation in regulating PAF-stimulated PLC activity was studied in rabbit platelets pretreated with staurosporine followed by pretreatments with PAF or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA).« less

Optically Active Plasmonic Metasurfaces based on the Hybridization of In-Plane Coupling and Out-of-Plane Coupling.

PubMed

Wu, Dong; Yang, Liu; Liu, Chang; Xu, Zenghui; Liu, Yumin; Yu, Zhongyuan; Yu, Li; Chen, Lei; Ma, Rui; Ye, Han

2018-05-10

Plasmonic metasurfaces have attracted much attention in recent years owing to many promising prospects of applications such as polarization switching, local electric field enhancement (FE), near-perfect absorption, sensing, slow-light devices, and nanoantennas. However, many problems in these applications, like only gigahertz switching speeds of electro-optical switches, low-quality factor (Q) of plasmonic resonances, and relatively low figure of merit (FOM) of sensing, severely limit the further development of plasmonic metasurface. Besides, working as nanoantennas, it is also challenging to realize both local electric FE exceeding 100 and near-perfect absorption above 99%. Here, using finite element method and finite difference time domain methods respectively, we firstly report a novel optically tunable plasmonic metasurface based on the hybridization of in-plane near-field coupling and out-of-plane near-field coupling, which provides a good solution to these serious and urgent problems. A physical phenomenon of electromagnetically induced transparency is obtained by the destructive interference between two plasmon modes. At the same time, ultrasharp perfect absorption peaks with ultra-high Q-factor (221.43) is achieved around 1550 nm, which can lead to an ultra-high FOM (214.29) in sensing application. Particularly, by using indium-doped CdO, this metasurface is also firstly demonstrated to be a femtosecond optical reflective polarizer in near-infrared region, possessing an ultra-high polarization extinction ratio. Meanwhile, operating as nanoantennas, this metasurface achieves simultaneously strong local electric FE(|E loc |/|E 0 | > 100) and a near-perfect absorption above 99.9% for the first time, which will benefit a wide range of applications including photocatalytic water splitting and surface-enhanced infrared absorption.

Optically Active Plasmonic Metasurfaces based on the Hybridization of In-Plane Coupling and Out-of-Plane Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Dong; Yang, Liu; Liu, Chang; Xu, Zenghui; Liu, Yumin; Yu, Zhongyuan; Yu, Li; Chen, Lei; Ma, Rui; Ye, Han

2018-05-01

Plasmonic metasurfaces have attracted much attention in recent years owing to many promising prospects of applications such as polarization switching, local electric field enhancement (FE), near-perfect absorption, sensing, slow-light devices, and nanoantennas. However, many problems in these applications, like only gigahertz switching speeds of electro-optical switches, low-quality factor (Q) of plasmonic resonances, and relatively low figure of merit (FOM) of sensing, severely limit the further development of plasmonic metasurface. Besides, working as nanoantennas, it is also challenging to realize both local electric FE exceeding 100 and near-perfect absorption above 99%. Here, using finite element method and finite difference time domain methods respectively, we firstly report a novel optically tunable plasmonic metasurface based on the hybridization of in-plane near-field coupling and out-of-plane near-field coupling, which provides a good solution to these serious and urgent problems. A physical phenomenon of electromagnetically induced transparency is obtained by the destructive interference between two plasmon modes. At the same time, ultrasharp perfect absorption peaks with ultra-high Q-factor (221.43) is achieved around 1550 nm, which can lead to an ultra-high FOM (214.29) in sensing application. Particularly, by using indium-doped CdO, this metasurface is also firstly demonstrated to be a femtosecond optical reflective polarizer in near-infrared region, possessing an ultra-high polarization extinction ratio. Meanwhile, operating as nanoantennas, this metasurface achieves simultaneously strong local electric FE(| E loc|/| E 0| > 100) and a near-perfect absorption above 99.9% for the first time, which will benefit a wide range of applications including photocatalytic water splitting and surface-enhanced infrared absorption.

A field survey of metal binding to metallothionein and other cytosolic ligands in liver of eels using an on-line isotope dilution method in combination with size exclusion (SE) high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to Inductively Coupled Plasma time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS).

PubMed

Van Campenhout, Karen; Goenaga Infante, Heidi; Goemans, Geert; Belpaire, Claude; Adams, Freddy; Blust, Ronny; Bervoets, Lieven

2008-05-15

The effect of metal exposure on the accumulation and cytosolic speciation of metals in livers of wild populations of European eel with special emphasis on metallothioneins (MT) was studied. Four sampling sites in Flanders showing different degrees of heavy metal contamination were selected for this purpose. An on-line isotope dilution method in combination with size exclusion (SE) high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to Inductively Coupled Plasma time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) was used to study the cytosolic speciation of the metals. The distribution of the metals Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn among cytosolic fractions displayed strong differences. The cytosolic concentration of Cd, Ni and Pb increased proportionally with the total liver levels. However, the cytosolic concentrations of Cu and Zn only increased above a certain liver tissue threshold level. Cd, Cu and Zn, but not Pb and Ni, were largely associated with the MT pool in correspondence with the environmental exposure and liver tissue concentrations. Most of the Pb and Ni and a considerable fraction of Cu and Zn, but not Cd, were associated to High Molecular Weight (HMW) fractions. The relative importance of the Cu and Zn in the HMW fraction decreased with increasing contamination levels while the MT pool became progressively more important. The close relationship between the cytosolic metal load and the total MT levels or the metals bound on the MT pool indicates that the metals, rather than other stress factors, are the major factor determining MT induction.

Sulfide-dependent photosynthetic electron flow coupled to proton translocation in thylakoids of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria limnetica.

PubMed

Shahak, Y; Arieli, B; Binder, B; Padan, E

1987-12-01

Light-induced proton translocation coupled to sulfide-dependent electron transport has been studied in isolated thylakoids of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria limnetica. The thylakoids are obtained by osmotic shock of washed spheroplasts, prepared with glycine-betaine as the osmotic stabilizer. 13C NMR studies suggests that betaine is the major osmoregulator in O. limnetica. Thylakoid preparations obtained from both sulfide-induced anoxygenic cells and noninduced oxygenic cells are capable of proton pumping coupled to phenazinemethosulfate-mediated cyclic electron flow. However, only in the induced thylakoids can sulfide-dependent proton gradient (delta pH) formation be measured, using either NADP or methyl viologen as the terminal acceptor. Sulfide-dependent delta pH formation correlates with a high-affinity electron donation site (apparent Km 44 microM at pH 7.9). This site is not lost upon washing of the thylakoids. In addition, both sulfide-dependent electron transport and delta pH formation are sensitive to inhibitors of the cytochrome b6f complex such as 2-n-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether of 2-iodo-4-nitrothymol, or stigmatellin. Sulfide-dependent NADP photoreduction of low affinity (which does not saturate by as much as 7 mM sulfide) is detected in both induced and noninduced thylakoids, but this activity is insensitive to the inhibitors and is not coupled to proton transport. It is suggested that the adaptation of O. limnetica to anoxygenic photosynthesis involves the induction of a thylakoid factor(s) which creates a high-affinity site for sulfide, and the transfer of its electrons via the cytochrome b6f complex, coupled to proton translocation.

Bone cell communication factors and Semaphorins

PubMed Central

Negishi-Koga, Takako; Takayanagi, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

Bone tissue is continuously renewed throughout adult life by a process called 'remodeling', which involves a dynamic interplay among bone cells including osteoclasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes. For example, a tight coupling between bone resorption and formation is essential for the homeostasis of the skeletal system. Studies on the coupling mechanism in physiological and pathological settings have revealed that osteoclasts or osteoclastic bone resorption promote bone formation through the production of diverse coupling factors. The classical coupling factors are the molecules that promote bone formation after resorption, but there may be distinct mechanisms at work in various phases of bone remodeling. A recent study revealed that the Semaphorin 4D expressed by osteoclasts inhibits bone formation, which represents a mechanism by which coupling is dissociated. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that osteoblastic expression of Semaphorin 3A exerts an osteoprotective effect by both suppressing bone resorption and increasing bone formation. Thus, recent advances have made it increasingly clear that bone remodeling is regulated by not only classical coupling factors, but also molecules that mediate cell–cell communication among bone cells. We propose that such factors be called bone cell communication factors, which control the delicate balance of the interaction of bone cells so as to maintain bone homeostasis. PMID:24171101

Exploiting basic principles to control the selectivity of the vapor phase catalytic oxidative cross-coupling of primary alcohols over nanoporous gold catalysts

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lu-Cun; Stowers, Kara J.; Zugic, Branko; ...

2015-05-20

It is important to achieve high selectivity for high volume chemical synthesis in order to lower energy consumption through reduction in waste. Here, we report the selective synthesis of methyl esters—methyl acetate and methyl butyrate—through catalytic O 2-assisted cross-coupling of methanol with ethanol or 1-butanol using activated, support-free nanoporous gold (npAu). Both well-controlled studies on ingots in UHV and experiments under ambient pressure catalytic conditions on both ingots and microspherical hollow shell catalysts reveal guiding principles for controlling selectivity. Under UHV conditions, the ester products of the cross-coupling of methanol with both ethanol and 1-butanol evolve near room temperature inmore » temperature-programmed reaction studies, indicating that the reactions occur facilely. Furthermore, under steady-state catalytic operation, high stable activity was observed for cross-coupling in flowing gaseous reactant mixtures at atmospheric pressure and 423 K with negligible combustion. Optimum selectivity for cross-coupling is obtained in methanol-rich mixtures due to a combination of two factors: (1) the relative coverage of the respective alkoxys and (2) the relative facility of their β-H elimination. The relative coverage of the alkoxys is governed by van der Waal’s interactions between the alkyl groups and the surface; here, we demonstrate the importance of these weak interactions in a steady-state catalytic process.« less

Coupling of the recoil mass spectrometer CAMEL to the γ-ray spectrometer GASP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spolaore, P.; Ackermann, D.; Bednarczyk, P.; De Angelis, G.; Napoli, D.; Rossi Alvarez, C.; Bazzacco, D.; Burch, R.; Müller, L.; Segato, G. F.; Scarlassara, F.

1995-02-01

A project has been realized to link the CAMEL recoil mass spectrometer to the GASP γ-spectrometer in order to perform high resolution and efficiency γ-recoil coincidence measurements. To preserve high flexibility and autonomy in the operation of the two complex apparatus a rough factor two of reduction in the overall heavy ion transmission was accepted in designing the optics of the particle transport from the GASP center to the CAMEL focal plane. The coupled configuration has been tested with the fusion reaction 58Ni (E = 212 MeV) + 64Ni, obtaining a mass resolution of {1}/{300} and efficiency between ˜ 11% and ˜ 15% for different evaporation products.

Optical Analog to Electromagnetically Induced Transparency in Cascaded Ring-Resonator Systems.

PubMed

Wang, Yonghua; Zheng, Hua; Xue, Chenyang; Zhang, Wendong

2016-07-25

The analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency in optical methods has shown great potential in slow light and sensing applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrated a coupled resonator induced transparency system with three cascaded ring coupled resonators in a silicon chip. The structure was modeled by using the transfer matrix method. Influences of various parameters including coupling ratio of couplers, waveguide loss and additional loss of couplers on transmission characteristic and group index have been investigated theoretically and numerically in detail. The transmission character of the system was measured by the vertical grating coupling method. The enhanced quality factor reached 1.22 × 10⁵. In addition, we further test the temperature performance of the device. The results provide a new method for the manipulation of light in highly integrated optical circuits and sensing applications.

Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical correlates of inconsistent condom use in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

PubMed

Buchacz, K; van der Straten, A; Saul, J; Shiboski, S C; Gomez, C A; Padian, N

2001-11-01

We examined sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics associated with inconsistent condom use in a cross-sectional analysis of 145 sexually active HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples who participated in the California Partners Study II. All couples were aware of their HIV-serodiscordant status. Forty-five percent of couples reported having had unprotected vaginal or anal sex in the previous 6 months. In the multivariate couple-level analyses, factors independently associated with inconsistent (i.e., <100%) condom use in the previous 6 months included lower educational level, unemployment, African-American ethnicity, and practice of anal sex by the couple. Injection drug use was associated with inconsistent condom use among couples with younger HIV-infected partners. In addition, couples with HIV-infected partners who had higher CD4 cell counts and couples in which the HIV-infected male partner ever had sex with a man were more likely to use condoms inconsistently. Consistency of condom use did not depend on the gender of the HIV-infected partner or duration of sexual relationship. The findings suggest that many HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples remain at high risk of HIV transmission and may benefit not only from behavioral interventions but also from structural interventions aimed at improving their social and economic conditions.

Use of a risk scoring tool to identify higher-risk HIV-1 serodiscordant couples for an antiretroviral-based HIV-1 prevention intervention.

PubMed

Irungu, Elizabeth M; Heffron, Renee; Mugo, Nelly; Ngure, Kenneth; Katabira, Elly; Bulya, Nulu; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Odoyo, Josephine; Asiimwe, Stephen; Tindimwebwa, Edna; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

2016-10-17

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduce HIV-1 transmission within heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples. Prioritizing couples at highest HIV-1 transmission risk for ART and PrEP would maximize impact and minimize costs. The Partners Demonstration Project is an open-label, delivery study of integrated PrEP and ART for HIV-1 prevention among high risk HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda. We evaluated the feasibility of using a validated risk score that weighs a combination of easily measurable factors (age, children, marital status, male circumcision status, condom use, plasma HIV-1 levels) to identify couples at highest risk for HIV-1 transmission for enrollment. Couples scoring ≥5 met the risk score eligibility criteria. We screened 1694 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples and enrolled 1013. Of the screened couples, 1331 (78.6 %) scored ≥5 (with an expected incidence >3 % per year) and 76 % of these entered the study. The median age of the HIV-1 uninfected partner was 29 years [IQR 26, 36] and 20 % were <25 years of age. The HIV-1 uninfected partner was male in 67 % of partnerships, 33 % of whom were uncircumcised, 57 % of couples had no children, and 65 % reported unprotected sex in the month prior to enrollment. Among HIV-1 infected partners, 41 % had plasma viral load >50,000 copies/ml. A risk scoring tool identified HIV-1 serodiscordant couples for a demonstration project of PrEP and ART with high HIV-1 risk. The tool may be feasible for research and public health settings to maximize efficiency and minimize HIV-1 prevention costs.

Power-Factor and Torque Calculation under Consideration of Cross Saturation of the Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Brushless Field Excitation

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

Lee, Seong T; Burress, Timothy A; Tolbert, Leon M

2009-01-01

This paper introduces a new method for calculating the power factor and output torque by considering the cross saturation between direct-axis (d-axis) and quadrature-axis (q-axis) of an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM). The conventional two-axis IPMSM model is modified to include the cross saturation effect by adding the cross-coupled inductance terms. This paper also contains the new method of calculating the cross-coupled inductance values as well as self-inductance values in d- and q-axes. The analyzed motor is a high-speed brushless field excitation machine that offers high torque per ampere per core length at low speed and weakened flux atmore » high speed, which was developed for the traction motor of a hybrid electric vehicle. The conventional two-axis IPMSM model was modified to include the cross-saturation effect by adding the cross-coupled inductance terms Ldq and Lqd. By the advantage of the excited structure of the experimental IPMSM, the analyzing works were performed under two conditions, the highest and lowest excited conditions. Therefore, it is possible to investigate the cross-saturation effect when a machine has higher magnetic flux from its rotor. The following is a summary of conclusions that may be drawn from this work: (1) Considering cross saturation of an IPMSM offers more accurate expected values of motor parameters in output torque calculation, especially when negative d-axis current is high; (2) A less saturated synchronous machine could be more affected by the cross-coupled saturation effect; (3) Both cross-coupled inductances, L{sub qd} and L{sub dq}, are mainly governed by d-axis current rather than q-axis current; (4) The modified torque equation, can be used for the dynamic model of an IPMSM for developing a better control model or control strategy; and (5) It is possible that the brushless field excitation structure has a common magnetic flux path on both d- and q-axis, and as a result, the reluctance torque of the machine could be reduced.« less

Factors Associated With Marital Satisfaction in Infertile Couple: A Comprehensive Literature Review

PubMed Central

Samadaee-Gelehkolaee, Keshvar; McCarthy, Barry W; Khalilian, Alireza; Hamzehgardeshi, Zeinab; Peyvandi, Sepideh; Elyasi, Forouza; Shahidi, Maryam

2016-01-01

Background: Many factors impact on marital satisfaction. Related factors include demographic factors, assisted reproductive techniques, psychological health, quality of life, psychological, socioeconomic and family support, and sexual function. Methods: This study is a literature review of research studies conducted on factors associated with marital satisfaction in infertile couples. The current literature review search was undertaken using multiple databases selected from articles pertinent to the study. The selection of subjects was undertaken from1990 through 2015. The methodological quality was analyzed based on a checklist adopted from a systematic review. Quality assessment of full text studies was finally carried out by two reviewers. Results: The initial search yielded a list of 445 papers, and then reviewers studied titles and abstracts. Thereafter, 69 papers were incorporated, and researchers reviewed summaries of all of the searched articles. Finally, the researchers utilized the data gained from 64 full articles so as to compile this review paper. Reviewing the studies conducted on marital satisfaction, they classified related findings into 6 categories: demographic factors, using fertility assisting methods, psychological health, life quality, economic, social, and family support, and sexual function. Conclusion: The results of this review article depicted that various factors play role in creating marriage life satisfaction in an infertile couple, so that paying attention to them can play an important role in continuing their treatment. Thus, to identify such factors is considered essential in their treatment protocol highly based on culture. Of the drawbacks of this research is that it has tried at best to employ the studies belonging to diverse countries with different cultures. Also, the number of the papers was considerably limited. PMID:26652079

New insights into the multi-scale climatic drivers of the "Karakoram anomaly"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, S.; Moelg, T.; Nicholson, L. I.; Maussion, F.; Scherer, D.; Bush, A. B.

2012-12-01

Glacier behaviour in the Karakoram region of the northwestern Himalaya shows strong spatial and temporal heterogeneity and, in some basins, anomalous trends compared with glaciers elsewhere in High Asia. Our knowledge of the mass balance fluctuations of Karakoram glaciers as well as of the important driving factors and interactions between them is limited by a scarcity of in-situ measurements and other studies. Here we employ a novel approach to simulating atmosphere-cryosphere interactions - coupled high-resolution atmospheric and physically-based surface mass balance modelling - to examine the surface energy and mass fluxes of glaciers in this region. We discuss the mesoscale climatic drivers behind surface mass balance fluctuations as well as the influence of local forcing factors, such as debris cover and feedbacks from the glacier surface to the atmosphere. The coupled modelling approach therefore provides an innovative, multi-scale solution to the paucity of information we have to date on the much-debated "Karakoram anomaly."

Low index contrast heterostructure photonic crystal cavities with high quality factors and vertical radiation coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Xiaochen; Minkov, Momchil; Fan, Shanhui; Li, Xiuling; Zhou, Weidong

2018-04-01

We report here design and experimental demonstration of heterostructure photonic crystal cavities resonating near the Γ point with simultaneous strong lateral confinement and highly directional vertical radiation patterns. The lateral confinement is provided by a mode gap originating from a gradual modulation of the hole radii. High quality factor resonance is realized with a low index contrast between silicon nitride and quartz. The near surface-normal directional emission is preserved when the size of the core region is scaled down. The influence of the cavity size parameters on the resonant modes is also investigated theoretically and experimentally.

A Scoring Tool to Identify East African HIV-1 Serodiscordant Partnerships with a High Likelihood of Pregnancy.

PubMed

Heffron, Renee; Cohen, Craig R; Ngure, Kenneth; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Were, Edwin; Kiarie, James; Mugo, Nelly; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

2015-01-01

HIV-1 prevention programs targeting HIV-1 serodiscordant couples need to identify couples that are likely to become pregnant to facilitate discussions about methods to minimize HIV-1 risk during pregnancy attempts (i.e. safer conception) or effective contraception when pregnancy is unintended. A clinical prediction tool could be used to identify HIV-1 serodiscordant couples with a high likelihood of pregnancy within one year. Using standardized clinical prediction methods, we developed and validated a tool to identify heterosexual East African HIV-1 serodiscordant couples with an increased likelihood of becoming pregnant in the next year. Datasets were from three prospectively followed cohorts, including nearly 7,000 couples from Kenya and Uganda participating in HIV-1 prevention trials and delivery projects. The final score encompassed the age of the woman, woman's number of children living, partnership duration, having had condomless sex in the past month, and non-use of an effective contraceptive. The area under the curve (AUC) for the probability of the score to correctly predict pregnancy was 0.74 (95% CI 0.72-0.76). Scores ≥ 7 predicted a pregnancy incidence of >17% per year and captured 78% of the pregnancies. Internal and external validation confirmed the predictive ability of the score. A pregnancy likelihood score encompassing basic demographic, clinical and behavioral factors defined African HIV-1 serodiscordant couples with high one-year pregnancy incidence rates. This tool could be used to engage African HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in counseling discussions about fertility intentions in order to offer services for safer conception or contraception that align with their reproductive goals.

Characterization of the IEC 61000-4-6 Electromagnetic Clamp for Conducted-Immunity Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grassi, F.; Pignari, S. A.; Spadacini, G.; Toscani, N.; Pelissou, P.

2016-05-01

A multiconductor transmission line model (MTL) is used to investigate the operation of the IEC 61000-4-6 electromagnetic (EM) clamp in a conducted-immunity test setup for aerospace applications. Aspects of interest include the performance of such a coupling device at very high frequencies (up to 1 GHz), and for extreme values of the common-mode impedance of equipment (short circuits, open circuits). The MTL model is finally exploited to predict the frequency response of coupling and decoupling factors defined in the IEC 61000-4-6 standard.

Correct definition of color singlet P-wave non-perturbative matrix element of heavy quarkonium production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Gouranga C.

2017-09-01

Recently we have proved factorization of infrared divergences in NRQCD S-wave heavy quarkonium production at high energy colliders at all orders in coupling constant. One of the problem which still exists in the higher order pQCD calculation of color singlet P-wave heavy quarkonium production/anihillation is the appearance of noncanceling infrared divergences due to real soft gluons exchange, although no such infrared divergences are present in the color singlet S-wave heavy quarkonium. In this paper we find that since the non-perturbative matrix element of the color singlet P-wave heavy quarkonium production contains derivative operators, the gauge links are necessary to make it gauge invariant and be consistent with the factorization of such non-canceling infrared divergences at all orders in coupling constant.

Equilibrium drives of the low and high field side n = 2 plasma response and impact on global confinement

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

Paz-Soldan, C.; Logan, N. C.; Haskey, S. R.

The nature of the multi-modal n=2 plasma response and its impact on global confinement is studied as a function of the axisymmetric equilibrium pressure, edge safety factor, collisionality, and L-versus H-mode conditions. Varying the relative phase (ΔΦ UL) between upper and lower in-vessel coils demonstrates that different n=2 poloidal spectra preferentially excite different plasma responses. These different plasma response modes are preferentially detected on the tokamak high-field side (HFS) or low-field side (LFS) midplanes, have different radial extents, couple differently to the resonant surfaces, and have variable impacts on edge stability and global confinement. In all equilibrium conditions studied, themore » observed confinement degradation shares the same ΔΦ UL dependence as the coupling to the resonant surfaces given by both ideal (IPEC) and resistive (MARS-F) MHD computation. Varying the edge safety factor shifts the equilibrium field-line pitch and thus the ΔΦ UL dependence of both the global confinement and the n=2 magnetic response. As edge safety factor is varied, modeling finds that the HFS response (but not the LFS response), the resonant surface coupling, and the edge displacements near the X-point all share the same ΔΦ UL dependence. The LFS response magnitude is strongly sensitive to the core pressure and is insensitive to the collisionality and edge safety factor. This indicates that the LFS measurements are primarily sensitive to a pressure-driven kink-ballooning mode that couples to the core plasma. MHD modeling accurately reproduces these (and indeed all) LFS experimental trends and supports this interpretation. In contrast to the LFS, the HFS magnetic response and correlated global confinement impact is unchanged with plasma pressure, but is strongly reduced in high collisionality conditions in both H- and L-mode. This experimentally suggests the bootstrap current drives the HFS response through the kink-peeling mode drive, though surprisingly weak or no dependence on the bootstrap current is seen in modeling. Instead, modeling is revealed to be very sensitive to the details of the edge current profile and equilibrium truncation. Furthermore, holding truncation fixed, most HFS experimental trends are not captured, thus demonstrating a stark contrast between the robustness of the HFS experimental results and the sensitivity of its computation.« less

Equilibrium drives of the low and high field side n  =  2 plasma response and impact on global confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paz-Soldan, C.; Logan, N. C.; Haskey, S. R.; Nazikian, R.; Strait, E. J.; Chen, X.; Ferraro, N. M.; King, J. D.; Lyons, B. C.; Park, J.-K.

2016-05-01

The nature of the multi-modal n  =  2 plasma response and its impact on global confinement is studied as a function of the axisymmetric equilibrium pressure, edge safety factor, collisionality, and L-versus H-mode conditions. Varying the relative phase (Δ {φ\\text{UL}} ) between upper and lower in-vessel coils demonstrates that different n  =  2 poloidal spectra preferentially excite different plasma responses. These different plasma response modes are preferentially detected on the tokamak high-field side (HFS) or low-field side (LFS) midplanes, have different radial extents, couple differently to the resonant surfaces, and have variable impacts on edge stability and global confinement. In all equilibrium conditions studied, the observed confinement degradation shares the same Δ {φ\\text{UL}} dependence as the coupling to the resonant surfaces given by both ideal (IPEC) and resistive (MARS-F) MHD computation. Varying the edge safety factor shifts the equilibrium field-line pitch and thus the Δ {φ\\text{UL}} dependence of both the global confinement and the n  =  2 magnetic response. As edge safety factor is varied, modeling finds that the HFS response (but not the LFS response), the resonant surface coupling, and the edge displacements near the X-point all share the same Δ {φ\\text{UL}} dependence. The LFS response magnitude is strongly sensitive to the core pressure and is insensitive to the collisionality and edge safety factor. This indicates that the LFS measurements are primarily sensitive to a pressure-driven kink-ballooning mode that couples to the core plasma. MHD modeling accurately reproduces these (and indeed all) LFS experimental trends and supports this interpretation. In contrast to the LFS, the HFS magnetic response and correlated global confinement impact is unchanged with plasma pressure, but is strongly reduced in high collisionality conditions in both H- and L-mode. This experimentally suggests the bootstrap current drives the HFS response through the kink-peeling mode drive, though surprisingly weak or no dependence on the bootstrap current is seen in modeling. Instead, modeling is revealed to be very sensitive to the details of the edge current profile and equilibrium truncation. Holding truncation fixed, most HFS experimental trends are not captured, thus demonstrating a stark contrast between the robustness of the HFS experimental results and the sensitivity of its computation.

Equilibrium drives of the low and high field side n = 2 plasma response and impact on global confinement

DOE PAGES

Paz-Soldan, C.; Logan, N. C.; Haskey, S. R.; ...

2016-03-31

The nature of the multi-modal n=2 plasma response and its impact on global confinement is studied as a function of the axisymmetric equilibrium pressure, edge safety factor, collisionality, and L-versus H-mode conditions. Varying the relative phase (ΔΦ UL) between upper and lower in-vessel coils demonstrates that different n=2 poloidal spectra preferentially excite different plasma responses. These different plasma response modes are preferentially detected on the tokamak high-field side (HFS) or low-field side (LFS) midplanes, have different radial extents, couple differently to the resonant surfaces, and have variable impacts on edge stability and global confinement. In all equilibrium conditions studied, themore » observed confinement degradation shares the same ΔΦ UL dependence as the coupling to the resonant surfaces given by both ideal (IPEC) and resistive (MARS-F) MHD computation. Varying the edge safety factor shifts the equilibrium field-line pitch and thus the ΔΦ UL dependence of both the global confinement and the n=2 magnetic response. As edge safety factor is varied, modeling finds that the HFS response (but not the LFS response), the resonant surface coupling, and the edge displacements near the X-point all share the same ΔΦ UL dependence. The LFS response magnitude is strongly sensitive to the core pressure and is insensitive to the collisionality and edge safety factor. This indicates that the LFS measurements are primarily sensitive to a pressure-driven kink-ballooning mode that couples to the core plasma. MHD modeling accurately reproduces these (and indeed all) LFS experimental trends and supports this interpretation. In contrast to the LFS, the HFS magnetic response and correlated global confinement impact is unchanged with plasma pressure, but is strongly reduced in high collisionality conditions in both H- and L-mode. This experimentally suggests the bootstrap current drives the HFS response through the kink-peeling mode drive, though surprisingly weak or no dependence on the bootstrap current is seen in modeling. Instead, modeling is revealed to be very sensitive to the details of the edge current profile and equilibrium truncation. Furthermore, holding truncation fixed, most HFS experimental trends are not captured, thus demonstrating a stark contrast between the robustness of the HFS experimental results and the sensitivity of its computation.« less

Correlated phonons and the Tc-dependent dynamical phonon anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakioğlu, T.; Türeci, H.

1997-11-01

Anomalously large low-temperature phonon anharmonicities can lead to static as well as dynamical changes in the low-temperature properties of the electron-phonon system. In this work, we focus our attention on the dynamically generated low-temperature correlations in an interacting electron-phonon system using a self-consistent dynamical approach in the intermediate coupling range. In the context of the model, the polaron correlations are produced by the charge-density fluctuations which are generated dynamically by the electron-phonon coupling. Conversely, the latter is influenced in the presence of the former. The purpose of this work is to examine the dynamics of this dual mechanism between the two using the illustrative Fröhlich model. In particular, the influence of the low-temperature phonon dynamics on the superconducting properties in the intermediate coupling range is investigated. The influence on the Holstein reduction factor as well as the enhancement in the zero-point fluctuations and in the electron-phonon coupling are calculated numerically. We also examine these effects in the presence of superconductivity. Within this model, the contribution of the electron-phonon interaction as one of the important elements in the mechanisms of superconductivity can reach values as high as 15-20% of the characteristic scale of the lattice vibrational energy. The second motivation of this work is to understand the nature of the Tc-dependent temperature anomalies observed in the Debye-Waller factor, dynamical pair correlations, and average atomic vibrational energies for a number of high-temperature superconductors. In our approach we do not claim nor believe that the electron-phonon interaction is the primary mechanism leading to high-temperature superconductivity. Nevertheless, our calculations suggest that the dynamically induced low-temperature phonon correlation model can account for these anomalies and illustrates their possible common origin. Finally, the relevance of incorporating these low-temperature effects into more realistic models of high-temperature superconductivity including both the charge and spin degrees and other similar ideas existing in the literature are discussed.

The design of a multi-harmonic step-tunable gyrotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Xiang-Bo; Du, Chao-Hai; Zhu, Juan-Feng; Pan, Shi; Liu, Pu-Kun

2017-03-01

The theoretical study of a step-tunable gyrotron controlled by successive excitation of multi-harmonic modes is presented in this paper. An axis-encircling electron beam is employed to eliminate the harmonic mode competition. Physics images are depicted to elaborate the multi-harmonic interaction mechanism in determining the operating parameters at which arbitrary harmonic tuning can be realized by magnetic field sweeping to achieve controlled multiband frequencies' radiation. An important principle is revealed that a weak coupling coefficient under a high-harmonic interaction can be compensated by a high Q-factor. To some extent, the complementation between the high Q-factor and weak coupling coefficient makes the high-harmonic mode potential to achieve high efficiency. Based on a previous optimized magnetic cusp gun, the multi-harmonic step-tunable gyrotron is feasible by using harmonic tuning of first-to-fourth harmonic modes. Multimode simulation shows that the multi-harmonic gyrotron can operate on the 34 GHz first-harmonic TE11 mode, 54 GHz second-harmonic TE21 mode, 74 GHz third-harmonic TE31 mode, and 94 GHz fourth-harmonic TE41 mode, corresponding to peak efficiencies of 28.6%, 35.7%, 17.1%, and 11.4%, respectively. The multi-harmonic step-tunable gyrotron provides new possibilities in millimeter-terahertz source development especially for advanced terahertz applications.

The effect of daily challenges in children with autism on parents' couple problem-solving interactions.

PubMed

Hartley, Sigan L; Papp, Lauren M; Blumenstock, Shari M; Floyd, Frank; Goetz, Greta L

2016-09-01

The vulnerability-stress-adaptation model guided this examination of the impact of daily fluctuations in the symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on parents' couple problem-solving interactions in natural settings and as these interactions spontaneously occur. A 14-day daily diary was completed by mothers and fathers in 176 families who had a child with ASD. On each day of the diary, parents separately reported on the child with ASD's daily level of symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems and the topic and level of negative affect in their most meaningful or important daily couple problem-solving interaction. Multilevel modeling was used to account for the within-person, within-couple nested structure of the data. Results indicated that many parents are resilient to experiencing a day with a high level of child ASD symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems and do not report more negative couple problem-solving interactions. However, household income, level of parental broader autism phenotype, and presence of multiple children with special care needs served as vulnerability factors in that they were related to a higher overall rating of negative affect in couple interactions and moderated the impact of reporting a day with a high level of child ASD symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems on next-day ratings of negative couple problem-solving interactions. The magnitude of these effects was small. Understanding mechanisms that support adaptive couple interactions in parents of children with ASD is critical for promoting best outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Daily Challenges in Children with Autism on Parents’ Couple Problem-Solving Interactions

PubMed Central

Hartley, Sigan L.; Papp, Lauren M.; Blumenstock, Shari; Floyd, Frank; Goetz, Greta L.

2016-01-01

The vulnerability-stress-adaptation model guided this examination of the impact of daily fluctuations in the symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on parents’ couple problem-solving interactions in natural settings and as these interactions spontaneously occur. A 14-day daily diary was completed by mothers and fathers in 176 families who had a child with ASD. On each day of the diary, parents separately reported on the child with ASD's daily level of symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems and the topic and level of negative affect in their most meaningful or important daily couple problem-solving interaction. Multilevel modeling was used to account for the within-person, within-couple nested structure of the data. Results indicated that many parents are resilient to experiencing a day with a high level of child ASD symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems and do not report more negative couple problem-solving interactions. However, household income, level of parental broader autism phenotype, and presence of multiple children with special care needs served as vulnerability factors in that they were related to a higher overall rating of negative affect in couple interactions and moderated the impact of reporting a day with a high level of child ASD symptoms and co-occurring behavior problems on next-day ratings of negative couple problem-solving interactions. The magnitude of these effects was small. Understanding mechanisms that support adaptive couple interactions in parents of children with ASD is critical for promoting best outcomes. PMID:27336179

Gulf of Maine Harmful Algal Bloom in summer 2005 – Part 2: Coupled Bio-physical Numerical Modeling

PubMed Central

He, Ruoying; McGillicuddy, Dennis J.; Keafer, Bruce A.; Anderson, Donald M.

2017-01-01

A coupled physical/biological modeling system was used to hindcast the 2005 Alexandrium fundyense bloom in the Gulf of Maine and investigate the relative importance of factors governing the bloom’s initiation and development. The coupled system consists of a state-of-the-art, free-surface primitive equation Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) tailored for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) using a multi-nested configuration, and a population dynamics model for A. fundyense. The system was forced by realistic momentum and buoyancy fluxes, tides, river runoff, observed A. fundyense benthic cyst abundance, and climatological nutrient fields. Extensive comparisons were made between simulated (both physical and biological) fields and in-situ observations, revealing that the hindcast model is capable of reproducing the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the 2005 bloom. Sensitivity experiments were then performed to distinguish the roles of three major factors hypothesized to contribute to the bloom: 1) the high abundance of cysts in western GOM sediments; 2) strong northeaster storms with prevailing downwelling-favorable winds; and 3) a large amount of fresh water input due to abundant rainfall and heavy snowmelt. Results suggested that the high abundance of cysts in western GOM was the primary factor of the 2005 bloom. Wind forcing was an important regulator, as episodic bursts of northeast winds caused onshore advection of offshore populations. These downwelling favorable winds accelerated the alongshore flow, resulting in transport of high cell concentrations into Massachusetts Bay. A large regional bloom would still have happened, however, even with normal or typical winds for that period. Anomalously high river runoff in 2005 resulted in stronger buoyant plumes/currents, which facilitated the transport of cell population to the western GOM. While affecting nearshore cell abundance in Massachusetts Bay, the buoyant plumes were confined near to the coast, and had limited impact on the gulf-wide bloom distribution. PMID:28366964

Continued improvement in reduced-mode (REM) diodes enable 272 W from 105 μm 0.15 NA beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanskar, M.; Bao, L.; Chen, Z.; Dawson, D.; DeVito, M.; Dong, W.; Grimshaw, M.; Guan, X.; Hemenway, M.; Martinsen, R.; Urbanek, W.; Zhang, S.

2017-02-01

High-power, high-brightness diode lasers from 8xx nm to 9xx nm have been pursued in many applications including fiber laser pumping, materials processing, solid-state laser pumping, and consumer electronics manufacturing. In particular, 915 nm - 976 nm diodes are of interest as diode pumps for the kilowatt CW fiber lasers. Thus, there have been many technical efforts on driving the diode lasers to have both high power and high brightness to achieve high-performance and reduced manufacturing costs. This paper presents our continued progress in the development of high brightness fiber-coupled product platform, elementTM. In the past decade, the amount of power coupled into a single 105 μm and 0.15 NA fiber has increased by over a factor of ten through improved diode laser brilliance and the development of techniques for efficiently coupling multiple emitters into a single fiber. In this paper, we demonstrate the further brightness improvement and power-scaling enabled by both the rise in chip brightness/power and the increase in number of chips coupled into a given numerical aperture. We report a new x-REM design with brightness as high as 4.3 W/mm-mrad at a BPP of 3 mm-mrad. We also report the record 272W from a 2×9 elementTM with 105 μm/0.15 NA beam using x-REM diodes and a new product introduction at 200W output power from 105 μm/0.15 NA beam at 915 nm.

Coupling mid-infrared light from a photonic crystal waveguide to metallic transmission lines

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

Blanco-Redondo, Andrea, E-mail: andrea.blanco@tecnalia.com, E-mail: r.hillenbrand@nanogune.eu; Dpto. Electronica y Telecom., E.T.S. Ingeniería Bilbao, UPV/EHU, Alda. Urquijo, 48103 Bilbao, Bizkaia; Sarriugarte, Paulo

2014-01-06

We propose and theoretically study a hybrid structure consisting of a photonic crystal waveguide (PhC-wg) and a two-wire metallic transmission line (TL), engineered for efficient transfer of mid-infrared (mid-IR) light between them. An efficiency of 32% is obtained for the coupling from the transverse magnetic (TM) photonic mode to the symmetric mode of the TL, with a predicted intensity enhancement factor of 53 at the transmission line surface. The strong coupling is explained by the small phase velocity mismatch and sufficient spatial overlapping between the modes. This hybrid structure could find applications in highly integrated mid-IR photonic-plasmonic devices for biologicalmore » and gas sensing, among others.« less

Factors That Contribute to Assay Variation in Quantitative Analysis of Sex Steroid Hormones Using Liquid and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Xia; Veenstra, Timothy D.

2012-01-01

The list of physiological events in which sex steroids play a role continues to increase. To decipher the roles that sex steroids play in any condition requires high quality cohorts of samples and assays that provide highly accurate quantitative measures. Liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS and GC-MS) have…

High spectral purity silicon ring resonator photon-pair source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steidle, Jeffrey A.; Fanto, Michael L.; Tison, Christopher C.; Wang, Zihao; Preble, Stefan F.; Alsing, Paul M.

2015-05-01

Here we present the experimental demonstration of a Silicon ring resonator photon-pair source. The crystalline Silicon ring resonator (radius of 18.5μm) was designed to realize low dispersion across multiple resonances, which allows for operation with a high quality factor of Q~50k. In turn, the source exhibits very high brightness of >3x105 photons/s/mW2/GHz since the produced photon pairs have a very narrow bandwidth. Furthermore, the waveguidefiber coupling loss was minimized to <1.5dB using an inverse tapered waveguide (tip width of ~150nm over a 300μm length) that is butt-coupled to a high-NA fiber (Nufern UHNA-7). This ensured minimal loss of photon pairs to the detectors, which enabled very high purity photon pairs with minimal noise, as exhibited by a very high Coincidental-Accidental Ratio of >1900. The low coupling loss (3dB fiber-fiber) also allowed for operation with very low off-chip pump power of <200μW. In addition, the zero dispersion of the ring resonator resulted in the production of a photon-pair comb across multiple resonances symmetric about the pump resonance (every ~5nm spanning >20nm), which could be used in future wavelength division multiplexed quantum networks.

A new theoretical formulation of coupling thermo-electric breakdown in LDPE film under dc high applied fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boughariou, F.; Chouikhi, S.; Kallel, A.; Belgaroui, E.

2015-12-01

In this paper, we present a new theoretical and numerical formulation for the electrical and thermal breakdown phenomena, induced by charge packet dynamics, in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) insulating film under dc high applied field. The theoretical physical formulation is composed by the equations of bipolar charge transport as well as by the thermo-electric coupled equation associated for the first time in modeling to the bipolar transport problem. This coupled equation is resolved by the finite-element numerical model. For the first time, all bipolar transport results are obtained under non-uniform temperature distributions in the sample bulk. The principal original results show the occurring of very sudden abrupt increase in local temperature associated to a very sharp increase in external and conduction current densities appearing during the steady state. The coupling between these electrical and thermal instabilities reflects physically the local coupling between electrical conduction and thermal joule effect. The results of non-uniform temperature distributions induced by non-uniform electrical conduction current are also presented for several times. According to our formulation, the strong injection current is the principal factor of the electrical and thermal breakdown of polymer insulating material. This result is shown in this work. Our formulation is also validated experimentally.

Ultrastrong exciton-photon coupling in single and coupled organic microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Bramante, Rosemary; Valle, Brent; Singer, Kenneth; Khattab, Tawfik; Williams, Jarrod; Twieg, Robert

2015-03-01

We have demonstrated ultrastrong light-matter coupling in organic planar microcavities composed of a neat glassy organic dye film between two metallic (aluminum) mirrors in a half-cavity configuration. Such cavities are characterized by Q factors around 10. Tuning the thickness of the organic layer enables the observation of the ultrastrong coupling regime. Via reflectivity measurements, we observe a very large Rabi splitting around 1.227 eV between upper and lower polariton branches at room temperature, and we detect polariton emission from the lower polariton branch via photoluminescence measurements. The large splitting is due to the large oscillator strength of the neat dye glass, and to the match of the low-Q cavity spectral width to the broad absorption width of the dye film material. We also study the interaction between excitonic states of neat glassy organic dye and cavity modes within coupled microcavity structures. The high-reflectivity mirrors are formed from distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR), which are multilayer films fabricated using the coextrusion process, containing alternating layers of high (SAN25, n =1.57) and low (Dyneon THV 220G, n =1.37) refractive index dielectric polymers. Nonlinear optical measurements will be discussed. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Center for Layered Polymer Systems (CLiPS) under Grant Number DMR-0423914.

120W, NA_0.15 fiber coupled LD module with 125-μm clad/NA 0.22 fiber by spatial coupling method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishige, Yuta; Kaji, Eisaku; Katayama, Etsuji; Ohki, Yutaka; Gajdátsy, Gábor; Cserteg, András.

2018-02-01

We have fabricated a fiber coupled semiconductor laser diode module by means of spatial beam combining of single emitter broad area semiconductor laser diode chips in the 9xx nm band. In the spatial beam multiplexing method, the numerical aperture of the output light from the optical fiber increases by increasing the number of laser diodes coupled into the fiber. To reduce it, we have tried the approach to improving assembly process technology. As a result, we could fabricate laser diode modules having a light output power of 120W or more and 95% power within NA of 0.15 or less from a single optical fiber with 125-μm cladding diameter. Furthermore, we have obtained that the laser diode module maintaining high coupling efficiency can be realized even around the fill factor of 0.95. This has been achieved by improving the optical alignment method regarding the fast axis stack pitch of the laser diodes in the laser diode module. Therefore, without using techniques such as polarization combining and wavelength combining, high output power was realized while keeping small numerical aperture. This contributes to a reduction in unit price per light output power of the pumping laser diode module.

(In)Congruence of implicit and explicit communal motives predicts the quality and stability of couple relationships.

PubMed

Hagemeyer, Birk; Neberich, Wiebke; Asendorpf, Jens B; Neyer, Franz J

2013-08-01

Previous research has shown that motive congruence, as observed in convergingly high or low scores on implicit and explicit motive measures, promotes well-being and health. Extending this individual perspective to the realm of couple relationships, the present investigation examined intra- and interpersonal effects of communal motive (in)congruence on relationship satisfaction and stability. The implicit partner-related need for communion, the explicit desire for closeness, and relationship satisfaction were assessed in a sample of 547 heterosexual couples aged 18 to 73 years. In a one-year follow-up study, information on relationship stability was obtained, and relationship satisfaction was reassessed. The researchers tested cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of motive (in)congruence by dyadic moderation analyses. Individuals scoring congruently high on both motives reported the highest relationship satisfaction in concurrence with motive assessment and 1 year later. In addition, motive incongruence predicted an increased risk of relationship breakup over 1 year. The results highlight the significance of both implicit and explicit motives for couple relationships. Motive incongruence was confirmed as a dispositional risk factor that so far has not been considered in couple research. Future research directions addressing potential mediators of the observed effects and potential moderators of motive (in)congruence are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Developmental Patterns in Marital Satisfaction: Another Look at Covenant Marriage

PubMed Central

DeMaris, Alfred; Sanchez, Laura A.; Krivickas, Kristi

2012-01-01

This study investigated differences in the trajectory of marital satisfaction in the first seven years between couples in covenant vs. standard marriages. Data on 707 Louisiana marriages from the Marriage Matters Panel Survey of Newlywed Couples, 1998 – 2004, were analyzed using multivariate longitudinal growth modeling. Restricting the sample to couples who remained married over the duration of the study, a marginal benefit of covenant status was found for husbands. This effect was largely accounted for by covenant husbands’ more extensive exposure to premarital counseling. The linear decline in marital satisfaction over time that obtained for both husbands and wives was not, however, any different for covenants vs. standards. Couples characterized by more traditional attitudes toward gender roles were significantly less satisfied than others. High premarital risk factors, initial uncertainty about marrying the spouse, and the presence of preschool children in the household were all corrosive of marital satisfaction at any given time. PMID:23144502

Developmental Patterns in Marital Satisfaction: Another Look at Covenant Marriage.

PubMed

Demaris, Alfred; Sanchez, Laura A; Krivickas, Kristi

2012-10-01

This study investigated differences in the trajectory of marital satisfaction in the first seven years between couples in covenant vs. standard marriages. Data on 707 Louisiana marriages from the Marriage Matters Panel Survey of Newlywed Couples, 1998 - 2004, were analyzed using multivariate longitudinal growth modeling. Restricting the sample to couples who remained married over the duration of the study, a marginal benefit of covenant status was found for husbands. This effect was largely accounted for by covenant husbands' more extensive exposure to premarital counseling. The linear decline in marital satisfaction over time that obtained for both husbands and wives was not, however, any different for covenants vs. standards. Couples characterized by more traditional attitudes toward gender roles were significantly less satisfied than others. High premarital risk factors, initial uncertainty about marrying the spouse, and the presence of preschool children in the household were all corrosive of marital satisfaction at any given time.

How does low temperature coupled with different pressures affect initiation mechanisms and subsequent decompositions in nitramine explosive HMX?

PubMed

Wu, Qiong; Xiong, Guolin; Zhu, Weihua; Xiao, Heming

2015-09-21

We have performed ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to study coupling effects of temperature (534-873 K) and pressure (1-20 GPa) on the initiation mechanisms and subsequent chemical decompositions of nitramine explosive 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). A new initiation decomposition mechanism of HMX was found to be the unimolecular C-H bond breaking, and this mechanism was independent of the coupling effects of different temperatures and pressures. The formed hydrogen radicals could promote subsequent decompositions of HMX. Subsequent decompositions were very sensitive to the pressure at low temperatures (534 and 608 K), while the temperature became the foremost factor that affected the decomposition at a high temperature (873 K) instead of the pressure. Our study may provide a new insight into understanding the coupling effects of the temperature and pressure on the initiation decomposition mechanisms of nitramine explosives.

Unintended pregnancy among HIV positive couples receiving integrated HIV counseling, testing, and family planning services in Zambia.

PubMed

Wall, Kristin M; Haddad, Lisa; Vwalika, Bellington; Htee Khu, Naw; Brill, Ilene; Kilembe, William; Stephenson, Rob; Chomba, Elwyn; Vwalika, Cheswa; Tichacek, Amanda; Allen, Susan

2013-01-01

We describe rates of unintended pregnancy among HIV positive couples in Lusaka, Zambia. We also identify factors associated with unintended pregnancy among oral contraceptive pill (OCP) using couples in this cohort. Data were analyzed from couples randomized in a factorial design to two family planning intervention videos. Rates of unintended pregnancy were stratified by contraceptive method used at time of pregnancy. Predictors of time to unintended pregnancy among OCP users were determined via multivariate Cox modeling. The highest rates of unintended pregnancy were observed among couples requesting condoms only (26.4/100CY) or OCPs (20.7/100CY); these rates were not significantly different. OCP users accounted for 37% of the couple-years (CY) observed and 87% of unintended pregnancies. Rates of unintended pregnancy for injectable (0.7/100CY) and intrauterine device (1.6/100CY) users were significantly lower relative to condom only users. No pregnancies occurred among contraceptive implant users or after tubal ligation. Factors associated (p<0.05) with time to unintended pregnancy among OCP users in multivariate analysis included the man wanting more children, the woman being HIV negative versus having stage IV HIV disease, and the woman reporting: younger age, no previous OCP use, missed OCPs, or sex without a condom. Long-acting reversible contraceptive methods were effective in the context of integrated couples HIV prevention and contraceptive services. Injectable methods were also effective in this context. Given the high user failure rate of OCPs, family planning efforts should promote longer-acting methods among OCP users wishing to avoid pregnancy. Where other methods are not available or acceptable, OCP adherence counseling is needed, especially among younger and new OCP users. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00067522.

Comparison of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi married couples.

PubMed

Elshafie, D E; Al-Khashan, H I; Mishriky, A M

2012-06-01

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia. The study objective was to compare vitamin D deficiency in Saudi married couples. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Royal Guard primary health care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on a consecutive sample of 50 Saudi married couples attending the center without complaints related to vitamin D deficiency. Data were collected through an interview questionnaire addressing the risk factors and dietary habits. Quantitative determination of total 25-hydroxy vitamin D in blood was done by Electro-Chemical Luminescence assay. Fieldwork was carried out from December 2010 to January 2011. Men had higher sun exposure (P = 0.001), more use of light clothes at home (P = 0.002) and more intake of milk (P = 0.023) and soft drinks (P = 0.001). Vitamin D was higher in men with mean difference about 9 nmol/l (P < 0.001). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/l) was 70% in women, compared with 40% in men (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified male gender, physical activity and the intake of milk as statistically significant positive independent predictors of vitamin D level, adjusted for factors as age, sun exposure, clothing, skin color, BMI, soft drinks and animal protein intake. Vitamin D deficiency is very high among Saudi married couples, especially wives. Female gender is an independent predictor of lower vitamin D level, in addition to sedentary lifestyle and low milk consumption. There is a need to revise the levels set for the diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in the study region.

Personal and couple level risk factors: Maternal and paternal parent-child aggression risk.

PubMed

Tucker, Meagan C; Rodriguez, Christina M; Baker, Levi R

2017-07-01

Previous literature examining parent-child aggression (PCA) risk has relied heavily upon mothers, limiting our understanding of paternal risk factors. Moreover, the extent to which factors in the couple relationship work in tandem with personal vulnerabilities to impact PCA risk is unclear. The current study examined whether personal stress and distress predicted PCA risk (child abuse potential, over-reactive discipline style, harsh discipline practices) for fathers as well as mothers and whether couple functioning mediated versus moderated the relation between personal stress and PCA risk in a sample of 81 couples. Additionally, the potential for risk factors in one partner to cross over and affect their partner's PCA risk was considered. Findings indicated higher personal stress predicted elevated maternal and paternal PCA risk. Better couple functioning did not moderate this relationship but partially mediated stress and PCA risk for both mothers and fathers. In addition, maternal stress evidenced a cross-over effect, wherein mothers' personal stress linked to fathers' couple functioning. Findings support the role of stress and couple functioning in maternal and paternal PCA risk, including potential cross-over effects that warrant further inquiry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Physics of Coupled Atomic-Molecular Condensate System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-09

electric dipoles represents a novel state of matter with long-range and anisotropic dipole-dipole interactions, that are highly amenable to the...free-bound FC factor. Simultaneously, a series of laser �elds of (molecular) Rabi frequency i (i 2) are applied to move the molecules from the

Universal Processes and Common Factors in Couple Therapy and Relationship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halford, W. Kim; Snyder, Douglas K.

2012-01-01

Across nearly all cultures, sharing a lifelong committed relationship with an intimate partner comprises an almost universal and strongly held ambition. Nevertheless, cross-national data reliably indicate a high prevalence of relationship distress and dissolution, with adverse emotional and physical health consequences for adult partners and their…

Spacecraft in switch matrix for wide band service applicatons in 30/20 GHz communications satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cory, B. J.

1982-01-01

Bandwidth, switching speed, off-state isolation, and reliability over a ten-year mission were factors in determining the optimum available technology for satellite communications switching in 1982. A proof of concept model for a 20 x 20 coupled crossbar switch matrix designed with FET devices for microwave switching and with high speed CMOS LIS for switch crosspoint addressing was fabricated and tested. Results show the design is feasible for application in a multichannel SS-TDMA communications system. Expandibility can readily be achieved with this design. A conceptual design study for a 100 x 100 switch matrix utilizing a coupled crossbar architecture implemented with a monolithic microwave integrated circuits revealed technology needs for high capacity switch matrices.

Coherent coupling between Vanadyl Phthalocyanine spin ensemble and microwave photons: towards integration of molecular spin qubits into quantum circuits.

PubMed

Bonizzoni, C; Ghirri, A; Atzori, M; Sorace, L; Sessoli, R; Affronte, M

2017-10-12

Electron spins are ideal two-level systems that may couple with microwave photons so that, under specific conditions, coherent spin-photon states can be realized. This represents a fundamental step for the transfer and the manipulation of quantum information. Along with spin impurities in solids, molecular spins in concentrated phases have recently shown coherent dynamics under microwave stimuli. Here we show that it is possible to obtain high cooperativity regime between a molecular Vanadyl Phthalocyanine (VOPc) spin ensemble and a high quality factor superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (YBCO) coplanar resonator at 0.5 K. This demonstrates that molecular spin centers can be successfully integrated in hybrid quantum devices.

Electronic couplings for molecular charge transfer: Benchmarking CDFT, FODFT, and FODFTB against high-level ab initio calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubas, Adam; Hoffmann, Felix; Heck, Alexander; Oberhofer, Harald; Elstner, Marcus; Blumberger, Jochen

2014-03-01

We introduce a database (HAB11) of electronic coupling matrix elements (Hab) for electron transfer in 11 π-conjugated organic homo-dimer cations. High-level ab inito calculations at the multireference configuration interaction MRCI+Q level of theory, n-electron valence state perturbation theory NEVPT2, and (spin-component scaled) approximate coupled cluster model (SCS)-CC2 are reported for this database to assess the performance of three DFT methods of decreasing computational cost, including constrained density functional theory (CDFT), fragment-orbital DFT (FODFT), and self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding (FODFTB). We find that the CDFT approach in combination with a modified PBE functional containing 50% Hartree-Fock exchange gives best results for absolute Hab values (mean relative unsigned error = 5.3%) and exponential distance decay constants β (4.3%). CDFT in combination with pure PBE overestimates couplings by 38.7% due to a too diffuse excess charge distribution, whereas the economic FODFT and highly cost-effective FODFTB methods underestimate couplings by 37.6% and 42.4%, respectively, due to neglect of interaction between donor and acceptor. The errors are systematic, however, and can be significantly reduced by applying a uniform scaling factor for each method. Applications to dimers outside the database, specifically rotated thiophene dimers and larger acenes up to pentacene, suggests that the same scaling procedure significantly improves the FODFT and FODFTB results for larger π-conjugated systems relevant to organic semiconductors and DNA.

Programmable dispersion on a photonic integrated circuit for classical and quantum applications.

PubMed

Notaros, Jelena; Mower, Jacob; Heuck, Mikkel; Lupo, Cosmo; Harris, Nicholas C; Steinbrecher, Gregory R; Bunandar, Darius; Baehr-Jones, Tom; Hochberg, Michael; Lloyd, Seth; Englund, Dirk

2017-09-04

We demonstrate a large-scale tunable-coupling ring resonator array, suitable for high-dimensional classical and quantum transforms, in a CMOS-compatible silicon photonics platform. The device consists of a waveguide coupled to 15 ring-based dispersive elements with programmable linewidths and resonance frequencies. The ability to control both quality factor and frequency of each ring provides an unprecedented 30 degrees of freedom in dispersion control on a single spatial channel. This programmable dispersion control system has a range of applications, including mode-locked lasers, quantum key distribution, and photon-pair generation. We also propose a novel application enabled by this circuit - high-speed quantum communications using temporal-mode-based quantum data locking - and discuss the utility of the system for performing the high-dimensional unitary optical transformations necessary for a quantum data locking demonstration.

Pushing the Limits of Piezoresistive Effect by Optomechanical Coupling in 3C-SiC/Si Heterostructure.

PubMed

Md Foisal, Abu Riduan; Qamar, Afzaal; Phan, Hoang-Phuong; Dinh, Toan; Tuan, Khoa-Nguyen; Tanner, Philip; Streed, Erik W; Dao, Dzung Viet

2017-11-22

This letter reports a giant opto-piezoresistive effect in p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure under visible-light illumination. The p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure has been fabricated by growing a 390 nm p-type 3C-SiC on a p-type Si substrate using the low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique. The gauge factor of the heterostructure was found to be 28 under a dark condition; however, it significantly increased to about -455 under illumination of 635 nm wavelength at 3.0 mW/cm 2 . This gauge factor is over 200 times higher than that of commercial metal strain gauge, 16 times higher than that of 3C-SiC thinfilm, and approximately 5 times larger than that of bulk Si. This enhancement of the gauge factor was attributed to the opto-mechanical coupling effect in p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure. The opto-mechanical coupling effect is the amplified effect of the photoconductivity enhancement and strain-induced band structure modification in the p-type Si substrate. These findings enable extremely high sensitive and robust mechanical sensors, as well as optical sensors at low cost, as no complicated nanofabrication process is required.

Bioinspired model of mechanical energy harvesting based on flexoelectric membranes.

PubMed

Rey, Alejandro D; Servio, P; Herrera-Valencia, E E

2013-02-01

Membrane flexoelectricity is an electromechanical coupling process that describes membrane electrical polarization due to bending and membrane bending under electric fields. In this paper we propose, formulate, and characterize a mechanical energy harvesting system consisting of a deformable soft flexoelectric thin membrane subjected to harmonic forcing from contacting bulk fluids. The key elements of the energy harvester are formulated and characterized, including (i) the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency, (ii) the electromechanical shape equation connecting fluid forces with membrane curvature and electric displacement, and (iii) the electric power generation and efficiency. The energy conversion efficiency is cast as the ratio of flexoelectric coupling to the product of electric and bending elasticity. The device is described by a second-order curvature dynamics coupled to the electric displacement equation and as such results in mechanical power absorption with a resonant peak whose amplitude decreases with bending viscosity. The electric power generation is proportional to the conversion factor and the power efficiency decreases with frequency. Under high bending viscosity, the power efficiency increases with the conversion factor and under low viscosities it decreases with the conversion factor. The theoretical results presented contribute to the ongoing experimental efforts to develop mechanical energy harvesting from fluid flow energy through solid-fluid interactions and electromechanical transduction.

Posttraumatic stress, partner violence victimization, and harmful drinking: risk factors for relationship discord in new parents.

PubMed

Sotskova, Alina; Woodin, Erica M

2013-11-01

The first year of parenthood can be a stressful time, especially for high-risk couples. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) have been associated with decreased intimacy, communication, and relationship adjustment, yet there is a lack of research on how PTS symptoms might affect couples in early parenthood. Furthermore, there is little evidence regarding the way in which PTS symptoms may affect couples above and beyond known risk factors such as intimate partner violence (IPV) and harmful alcohol use. The current study investigated how PTS symptoms were related to new parents' relationship satisfaction in the context of IPV and harmful drinking. Ninety-eight heterosexual couples filled out questionnaires 1 year after the birth of their first child. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that, for men, PTS symptoms predicted lower relationship satisfaction over and above IPV victimization and harmful drinking. However, for women, psychological IPV victimization was the only significant multivariate predictor. In addition, for men, PTS symptoms interacted with harmful drinking to predict poorer relationship satisfaction. The results suggest that women's relationship satisfaction is particularly linked to psychological IPV victimization during early parenthood, whereas men's relationship satisfaction is particularly associated with their own harmful drinking and PTS symptoms. Implications are discussed.

Couples Facing the Birth of a Newborn with a Congenital Anomaly: PTSD Symptoms in the First Year.

PubMed

Bevilacqua, Francesca; Morini, Francesco; Zaccara, Antonio; De Marchis, Chiara; Braguglia, Annabella; Gentile, Simonetta; Bagolan, Pietro; Aite, Lucia

2018-04-18

 The objective of this study was to assess the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in parental couples of newborn requiring early surgery at 6 and 12 months after birth.  A longitudinal study was set up from January 2014 to June 2015. As a measure of PTSD, we used the Italian version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R).  Thirty-four couples form the object of the study. At 6 months, half of mothers (52.9%) and fathers (44.1%) reported traumatic stress symptoms above the clinical cutoff. Percentages remained stable at 12 months. When parental gender and length of follow-up were compared with two-factor analysis of variance, none had an impact on IES-R score, nor an interaction between these factors was found. A significant correlation of IES-R total score was present within the couple both at 6 and 12 months (6 months- r : 0.6842, p  < 0.0001 and 12 months- r : 0.4045, p  = 0.0177).  Having a child with a repaired malformation represents a complex prolonged stressful situation with persistent burden for both parents who are at high risk of developing PTSD symptoms. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Impurity-assisted electric control of spin-valley qubits in monolayer MoS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Széchenyi, G.; Chirolli, L.; Pályi, A.

2018-07-01

We theoretically study a single-electron spin-valley qubit in an electrostatically defined quantum dot in a transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer, focusing on the example of MoS2. Coupling of the qubit basis states for coherent control is challenging, as it requires a simultaneous flip of spin and valley. Here, we show that a tilted magnetic field together with a short-range impurity, such as a vacancy, a substitutional defect, or an adatom, can give rise to a coupling between the qubit basis states. This mechanism renders the in-plane g-factor nonzero, and allows to control the qubit with an in-plane ac electric field, akin to electrically driven spin resonance. We evaluate the dependence of the in-plane g-factor and the electrically induced qubit Rabi frequency on the type and position of the impurity. We reveal highly unconventional features of the coupling mechanism, arising from symmetry-forbidden intervalley scattering, in the case when the impurity is located at a S site. Our results provide design guidelines for electrically controllable qubits in two-dimensional semiconductors.

Compact 3D quantum memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Edwar; Deppe, Frank; Renger, Michael; Repp, Daniel; Eder, Peter; Fischer, Michael; Goetz, Jan; Pogorzalek, Stefan; Fedorov, Kirill G.; Marx, Achim; Gross, Rudolf

2018-05-01

Superconducting 3D microwave cavities offer state-of-the-art coherence times and a well-controlled environment for superconducting qubits. In order to realize at the same time fast readout and long-lived quantum information storage, one can couple the qubit to both a low-quality readout and a high-quality storage cavity. However, such systems are bulky compared to their less coherent 2D counterparts. A more compact and scalable approach is achieved by making use of the multimode structure of a 3D cavity. In our work, we investigate such a device where a transmon qubit is capacitively coupled to two modes of a single 3D cavity. External coupling is engineered so that the memory mode has an about 100 times larger quality factor than the readout mode. Using an all-microwave second-order protocol, we realize a lifetime enhancement of the stored state over the qubit lifetime by a factor of 6 with a fidelity of approximately 80% determined via quantum process tomography. We also find that this enhancement is not limited by fundamental constraints.

Gendered Differences in the Perceived Risks and Benefits of Oral PrEP Among HIV Serodiscordant Couples in Kenya

PubMed Central

Carroll, Jennifer J.; Ngure, Kenneth; Heffron, Renee; Curran, Kathryn; Mugo, Nelly R.

2016-01-01

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective for preventing HIV among HIV serodiscordant heterosexual couples. Gender roles may influence perceived personal and social risks related to HIV prevention behaviors and may affect use of PrEP. In this study, interviews and focus groups were conducted with 68 individuals from 34 mutually disclosed serodiscordant heterosexual partnerships in Thika, Kenya. Socio-cultural factors that affect adherence to PrEP were explored using grounded analysis. Three factors were identified, which shape perceptions of PrEP: gendered power dynamics and control over decision-making in the household; conflicts between risk reduction strategies and male sexual desire; culture bound definitions of women’s work. Adherence to PrEP in the Partners PrEP Study was high; however, participants articulated conflicting interests related to PrEP in connection with traditional gender roles. The successful delivery of PrEP will require understanding of key social factors, particularly related to gender and dyadic dynamics around HIV serostatus. PMID:26754017

Method and apparatus to provide power conversion with high power factor

DOEpatents

Perreault, David J.; Lim, Seungbum; Otten, David M.

2017-05-23

A power converter circuit rectifies a line voltage and applies the rectified voltage to a stack of capacitors. Voltages on the capacitors are coupled to a plurality of regulating converters to be converted to regulated output signals. The regulated output signals are combined and converted to a desired DC output voltage of the power converter. Input currents of the regulating converters are modulated in a manner that enhances the power factor of the power converter.

Smooth and flat phase-locked Kerr frequency comb generation by higher order mode suppression

PubMed Central

Huang, S.-W.; Liu, H.; Yang, J.; Yu, M.; Kwong, D.-L.; Wong, C. W.

2016-01-01

High-Q microresonator is perceived as a promising platform for optical frequency comb generation, via dissipative soliton formation. In order to achieve a higher quality factor and obtain the necessary anomalous dispersion, multi-mode waveguides were previously implemented in Si3N4 microresonators. However, coupling between different transverse mode families in multi-mode waveguides results in periodic disruption of dispersion and quality factor, and consequently causes perturbation to dissipative soliton formation and amplitude modulation to the corresponding spectrum. Careful choice of pump wavelength to avoid the mode crossing region is thus critical in conventional Si3N4 microresonators. Here, we report a novel design of Si3N4 microresonator in which single-mode operation, high quality factor, and anomalous dispersion are attained simultaneously. The novel microresonator is consisted of uniform single-mode waveguides in the semi-circle region, to eliminate bending induced mode coupling, and adiabatically tapered waveguides in the straight region, to avoid excitation of higher order modes. The intrinsic quality factor of the microresonator reaches 1.36 × 106 while the group velocity dispersion remains to be anomalous at −50 fs2/mm. With this novel microresonator, we demonstrate that broadband phase-locked Kerr frequency combs with flat and smooth spectra can be generated by pumping at any resonances in the optical C-band. PMID:27181420

Quadrupole-Quadrupole Interactions to Control Plasmon-Induced Transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rana, Goutam; Deshmukh, Prathmesh; Palkhivala, Shalom; Gupta, Abhishek; Duttagupta, S. P.; Prabhu, S. S.; Achanta, VenuGopal; Agarwal, G. S.

2018-06-01

Radiative dipolar resonance with Lorentzian line-shape induces the otherwise dark quadrupolar resonances resulting in electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The two interfering excitation pathways of the dipole are earlier shown to result in a Fano line shape with a high figure of merit suitable for sensing. In metamaterials made of metal nanorods or antennas, the plasmonic EIT (PIT) efficiency depends on the overlap of the dark and bright mode spectra as well as the asymmetry resulting from the separation between the monomer (dipole) and dimer (quadrupole) that governs the coupling strength. Increasing asymmetry in these structures leads to the reduction of the figure of merit due to a broadening of the Fano resonance. We demonstrate a PIT system in which the simultaneous excitation of two dipoles result in double PIT. The corresponding two quadrupoles interact and control the quality factor (Q ) of the PIT resonance. We show an antiresonancelike symmetric line shape with nonzero asymmetry factors. The PIT resonance vanishes due to quadrupole-quadrupole coupling. A Q factor of more than 100 at 0.977 THz is observed, which is limited by the experimental resolution of 6 GHz. From polarization-dependent studies we show that the broadening of the Lorentzian resonance is due to scattering-induced excitation of orthogonally oriented dipoles in the monomer and dimer bars in the terahertz regime. The high Q factors in the terahertz frequency region demonstrated here are interesting for sensing application.

Evaluation of nonuniform field exposures with coupling factors.

PubMed

Sunohara, Tetsu; Hirata, Akimasa; Laakso, Ilkka; De Santis, Valerio; Onishi, Teruo

2015-10-21

In this study, the safety compliance for nonuniform field exposures is discussed using coupling factor concepts. The coupling factor, which is defined in the International Electrotechnical Commission 62311 standard, is extended to consider the effects of harmonics and also to apply to the specific absorption rate (for frequencies up to 30 MHz). The proposed compliance procedure is applied to and demonstrated for a prototype wireless power transfer (WPT) system with induction coupling operating at the fundamental frequency in 140 kHz band. First, measurements confirm that the perturbation of the external magnetic field strength and S11 parameter of a one-loop antenna by a human-equivalent phantom are sufficiently small, suggesting the applicability of the magneto-quasi-static approximation to frequencies up to 30 MHz. Then, the frequency characteristics of the coupling factor are derived for the WPT system. For the prototype system that is not optimized for commercial usage, the maximum allowable transmitting power is relaxed by a factor of 23 with the proposed procedure. The contribution of the harmonics decreased the allowable transmitting power by 39%, indicating their importance for safety compliance.

The buffering effect of relationship satisfaction on emotional distress in couples

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Marital distress and depression frequently co-occur, and partnership quality is associated with depressive symptoms and mental disorders in both men and women. One aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of a set of risk factors for emotional distress among men and women in couples, with a special focus on satisfaction with partner relationship. The most important aim was to investigate the extent to which high relationship satisfaction in couples acts as a buffer against stressful events. Methods Pregnant women and their husbands (n = 62,956 couples) enrolled in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study completed a questionnaire with questions about emotional distress, relationship satisfaction, and other risk factors. Twelve potential risk factors were included in the analyses, including relationship satisfaction, demographic characteristics, and somatic diseases in men and women. Associations between the predictor variables and emotional distress were estimated by multiple linear regression analysis. Cross-spousal effects, in which data reported by one of the spouses predicted emotional distress in the other, were also investigated. Possible interaction effects between certain risk factors and self-reported and partner's relationship satisfaction were tested and further explored with regression analyses in subsamples stratified by relationship satisfaction scores. Results The unique effects of relationship satisfaction were of similar sizes for both men and women: substantial for self-reported (β = -0.23 and β = -0.28, respectively) and weak for partner-reported satisfaction (β = -0.04 and β = -0.02, respectively). Other relatively strong risk factors were somatic disease, first-time motherhood, and unemployment. Self-reported as well as partner-reported relationship satisfaction appeared to strongly buffer the effects of a number of stressors. Conclusions Partner relationship dissatisfaction is strongly associated with emotional distress in men and women. Good partner relationship, both as perceived by the individual him(her)self and by the spouse, quite strongly moderates adverse effects of various types of emotional strain. PMID:22264243

Multi-factor authentication

DOEpatents

Hamlet, Jason R; Pierson, Lyndon G

2014-10-21

Detection and deterrence of spoofing of user authentication may be achieved by including a cryptographic fingerprint unit within a hardware device for authenticating a user of the hardware device. The cryptographic fingerprint unit includes an internal physically unclonable function ("PUF") circuit disposed in or on the hardware device, which generates a PUF value. Combining logic is coupled to receive the PUF value, combines the PUF value with one or more other authentication factors to generate a multi-factor authentication value. A key generator is coupled to generate a private key and a public key based on the multi-factor authentication value while a decryptor is coupled to receive an authentication challenge posed to the hardware device and encrypted with the public key and coupled to output a response to the authentication challenge decrypted with the private key.

Determination of apparent coupling factors for adhesive bonded acrylic plates using SEAL approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankaj, Achuthan. C.; Shivaprasad, M. V.; Murigendrappa, S. M.

2018-04-01

Apparent coupling loss factors (CLF) and velocity responses has been computed for two lap joined adhesive bonded plates using finite element and experimental statistical energy analysis like approach. A finite element model of the plates has been created using ANSYS software. The statistical energy parameters have been computed using the velocity responses obtained from a harmonic forced excitation analysis. Experiments have been carried out for two different cases of adhesive bonded joints and the results have been compared with the apparent coupling factors and velocity responses obtained from finite element analysis. The results obtained from the studies signify the importance of modeling of adhesive bonded joints in computation of the apparent coupling factors and its further use in computation of energies and velocity responses using statistical energy analysis like approach.

Why do couples discontinue unlimited free IVF treatments?

PubMed

Lande, Yechezkel; Seidman, Daniel S; Maman, Ettie; Baum, Micha; Hourvitz, Ariel

2015-03-01

Worldwide, IVF is often discontinued before a live birth is achieved due to high costs. Even when partial financial coverage is provided, often medical providers advise treatment discontinuation. In Israel, unlimited IVF is offered free of charge for a couples' first two children. Our objective was to assess the reasons couples discontinue IVF treatments before achieving two children in a completely unlimited cost-free environment. This cohort study included all primary infertile women, <35 years, referred for their first IVF cycle to Sheba IVF unit between 2001 and 2002. Patients were followed until February 2012. Those who ceased treatments for 12 months were interviewed to assess the main reason they ceased treatments. Of the 134 couples included, only 46 ceased IVF treatments without achieving two children, after performing an average of 6.2 IVF cycles to achieve their first birth. The reasons given were: lost hope of success (13), psychological burden (18), divorce (6), medical staff recommendation (5), bureaucratic difficulties (3) and general medical condition (1). The main reasons for "drop out" in our cost-free environment were as follows: psychological burden and lost hope of success. Due to high availability of treatments, medical staff recommendation was a less significant factor in our study.

Prediction of high-frequency vibration transmission across coupled, periodic ribbed plates by incorporating tunneling mechanisms.

PubMed

Yin, Jianfei; Hopkins, Carl

2013-04-01

Prediction of structure-borne sound transmission on built-up structures at audio frequencies is well-suited to Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) although the inclusion of periodic ribbed plates presents challenges. This paper considers an approach using Advanced SEA (ASEA) that can incorporate tunneling mechanisms within a statistical approach. The coupled plates used for the investigation form an L-junction comprising a periodic ribbed plate with symmetric ribs and an isotropic homogeneous plate. Experimental SEA (ESEA) is carried out with input data from Finite Element Methods (FEM). This indicates that indirect coupling is significant at high frequencies where bays on the periodic ribbed plate can be treated as individual subsystems. SEA using coupling loss factors from wave theory leads to significant underestimates in the energy of the bays when the isotropic homogeneous plate is excited. This is due to the absence of tunneling mechanisms in the SEA model. In contrast, ASEA shows close agreement with FEM and laboratory measurements. The errors incurred with SEA rapidly increase as the bays become more distant from the source subsystem. ASEA provides significantly more accurate predictions by accounting for the spatial filtering that leads to non-diffuse vibration fields on these more distant bays.

Terahertz response of fractal meta-atoms based on concentric rectangular square resonators

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

Song, Zhiqiang; Zhao, Zhenyu, E-mail: zyzhao@shnu.edu.cn; Shi, Wangzhou

We investigate the terahertz electromagnetic responses of fractal meta-atoms (MAs) induced by different mode coupling mechanisms. Two types of MAs based on concentric rectangular square (CRS) resonators are presented: independent CRS (I-CRS) and junctional-CRS (J-CRS). In I-CRS, each resonator works as an independent dipole so as to result in the multiple resonance modes when the fractal level is above 1. In J-CRS, however, the generated layer is rotated by π/2 radius to the adjacent CRS in one MA. The multiple resonance modes are coupled into a single mode resonance. The fractal level increasing induces resonance modes redshift in I-CRS whilemore » blueshift in J-CRS. When the fractal level is below 4, the mode Q factor of J-CRS is in between the two modes of I-CRS; when the fractal level is 4 or above, the mode Q factor of J-CRS exceeds the two modes of I-CRS. Furthermore, the modulation depth (MD) decreases in I-CRS while it increases in J-CRS with the increase in fractal levels. The surface currents analysis reveals that the capacitive coupling of modes in I-CRS results in the modes redshift, while the conductive coupling of modes in J-CRS induces the mode blueshift. A high Q mode with large MD can be achieved via conductive coupling between the resonators of different scales in a fractal MA.« less

Wavelength dependent vertical integration of nanoplasmonic circuits utilizing coupled ring resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, M.; Elezzabi, A. Y.

2013-03-01

To become a competitor to replace CMOS-electronics for next-generation data processing, signal routing, and computing, nanoplasmonic circuits will require an analogue to electrical vias in order to enable vertical connections between device layers. Vertically stacked nanoplasmonic nanoring resonators formed of Ag/Si/Ag gap plasmon waveguides were studied as a novel 3-D coupling scheme that could be monolithically integrated on a silicon platform. The vertically coupled ring resonators were evanescently coupled to 100 nm x 100 nm Ag/Si/Ag input and output waveguides and the whole device was submerged in silicon dioxide. 3-D finite difference time domain simulations were used to examine the transmission spectra of the coupling device with varying device sizes and orientations. By having the signal coupling occur over multiple trips around the resonator, coupling efficiencies as high as 39% at telecommunication wavelengths between adjacent layers were present with planar device areas of only 1.00 μm2. As the vertical signal transfer was based on coupled ring resonators, the signal transfer was inherently wavelength dependent. Changing the device size by varying the radii of the nanorings allowed for tailoring the coupled frequency spectra. The plasmonic resonator based coupling scheme was found to have quality (Q) factors of upwards of 30 at telecommunication wavelengths. By allowing different device layers to operate on different wavelengths, this coupling scheme could to lead to parallel processing in stacked independent device layers.

Eban HIV/STD risk reduction intervention: conceptual basis and procedures.

PubMed

2008-09-01

To describe the Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention being evaluated in the NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention trial for heterosexual African American couples, including the integrated theoretical framework, the structure, core elements and procedures of the intervention, and how the content was shaped by culturally congruent concepts to address the needs of the study target population. The Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention is designed to address multilevel individual-, interpersonal-, and community-level factors that contribute to HIV/STD transmission risk behaviors among heterosexual African American couples who are HIV serodiscordant. The Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention employs a mixed modality, couple-based approach that is based on an integrated ecological framework incorporating social cognitive theory and uses an Afrocentric paradigm that is informed by previous evidence-based couples HIV prevention interventions. For this randomized controlled trial, African American serodiscordant couples were recruited from 4 urban sites (Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia) and were randomized to either the Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention (treatment condition) or a Health Promotion Intervention that served as an attentional control condition. Both interventions had 4 individual couple sessions and 4 group sessions, but only the treatment condition was focused on reducing HIV/STD risk behaviors. Behavioral and biological data were collected at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 6 and 12 months. The theoretical framework, core elements, and content of each session are described and lessons learned from this intervention trial are discussed. An HIV prevention intervention combining couple and group sessions can be feasibly implemented with African American HIV-serodiscordant couples who remain at high risk of HIV/STD transmission. The lessons learned from the trial suggest that the participants responded very well to both the couple and the group sessions. Participant feedback suggests that the cultural congruence of the intervention and use of African American cofacilitators made them feel comfortable disclosing risky behaviors. Participant feedback also suggests that the intervention's couple-based focus on enhancing dyadic communication and decision-making skills was key to helping the couples work together to overcome barriers to using condoms. Participant and facilitator evaluations of the Eban Risk Reduction Intervention suggest that couples responded well to the Afrocentric content and mixed modalities of the intervention sessions. Couple sessions were optimal for enhancing interpersonal and microlevel factors, including communication, problem solving, and decision making.

Emergence of synchronization induced by the interplay between two prisoner's dilemma games with volunteering in small-world networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yong; Qin, Shao-Meng; Yu, Lianchun; Zhang, Shengli

2008-03-01

We studied synchronization between prisoner’s dilemma games with voluntary participation in two Newman-Watts small-world networks. It was found that there are three kinds of synchronization: partial phase synchronization, total phase synchronization, and complete synchronization, for varied coupling factors. Besides, two games can reach complete synchronization for the large enough coupling factor. We also discussed the effect of the coupling factor on the amplitude of oscillation of cooperator density.

Magnetoelectric coupling of a magnetoelectric flux gate sensor in vibration noise circumstance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Zhaoqiang; Shi, Huaduo; Gao, Xiangyu; Wu, Jingen; Dong, Shuxiang

2018-01-01

A magnetoelectric (ME) flux gate sensor (MEFGS) consisting of piezoelectric PMN-PT single crystals and ferromagnetic amorphous alloy ribbon in a self-differential configuration is featured with the ability of weak magnetic anomaly detection. Here, we further investigated its ME coupling and magnetic field detection performance in vibration noise circumstance, including constant frequency, impact, and random vibration noise. Experimental results show that the ME coupling coefficient of MEFGS is as high as 5700 V/cm*Oe at resonant frequency, which is several orders magnitude higher than previously reported differential ME sensors. It was also found that under constant and impact vibration noise circumstance, the noise reduction and attenuation factor of MEFGS are over 17 and 85.7%, respectively. This work is important for practical application of MEFGS in real environment.

Quasi-distributed and wavelength selective addressing of optical micro-resonators based on long period fiber gratings.

PubMed

Farnesi, D; Chiavaioli, F; Baldini, F; Righini, G C; Soria, S; Trono, C; Conti, G Nunzi

2015-08-10

A novel all-in-fiber method for coupling light to high-Q silica whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical micro-resonators is presented, which is based on a pair of long period fiber gratings (LPGs) written in the same silica fiber, along with a thick fiber taper (15-18 μm in waist) in between the LPGs. The proposed coupling structure is robust and can be replicated many times along the same fiber simply cascading LPGs with different bands. Typical Q-factors of the order of 10(8) and total coupling efficiency up to 60% were measured collecting the resonances of microspheres or microbubbles at the fiber end. This approach uniquely allows quasi-distributed and wavelength selective addressing of different micro-resonators along the same fiber.

Health, trust, or "just understood": explicit and implicit condom decision-making processes among black, white, and interracial same-sex male couples.

PubMed

Campbell, Chadwick K; Gómez, Anu Manchikanti; Dworkin, Shari; Wilson, Patrick A; Grisham, Kirk K; McReynolds, Jaih; Vielehr, Peter; Hoff, Colleen

2014-05-01

Among gay and bisexual men, primary partners are a leading source of HIV infection. Trust, intimacy, and advancements in HIV treatment may impact same-sex male (SSM) couples' decisions to engage in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). This qualitative study explored how Black, White and interracial couples discussed, and made decisions regarding condoms. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 48 SSM couples in the New York and San Francisco metropolitan areas. Stratified purposive sampling was used to include Black (n = 16), White (n = 17), and interracial (Black-White) (n = 15) couples. Twenty-six couples were concordant HIV-negative and 22 were HIV-discordant. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Some couples described explicit processes, which involved active discussion, while others described implicit processes, where condom-use decisions occurred without any explicit discussion. These processes also differed by race and HIV status. Black couples tended to report condom-use as "just understood." White, HIV-discordant couples decided not to use condoms, with some identifying the HIV-positive partner's suppressed viral load and high CD4 count as deciding factors. After an unplanned episode of UAI, White, HIV-negative couples tended to discontinue condom use while Black HIV-negative couples decided to revert to using condoms. HIV prevention efforts focused on same-sex, male couples must consider the explicit/implicit nature of condom decision-making processes. Understanding differences in these processes and considering relationship dynamics, across race and HIV status, can promote the development of innovative couple-level, HIV prevention interventions.

Cardiovascular mortality - Comparing risk factor associations within couples and in the total population - The HUNT Study.

PubMed

Bjørngaard, Johan Håkon; Vie, Gunnhild Åberge; Krokstad, Steinar; Janszky, Imre; Romundstad, Pål R; Vatten, Lars J

2017-04-01

To compare associations of conventional risk factors with cardiovascular death within couples and in the population as a whole. We analysed baseline data (1995-97) from the HUNT2 Study in Norway linked to the national Causes of Death Registry. We compared risk within couples using stratified Cox regression. During 914776 person-years, 3964 cardiovascular deaths occurred, and 1658 of the deaths occurred among 1494 couples. There were consistently stronger associations of serum lipids and blood pressure with cardiovascular mortality within couples compared to the population as a whole. For instance, for systolic blood pressure (per 20mmHg), the hazard ratio (HR) within couples was 1.28 (95% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.40) compared to 1.16 (1.12, 1.20) in the total population, and for diastolic pressure (per 10mmHg), the corresponding HRs were 1.16 (1.07, 1.26) and 1.11 (1.08, 1.13). Anthropometric factors (BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio) as well as diabetes, smoking, physical activity, and education, showed nearly identical positive associations within couples and in the total population. Prospective population studies may tend to slightly underestimate associations of these factors with cardiovascular mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phase-amplitude coupling and infraslow (<1 Hz) frequencies in the rat brain: relationship to resting state fMRI

PubMed Central

Thompson, Garth J.; Pan, Wen-Ju; Billings, Jacob C. W.; Grooms, Joshua K.; Shakil, Sadia; Jaeger, Dieter; Keilholz, Shella D.

2014-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can identify network alterations that occur in complex psychiatric diseases and behaviors, but its interpretation is difficult because the neural basis of the infraslow BOLD fluctuations is poorly understood. Previous results link dynamic activity during the resting state to both infraslow frequencies in local field potentials (LFP) (<1 Hz) and band-limited power in higher frequency LFP (>1 Hz). To investigate the relationship between these frequencies, LFPs were recorded from rats under two anesthetics: isoflurane and dexmedetomidine. Signal phases were calculated from low-frequency LFP and compared to signal amplitudes from high-frequency LFP to determine if modulation existed between the two frequency bands (phase-amplitude coupling). Isoflurane showed significant, consistent phase-amplitude coupling at nearly all pairs of frequencies, likely due to the burst-suppression pattern of activity that it induces. However, no consistent phase-amplitude coupling was observed in rats that were anesthetized with dexmedetomidine. fMRI-LFP correlations under isoflurane using high frequency LFP were reduced when the low frequency LFP's influence was accounted for, but not vice-versa, or in any condition under dexmedetomidine. The lack of consistent phase-amplitude coupling under dexmedetomidine and lack of shared variance between high frequency and low frequency LFP as it relates to fMRI suggests that high and low frequency neural electrical signals may contribute differently, possibly even independently, to resting state fMRI. This finding suggests that researchers take care in interpreting the neural basis of resting state fMRI, as multiple dynamic factors in the underlying electrophysiology could be driving any particular observation. PMID:24904325

Whose intentions predict? Power over condom use within heterosexual dyads.

PubMed

VanderDrift, Laura E; Agnew, Christopher R; Harvey, S Marie; Warren, Jocelyn T

2013-10-01

According to major theories of behavioral prediction, the most proximal psychological predictor of an individual's behavior is that individual's intention. With respect to interdependent behaviors such as condom use, however, relationship dynamics influence individuals' power to make decisions and to act. The current study examines how relationship dynamics impact 3 condom use relevant outcomes: (a) the individual forming his or her own intention to use condoms, (b) the couple forming their joint intention to use condoms, and (c) actual condom use behavior. We conducted a 2-wave longitudinal study of young heterosexual adult couples at high risk for HIV infection involving the collection of both individual- and couple-derived data. Results demonstrate the importance of both person (e.g., biological sex and dispositional dominance) and relational (e.g., relational power and amount of interest in the relationship, operationalized as commitment and perceived alternatives to the relationship) factors in predicting condom use intentions and behavior. Individuals who are lower in dispositional dominance are likely to incorporate their partner's intentions into their own individual intentions; the intentions of individuals who have less interest in the relationship are more highly predictive of the couple's joint intention; and the intentions of men and individuals higher in relationship power are more likely to exert a direct influence on condom use. These findings have implications for improving the health of high-risk individuals, including suggesting situations in which individuals are highly influenced by their partners' intentions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Greybody factor of a scalar field from Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Jamil; Saifullah, K.

2018-04-01

In this work we derive a general expression for the greybody factor of non-minimally coupled scalar fields in Reissner-Nordström-de Sitter spacetime in low frequency approximation. Greybody factor as a characteristic of effective potential barrier, will be presented. We discuss the role of cosmological constant both, in the absence as well as in the presence of non-minimal coupling. Considering non-minimal coupling as a mass term, its effect on the greybody factor will be discussed. We also elaborate the significance of the results by giving formulae of differential energy rate and general absorption cross section. The greybody factor gives insight into the spectrum of Hawking radiations.

The Effects of Total Motile Sperm Count on Spontaneous Pregnancy Rate and Pregnancy After IUI Treatment in Couples with Male Factor and Unexplained Infertility.

PubMed

Hajder, Mithad; Hajder, Elmira; Husic, Amela

2016-02-01

Male infertility factor is defined if the total number of motile spermatozoa (TMSC) < 20 × 10(6)/ejaculated, and unexplained infertility if spermiogram is normal with normal female factor. of this study was to determine the predictive value of TMSC for spontaneous pregnancy (ST) and pregnancy after treatment with intrauterine insemination (IUI) in couples with male factor and unexplained infertility. According to the WHO qualification system abnormal spermiogram can be diagnosed as oligozoospermia (O), asthenozoospermia (A), teratozoospermia (T) or combination (O+A+T) and azoospermia (A). Although this classification indicates the accuracy of findings its relevance for prognosis in infertile couple and the choice of treatment is questionable. The study included 98 couples with male infertility factor (bad spermiogram) and couples with normospermia and normal female factor (unexplained infertility). Testing group is randomized at: group (A) with TMSC> 3,10(6) / ejaculate and a spontaneous pregnancy, group (B) with TMSCl <3 x 10(6) / ejaculate and pregnancy after IUI, plus couples who have not achieved SP with TMSC> 3 x 10(6) / ejaculate and couples who have not achieved pregnancy. From a total of 98 pairs of men's and unexplained infertility, 42 of them (42.8%) achieved spontaneous pregnancy, while 56 (57.2%) pairs did not achieve spontaneous pregnancy. TMSC was significantly higher (42.4 ± 28.4 vs. 26.2 ± 24, p <0.05) in the group A compared to group B. Couples with TMSC 1-5 × 10(6) ejaculate had significantly lower (9.8% vs. 22.2%, p <0.0001) rate of spontaneous pregnancy in comparison to couples after IUI treatment. Couples with unexplained infertility had significantly higher (56.8% vs. 29.9%, p <0.01) spontaneous pregnancy rate compared to couples after IUI treatment. Infertile couples had significant pregnancy rate with TMSC 5-10 x 10(6) / ejaculate (OR = 1.45, 95% CI:1.26-1.78, <0.01); with TMSC 10-20 x 10(6) / ejaculate (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1:12 to 1:46, <0.0001) with TMSC> 20 x 10(6) / ejaculate (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.56-1.82, <0.001) after treatment with IUI compared to spontaneous pregnancy. Based on these results we can conclude that couples with the TMSC> 5 x 10(6) / ejaculate are indicated for treatment with IUI. TMSC can be used as the method of choice for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

Ultra-high Q terahertz whispering-gallery modes in a silicon resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Dominik Walter; Leonhardt, Rainer

2018-05-01

We report on the first experimental demonstration of terahertz (THz) whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) with an ultra-high quality factor of 1.5 × 104 at 0.62 THz. The WGMs are observed in a high resistivity float zone silicon spherical resonator coupled to a sub-wavelength silica waveguide. A detailed analysis of the coherent continuous wave THz spectroscopy measurements combined with a numerical model based on Mie-Debye-Aden-Kerker theory allows us to unambiguously identify the observed higher order radial THz WGMs.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry for Rare Earth Elements Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Man; Hu, Bin; Chen, Beibei; Jiang, Zucheng

2017-01-01

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) merits multielements capability, high sensitivity, good reproducibility, low matrix effect and wide dynamic linear range for rare earth elements (REEs) analysis. But the spectral interference in trace REEs analysis by ICP-OES is a serious problem due to the complicated emission spectra of REEs, which demands some correction technology including interference factor method, derivative spectrum, Kalman filtering algorithm and partial least-squares (PLS) method. Matrix-matching calibration, internal standard, correction factor and sample dilution are usually employed to overcome or decrease the matrix effect. Coupled with various sample introduction techniques, the analytical performance of ICP-OES for REEs analysis would be improved. Compared with conventional pneumatic nebulization (PN), acid effect and matrix effect are decreased to some extent in flow injection ICP-OES, with higher tolerable matrix concentration and better reproducibility. By using electrothermal vaporization as sample introduction system, direct analysis of solid samples by ICP-OES is achieved and the vaporization behavior of refractory REEs with high boiling point, which can easily form involatile carbides in the graphite tube, could be improved by using chemical modifier, such as polytetrafluoroethylene and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazone. Laser ablation-ICP-OES is suitable for the analysis of both conductive and nonconductive solid samples, with the absolute detection limit of ng-pg level and extremely low sample consumption (0.2 % of that in conventional PN introduction). ICP-OES has been extensively employed for trace REEs analysis in high-purity materials, and environmental and biological samples.

Modeling and characterization of dielectrophoretically structured piezoelectric composites using piezoceramic particle inclusions with high aspect ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Ende, D. A.; Maier, R. A.; van Neer, P. L. M. J.; van der Zwaag, S.; Randall, C. A.; Groen, W. A.

2013-01-01

In this work, the piezoelectric properties at high electric fields of dielectrophoretically aligned PZT—polymer composites containing high aspect ratio particles (such as short fibers) are presented. Polarization and strain as a function of electric field are evaluated. The properties of the composites are compared to those of PZT-polymer composites with equiaxed particles, continuous PZT fiber-polymer composites, and bulk PZT ceramics. From high-field polarization and strain measurements, the effective field dependent permittivity and piezoelectric charge constant in the poling direction are determined for dielectrophoresis structured PZT-polymer composites, continuous PZT fiber-polymer composites, and bulk PZT ceramics. The changes in dielectric properties of the inclusions and the matrix at high fields influence the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the composites. It is found that the permittivity and piezoelectric charge constants increase towards a maximum at an applied field of around 2.5-5 kV/mm. The electric field at which the maximum occurs depends on the aspect ratio and degree of alignment of the inclusions. Experimental values of d33 at low and high applied fields are compared to a model describing the composites as a continuous polymer matrix containing PZT particles of various aspect ratios arranged into chains. Thickness mode coupling factors were determined from measured impedance data using fitted equivalent circuit model simulations. The relatively high piezoelectric strain constants, voltage constants, and thickness coupling factors indicate that such aligned short fiber composites could be useful as flexible large area transducers.

HIgh-Q Optical Micro-cavity Resonators as High Sensitive Bio-chemical and Ultrasonic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Tao

Optical micro-cavity resonators have quickly emerged in the past few years as a new sensing platform in a wide range of applications, such as bio-chemical molecular detection, environmental monitoring, acoustic and electromagnetic waves detection. In this thesis, we will mainly focus on developing high sensitivity silica micro-tube resonator bio-chemical sensors and high sensitivity polymer micro-ring resonator acoustic sensors. In high sensitivity silica micro-tube resonator bio-chemical sensors part: We first demonstrated a prism coupled silica micro-tube bio-chemical sensing platform to overcome the reliability problem in a fiber coupled thin wall silica micro-tube sensing platform. In refractive index sensing experiment, a unique resonance mode with sensitivity around 600nm/refractive index unit (RIU) has been observed. Surface sensing experiments also have been performed in this platform to detect lipid monolayer, lipid bilayer, electrostatic self assemble layer-by-layer as well as the interaction between the lipid bilayer and proteins. Then a theoretical study on various sensing properties on the silica micro-tube based sensing platform has been realized. Furthermore, we have proposed a coupled cavity system to further enhance the device's sensitivity above 1000nm/RIU. In high sensitivity polymer micro-ring resonator acoustic sensors part: We first presented a simplified fabrication process and realized a polymer microring with a Q factor around 6000. The fabricated device has been used to detect acoustic wave with noise equivalent pressure (NEP) around 230Pa over 1-75MHz frequency rang, which is comparable to state-of-art piezoelectric transducer and the device's frequency response also have been characterized to be up to 90MHz. A new fabrication process combined with resist reflow and thermal oxidation process has been used to improve the Q factor up to 10 5 and the device's NEP has been tested to be around 88Pa over 1-75MHz range. Further improving the device's Q factor has been realized by shifting the device's working wavelength to near-visible wavelength and further reducing the device's sidewall roughness. A record new high Q-˜x105 has been measured and the device's NEP as low as 21Pa has been measured. Furthermore, a smaller size polymer microring device has been developed and fabricated to realize larger angle beam forming applications.

Packaged silica microsphere-taper coupling system for robust thermal sensing application.

PubMed

Yan, Ying-Zhan; Zou, Chang-Ling; Yan, Shu-Bin; Sun, Fang-Wen; Ji, Zhe; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Yu-Guang; Wang, Li; Xue, Chen-Yang; Zhang, Wen-Dong; Han, Zheng-Fu; Xiong, Ji-Jun

2011-03-28

We propose and realize a novel packaged microsphere-taper coupling structure (PMTCS) with a high quality factor (Q) up to 5×10(6) by using the low refractive index (RI) ultraviolet (UV) glue as the coating material. The optical loss of the PMTCS is analyzed experimentally and theoretically, which indicate that the Q is limited by the glue absorption and the radiation loss. Moreover, to verify the practicability of the PMTCS, thermal sensing experiments are carried out, showing the excellent convenience and anti-jamming ability of the PMTCS with a high temperature resolution of 1.1×10(-3) ◦C. The experiments also demonstrate that the PMTCS holds predominant advantages, such as the robustness, mobility, isolation, and the PMTCS can maintain the high Q for a long time. The above advantages make the PMTCS strikingly attractive and potential in the fiber-integrated sensors and laser.

Calibration for single multi-mode fiber digital scanning microscopy imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Zhe; Liu, Guodong; Liu, Bingguo; Gan, Yu; Zhuang, Zhitao; Chen, Fengdong

2015-11-01

Single multimode fiber (MMF) digital scanning imaging system is a development tendency of modern endoscope. We concentrate on the calibration method of the imaging system. Calibration method comprises two processes, forming scanning focused spots and calibrating the couple factors varied with positions. Adaptive parallel coordinate algorithm (APC) is adopted to form the focused spots at the multimode fiber (MMF) output. Compare with other algorithm, APC contains many merits, i.e. rapid speed, small amount calculations and no iterations. The ratio of the optics power captured by MMF to the intensity of the focused spots is called couple factor. We setup the calibration experimental system to form the scanning focused spots and calculate the couple factors for different object positions. The experimental result the couple factor is higher in the center than the edge.

Experiments with Geometric Non-Linear Coupling for Analytical Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

maintaining a high safety factor. This is the primary constraint and is very important in keeping the end conditions of the experiment known. 3.1.4...the maximum load case while maintaining a safety factor of at least 2. Figure 3.14: Cable and Winch. The load is measured using a 3,000 lbf...the class and power of this laser, laser eyewear is required for safe use of the system. The Photon 80 can scan at various levels of detail. For

Individual and couple-level risk factors for hepatitis C infection among heterosexual drug users: a multilevel dyadic analysis.

PubMed

McMahon, James M; Pouget, Enrique R; Tortu, Stephanie

2007-06-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common bloodborne pathogen in the United States and is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Although it is known that HCV is most commonly transmitted among injection drug users, the role of sexual transmission in the spread of HCV remains controversial because of inconsistent findings across studies involving heterosexual couples. A novel multilevel modeling technique designed to overcome the limitations of previous research was performed to assess multiple risk factors for HCV while partitioning the source of risk at the individual and couple level. The analysis was performed on risk exposure and HCV screening data obtained from 265 drug-using couples in East Harlem, New York City. In multivariable analysis, significant individual risk factors for HCV included a history of injection drug use, tattooing, and older age. At the couple level, HCV infection tended to cluster within couples, and this interdependence was accounted for by couples' drug-injection behavior. Individual and couple-level sexual behavior was not associated with HCV infection. Our results are consistent with prior research indicating that sexual contact plays little role in HCV transmission. Rather, couples' injection behavior appears to account for the clustering of HCV within heterosexual dyads.

The Distribution of and Factors Associated with Intimate Terrorism and Situational Couple Violence among a Population-Based Sample of Urban Women in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frye, Victoria; Manganello, Jennifer; Campbell, Jacquelyn C.; Walton-Moss, Benita; Wilt, Susan

2006-01-01

It has been proposed that two distinct forms of intimate partner violence exist: intimate terrorism and situational couple violence. This article describes the distribution of factors that characterize intimate terrorism and situational couple violence, including controlling behaviors, violence escalation, and injury, among a representative sample…

Portable fiber-optic taper coupled optical microscopy platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiming; Yu, Yan; Huang, Hui; Ou, Jinping

2017-04-01

The optical fiber taper coupled with CMOS has advantages of high sensitivity, compact structure and low distortion in the imaging platform. So it is widely used in low light, high speed and X-ray imaging systems. In the meanwhile, the peculiarity of the coupled structure can meet the needs of the demand in microscopy imaging. Toward this end, we developed a microscopic imaging platform based on the coupling of cellphone camera module and fiber optic taper for the measurement of the human blood samples and ascaris lumbricoides. The platform, weighing 70 grams, is based on the existing camera module of the smartphone and a fiber-optic array which providing a magnification factor of 6x.The top facet of the taper, on which samples are placed, serves as an irregular sampling grid for contact imaging. The magnified images of the sample, located on the bottom facet of the fiber, are then projected onto the CMOS sensor. This paper introduces the portable medical imaging system based on the optical fiber coupling with CMOS, and theoretically analyzes the feasibility of the system. The image data and process results either can be stored on the memory or transmitted to the remote medical institutions for the telemedicine. We validate the performance of this cell-phone based microscopy platform using human blood samples and test target, achieving comparable results to a standard bench-top microscope.

A novel potential/viscous flow coupling technique for computing helicopter flow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summa, J. Michael; Strash, Daniel J.; Yoo, Sungyul

1993-01-01

The primary objective of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility of a new potential/viscous flow coupling procedure for reducing computational effort while maintaining solution accuracy. This closed-loop, overlapped velocity-coupling concept has been developed in a new two-dimensional code, ZAP2D (Zonal Aerodynamics Program - 2D), a three-dimensional code for wing analysis, ZAP3D (Zonal Aerodynamics Program - 3D), and a three-dimensional code for isolated helicopter rotors in hover, ZAPR3D (Zonal Aerodynamics Program for Rotors - 3D). Comparisons with large domain ARC3D solutions and with experimental data for a NACA 0012 airfoil have shown that the required domain size can be reduced to a few tenths of a percent chord for the low Mach and low angle of attack cases and to less than 2-5 chords for the high Mach and high angle of attack cases while maintaining solution accuracies to within a few percent. This represents CPU time reductions by a factor of 2-4 compared with ARC2D. The current ZAP3D calculation for a rectangular plan-form wing of aspect ratio 5 with an outer domain radius of about 1.2 chords represents a speed-up in CPU time over the ARC3D large domain calculation by about a factor of 2.5 while maintaining solution accuracies to within a few percent. A ZAPR3D simulation for a two-bladed rotor in hover with a reduced grid domain of about two chord lengths was able to capture the wake effects and compared accurately with the experimental pressure data. Further development is required in order to substantiate the promise of computational improvements due to the ZAPR3D coupling concept.

Full counting statistics in a serially coupled double quantum dot system with spin-orbit coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qiang; Xue, Hai-Bin; Xie, Hai-Qing

2018-04-01

We study the full counting statistics of electron transport through a serially coupled double quantum dot (QD) system with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) weakly coupled to two electrodes. We demonstrate that the spin polarizations of the source and drain electrodes determine whether the shot noise maintains super-Poissonian distribution, and whether the sign transitions of the skewness from positive to negative values and of the kurtosis from negative to positive values take place. In particular, the interplay between the spin polarizations of the source and drain electrodes and the magnitude of the external magnetic field, can give rise to a gate-voltage-tunable strong negative differential conductance (NDC) and the shot noise in this NDC region is significantly enhanced. Importantly, for a given SOC parameter, the obvious variation of the high-order current cumulants as a function of the energy-level detuning in a certain range, especially the dip position of the Fano factor of the skewness can be used to qualitatively extract the information about the magnitude of the SOC.

Socioeconomic profile of couples seeking the public healthcare system (SUS) for infertility treatment

PubMed Central

Tavares, Rachel; Cunha, Gisele; Aguiar, Lilian; Duarte, Shaytner Campos; Cardinot, Nilza; Bastos, Elizabeth; Coelho, Francisco

2016-01-01

Objective The number of couples seeking assisted reproduction services in pursuit of the dream of conceiving a child is growing. In developing countries 10 to 15% of couples of childbearing age cannot bear a child by natural means and the impossibility of conceiving a child has a significant impact on the health and well-being of the couple. The aim of this study was to evaluate the socioeconomic profile and the main causes of infertility of couples seeking assisted reproduction treatment through the public healthcare system. Methods We analyzed 600 medical records of couples who sought infertility treatment at the public healthcare system, and we divided them into three groups according to age: 35 years, 35 to 39, and 40 years or more. In each group we analyzed the cause of infertility, the number of children of the spouses, the education level and family income. Results The main cause of infertility was male-related in 34%, followed by tubal factor in 31.5%. We found that 56% of the women were less than 35 years old and 58% of the couples earned less than 3 minimum wages. Conclusion The profile of the couples was: low-income, low education and less than 35 years of age. The cost of assisted reproductive treatment is still high, being restricted to couples of higher socioeconomic statuses. An effective public healthcare policy could minimize this problem by improving the quality of care for couples seeking infertility treatment at the public healthcare system. PMID:27584602

Socioeconomic profile of couples seeking the public healthcare system (SUS) for infertility treatment.

PubMed

Tavares, Rachel; Cunha, Gisele; Aguiar, Lilian; Duarte, Shaytner Campos; Cardinot, Nilza; Bastos, Elizabeth; Coelho, Francisco

2016-08-01

The number of couples seeking assisted reproduction services in pursuit of the dream of conceiving a child is growing. In developing countries 10 to 15% of couples of childbearing age cannot bear a child by natural means and the impossibility of conceiving a child has a significant impact on the health and well-being of the couple. The aim of this study was to evaluate the socioeconomic profile and the main causes of infertility of couples seeking assisted reproduction treatment through the public healthcare system. We analyzed 600 medical records of couples who sought infertility treatment at the public healthcare system, and we divided them into three groups according to age: 35 years, 35 to 39, and 40 years or more. In each group we analyzed the cause of infertility, the number of children of the spouses, the education level and family income. The main cause of infertility was male-related in 34%, followed by tubal factor in 31.5%. We found that 56% of the women were less than 35 years old and 58% of the couples earned less than 3 minimum wages. The profile of the couples was: low-income, low education and less than 35 years of age. The cost of assisted reproductive treatment is still high, being restricted to couples of higher socioeconomic statuses. An effective public healthcare policy could minimize this problem by improving the quality of care for couples seeking infertility treatment at the public healthcare system.

Atmosphere-Wave-Ocean Coupling from Regional to Global Earth System Models for High-Impact Extreme Weather Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, S. S.; Curcic, M.

2017-12-01

The need for acurrate and integrated impact forecasts of extreme wind, rain, waves, and storm surge is growing as coastal population and built environment expand worldwide. A key limiting factor in forecasting impacts of extreme weather events associated with tropical cycle and winter storms is fully coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean model interface with explicit momentum and energy exchange. It is not only critical for accurate prediction of storm intensity, but also provides coherent wind, rian, ocean waves and currents forecasts for forcing for storm surge. The Unified Wave INterface (UWIN) has been developed for coupling of the atmosphere-wave-ocean models. UWIN couples the atmosphere, wave, and ocean models using the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF). It is a physically based and computationally efficient coupling sytem that is flexible to use in a multi-model system and portable for transition to the next generation global Earth system prediction mdoels. This standardized coupling framework allows researchers to develop and test air-sea coupling parameterizations and coupled data assimilation, and to better facilitate research-to-operation activities. It has been used and extensively tested and verified in regional coupled model forecasts of tropical cycles and winter storms (Chen and Curcic 2016, Curcic et al. 2016, and Judt et al. 2016). We will present 1) an overview of UWIN and its applications in fully coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean model predictions of hurricanes and coastal winter storms, and 2) implenmentation of UWIN in the NASA GMAO GEOS-5.

Evidence of Resonant Mode Coupling and the Relationship between Low and High Frequencies in a Rapidly Rotating a Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breger, M.; Montgomery, M. H.

2014-03-01

In the theory of resonant mode coupling, the parent and child modes are directly related in frequency and phase. The oscillations present in the fast rotating δ Sct star KIC 8054146 allow us to test the most general and generic aspects of such a theory. The only direct way to separate the parent and coupled (child) modes is to examine the correlations in amplitude variability between the different frequencies. For the dominant family of related frequencies, only a single mode and a triplet are the origins of nine dominant frequency peaks ranging from 2.93 to 66.30 cycles day-1 (as well as dozens of small-amplitude combination modes and a predicted and detected third high-frequency triplet). The mode-coupling model correctly predicts the large amplitude variations of the coupled modes as a product of the amplitudes of the parent modes, while the phase changes are also correctly modeled. This differs from the behavior of "normal" combination frequencies in that the amplitudes are three orders of magnitude larger and may exceed even the amplitudes of the parent modes. We show that two dominant low frequencies at 5.86 and 2.93 cycles day-1 in the gravity-mode region are not harmonics of each other, and their properties follow those of the almost equidistant high-frequency triplet. We note that the previously puzzling situation of finding two strong peaks in the low-frequency region related by nearly a factor of two in frequency has been seen in other δ Sct stars as well.

Parents of children with and without intellectual disability: couple relationship and individual well-being.

PubMed

Norlin, D; Broberg, M

2013-06-01

Research on parents of children with intellectual disability (ID) has identified a range of risk and protective factors for parental well-being. In family research, the association between marital quality and depression is a vital field of investigation. Still little research has addressed how aspects of the couple relationship affect the adaptation of parents of children with ID. The present study examined predictive links between couple relationship factors (marital quality and coparenting quality) and individual well-being. Data were obtained through self-report questionnaires completed by parents of children with ID (mothers, n = 58; and fathers, n = 46) and control children (mothers, n = 178; and fathers, n = 141). To test the hypothesis that couple relationship factors predicted individual well-being, multiple regression analyses were performed controlling for the following risk factors identified by previous research: child self-injury/stereotypic behaviour, parenting stress, and economic risk. Marital quality predicted concurrent well-being, and coparenting quality predicted prospective well-being. Mothers of children with ID reported lower well-being than other parents. There is a continued need for investigation of the details of the links between couple relationship and individual well-being in parents of children with ID. Couple relationship factors should be given consideration in clinical interventions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

Health consequences of same and opposite-sex unions: partnership, parenthood, and cardiovascular risk among young adults.

PubMed

Frech, Adrianne; Lynch, Jamie L; Barr, Peter

2016-02-01

We use the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health to examine union and parenthood differences across same and opposite-sex couples in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), C-reactive protein (CRP), and abdominal adiposity (waist circumference) among partnered (dating, cohabiting, married) young adults ages 25-33. Relative to women dating men, women cohabiting with women reported lower DBP and were less likely to have high CRP. Mothers reported lower SBP and DBP than non-mothers, but were more likely to have high waist circumference if they lived with a biological or step-child. Among men, nonresidential fathers reported higher DBP than nonfathers, and married men were more likely to have high waist circumference than men dating an opposite-sex partner. Same-sex cohabitation was neither a risk factor nor a health resource for men. Although the sample sizes for same-sex couples are quite small compared with those for opposite-sex couples, this study provides initial insight that occupying a sexual minority status while partnered is associated with some health benefits and few or no health risks relative to those who are dating an opposite sex partner.

Noise Reduction Based on an Fe -Rh Interlayer in Exchange-Coupled Heat-Assisted Recording Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogler, Christoph; Abert, Claas; Bruckner, Florian; Suess, Dieter

2017-11-01

High storage density and high data rate are two of the most desired properties of modern hard disk drives. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is believed to achieve both. Recording media, consisting of exchange-coupled grains with a high and a low TC part, were shown to have low dc noise—but increased ac noise—compared to hard magnetic single-phase grains like FePt. We extensively investigate the influence of an Fe -Rh interlayer on the magnetic noise in exchange-coupled grains. We find an optimal grain design that reduces the jitter in the down-track direction by up to 30% and in the off-track direction by up to 50%, depending on the head velocity, compared to the same structures without FeRh. Furthermore, the mechanisms causing this jitter reduction are demonstrated. Additionally, we show that, for short heat pulses and low write temperatures, the switching-time distribution of the analyzed grain structure is reduced by a factor of 4 compared to the same structure without an Fe -Rh layer. This feature could be interesting for HAMR use with a pulsed laser spot and could encourage discussion of this HAMR technique.

Low-noise, transformer-coupled resonant photodetector for squeezed state generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chaoyong; Shi, Shaoping; Zheng, Yaohui

2017-10-01

In an actual setup of squeezed state generation, the stability of a squeezing factor is mainly limited by the performance of the servo-control system, which is mainly influenced by the shot noise and gain of a photodetector. We present a unique transformer-coupled LC resonant amplifier as a photodetector circuit to reduce the electronic noise and increase the gain of the photodetector. As a result, we obtain a low-noise, high gain photodetector with the gain of more than 1.8 ×1 05 V/A, and the input current noise of less than 4.7 pA/√{Hz }. By adjusting the parameters of the transformer, the quality factor Q of the resonant circuit is close to 100 in the frequency range of more than 100 MHz, which meets the requirement for weak power detection in the application of squeezed state generation.

Does the situational couple violence- intimate terrorism typology explain cohabitors' high risk of intimate partner violence?

PubMed

Brownridge, Douglas A

2010-07-01

This study examines M. P. Johnson's assertion that violence in marital unions is more likely to be intimate terrorism (IT) and violence in cohabiting unions is more likely to be situational couple violence (SCV). Having overcome limitations of the data on which Johnson based his assertion, the results show that cohabiting and married victims of violence are equally likely to report experiencing SCV and IT. Moreover, cohabitors have higher odds of experiencing SCV and IT compared to their counterparts living in a marital union. These marital status differences are explained by selection and relationship factors theorized to account for them. Although the SCV- IT typology does appear to shed light on gender differences, the results of this study suggest that, where relevant, researchers using this typology should not neglect risk factors derived from theories for understanding intimate partner violence (IPV).

Low-noise, transformer-coupled resonant photodetector for squeezed state generation.

PubMed

Chen, Chaoyong; Shi, Shaoping; Zheng, Yaohui

2017-10-01

In an actual setup of squeezed state generation, the stability of a squeezing factor is mainly limited by the performance of the servo-control system, which is mainly influenced by the shot noise and gain of a photodetector. We present a unique transformer-coupled LC resonant amplifier as a photodetector circuit to reduce the electronic noise and increase the gain of the photodetector. As a result, we obtain a low-noise, high gain photodetector with the gain of more than 1.8×10 5 V/A, and the input current noise of less than 4.7 pA/Hz. By adjusting the parameters of the transformer, the quality factor Q of the resonant circuit is close to 100 in the frequency range of more than 100 MHz, which meets the requirement for weak power detection in the application of squeezed state generation.

Improved two-temperature model including electron density of states effects for Au during femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Ranran; Wei, Hua; Li, Zhihua; Zhang, Duanming

2012-01-01

The electron temperature dependences of the electron-phonon coupling factor and electron heat capacity based on the electron density of states are investigated for precious metal Au under femtosecond laser irradiation. The thermal excitation of d band electrons is found to result in large deviations from the commonly used approximations of linear temperature dependence of the electron heat capacity, and the constant electron-phonon coupling factor. Results of the simulations performed with the two-temperature model demonstrate that the electron-phonon relaxation time becomes short for high fluence laser for Au. The satisfactory agreement between our numerical results and experimental data of threshold fluence indicates that the electron temperature dependence of the thermophysical parameters accounting for the thermal excitation of d band electrons should not be neglected under the condition that electron temperature is higher than 10 4 K.

Auxiliary-cavity-assisted ground-state cooling of an optically levitated nanosphere in the unresolved-sideband regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Jin-Shan; Tan, Lei; Gu, Huai-Qiang; Liu, Wu-Ming

2017-12-01

We theoretically analyze the ground-state cooling of an optically levitated nanosphere in the unresolved-sideband regime by introducing a coupled high-quality-factor cavity. On account of the quantum interference stemming from the presence of the coupled cavity, the spectral density of the optical force exerting on the nanosphere gets changed and then the symmetry between the heating and the cooling processes is broken. Through adjusting the detuning of a strong-dissipative cavity mode, one obtains an enhanced net cooling rate for the nanosphere. It is illustrated that the ground-state cooling can be realized in the unresolved sideband regime even if the effective optomechanical coupling is weaker than the frequency of the nanosphere, which can be understood by the picture that the effective interplay of the nanosphere and the auxiliary cavity mode brings the system back to an effective resolved regime. Besides, the coupled cavity refines the dynamical stability of the system.

Piezoelectric coupling factor calculations for plates of langatate driven in simple thickness modes by lateral-field-excitation.

PubMed

Khan, Ajmal; Ballato, Arthur

2002-07-01

Piezoelectric coupling factors for langatate (La3Ga5.5Ta0.5O14) single-crystals driven by lateral-field-excitation have been calculated using the extended Christoffel-Bechmann method. Calculations were made using published materials constants. The results are presented in terms of the lateral piezoelectric coupling factor as functions of in-plane (azimuthal) rotation angle for the three simple thickness vibration modes of some non-rotated, singly-rotated, and doubly-rotated orientations. It is shown that lateral-field-excitation offers the potential to eliminate unwanted vibration modes and to achieve considerably greater piezoelectric coupling versus thickness-field-excitation for the rotated cuts considered and for a doubly-rotated cut that is of potential technological interest.

Project Eban: An HIV/STD Intervention for African American Couples

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Objective To describe the Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention being evaluated in the NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention trial for heterosexual African American couples, including the integrated theoretical framework, the structure, core elements and procedures of the intervention and how the content was shaped by culturally congruent concepts to address the needs of the study target population. Design The Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention is designed to address multilevel individual, interpersonal and community level factors that contribute to HIV/STD transmission risk behaviors among heterosexual African American couples who are HIV serodiscordant. Methods The Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention employs a mixed modality, couples-based approach that is based on an integrated ecological framework incorporating social cognitive theory and uses an Afro-centric paradigm that is informed by previous evidence-based couples HIV prevention interventions. For this randomized controlled trial, African American serodiscordant couples were recruited from four urban sites (Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia) and were randomized to either the Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention (treatment condition) or a Health Promotion Intervention that served as an attentional control condition. Both interventions had 4 individual couple sessions and 4 group sessions, but only the treatment condition was focused on reducing HIV/STD risk behaviors. Behavioral and biological data were collected at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 6 and 12 months. The theoretical framework, core elements and content of each session are described and lessons learned from this intervention trial are discussed. Results An HIV prevention intervention combining couple and group sessions can be feasibly implemented with African American HIV serodiscordant couples who remain at high risk of HIV/STD transmission. The lessons learned from the trial suggest that the participants responded very well to both the couple and group sessions. Participant feedback suggests that the cultural congruence of the intervention and use of African American co-facilitators made them feel comfortable disclosing risky behaviors. Participant feedback also suggests that the intervention’s couples-based focus on enhancing dyadic communication and decision-making skills were key to helping the couples work together to overcome barriers to using condoms. Conclusion Participant and facilitator evaluations of the Eban Risk Reduction Intervention suggest that couples responded well to the Afro-centric content and mixed modalities of the intervention sessions. Couple sessions were optimal for enhancing interpersonal and microlevel factors, including communication, problem solving, and decision making. PMID:18724186

Assessing the relationship between the inter-rod coupling and the efficiency of piezocomposite high-intensity focused ultrasound transducers.

PubMed

Chen, Gin-Shin; Pan, Chia-Ching; Lin, Yu-Li; Cheng, Jung-Sung

2014-03-01

The electroacoustic conversion efficiency of the ultrasonic transducer is a critical performance index for high-power applications. The material properties, volume fraction (VF) and aspect ratio (AR) are typically regarded as the design parameters of the piezocomposite transducer. We hypothesized that the spacing between piezoelectric rods was also a dominant factor. Therefore, the inter-rod coupling effects on the efficiency of 1-3 piezocomposite ultrasonic transducers were investigated in this study. The efficiencies of six flat and three curved 1.0 MHz PZT4 epoxy composite transducers with different geometric parameters were measured. Finite element transient analyses of the inter-rod electrical-mechanical coupling in the composites were carried out to explain the measured results. The experimental results showed that for 0.47 AR, the 79% VF transducers had lower efficiency than the 64% VF and 53% VF transducers. For 0.19 AR, the efficiency of the 59% VF transducer was not greater than the efficiency of the 39% VF transducer. Numerical analyses demonstrated that the positive peak voltage induced by the coupling of the side rods was more than twice the level induced by the coupling of the diagonal rods for any spacing. The diagonal coupling voltage peak did not change for spacings larger than 0.2 mm. Moreover, for spacings of 0.05 and 0.1 mm, the inter-rod coupling caused 24% and 20% waveform shifts of the driving voltage, respectively, while the 0.2 mm spacing coupling caused a 14% reduction in the amplitude of the driving voltage. As a result, the asymmetry of the driving voltage degraded the efficiency of the composite transducers and became more severe when the spacing was decreased. We concluded that the efficiency loss induced by inter-rod coupling as a function of spacing should be considered when designing piezocomposite transducers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influences of lifestyle factors on cardiac autonomic nervous system activity over time.

PubMed

Hu, Mandy Xian; Lamers, Femke; de Geus, Eco J C; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2017-01-01

Physical activity, alcohol use and smoking might affect cardiovascular disease through modifying autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. We investigated: 1) whether there are consistent relationships between lifestyle factors and cardiac ANS activity over time, and 2) whether 2-year changes in lifestyle factors relate to 2-year changes in cardiac activity. Baseline (n=2618) and 2-year follow-up (n=2010) data of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety was combined. Baseline data was collected in the Netherlands from 2004-2007. Lifestyle factors were habitual physical activity, frequency of sport activities, alcohol use, and smoking. Indicators of cardiac activity were heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP) (100min of registration). The results showed that high physical activity (-1.8beats/min compared to low activity), high frequency of sport activities ('couple of times/week': -2.5beats/min compared to 'almost never') and mild/moderate alcohol use (-1.2beats/min compared to non-drinking) were related to low HR. Heavy smoking was related to high HR (>30cigarettes/day: +5.1beats/min compared to non-smoking). High frequency of sport activities was associated with high RSA ('couple of times/week':+1.7ms compared to 'almost never') and moderate smoking with longer PEP (11-20cigarettes/day: +2.8ms compared to non-smoking). Associations were consistent across waves. Furthermore, 2-year change in frequency of sport activities and number of smoked cigarettes/day was accompanied by 2-year change in HR (β=-0.076 and β=0.101, respectively) and RSA (β=0.046 and β=-0.040, respectively). Our findings support consistent effects of lifestyle on HR and parasympathetic activity in the expected direction. Cardiac autonomic dysregulation may be partly mediating the relationship between lifestyle and subsequent cardiovascular health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conductor disc used to suppress spurious mode and enhance electric coupling in a dielectric loaded combline resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pholele, T. M.; Chuma, J. M.

2016-03-01

The effects of conductor disc in a dielectric loaded combline resonator on its spurious performance, unloaded quality factor (Qu), and coupling coefficients are analysed using a commercial electromagnetic software package CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS). The disc improves the spurious free band but simultaneously deteriorates the Qu. The presence of the disc substantially improves the electric coupling by a factor of 1.891 for an aperture opening of 12 mm, while it has insignificant effect on the magnetic coupling.

Resolving vorticity-driven lateral fire spread using the WRF-Fire coupled atmosphere-fire numerical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, C. C.; Sharples, J. J.; Evans, J. P.

2014-05-01

Fire channelling is a form of dynamic fire behaviour, during which a wildland fire spreads rapidly across a steep lee-facing slope in a direction transverse to the background winds, and is often accompanied by a downwind extension of the active flaming region and extreme pyro-convection. Recent work using the WRF-Fire coupled atmosphere-fire model has demonstrated that fire channelling can be characterised as vorticity-driven lateral fire spread (VDLS). In this study, 16 simulations are conducted using WRF-Fire to examine the sensitivity of resolving VDLS to spatial resolution and atmosphere-fire coupling within the WRF-Fire model framework. The horizontal grid spacing is varied between 25 and 90 m, and the two-way atmosphere-fire coupling is either enabled or disabled. At high spatial resolution, the atmosphere-fire coupling increases the peak uphill and lateral spread rate by a factor of up to 2.7 and 9.5. The enhancement of the uphill and lateral spread rate diminishes at coarser spatial resolution, and VDLS is not modelled for a horizontal grid spacing of 90 m. The laterally spreading fire fronts become the dominant contributors of the extreme pyro-convection. The resolved fire-induced vortices responsible for driving the lateral spread in the coupled simulations have non-zero vorticity along each unit vector direction, and develop due to an interaction between the background winds and vertical return circulations generated at the flank of the fire front as part of the pyro-convective updraft. The results presented in this study demonstrate that both high spatial resolution and two-way atmosphere-fire coupling are required to reproduce VDLS within the current WRF-Fire model framework.

Individual traits and environmental factors influencing sleep timing: a study of 225 Japanese couples.

PubMed

Hida, Akiko; Kitamura, Shingo; Enomoto, Minori; Nozaki, Kentaro; Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Echizenya, Masaru; Kusanagi, Hiroaki; Mishima, Kazuo

2012-03-01

Behavioral and physiological processes, such as sleep-wakefulness, thermoregulation, and hormone secretion, exhibit 24-h rhythms in most organisms. These biological rhythms are driven by the circadian clock system and are entrained by the external environment, which in the case of humans includes social time schedules. Couples might be ideal experimental subjects to discriminate between individual traits and environmental factors, as they share lifestyle habits but not genetic backgrounds. In this study, sleep timing was compared between married Japanese couples (n = 225) who had lived together for 1 yr or more (mean 17 yrs). Additionally, the authors evaluated the influence of individual traits and environmental factors on an individual's sleep timing per each couple. The results reveal that the sleep timings of a couple are mainly associated with the chronotypes of the husband and wife, whereas the sleep timings are significantly influenced by certain environmental factors. The findings suggest that chronotype remains one of the major determinants of an individual's sleep onset and wake times. Understanding an individual's chronotype may help improve the quality of life issues surrounding sleep.

Optimizing chaos time-delay signature in two mutually-coupled semiconductor lasers through controlling internal parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Penghua; Pan, Wei; Yan, Lianshan; Luo, Bin; Zou, Xihua

2017-04-01

In this contribution, the effects of two key internal parameters, i.e. the linewidth-enhancement factor (α) and gain nonlinearity (𝜀), on time-delay signatures (TDS) concealment of two mutually-coupled semiconductor lasers (MCSLs) are numerically investigated. In particular, the influences of α and 𝜀 on the TDS concealment are compared and discussed systematically by setting different values of frequency detuning (Δf) and injection strength (η). The results show that the TDS can be better suppressed with high α or lower 𝜀 in the MCSLs. Two sets of desired optical chaos with TDS being strongly suppressed can be generated simultaneously in a wide injection parameter plane provided that α and 𝜀 are properly chosen, indicating that optimizing TDS suppression through controlling internal parameters can be generalized to any delayed-coupled laser systems.

High-precision measurement of the electron spin g factor of trapped atomic nitrogen in the endohedral fullerene N@C60

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittmann, J. J.; Can, T. V.; Eckardt, M.; Harneit, W.; Griffin, R. G.; Corzilius, B.

2018-05-01

The electronic g factor carries highly useful information about the electronic structure of a paramagnetic species, such as spin-orbit coupling and dia- or paramagnetic (de-)shielding due to local fields of surrounding electron pairs. However, in many cases, a near "spin-only" case is observed, in particular for light elements, necessitating accurate and precise measurement of the g factors. Such measurement is typically impeded by a "chicken and egg situation": internal or external reference standards are used for relative comparison of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) Larmor frequencies. However, the g factor of the standard itself usually is subject to a significant uncertainty which directly limits the precision and/or accuracy of the sought after sample g factor. Here, we apply an EPR reference-free approach for determining the g factor of atomic nitrogen trapped within the endohedral fullerene C60:N@C60 in its polycrystalline state by measuring the 1H NMR resonance frequency of dispersing toluene at room temperature. We found a value of g = 2.00204 (4) with a finally reached relative precision of ∼20 ppm. This accurate measurement allows us to directly compare the electronic properties of N@C60 to those found in atomic nitrogen in the gas phase or trapped in other solid matrices at liquid helium temperature. We conclude that spin-orbit coupling in N@C60 at room temperature is very similar in magnitude and of same sign as found in other inert solid matrices and that interactions between the quartet spin system and the C60 molecular orbitals are thus negligible.

Understanding Beginning Teacher Induction: A Contextualized Examination of Best Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, Sean

2014-01-01

The problems that teachers face early in their careers are a major factor in growing rates of attrition among neophyte teachers. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, high rates of attrition, coupled with and aging teacher population in many countries in the developed world, may cause a teacher shortage crisis in…

Influence of Different Coupling Modes on the Robustness of Smart Grid under Targeted Attack.

PubMed

Kang, WenJie; Hu, Gang; Zhu, PeiDong; Liu, Qiang; Hang, Zhi; Liu, Xin

2018-05-24

Many previous works only focused on the cascading failure of global coupling of one-to-one structures in interdependent networks, but the local coupling of dual coupling structures has rarely been studied due to its complex structure. This will result in a serious consequence that many conclusions of the one-to-one structure may be incorrect in the dual coupling network and do not apply to the smart grid. Therefore, it is very necessary to subdivide the dual coupling link into a top-down coupling link and a bottom-up coupling link in order to study their influence on network robustness by combining with different coupling modes. Additionally, the power flow of the power grid can cause the load of a failed node to be allocated to its neighboring nodes and trigger a new round of load distribution when the load of these nodes exceeds their capacity. This means that the robustness of smart grids may be affected by four factors, i.e., load redistribution, local coupling, dual coupling link and coupling mode; however, the research on the influence of those factors on the network robustness is missing. In this paper, firstly, we construct the smart grid as a two-layer network with a dual coupling link and divide the power grid and communication network into many subnets based on the geographical location of their nodes. Secondly, we define node importance ( N I ) as an evaluation index to access the impact of nodes on the cyber or physical network and propose three types of coupling modes based on N I of nodes in the cyber and physical subnets, i.e., Assortative Coupling in Subnets (ACIS), Disassortative Coupling in Subnets (DCIS), and Random Coupling in Subnets (RCIS). Thirdly, a cascading failure model is proposed for studying the effect of local coupling of dual coupling link in combination with ACIS, DCIS, and RCIS on the robustness of the smart grid against a targeted attack, and the survival rate of functional nodes is used to assess the robustness of the smart grid. Finally, we use the IEEE 118-Bus System and the Italian High-Voltage Electrical Transmission Network to verify our model and obtain the same conclusions: (I) DCIS applied to the top-down coupling link is better able to enhance the robustness of the smart grid against a targeted attack than RCIS or ACIS, (II) ACIS applied to a bottom-up coupling link is better able to enhance the robustness of the smart grid against a targeted attack than RCIS or DCIS, and (III) the robustness of the smart grid can be improved by increasing the tolerance α . This paper provides some guidelines for slowing down the speed of the cascading failures in the design of architecture and optimization of interdependent networks, such as a top-down link with DCIS, a bottom-up link with ACIS, and an increased tolerance α .

Flux-tunable heat sink for quantum electric circuits.

PubMed

Partanen, M; Tan, K Y; Masuda, S; Govenius, J; Lake, R E; Jenei, M; Grönberg, L; Hassel, J; Simbierowicz, S; Vesterinen, V; Tuorila, J; Ala-Nissila, T; Möttönen, M

2018-04-20

Superconducting microwave circuits show great potential for practical quantum technological applications such as quantum information processing. However, fast and on-demand initialization of the quantum degrees of freedom in these devices remains a challenge. Here, we experimentally implement a tunable heat sink that is potentially suitable for the initialization of superconducting qubits. Our device consists of two coupled resonators. The first resonator has a high quality factor and a fixed frequency whereas the second resonator is designed to have a low quality factor and a tunable resonance frequency. We engineer the low quality factor using an on-chip resistor and the frequency tunability using a superconducting quantum interference device. When the two resonators are in resonance, the photons in the high-quality resonator can be efficiently dissipated. We show that the corresponding loaded quality factor can be tuned from above 10 5 down to a few thousand at 10 GHz in good quantitative agreement with our theoretical model.

Nonlinear optical properties of interconnected gold nanoparticles on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesuffleur, Antoine; Gogol, Philippe; Beauvillain, Pierre; Guizal, B.; Van Labeke, D.; Georges, P.

2008-12-01

We report second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements in reflectivity from chains of gold nanoparticles interconnected with metallic bridges. We measured more than 30 times a SHG enhancement when a surface plasmon resonance was excited in the chains of nanoparticles, which was influenced by coupling due to the electrical connectivity of the bridges. This enhancement was confirmed by rigorous coupled wave method calculations and came from high localization of the electric field at the bridge. The introduction of 10% random defects into the chains of nanoparticles dropped the SHG by a factor of 2 and was shown to be very sensitive to the fundamental wavelength.

Nonsingular, big-bounce cosmology from spinor-torsion coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popławski, Nikodem

2012-05-01

The Einstein-Cartan-Sciama-Kibble theory of gravity removes the constraint of general relativity that the affine connection be symmetric by regarding its antisymmetric part, the torsion tensor, as a dynamical variable. The minimal coupling between the torsion tensor and Dirac spinors generates a spin-spin interaction which is significant in fermionic matter at extremely high densities. We show that such an interaction averts the unphysical big-bang singularity, replacing it with a cusp-like bounce at a finite minimum scale factor, before which the Universe was contracting. This scenario also explains why the present Universe at largest scales appears spatially flat, homogeneous and isotropic.

Correlates of previous couples' HIV counseling and testing uptake among married individuals in three HIV prevalence strata in Rakai, Uganda.

PubMed

Matovu, Joseph K B; Todd, Jim; Wanyenze, Rhoda K; Wabwire-Mangen, Fred; Serwadda, David

2015-01-01

Studies show that uptake of couples' HIV counseling and testing (couples' HCT) can be affected by individual, relationship, and socioeconomic factors. However, while couples' HCT uptake can also be affected by background HIV prevalence and awareness of the existence of couples' HCT services, this is yet to be documented. We explored the correlates of previous couples' HCT uptake among married individuals in a rural Ugandan district with differing HIV prevalence levels. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 2,135 married individuals resident in the three HIV prevalence strata (low HIV prevalence: 9.7-11.2%; middle HIV prevalence: 11.4-16.4%; and high HIV prevalence: 20.5-43%) in Rakai district, southwestern Uganda, between November 2013 and February 2014. Data were collected on sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, including previous receipt of couples' HCT. HIV testing data were obtained from the Rakai Community Cohort Study. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify correlates that are independently associated with previous receipt of couples' HCT. Data analysis was conducted using STATA (statistical software, version 11.2). Of the 2,135 married individuals enrolled, the majority (n=1,783, 83.5%) had been married for five or more years while (n=1,460, 66%) were in the first-order of marriage. Ever receipt of HCT was almost universal (n=2,020, 95%); of those ever tested, (n=846, 41.9%) reported that they had ever received couples' HCT. There was no significant difference in previous receipt of couples' HCT between low (n=309, 43.9%), middle (n=295, 41.7%), and high (n=242, 39.7%) HIV prevalence settings (p=0.61). Marital order was not significantly associated with previous receipt of couples' HCT. However, marital duration [five or more years vis-à-vis 1-2 years: adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.06; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.04-1.08] and awareness about the existence of couples' HCT services within the Rakai community cohort (aOR: 7.58; 95% CI: 5.63-10.20) were significantly associated with previous receipt of couples' HCT. Previous couples' HCT uptake did not significantly differ by HIV prevalence setting. Longer marital duration and awareness of the existence of couples' HCT services in the community were significantly correlated with previous receipt of couples' HCT. These findings suggest a need for innovative demand-creation interventions to raise awareness about couples' HCT service availability to improve couples' HCT uptake among married individuals.

Factors associated with father involvement in infant care.

PubMed

Falceto, Olga G; Fernandes, Carmen L; Baratojo, Claudia; Giugliani, Elsa R J

2008-12-01

To identify factors associated with the lack of active father involvement in infant care at four months of age. Cross-sectional study involving families of 153 infants at four months of age, interviewed in their homes by two family therapists. In addition to father involvement in infant care, sociodemographic, parental mental health (using the Self Report Questionnaire-20 scale and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria assessment) and quality of couple relationship characteristics (using the Assessment of Relational Functioning from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) were analyzed. Poisson regression was employed to assess the association between lack of father involvement in child care and the variables selected. Prevalence ratio was used to estimate the magnitude of associations. Fathers of 13% of infants had no contact with their children. Among families whose parents lived together (78% of all), 33% of the fathers reported not actively participating in their children's care. Problematic couple relationship and mother as a housewife were associated with lack of father involvement in infant care. High prevalence of families whose father is not actively involved with infant care, especially when couple relationship is problematic and the mother does not have a paid job.

An innovative computationally efficient hydromechanical coupling approach for fault reactivation in geological subsurface utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, M.; Kempka, T.; Chabab, E.; Ziegler, M.

2018-02-01

Estimating the efficiency and sustainability of geological subsurface utilization, i.e., Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) requires an integrated risk assessment approach, considering the occurring coupled processes, beside others, the potential reactivation of existing faults. In this context, hydraulic and mechanical parameter uncertainties as well as different injection rates have to be considered and quantified to elaborate reliable environmental impact assessments. Consequently, the required sensitivity analyses consume significant computational time due to the high number of realizations that have to be carried out. Due to the high computational costs of two-way coupled simulations in large-scale 3D multiphase fluid flow systems, these are not applicable for the purpose of uncertainty and risk assessments. Hence, an innovative semi-analytical hydromechanical coupling approach for hydraulic fault reactivation will be introduced. This approach determines the void ratio evolution in representative fault elements using one preliminary base simulation, considering one model geometry and one set of hydromechanical parameters. The void ratio development is then approximated and related to one reference pressure at the base of the fault. The parametrization of the resulting functions is then directly implemented into a multiphase fluid flow simulator to carry out the semi-analytical coupling for the simulation of hydromechanical processes. Hereby, the iterative parameter exchange between the multiphase and mechanical simulators is omitted, since the update of porosity and permeability is controlled by one reference pore pressure at the fault base. The suggested procedure is capable to reduce the computational time required by coupled hydromechanical simulations of a multitude of injection rates by a factor of up to 15.

Couple-based interventions in the treatment of adult anorexia nervosa: A brief case example of UCAN.

PubMed

Kirby, Jennifer S; Fischer, Melanie S; Raney, Thomas J; Baucom, Donald H; Bulik, Cynthia M

2016-06-01

Adult anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and often fatal illness that significantly erodes quality of life for both the patient and loved ones. Treatment of adults with AN has focused largely on individual therapy, with recent findings suggesting that improvement is limited and dropout rates are high. In an effort to improve treatment response, we developed a couple-based intervention, Uniting Couples in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa (UCAN) as an adjunct treatment to standard multidisciplinary care. UCAN leverages the support of a partner and the relationship in treatment by decreasing avoidance around AN, teaching the couple how to effectively address the eating disorder, and helping to foster a more satisfying relationship. This paper presents a case study of a couple who completed UCAN, "Laura and Steve," including their experiences in treatment and outcome measures at pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. Laura showed clinically significant change on the Restraint subscale of the Eating Disorders Examination at follow-up, and both partners showed clinically significant improvements in relationship satisfaction, as well as on self-reported and observed communication. Both partners reported very high satisfaction with the treatment. A discussion of therapists' experiences in delivering UCAN is provided, including common challenges for therapists with primarily a couple therapy or an individual CBT for eating disorders background, as well as important factors for therapists to consider in order to optimally leverage the benefits of including partners in treatment for AN. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Resolving vorticity-driven lateral fire spread using the WRF-Fire coupled atmosphere-fire numerical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, C. C.; Sharples, J. J.; Evans, J. P.

2014-09-01

Vorticity-driven lateral fire spread (VLS) is a form of dynamic fire behaviour, during which a wildland fire spreads rapidly across a steep leeward slope in a direction approximately transverse to the background winds. VLS is often accompanied by a downwind extension of the active flaming region and intense pyro-convection. In this study, the WRF-Fire (WRF stands for Weather Research and Forecasting) coupled atmosphere-fire model is used to examine the sensitivity of resolving VLS to both the horizontal and vertical grid spacing, and the fire-to-atmosphere coupling from within the model framework. The atmospheric horizontal and vertical grid spacing are varied between 25 and 90 m, and the fire-to-atmosphere coupling is either enabled or disabled. At high spatial resolutions, the inclusion of fire-to-atmosphere coupling increases the upslope and lateral rate of spread by factors of up to 2.7 and 9.5, respectively. This increase in the upslope and lateral rate of spread diminishes at coarser spatial resolutions, and VLS is not modelled for a horizontal and vertical grid spacing of 90 m. The lateral fire spread is driven by fire whirls formed due to an interaction between the background winds and the vertical circulation generated at the flank of the fire front as part of the pyro-convective updraft. The laterally advancing fire fronts become the dominant contributors to the extreme pyro-convection. The results presented in this study demonstrate that both high spatial resolution and two-way atmosphere-fire coupling are required to model VLS with WRF-Fire.

The combination of high Q factor and chirality in twin cavities and microcavity chain

PubMed Central

Song, Qinghai; Zhang, Nan; Zhai, Huilin; Liu, Shuai; Gu, Zhiyuan; Wang, Kaiyang; Sun, Shang; Chen, Zhiwei; Li, Meng; Xiao, Shumin

2014-01-01

Chirality in microcavities has recently shown its bright future in optical sensing and microsized coherent light sources. The key parameters for such applications are the high quality (Q) factor and large chirality. However, the previous reported chiral resonances are either low Q modes or require very special cavity designs. Here we demonstrate a novel, robust, and general mechanism to obtain the chirality in circular cavity. By placing a circular cavity and a spiral cavity in proximity, we show that ultra-high Q factor, large chirality, and unidirectional output can be obtained simultaneously. The highest Q factors of the non-orthogonal mode pairs are almost the same as the ones in circular cavity. And the co-propagating directions of the non-orthogonal mode pairs can be reversed by tuning the mode coupling. This new mechanism for the combination of high Q factor and large chirality is found to be very robust to cavity size, refractive index, and the shape deformation, showing very nice fabrication tolerance. And it can be further extended to microcavity chain and microcavity plane. We believe that our research will shed light on the practical applications of chirality and microcavities. PMID:25262881

High-mass diffraction in the QCD dipole picture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, A.; Navelet, H.; Peschanski, R.

1998-05-01

Using the QCD dipole picture of the BFKL pomeron, the cross-section of single diffractive dissociation of virtual photons at high energy and large diffractively excited masses is calculated. The calculation takes into account the full impact-parameter phase-space and thus allows to obtain an exact value of the triple BFKL Pomeron vertex. It appears large enough to compensate the perturbative 6-gluon coupling factor (α/π)3 thus suggesting a rather appreciable diffractive cross-section.

Prevalence of HIV infection, access to HIV care, and response to antiretroviral therapy among partners of HIV-infected individuals in Thailand.

PubMed

Kiertiburanakul, Sasisopin; Wongprasit, Pawinee; Phuphuakrat, Angsana; Chotiprasitsakul, Darunee; Sungkanuparph, Somnuek

2018-01-01

Health care providers usually focus on index HIV-infected patients and seldom obtain information from their partners. We aimed to determine HIV-preventative measures among couples, the prevalence of HIV infection, and treatment outcomes of partners. This cross-sectional study was conducted in two hospital settings, a university hospital in Bangkok and a general hospital in northeastern Thailand, from January 2011-October 2015. Factors associated with serodiscordant relationships were determined by logistic regression. A total of 393 couples were enrolled for analysis; 156 (39.7%) were serodiscordant. The median relationship duration of serodiscordant couples was shorter than that of seroconcordant couples (6.4 years vs 11.6 years, p < 0.001). Of 237 HIV-infected partners, 17.7% had AIDS-defining illness, the median nadir CD4 count (interquartile range) was 240 (96-427) cells/mm3, 83.5% received antiretroviral therapy (ART), 98.3% had adherence > 95%, 90.3% had undetectable HIV RNA, and 22.9% had a prior history of treatment failure. There was no significant difference in condom usage in the prior 30 days between serodiscordant and seroconcordant couples. Factors of index HIV-infected patients associated with serodiscordant relationships were younger age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04 per 5 years; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.06), receiving care at the general hospital (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.08-2.78), a shorter duration of relationship (OR 1.04 per year; 95% CI 1.01-1.07), a higher nadir CD4 count (OR 1.06 per 50 cells/mm3; 95% CI 1.1-1.13), and not receiving a protease inhibitor-based regimen (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.06-3.96). A high number of serodiscordant couples was determined. Partners' information should be retrieved as a holistic approach. Interventions for minimizing HIV transmission within serodiscordant couples should be evaluated and implemented.

Site-Directed Immobilization of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 to Solid Surfaces by Click Chemistry.

PubMed

Siverino, Claudia; Tabisz, Barbara; Lühmann, Tessa; Meinel, Lorenz; Müller, Thomas; Walles, Heike; Nickel, Joachim

2018-03-29

Different therapeutic strategies for the treatment of non-healing long bone defects have been intensively investigated. Currently used treatments present several limitations that have led to the use of biomaterials in combination with osteogenic growth factors, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Commonly used absorption or encapsulation methods require supra-physiological amounts of BMP2, typically resulting in a so-called initial burst release effect that provokes several severe adverse side effects. A possible strategy to overcome these problems would be to covalently couple the protein to the scaffold. Moreover, coupling should be performed in a site-specific manner in order to guarantee a reproducible product outcome. Therefore, we created a BMP2 variant, in which an artificial amino acid (propargyl-L-lysine) was introduced into the mature part of the BMP2 protein by codon usage expansion (BMP2-K3Plk). BMP2-K3Plk was coupled to functionalized beads through copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The biological activity of the coupled BMP2-K3Plk was proven in vitro and the osteogenic activity of the BMP2-K3Plk-functionalized beads was proven in cell based assays. The functionalized beads in contact with C2C12 cells were able to induce alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression in locally restricted proximity of the bead. Thus, by this technique, functionalized scaffolds can be produced that can trigger cell differentiation towards an osteogenic lineage. Additionally, lower BMP2 doses are sufficient due to the controlled orientation of site-directed coupled BMP2. With this method, BMPs are always exposed to their receptors on the cell surface in the appropriate orientation, which is not the case if the factors are coupled via non-site-directed coupling techniques. The product outcome is highly controllable and, thus, results in materials with homogeneous properties, improving their applicability for the repair of critical size bone defects.

Simulation Analysis of Fluid-Structure Interaction of High Velocity Environment Influence on Aircraft Wing Materials under Different Mach Numbers.

PubMed

Zhang, Lijun; Sun, Changyan

2018-04-18

Aircraft service process is in a state of the composite load of pressure and temperature for a long period of time, which inevitably affects the inherent characteristics of some components in aircraft accordingly. The flow field of aircraft wing materials under different Mach numbers is simulated by Fluent in order to extract pressure and temperature on the wing in this paper. To determine the effect of coupling stress on the wing’s material and structural properties, the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method is used in ANSYS-Workbench to calculate the stress that is caused by pressure and temperature. Simulation analysis results show that with the increase of Mach number, the pressure and temperature on the wing’s surface both increase exponentially and thermal stress that is caused by temperature will be the main factor in the coupled stress. When compared with three kinds of materials, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and Haynes alloy, carbon fiber composite material has better performance in service at high speed, and natural frequency under coupling pre-stressing will get smaller.

Simulation Analysis of Fluid-Structure Interaction of High Velocity Environment Influence on Aircraft Wing Materials under Different Mach Numbers

PubMed Central

Sun, Changyan

2018-01-01

Aircraft service process is in a state of the composite load of pressure and temperature for a long period of time, which inevitably affects the inherent characteristics of some components in aircraft accordingly. The flow field of aircraft wing materials under different Mach numbers is simulated by Fluent in order to extract pressure and temperature on the wing in this paper. To determine the effect of coupling stress on the wing’s material and structural properties, the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method is used in ANSYS-Workbench to calculate the stress that is caused by pressure and temperature. Simulation analysis results show that with the increase of Mach number, the pressure and temperature on the wing’s surface both increase exponentially and thermal stress that is caused by temperature will be the main factor in the coupled stress. When compared with three kinds of materials, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and Haynes alloy, carbon fiber composite material has better performance in service at high speed, and natural frequency under coupling pre-stressing will get smaller. PMID:29670023

Fast Purcell-enhanced single photon source in 1,550-nm telecom band from a resonant quantum dot-cavity coupling

PubMed Central

Birowosuto, Muhammad Danang; Sumikura, Hisashi; Matsuo, Shinji; Taniyama, Hideaki; van Veldhoven, Peter J.; Nötzel, Richard; Notomi, Masaya

2012-01-01

High-bit-rate nanocavity-based single photon sources in the 1,550-nm telecom band are challenges facing the development of fibre-based long-haul quantum communication networks. Here we report a very fast single photon source in the 1,550-nm telecom band, which is achieved by a large Purcell enhancement that results from the coupling of a single InAs quantum dot and an InP photonic crystal nanocavity. At a resonance, the spontaneous emission rate was enhanced by a factor of 5 resulting a record fast emission lifetime of 0.2 ns at 1,550 nm. We also demonstrate that this emission exhibits an enhanced anti-bunching dip. This is the first realization of nanocavity-enhanced single photon emitters in the 1,550-nm telecom band. This coupled quantum dot cavity system in the telecom band thus provides a bright high-bit-rate non-classical single photon source that offers appealing novel opportunities for the development of a long-haul quantum telecommunication system via optical fibres. PMID:22432053

Fast Purcell-enhanced single photon source in 1,550-nm telecom band from a resonant quantum dot-cavity coupling.

PubMed

Birowosuto, Muhammad Danang; Sumikura, Hisashi; Matsuo, Shinji; Taniyama, Hideaki; van Veldhoven, Peter J; Nötzel, Richard; Notomi, Masaya

2012-01-01

High-bit-rate nanocavity-based single photon sources in the 1,550-nm telecom band are challenges facing the development of fibre-based long-haul quantum communication networks. Here we report a very fast single photon source in the 1,550-nm telecom band, which is achieved by a large Purcell enhancement that results from the coupling of a single InAs quantum dot and an InP photonic crystal nanocavity. At a resonance, the spontaneous emission rate was enhanced by a factor of 5 resulting a record fast emission lifetime of 0.2 ns at 1,550 nm. We also demonstrate that this emission exhibits an enhanced anti-bunching dip. This is the first realization of nanocavity-enhanced single photon emitters in the 1,550-nm telecom band. This coupled quantum dot cavity system in the telecom band thus provides a bright high-bit-rate non-classical single photon source that offers appealing novel opportunities for the development of a long-haul quantum telecommunication system via optical fibres.

Comparison of fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients for deuterons, tritons and helions.

PubMed

Copeland, Kyle; Friedberg, Wallace; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Niita, Koji

2012-02-01

Secondary radiation in aircraft and spacecraft includes deuterons, tritons and helions. Two sets of fluence-to-effective dose conversion coefficients for isotropic exposure to these particles were compared: one used the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS) radiation transport code coupled with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantoms (PHITS-ICRP) and the other the Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX) radiation transport code coupled with modified BodyBuilder™ phantoms (MCNPX-BB). Also, two sets of fluence-to-effective dose equivalent conversion coefficients calculated using the PHITS-ICRP combination were compared: one used quality factors based on linear energy transfer; the other used quality factors based on lineal energy (y). Finally, PHITS-ICRP effective dose coefficients were compared with PHITS-ICRP effective dose equivalent coefficients. The PHITS-ICRP and MCNPX-BB effective dose coefficients were similar, except at high energies, where MCNPX-BB coefficients were higher. For helions, at most energies effective dose coefficients were much greater than effective dose equivalent coefficients. For deuterons and tritons, coefficients were similar when their radiation weighting factor was set to 2.

Unsafe sex in regular partnerships among heterosexual persons living with HIV: evidence from a large representative sample of individuals attending outpatients services in France (ANRS-EN12-VESPA Study).

PubMed

Bouhnik, Anne-Déborah; Préau, Marie; Lert, France; Peretti-Watel, Patrick; Schiltz, Marie-Ange; Obadia, Yolande; Spire, Bruno

2007-01-01

Risky sexual behaviour remains frequent among people living with HIV. We analysed factors associated with unsafe sex within serodiscordant couples among heterosexual individuals living with HIV in France. In 2003, a face-to-face survey was conducted among individuals selected in a random stratified sample of 102 French hospital departments delivering HIV care. This analysis included adults heterosexual participants in a regular partnership for at least 12 months with a seronegative/unknown serostatus partner, HIV-diagnosed for at least 12 months. Unsafe sex was defined as reporting inconsistent condom use in the prior 12 months. Among men and women, participants who reported unsafe sex were compared with those who did not. 663 heterosexual adults reported being in a serodiscordant regular partnership. Women accounted for 41% of participants and 26% of the sample were immigrants. Unsafe sex with the steady partner was reported by 26% of men and 34% of women (p=0.024). For men, factors independently associated with unsafe sex were being in a relationship for more than 10 years, being in a difficult financial situation and reporting regular consumption of alcohol to excess. Among women, having a history of drug use, not being aware of partner's serostatus, and reporting a difficult financial situation were independently associated with unsafe sex. In addition, immigrant women were associated with safer sex. A high number of serodiscordant couples continue to report risky sexual behaviour, and related factors are gender-specific. Couple-level interventions are essential in order to prevent HIV-transmission and to encourage negotiation within couples.

Low-rank factorization of electron integral tensors and its application in electronic structure theory

DOE PAGES

Peng, Bo; Kowalski, Karol

2017-01-25

In this paper, we apply reverse Cuthill-McKee (RCM) algorithm to transform two-electron integral tensors to their block diagonal forms. By further applying Cholesky decomposition (CD) on each of the diagonal blocks, we are able to represent the high-dimensional two-electron integral tensors in terms of permutation matrices and low-rank Cholesky vectors. This representation facilitates low-rank factorizations of high-dimensional tensor contractions in post-Hartree-Fock calculations. Finally, we discuss the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) method and the linear coupled-cluster model with doubles (L-CCD) as examples to demonstrate the efficiency of this technique in representing the two-electron integrals in a compact form.

Low-rank factorization of electron integral tensors and its application in electronic structure theory

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

Peng, Bo; Kowalski, Karol

In this paper, we apply reverse Cuthill-McKee (RCM) algorithm to transform two-electron integral tensors to their block diagonal forms. By further applying Cholesky decomposition (CD) on each of the diagonal blocks, we are able to represent the high-dimensional two-electron integral tensors in terms of permutation matrices and low-rank Cholesky vectors. This representation facilitates low-rank factorizations of high-dimensional tensor contractions in post-Hartree-Fock calculations. Finally, we discuss the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) method and the linear coupled-cluster model with doubles (L-CCD) as examples to demonstrate the efficiency of this technique in representing the two-electron integrals in a compact form.

Two-Stage Design Method for Enhanced Inductive Energy Transmission with Q-Constrained Planar Square Loops.

PubMed

Eteng, Akaa Agbaeze; Abdul Rahim, Sharul Kamal; Leow, Chee Yen; Chew, Beng Wah; Vandenbosch, Guy A E

2016-01-01

Q-factor constraints are usually imposed on conductor loops employed as proximity range High Frequency Radio Frequency Identification (HF-RFID) reader antennas to ensure adequate data bandwidth. However, pairing such low Q-factor loops in inductive energy transmission links restricts the link transmission performance. The contribution of this paper is to assess the improvement that is reached with a two-stage design method, concerning the transmission performance of a planar square loop relative to an initial design, without compromise to a Q-factor constraint. The first stage of the synthesis flow is analytical in approach, and determines the number and spacing of turns by which coupling between similar paired square loops can be enhanced with low deviation from the Q-factor limit presented by an initial design. The second stage applies full-wave electromagnetic simulations to determine more appropriate turn spacing and widths to match the Q-factor constraint, and achieve improved coupling relative to the initial design. Evaluating the design method in a test scenario yielded a more than 5% increase in link transmission efficiency, as well as an improvement in the link fractional bandwidth by more than 3%, without violating the loop Q-factor limit. These transmission performance enhancements are indicative of a potential for modifying proximity HF-RFID reader antennas for efficient inductive energy transfer and data telemetry links.

Integration of measurements with atmospheric dispersion models: Source term estimation for dispersal of (239)Pu due to non-nuclear detonation of high explosive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, L. L.; Harvey, T. F.; Freis, R. P.; Pitovranov, S. E.; Chernokozhin, E. V.

1992-10-01

The accuracy associated with assessing the environmental consequences of an accidental release of radioactivity is highly dependent on our knowledge of the source term characteristics and, in the case when the radioactivity is condensed on particles, the particle size distribution, all of which are generally poorly known. This paper reports on the development of a numerical technique that integrates the radiological measurements with atmospheric dispersion modeling. This results in a more accurate particle-size distribution and particle injection height estimation when compared with measurements of high explosive dispersal of (239)Pu. The estimation model is based on a non-linear least squares regression scheme coupled with the ARAC three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion models. The viability of the approach is evaluated by estimation of ADPIC model input parameters such as the ADPIC particle size mean aerodynamic diameter, the geometric standard deviation, and largest size. Additionally we estimate an optimal 'coupling coefficient' between the particles and an explosive cloud rise model. The experimental data are taken from the Clean Slate 1 field experiment conducted during 1963 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. The regression technique optimizes the agreement between the measured and model predicted concentrations of (239)Pu by varying the model input parameters within their respective ranges of uncertainties. The technique generally estimated the measured concentrations within a factor of 1.5, with the worst estimate being within a factor of 5, very good in view of the complexity of the concentration measurements, the uncertainties associated with the meteorological data, and the limitations of the models. The best fit also suggest a smaller mean diameter and a smaller geometric standard deviation on the particle size as well as a slightly weaker particle to cloud coupling than previously reported.

Room-temperature cavity quantum electrodynamics with strongly coupled Dicke states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breeze, Jonathan D.; Salvadori, Enrico; Sathian, Juna; Alford, Neil McN.; Kay, Christopher W. M.

2017-09-01

The strong coupling regime is essential for efficient transfer of excitations between states in different quantum systems on timescales shorter than their lifetimes. The coupling of single spins to microwave photons is very weak but can be enhanced by increasing the local density of states by reducing the magnetic mode volume of the cavity. In practice, it is difficult to achieve both small cavity mode volume and low cavity decay rate, so superconducting metals are often employed at cryogenic temperatures. For an ensembles of N spins, the spin-photon coupling can be enhanced by √{N } through collective spin excitations known as Dicke states. For sufficiently large N the collective spin-photon coupling can exceed both the spin decoherence and cavity decay rates, making the strong-coupling regime accessible. Here we demonstrate strong coupling and cavity quantum electrodynamics in a solid-state system at room-temperature. We generate an inverted spin-ensemble with N 1015 by photo-exciting pentacene molecules into spin-triplet states with spin dephasing time T2* 3 μs. When coupled to a 1.45 GHz TE01δ mode supported by a high Purcell factor strontium titanate dielectric cavity (Vm 0.25 cm3, Q 8,500), we observe Rabi oscillations in the microwave emission from collective Dicke states and a 1.8 MHz normal-mode splitting of the resultant collective spin-photon polariton. We also observe a cavity protection effect at the onset of the strong-coupling regime which decreases the polariton decay rate as the collective coupling increases.

Quantum factorization of 143 on a dipolar-coupling nuclear magnetic resonance system.

PubMed

Xu, Nanyang; Zhu, Jing; Lu, Dawei; Zhou, Xianyi; Peng, Xinhua; Du, Jiangfeng

2012-03-30

Quantum algorithms could be much faster than classical ones in solving the factoring problem. Adiabatic quantum computation for this is an alternative approach other than Shor's algorithm. Here we report an improved adiabatic factoring algorithm and its experimental realization to factor the number 143 on a liquid-crystal NMR quantum processor with dipole-dipole couplings. We believe this to be the largest number factored in quantum-computation realizations, which shows the practical importance of adiabatic quantum algorithms.

Do singles or couples live healthier lifestyles? Trends in Queensland between 2005-2014.

PubMed

Schoeppe, Stephanie; Vandelanotte, Corneel; Rebar, Amanda L; Hayman, Melanie; Duncan, Mitch J; Alley, Stephanie J

2018-01-01

To compare the frequency of and trends in healthy lifestyle factors between singles and couples. Cross-sectional data from annual surveys conducted from 2005-2014 were used. The pooled sample included 15,001 Australian adults (mean age: 52.9 years, 50% male, 74% couples) who participated in the annual Queensland Social Survey via computer-assisted telephone interviews. Relationship status was dichotomised into single and couple. Binary logistic regression was used to assess associations between relationship status, and the frequency of and trends in healthy lifestyle factors. Compared to singles, couples were significantly more likely to be a non-smoker (OR = 1.82), and meet recommendations for limited fast food (OR = 1.12), alcohol consumption (OR = 1.27) and fruit and vegetable intake (OR = 1.24). Fruit and vegetable intake was not significantly associated with relationship status after adjusting for the other healthy lifestyle factors. Conversely, couples were significantly less likely to be within a normal weight range (OR = 0.81). In both singles and couples, the trend data revealed significant declines in the rates of normal weight (singles: OR = 0.97, couples: OR = 0.97) and viewing TV for less than 14 hours per week (singles: OR = 0.85, couples: OR = 0.84), whilst non-smoking rates significantly increased (singles: OR = 1.12, couples: OR = 1.03). The BMI trend was no longer significant when adjusting for health behaviours. Further, in couples, rates of meeting recommendations for physical activity and fruit/vegetable consumption significantly decreased (OR = 0.97 and OR = 0.95, respectively), as did rates of eating no fast food (OR = 0.96). These trends were not significant when adjusting for the other healthy lifestyle factors. In singles, rates of meeting alcohol recommendations significantly increased (OR = 1.08). Health behaviour interventions are needed in both singles and couples, but relationship status needs to be considered in interventions targeting alcohol, fast food, smoking and BMI. Further research is needed to understand why health behaviours differ by relationship status in order to further improve interventions.

Daily Patterns of Stress and Conflict in Couples: Associations with Marital Aggression and Family-of-Origin Aggression

PubMed Central

Timmons, Adela C.; Arbel, Reout; Margolin, Gayla

2016-01-01

For many married individuals, the ups and downs of daily life are connected such that stressors impacting one person also impact the other person. For example, stress experienced by one individual may “spill over” to negatively impact marital functioning. This study used both partners’ daily diary data to examine same-day and cross-day links between stress and marital conflict and tested several factors that make couples vulnerable to spillover. Assessment of 25 wide-ranging sources of daily stress included both paid and unpaid work, health issues, financial concerns, and having to make difficult decisions. Results showed that both husbands and wives’ experience of total daily stress were associated with greater same-day marital conflict and that conflict was greater on days both spouses experienced high levels of stress. Evidence of cross-day spillover was found only in those couples with high concurrent marital aggression and in couples where wives reported high family-of-origin aggression. These results highlight both the common, anticipated nature of same-day spillover and the potentially problematic aspects of more prolonged patterns representing failure to recover from stressors that occurred the previous day. The discussion focuses on how reactivity in one life domain puts that individual at risk for generating stress in another life domain and how current marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression are associated with difficulty recovering from stressful events. PMID:27504754

Identification of trace levels of selenomethionine and related organic selenium species in high-ionic-strength waters.

PubMed

LeBlanc, Kelly L; Ruzicka, Josef; Wallschläger, Dirk

2016-02-01

A new anion-exchange chromatographic separation method was used for the simultaneous speciation analysis of selenoamino acids and the more ubiquitous inorganic selenium oxyanions, selenite and selenate. For quantification, this separation was coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to achieve an instrumental detection limit of 5 ng Se L(-1) for all species. This chromatographic method was also coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry to observe the negative ion mode fragmentation of selenomethionine and one of its oxidation products. Low detection limits were achieved, which were similar to those obtained using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. An extensive preconcentration and cleanup procedure using cation-exchange solid-phase extraction was developed for the identification and quantification of trace levels of selenomethionine in environmental samples. Preconcentration factors of up to five were observed for selenomethionine, which in addition to the removal of high concentrations of sulphate and chloride from industrial process waters, allowed for an unambiguous analysis that would have been impossible otherwise. Following these methods, selenomethionine was identified at an original concentration of 3.2 ng Se L(-1) in samples of effluent collected at a coal-fired power plant's biological remediation site. It is the first time that this species has been identified in the environment, outside of a biological entity. Additionally, oxidation products of selenomethionine were identified in river water and laboratory algal culture samples. High-resolution mass spectrometry was employed to postulate the chemical structures of these species.

Highly enantioselective synthesis of γ-, δ-, and ε-chiral 1-alkanols via Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA)–Cu- or Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling

PubMed Central

Xu, Shiqing; Oda, Akimichi; Kamada, Hirofumi; Negishi, Ei-ichi

2014-01-01

Despite recent advances of asymmetric synthesis, the preparation of enantiomerically pure (≥99% ee) compounds remains a challenge in modern organic chemistry. We report here a strategy for a highly enantioselective (≥99% ee) and catalytic synthesis of various γ- and more-remotely chiral alcohols from terminal alkenes via Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA reaction)–Cu- or Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling. ZACA–in situ oxidation of tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS)-protected ω-alkene-1-ols produced both (R)- and (S)-α,ω-dioxyfunctional intermediates (3) in 80–88% ee, which were readily purified to the ≥99% ee level by lipase-catalyzed acetylation through exploitation of their high selectivity factors. These α,ω-dioxyfunctional intermediates serve as versatile synthons for the construction of various chiral compounds. Their subsequent Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling with various alkyl (primary, secondary, tertiary, cyclic) Grignard reagents and Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling with aryl and alkenyl halides proceeded smoothly with essentially complete retention of stereochemical configuration to produce a wide variety of γ-, δ-, and ε-chiral 1-alkanols of ≥99% ee. The MαNP ester analysis has been applied to the determination of the enantiomeric purities of δ- and ε-chiral primary alkanols, which sheds light on the relatively undeveloped area of determination of enantiomeric purity and/or absolute configuration of remotely chiral primary alcohols. PMID:24912191

Daily patterns of stress and conflict in couples: Associations with marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression.

PubMed

Timmons, Adela C; Arbel, Reout; Margolin, Gayla

2017-02-01

For many married individuals, the ups and downs of daily life are connected such that stressors impacting one person also impact the other person. For example, stress experienced by one individual may "spill over" to negatively impact marital functioning. This study used both partners' daily diary data to examine same-day and cross-day links between stress and marital conflict and tested several factors that make couples vulnerable to spillover. Assessment of 25 wide-ranging sources of daily stress included both paid and unpaid work, health issues, financial concerns, and having to make difficult decisions. Results showed that both husbands' and wives' experiences of total daily stress were associated with greater same-day marital conflict and that conflict was greater on days both spouses experienced high levels of stress. Evidence of cross-day spillover was found only in those couples with high concurrent marital aggression and in couples where wives reported high family-of-origin aggression. These results highlight both the common, anticipated nature of same-day spillover and the potentially problematic aspects of more prolonged patterns representing failure to recover from stressors that occurred the previous day. The discussion focuses on how reactivity in one life domain puts that individual at risk for generating stress in another life domain and how current marital aggression and family-of-origin aggression are associated with difficulty recovering from stressful events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Evidence of resonant mode coupling and the relationship between low and high frequencies in a rapidly rotating a star

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

Breger, M.; Montgomery, M. H.

In the theory of resonant mode coupling, the parent and child modes are directly related in frequency and phase. The oscillations present in the fast rotating δ Sct star KIC 8054146 allow us to test the most general and generic aspects of such a theory. The only direct way to separate the parent and coupled (child) modes is to examine the correlations in amplitude variability between the different frequencies. For the dominant family of related frequencies, only a single mode and a triplet are the origins of nine dominant frequency peaks ranging from 2.93 to 66.30 cycles day{sup –1} (asmore » well as dozens of small-amplitude combination modes and a predicted and detected third high-frequency triplet). The mode-coupling model correctly predicts the large amplitude variations of the coupled modes as a product of the amplitudes of the parent modes, while the phase changes are also correctly modeled. This differs from the behavior of 'normal' combination frequencies in that the amplitudes are three orders of magnitude larger and may exceed even the amplitudes of the parent modes. We show that two dominant low frequencies at 5.86 and 2.93 cycles day{sup –1} in the gravity-mode region are not harmonics of each other, and their properties follow those of the almost equidistant high-frequency triplet. We note that the previously puzzling situation of finding two strong peaks in the low-frequency region related by nearly a factor of two in frequency has been seen in other δ Sct stars as well.« less

Tree-Structured Infinite Sparse Factor Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, XianXing; Dunson, David B.; Carin, Lawrence

2013-01-01

A tree-structured multiplicative gamma process (TMGP) is developed, for inferring the depth of a tree-based factor-analysis model. This new model is coupled with the nested Chinese restaurant process, to nonparametrically infer the depth and width (structure) of the tree. In addition to developing the model, theoretical properties of the TMGP are addressed, and a novel MCMC sampler is developed. The structure of the inferred tree is used to learn relationships between high-dimensional data, and the model is also applied to compressive sensing and interpolation of incomplete images. PMID:25279389

Family time of couples with children: Shortening gender differences in parenting?

PubMed Central

Roman, Joan Garcia; Cortina, Clara

2015-01-01

In the context of dramatic changes in family organization, this research analyzes time shared with the family (partner and children) among couples with young children in Spain. The main purpose of the paper is to analyze the differences in the roles of mothers and fathers in dual-earner and male-breadwinner couples. For this purpose, we use information derived from the question “with whom the activity is done,” which is included in the enumeration form of the Spanish Time Use Survey 2009-2010. The availability of time-use diaries for all the members of a household allows the use of the couple as a unit of analysis. The descriptive and multivariate results show that mothers spend more time with children than fathers do and that the employment-status variables are the most determining factors. Gender-balanced couples have lower differences in the time that fathers and mothers spend on activities with their children. However, the differences remain high, and mothers are still the main caregivers in the household. These findings apply to a specific context characterized by weak policies related to balancing family and work and by the persistence of a division of roles in the couple with some resemblances to the traditional model, especially in the role that considers mothers the main caregivers. PMID:27818619

Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling: processes and rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotko, W.

Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling describes the interaction between the collisionless plasma of the magnetosphere and the ionized and neutral collisional gases of the ionosphere and thermosphere. This coupling introduces feedback and scale interactivity in the form of a time-variable mass flux, electron energy flux and Poynting flux flowing between the two regions. Although delineation of an MI coupling region is somewhat ambiguous, at mid and high latitudes it may be considered as the region of the topside ionosphere and low-altitude magnetosphere where electromagnetic energy is converted to plasma beams and heat via collisionless dissipation processes. Above this region the magnetically guided transmission of electromagnetic power from distant magnetospheric dynamos encounters only weak attenuation. The ionospheric region below it is dominated by ionization processes and collisional cross-field transport and current closure. This tutorial will use observations, models and theory to characterize three major issues in MI coupling: (1) the production of plasma beams and heat in the coupling region; (2) the acceleration of ions leading to massive outflows; and (3) the length and time scale dependence of electromagnetic energy deposition at low altitude. Our success in identifying many of the key processes is offset by a lack of quantitative understanding of the factors controlling the rates of energy deposition and of the production of particle energy and mass fluxes.

Electromechanical Coupling Factor of Breast Tissue as a Biomarker for Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Park, Kihan; Chen, Wenjin; Chekmareva, Marina A; Foran, David J; Desai, Jaydev P

2018-01-01

This research aims to validate a new biomarker of breast cancer by introducing electromechanical coupling factor of breast tissue samples as a possible additional indicator of breast cancer. Since collagen fibril exhibits a structural organization that gives rise to a piezoelectric effect, the difference in collagen density between normal and cancerous tissue can be captured by identifying the corresponding electromechanical coupling factor. The design of a portable diagnostic tool and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based biochip, which is integrated with a piezoresistive sensing layer for measuring the reaction force as well as a microheater for temperature control, is introduced. To verify that electromechanical coupling factor can be used as a biomarker for breast cancer, the piezoelectric model for breast tissue is described with preliminary experimental results on five sets of normal and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) samples in the 25-45 temperature range. While the stiffness of breast tissues can be captured as a representative mechanical signature which allows one to discriminate among tissue types especially in the higher strain region, the electromechanical coupling factor shows more distinct differences between the normal and IDC groups over the entire strain region than the mechanical signature. From the two-sample -test, the electromechanical coupling factor under compression shows statistically significant differences ( 0.0039) between the two groups. The increase in collagen density in breast tissue is an objective and reproducible characteristic of breast cancer. Although characterization of mechanical tissue property has been shown to be useful for differentiating cancerous tissue from normal tissue, using a single parameter may not be sufficient for practical usage due to inherent variation among biological samples. The portable breast cancer diagnostic tool reported in this manuscript shows the feasibility of measuring multiple parameters of breast tissue allowing for practical application.

Travelling wave resonators fabricated with low-loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipka, Timo; Amthor, Julia; Trieu, Hoc Khiem; Müller, Jörg

2013-05-01

Low-loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon is employed for the fabrication of various planar integrated travelling wave resonators. Microring, racetrack, and disk resonators of different dimensions were fabricated with CMOS-compatible processes and systematically investigated. The key properties of notch filter ring resonators as extinction ratio, Q-factor, free spectral range, and the group refractive index were determined for resonators of varying radius, thereby achieving critically coupled photonic systems with high extinction ratios of about 20 dB for both polarizations. Racetrack resonators that are arranged in add/drop configuration and high quality factor microdisk resonators were optically characterized, with the microdisks exhibiting Q-factors of greater than 100000. Four-channel add/drop wavelength-division multiplexing filters that are based on cascaded racetrack resonators are studied. The design, the fabrication, and the optical characterization are presented.

Families in a High-Tech Age: Technology Usage Patterns, Work and Family Correlates, and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesley, Noelle

2006-01-01

This study analyzes a couple-level ("N" = 581), longitudinal data set of employees to provide evidence about technology use over time, the factors that predict use, and the potential for a spouse to influence an individual's use. Although longitudinal usage patterns suggest a trend toward adoption and use of e-mail, the Internet, cell phones, and…

Infertility in Mazandaran province - north of Iran: an etiological study

PubMed Central

Karimpour Malekshah, Abbasali; Esmailnejad Moghaddam, Amir; Moslemizadeh, Narges; Peivandi, Sepideh; Barzegarnejad, Ayyub; Musanejad, Nadali; Jursarayee, Gholamali

2011-01-01

Background: The prevalence and etiology of infertility are not similar in different parts of the world. There are only few reports of this topic in Iran. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in Mazandaran province in north of Iran. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 3734 consecutive couples attending two infertility clinics in Mazandaran province, from 2003 to 2008, were reviewed. The couples had not had a viable birth after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse and were fully investigated. Results: Of the entire samples, 78.7% had primary infertility and 21.3% had secondary infertility. The mean duration of infertility in couples was 5.7±4 years. The etiology of infertility in couples revealed; male factor in 38.9%, female factor in 34.7%, combined factors in 14.6% and undetermined cause in 11.8%. Conclusion: In this study, delayed attendance of infertile couples to the infertility clinic was found. Therefore, there is a need to revise public health program on infertility to focus on the education and prevention of infertility and its risk factors. PMID:25356077

Cultural and temperamental variation in emotional response.

PubMed

Tsai, Jeanne L; Levenson, Robert W; McCoy, Kimberly

2006-08-01

To examine the relative influence of cultural and temperamental factors on emotional response, we compared the emotional behavior, reports of emotional experience, and autonomic responses of 50 European American (EA) and 48 Chinese American (CA) college-age dating couples during conversations about conflicts in their relationships. EA couples showed more positive and less negative emotional behavior than did CA couples, despite similarities in reports of emotional experience and autonomic reactivity. Group differences in emotional behavior were mediated by cultural (values and practices) but not temperamental factors (neuroticism and extraversion). Collapsing across groups, cultural factors accounted for greater variance in emotional behavior but lesser variance in reports of emotional experience compared with temperamental factors. Together, these findings suggest that the relative influence of cultural and temperamental factors on emotion varies by response component. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved

Spontaneous structural distortion of the metallic Shastry-Sutherland system Dy B4 by quadrupole-spin-lattice coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sim, Hasung; Lee, Seongsu; Hong, Kun-Pyo; Jeong, Jaehong; Zhang, J. R.; Kamiyama, T.; Adroja, D. T.; Murray, C. A.; Thompson, S. P.; Iga, F.; Ji, S.; Khomskii, D.; Park, Je-Geun

2016-11-01

Dy B4 has a two-dimensional Shastry-Sutherland (Sh-S) lattice with strong Ising character of the Dy ions. Despite the intrinsic frustrations, it undergoes two successive transitions: a magnetic ordering at TN=20 K and a quadrupole ordering at TQ=12.5 K . From high-resolution neutron and synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction studies, we have obtained full structural information on this material in all phases and demonstrate that structural modifications occurring at quadrupolar transition lead to the lifting of frustrations inherent in the Sh-S model. Our paper thus provides a complete experimental picture of how the intrinsic frustration of the Sh-S lattice can be lifted by the coupling to quadrupole moments. We show that two other factors, i.e., strong spin-orbit coupling and long-range Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction in metallic Dy B4 , play an important role in this behavior.

Resonant coupling into hybrid 3D micro-resonator devices on organic/biomolecular film/glass photonic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bêche, Bruno; Potel, Arnaud; Barbe, Jérémy; Vié, Véronique; Zyss, Joseph; Godet, Christian; Huby, Nolwenn; Pluchon, David; Gaviot, Etienne

2010-01-01

We have designed and realized an integrated photonic family of micro-resonators (MR) on multilayer SU8/lipidic film/glass materials. Such a family involves hybrid 3D-MR structures composed of spherical glass-MR arranged upon organic pair-SU8-waveguides, an efficient coupling being ensured with a Langmuir-Blodgett Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC-lipid from Avanti Polar ®) film whose thickness is ranging from 12 to 48 nm. We have characterized such add/drop filters, respectively, in intensity and spectral measurements, and experimentally achieved an evanescent resonant-photonic-coupling between the 3D-MR and the 4-ports structure through the DPPC-gap. Spectral resonances have been measured for 4-whispering gallery-modes (WGM) into such 3D-structures, respectively, characterized with a 0.97 nm free spectral range (FSR) and a high quality Q-factor up to 4.10 4.

Kny Coupling Constants and Form Factors from the Chiral Bag Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, M. T.; Cheon, Il-T.

2000-09-01

The form factors and coupling constants for KNΛ and KNΣ interactions have been calculated in the framework of the Chiral Bag Model with vector mesons. Taking into account vector meson (ρ, ω, K*) field effects, we find -3.88 ≤ gKNΛ ≤ -3.67 and 1.15 ≤ gKNΣ ≤ 1.24, where the quark-meson coupling constants are determined by fitting the renormalized, πNN coupling constant, [gπNN(0)]2/4π = 14.3. It is shown that vector mesons make significant contributions to the coupling constants gKNΛ and gKNΣ. Our values are existing within the experimental limits compared to the phenomenological values extracted from the kaon photo production experiments.

China's community-based strategy of universal preconception care in rural areas at a population level using a novel risk classification system for stratifying couples´ preconception health status.

PubMed

Zhou, Qiongjie; Zhang, Shikun; Wang, Qiaomei; Shen, Haiping; Tian, Weidong; Chen, Jingqi; Acharya, Ganesh; Li, Xiaotian

2016-12-28

Preconception care (PCC) is recommended for optimizing a woman's health prior to pregnancy to minimize the risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of strategy and a novel risk classification model of China´s "National Preconception Health Care Project" (NPHCP) in identifying risk factors and stratifying couples' preconception health status. We performed a secondary analysis of data collected by NPHCP during April 2010 to December 2012 in 220 selected counties in China. All couples enrolled in the project accepted free preconception health examination, risk evaluation, health education and medical advice. Risk factors were categorized into five preconception risk classes based on their amenability to prevention and treatment: A-avoidable risk factors, B- benefiting from targeted medical intervention, C-controllable but requiring close monitoring and treatment during pregnancy, D-diagnosable prenatally but not modifiable preconceptionally, X-pregnancy not advisable. Information on each couple´s socio-demographic and health status was recorded and further analyzed. Among the 2,142,849 couples who were enrolled to this study, the majority (92.36%) were from rural areas with low education levels (89.2% women and 88.3% men had education below university level). A total of 1463266 (68.29%) couples had one or more preconception risk factors mainly of category A, B and C, among which 46.25% were women and 51.92% were men. Category A risk factors were more common among men compared with women (38.13% versus 11.24%; P = 0.000). This project provided new insights into preconception health of Chinese couples of reproductive age. More than half of the male partners planning to father a child, were exposed to risk factors during the preconception period, suggesting that an integrated approach to PCC including both women and men is justified. Stratification based on the new risk classification model demonstrated that a majority of the risk factors are avoidable, or preventable by medical intervention. Therefore, universal free PCC can be expected to improve pregnancy outcomes in rural China.

Stackable Form-Factor Peripheral Component Interconnect Device and Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somervill, Kevin M. (Inventor); Ng, Tak-kwong (Inventor); Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo (Inventor); Malekpour, Mahyar R. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A stackable form-factor Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device can be configured as a host controller or a master/target for use on a PCI assembly. PCI device may comprise a multiple-input switch coupled to a PCI bus, a multiplexor coupled to the switch, and a reconfigurable device coupled to one of the switch and multiplexor. The PCI device is configured to support functionality from power-up, and either control function or add-in card function.

Thin film organic photodetectors for indirect X-ray detection demonstrating low dose rate sensitivity at low voltage operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starkenburg, Daken J.; Johns, Paul M.; Baciak, James E.; Nino, Juan C.; Xue, Jiangeng

2017-12-01

Developments in the field of organic semiconductors have generated organic photodetectors with high quantum efficiency, wide spectral sensitivity, low power consumption, and unique form factors that are flexible and conformable to their substrate shape. In this work, organic photodetectors coupled with inorganic CsI(Tl) scintillators are used to showcase the low dose rate sensitivity that is enabled when high performance organic photodetectors and scintillator crystals are integrated. The detection capability of these organic-inorganic coupled systems to high energy radiation highlights their potential as an alternative to traditional photomultiplier tubes for nuclear spectroscopy applications. When exposed to Bremsstrahlung radiation produced from an X-ray generator, SubPc:C60, AlPcCl:C70, and P3HT:PC61BM thin film photodetectors with active layer thicknesses less than 100 nm show detection of incident radiation at low and no applied bias. Remarkably low dose rates, down to at least 0.18 μGy/s, were detectable with a characteristic linear relationship between exposure rate and photodetector current output. These devices also demonstrate sensitivities as high as 5.37 mC Gy-1 cm-2 when coupled to CsI(Tl). Additionally, as the tube voltage across the X-ray generator was varied, these organic-inorganic systems showed their ability to detect a range of continuous radiation spectra spanning several hundred keV.

Coupling between high-frequency ultrasound and solar photo-Fenton at pilot scale for the treatment of organic contaminants: an initial approach.

PubMed

Papoutsakis, Stefanos; Miralles-Cuevas, Sara; Gondrexon, Nicolas; Baup, Stéphane; Malato, Sixto; Pulgarin, César

2015-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the performance of a novel pilot-scale coupled system consisting of a high frequency ultrasonic reactor (400kHz) and a compound parabolic collector (CPC). The benefits of the concurrent application of ultrasound and the photo-Fenton process were studied in regard to the degradation behavior of a series of organic pollutants. Three compounds (phenol, bisphenol A and diuron) with different physicochemical properties have been chosen in order to identify possible synergistic effects and to obtain a better estimate of the general feasibility of such a system at field scale (10L). Bisphenol A and diuron were specifically chosen due to their high hydrophobicity, and thus their assumed higher affinity towards the cavitation bubble. Experiments were conducted under ultrasonic, photo-Fenton and combined treatments. Enhanced degradation kinetics were observed during the coupled treatment and synergy factors clearly in excess of 1 have been calculated for phenol as well as for saturated solutions of bisphenol A and diuron. Although the relatively high cost of ultrasound compared to photo-Fenton still presents a significant challenge towards mainstream industrial application, the observed behavior suggests that its prudent use has the potential to significantly benefit the photo-Fenton process, via the decrease of both treatment time and H2O2 consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tunable Q-factor silicon microring resonators for ultra-low power parametric processes.

PubMed

Strain, Michael J; Lacava, Cosimo; Meriggi, Laura; Cristiani, Ilaria; Sorel, Marc

2015-04-01

A compact silicon ring resonator is demonstrated that allows simple electrical tuning of the ring coupling coefficient and Q-factor and therefore the resonant enhancement of on-chip nonlinear optical processes. Fabrication-induced variation in designed coupling fraction, crucial in the resonator performance, can be overcome using this post-fabrication trimming technique. Tuning of the microring resonator across the critical coupling point is demonstrated, exhibiting a Q-factor tunable between 9000 and 96,000. Consequently, resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing shows tunable efficiency between -40 and -16.3  dB at an ultra-low on-chip pump power of 0.7 mW.

Novel high-brightness fiber coupled diode laser device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, Matthias; Köhler, Bernd; Biesenbach, Jens; Brand, Thomas

2007-02-01

High brightness becomes more and more important in diode laser applications for fiber laser pumping and materials processing. For OEM customers fiber coupled devices have great advantages over direct beam modules: the fiber exit is a standardized interface, beam guiding is easy with nearly unlimited flexibility. In addition to the transport function the fiber serves as homogenizer: the beam profile of the laser radiation emitted from a fiber is symmetrical with highly repeatable beam quality and pointing stability. However, efficient fiber coupling requires an adaption of the slow-axis beam quality to the fiber requirements. Diode laser systems based on standard 10mm bars usually employ beam transformation systems to rearrange the highly asymmetrical beam of the laser bar or laser stack. These beam transformation systems (prism arrays, lens arrays, fiber bundles etc.) are expensive and become inefficient with increasing complexity. This is especially true for high power devices with small fiber diameters. On the other hand, systems based on single emitters are claimed to have good potential in cost reduction. Brightness of the inevitable fiber bundles, though, is limited due to inherent fill-factor losses. At DILAS a novel diode laser device has been developed combining the advantages of diode bars and single emitters: high brightness at high reliability with single emitter cost structure. Heart of the device is a specially tailored laser bar (T-Bar), which epitaxial and lateral structure was designed such that only standard fast- and slow-axis collimator lenses are required to couple the beam into a 200μm fiber. Up to 30 of these T-Bars of one wavelength can be combined to reach a total of > 500W ex fiber in the first step. Going to a power level of today's single emitter diodes even 1kW ex 200μm fiber can be expected.

Ground-state phase diagram of the repulsive fermionic t -t' Hubbard model on the square lattice from weak coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šimkovic, Fedor; Liu, Xuan-Wen; Deng, Youjin; Kozik, Evgeny

2016-08-01

We obtain a complete and numerically exact in the weak-coupling limit (U →0 ) ground-state phase diagram of the repulsive fermionic Hubbard model on the square lattice for filling factors 0

[Assessment of Couples' Communication in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Validation of a German Version of the Couple Communication Scale (CCS)].

PubMed

Conrad, Martina; Engelmann, Dorit; Friedrich, Michael; Scheffold, Katharina; Philipp, Rebecca; Schulz-Kindermann, Frank; Härter, Martin; Mehnert, Anja; Koranyi, Susan

2018-04-13

There are only a few valid instruments measuring couples' communication in patients with cancer for German speaking countries. The Couple Communication Scale (CCS) represents an established instrument to assess couples' communication. However, there is no evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the German version of the CCS until now and the assumed one factor structure of the CCS was not verified for patients with advanced cancer yet. The CCS was validated as a part of the study "Managing cancer and living meaningfully" (CALM) on N=136 patients with advanced cancer (≥18 years, UICC-state III/IV). The psychometric properties of the scale were calculated (factor reliability, item reliability, average variance extracted [DEV]) and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted (Maximum Likelihood Estimation). The concurrent validity was tested against symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7), depression (BDI-II) and attachment insecurity (ECR-M16). In the confirmatory factor analysis, the one factor structure showed a low, but acceptable model fit and explained on average 49% of every item's variance (DEV). The CCS has an excellent internal consistency (Cronbachs α=0,91) and was negatively associated with attachment insecurity (ECR-M16: anxiety: r=- 0,55, p<0,01; avoidance: r=- 0,42, p<0,01) as well as with anxiety (GAD-7: r=- 0,20, p<0,05) and depression (BDI-II: r=- 0,27, p<0,01). The CCS is a reliable and valid instrument measuring couples' communication in patients with advanced cancer. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

High efficiency and good beam quality of electro-optic, cavity-dumped and double-end pumped Nd:YLF laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, X. X.; Fan, Z. W.; Qiu, J. S.; Lian, F. Q.; Zhang, X. L.

2012-06-01

In this paper, we describe a Nd:YLF laser based on high-speed RTP electro-optical cavity dumping technique. Two home-made 150 W fiber pump modules are used from both sides to pump Nd:YLF crystal. Coupling systems are the key elements in end-pumped solid-state lasers, the aberrations of which greatly affect the efficiency of the lasers. In order to get high efficient and good quality laser output, the optical software ZEMAX is used to design a four-piece coupling system. When the pumped energy is 32 mJ at the repetition rate of 1 Hz, the output energy is 6.5 mJ with 2.5 ns pulse width. When the pumped energy is 13.1 W at the repetition rate of 200 Hz, the output energy is 2.2 W with small M 2 factor where M {/x 2} is 1.04, and M {/y 2} is 1.05, and the light-light conversion efficiency is up to 16.8%.

Enhanced Single-Photon Emission from Carbon-Nanotube Dopant States Coupled to Silicon Microcavities.

PubMed

Ishii, Akihiro; He, Xiaowei; Hartmann, Nicolai F; Machiya, Hidenori; Htoon, Han; Doorn, Stephen K; Kato, Yuichiro K

2018-06-13

Single-walled carbon nanotubes are a promising material as quantum light sources at room temperature and as nanoscale light sources for integrated photonic circuits on silicon. Here, we show that the integration of dopant states in carbon nanotubes and silicon microcavities can provide bright and high-purity single-photon emitters on a silicon photonics platform at room temperature. We perform photoluminescence spectroscopy and observe the enhancement of emission from the dopant states by a factor of ∼50, and cavity-enhanced radiative decay is confirmed using time-resolved measurements, in which a ∼30% decrease of emission lifetime is observed. The statistics of photons emitted from the cavity-coupled dopant states are investigated by photon-correlation measurements, and high-purity single photon generation is observed. The excitation power dependence of photon emission statistics shows that the degree of photon antibunching can be kept high even when the excitation power increases, while the single-photon emission rate can be increased to ∼1.7 × 10 7 Hz.

Parametric Oscillation, Frequency Mixing, and Injection Locking of Strongly Coupled Nanomechanical Resonator Modes.

PubMed

Seitner, Maximilian J; Abdi, Mehdi; Ridolfo, Alessandro; Hartmann, Michael J; Weig, Eva M

2017-06-23

We study locking phenomena of two strongly coupled, high quality factor nanomechanical resonator modes to a common parametric drive at a single drive frequency in different parametric driving regimes. By controlled dielectric gradient forces we tune the resonance frequencies of the flexural in-plane and out-of-plane oscillation of the high stress silicon nitride string through their mutual avoided crossing. For the case of the strong common parametric drive signal-idler generation via nondegenerate parametric two-mode oscillation is observed. Broadband frequency tuning of the very narrow linewidth signal and idler resonances is demonstrated. When the resonance frequencies of the signal and idler get closer to each other, partial injection locking, injection pulling, and complete injection locking to half of the drive frequency occurs depending on the pump strength. Furthermore, satellite resonances, symmetrically offset from the signal and idler by their beat note, are observed, which can be attributed to degenerate four-wave mixing in the highly nonlinear mechanical oscillations.

Enhanced Single-Photon Emission from Carbon-Nanotube Dopant States Coupled to Silicon Microcavities

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

Ishii, Akihiro; He, Xiaowei; Hartmann, Nicolai F.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes are a promising material as quantum light sources at room temperature and as nanoscale light sources for integrated photonic circuits on silicon. Here, we show that the integration of dopant states in carbon nanotubes and silicon microcavities can provide bright and high-purity single-photon emitters on a silicon photonics platform at room temperature. We perform photoluminescence spectroscopy and observe the enhancement of emission from the dopant states by a factor of ~50, and cavity-enhanced radiative decay is confirmed using time-resolved measurements, in which a ~30% decrease of emission lifetime is observed. The statistics of photons emitted from themore » cavity-coupled dopant states are investigated by photon-correlation measurements, and high-purity single photon generation is observed. The excitation power dependence of photon emission statistics shows that the degree of photon antibunching can be kept high even when the excitation power increases, while the single-photon emission rate can be increased to ~1.7 × 10 7 Hz.« less

Enhanced Single-Photon Emission from Carbon-Nanotube Dopant States Coupled to Silicon Microcavities

DOE PAGES

Ishii, Akihiro; He, Xiaowei; Hartmann, Nicolai F.; ...

2018-05-21

Single-walled carbon nanotubes are a promising material as quantum light sources at room temperature and as nanoscale light sources for integrated photonic circuits on silicon. Here, we show that the integration of dopant states in carbon nanotubes and silicon microcavities can provide bright and high-purity single-photon emitters on a silicon photonics platform at room temperature. We perform photoluminescence spectroscopy and observe the enhancement of emission from the dopant states by a factor of ~50, and cavity-enhanced radiative decay is confirmed using time-resolved measurements, in which a ~30% decrease of emission lifetime is observed. The statistics of photons emitted from themore » cavity-coupled dopant states are investigated by photon-correlation measurements, and high-purity single photon generation is observed. The excitation power dependence of photon emission statistics shows that the degree of photon antibunching can be kept high even when the excitation power increases, while the single-photon emission rate can be increased to ~1.7 × 10 7 Hz.« less

100W high-brightness multi-emitter laser pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duesterberg, Richard; Xu, Lei; Skidmore, Jay A.; Guo, James; Cheng, Jane; Du, Jihua; Johnson, Brad; Vecht, David L.; Guerin, Nicolas; Huang, Benlih; Yin, Dongliang; Cheng, Peter; Raju, Reddy; Lee, Kong Weng; Cai, Jason; Rossin, Victor; Zucker, Erik P.

2011-03-01

We report results of a spatially-multiplexed broad area laser diode platform designed for efficient pumping of fiber lasers or direct-diode systems. Optical output power in excess of 100W from a 105μm core, 0.15NA fiber is demonstrated with high coupling efficiency. The compact form factor and low thermal resistance enable tight packing densities needed for kW-class fiber laser systems. Broad area laser diodes have been optimized to reduce near- and far-field performance and prevent blooming without sacrificing other electro-optic parameters. With proper lens optimization this produces ~5% increase in coupling / wall plug efficiency for our design. In addition to performance characteristics, an update on long term reliability testing of 9XX nm broad area laser diode is provided that continues to show no wear out under high acceleration. Under nominal operating conditions of 12W ex-facet power at 25C, the diode mean time to failure (MTTF) is forecast to be ~ 480 kh.

Coupling Two-Dimensional MoTe2 and InGaZnO Thin-Film Materials for Hybrid PN Junction and CMOS Inverters.

PubMed

Lee, Han Sol; Choi, Kyunghee; Kim, Jin Sung; Yu, Sanghyuck; Ko, Kyeong Rok; Im, Seongil

2017-05-10

We report the fabrication of hybrid PN junction diode and complementary (CMOS) inverters, where 2D p-type MoTe 2 and n-type thin film InGaZnO (IGZO) are coupled for each device process. IGZO thin film was initially patterned by conventional photolithography either for n-type material in a PN diode or for n-channel of top-gate field-effect transistors (FET) in CMOS inverter. The hybrid PN junction diode shows a good ideality factor of 1.57 and quite a high ON/OFF rectification ratio of ∼3 × 10 4 . Under photons, our hybrid PN diode appeared somewhat stable only responding to high-energy photons of blue and ultraviolet. Our 2D nanosheet-oxide film hybrid CMOS inverter exhibits voltage gains as high as ∼40 at 5 V, low power consumption less than around a few nW at 1 V, and ∼200 μs switching dynamics.

Shared Genetics and Couple-Associated Environment Are Major Contributors to the Risk of Both Clinical and Self-Declared Depression.

PubMed

Zeng, Yanni; Navarro, Pau; Xia, Charley; Amador, Carmen; Fernandez-Pujals, Ana M; Thomson, Pippa A; Campbell, Archie; Nagy, Reka; Clarke, Toni-Kim; Hafferty, Jonathan D; Smith, Blair H; Hocking, Lynne J; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Hayward, Caroline; MacIntyre, Donald J; Porteous, David J; Haley, Chris S; McIntosh, Andrew M

2016-12-01

Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to risk of depression, but estimates of their relative contributions are limited. Commonalities between clinically-assessed major depressive disorder (MDD) and self-declared depression (SDD) are also unclear. Using data from a large Scottish family-based cohort (GS:SFHS, N=19,994), we estimated the genetic and environmental variance components for MDD and SDD. The components representing the genetic effect associated with genome-wide common genetic variants (SNP heritability), the additional pedigree-associated genetic effect and non-genetic effects associated with common environments were estimated in a linear mixed model (LMM). Both MDD and SDD had significant contributions from components representing the effect from common genetic variants, the additional genetic effect associated with the pedigree and the common environmental effect shared by couples. The estimate of correlation between SDD and MDD was high (r=1.00, se=0.20) for common-variant-associated genetic effect and lower for the additional genetic effect from the pedigree (r=0.57, se=0.08) and the couple-shared environmental effect (r=0.53, se=0.22). Both genetics and couple-shared environmental effects were major factors influencing liability to depression. SDD may provide a scalable alternative to MDD in studies seeking to identify common risk variants. Rarer variants and environmental effects may however differ substantially according to different definitions of depression. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Affiliation and Control During Marital Disagreement, History of Divorce, and Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Calcification in Older Couples

PubMed Central

Smith, Timothy W.; Uchino, Bert N.; Florsheim, Paul; Berg, Cynthia A.; Butner, Jonathan; Hawkins, Melissa; Henry, Nancy J. M.; Beveridge, Ryan M.; Pearce, Gale; Hopkins, Paul N.; Yoon, Hyo-Chun

2011-01-01

Objective Marital disruption and low marital quality confer risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in some but not all studies. Inconsistencies might reflect limitations of self-reports of marital quality compared to behavioral observations. Also, aspects of marital quality related to CAD might differ for men and women. This study examined behavioral observations of affiliation (i.e., warmth vs. hostility) and control (i.e., dominance vs. submissiveness) and prior divorce as predictors of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in older couples. Methods Couples underwent CT scans for CAC and marital assessments including observations of laboratory-based disagreement. Participants were 154 couples (mean age = 63.5; mean length of marriage = 36.4 years) free of prio diagnosis of CAD. Results Controlling traditional risk factors, behavioral measures of affiliation (low warmth) accounted for 6.2% of variance in CAC for women, p<.01, but not for men. Controlling behavior (dominance) accounted for 6.0% of variance in CAC for men, p<.02, but not for women. Behavioral measures were related to self-reports of marital quality, but the latter were unrelated to CAC. History of divorce predicted CAC for men and women. Conclusions History of divorce and behavioral – but not self-report – measures of marital quality were related to CAD, such that low warmth and high dominance conferred risk for women and men, respectively. Prior research might underestimate the role of marital quality in CAD by relying on global self-reports of this risk factor. PMID:21364198

Affiliation and control during marital disagreement, history of divorce, and asymptomatic coronary artery calcification in older couples.

PubMed

Smith, Timothy W; Uchino, Bert N; Florsheim, Paul; Berg, Cynthia A; Butner, Jonathan; Hawkins, Melissa; Henry, Nancy J M; Beveridge, Ryan M; Pearce, Gale; Hopkins, Paul N; Yoon, Hyo-Chun

2011-05-01

To examine behavioral observations of affiliation (ie, warmth versus hostility) and control (ie, dominance versus submissiveness) and prior divorce as predictors of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in older couples. In some but not all studies, marital disruption and low marital quality have been shown to confer risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Inconsistencies might reflect limitations of self-reports of marital quality compared with behavioral observations. Also, aspects of marital quality related to CAD might differ for men and women. Couples underwent computed tomography scans for CAC and marital assessments, including observations of laboratory-based disagreement. Participants were 154 couples (mean age, 63.5 years; mean length of marriage, 36.4 years) free of prior diagnosis of CAD. Controlling traditional risk factors, we found behavioral measures of affiliation (low warmth) accounted for 6.2% of variance in CAC for women, p < .01, but not for men. Controlling behavior (dominance) accounted for 6.0% of variance in CAC for men, p < .02, but not for women. Behavioral measures were related to self-reports of marital quality, but the latter were unrelated to CAC. History of divorce predicted CAC for men and women. History of divorce and behavioral--but not self-report--measures of marital quality were related to CAD, such that low warmth and high dominance conferred risk for women and men, respectively. Prior research might underestimate the role of marital quality in CAD by relying on global self-reports of this risk factor.

Method of recording bioelectrical signals using a capacitive coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, V. A.; Gerasimov, V. A.; Kostrin, D. K.; Selivanov, L. M.; Uhov, A. A.

2017-11-01

In this article a technique for the bioelectrical signals acquisition by means of the capacitive sensors is described. A feedback loop for the ultra-high impedance biasing of the input instrumentation amplifier, which provides receiving of the electrical cardiac signal (ECS) through a capacitive coupling, is proposed. The mains 50/60 Hz noise is suppressed by a narrow-band stop filter with an independent notch frequency and quality factor tuning. Filter output is attached to a ΣΔ analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which acquires the filtered signal with a 24-bit resolution. Signal processing board is connected through universal serial bus interface to a personal computer, where ECS in a digital form is recorded and processed.

Evidence of dilute ferromagnetism in rare-earth doped yttrium aluminium garnet

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

Farr, Warrick G.; Goryachev, Maxim; Le Floch, Jean-Michel

This work demonstrates strong coupling regime between an erbium ion spin ensemble and microwave hybrid cavity-whispering gallery modes in a yttrium aluminium garnet dielectric crystal. Coupling strengths of 220 MHz and mode quality factors in excess of 10{sup 6} are demonstrated. Moreover, the magnetic response of high-Q modes demonstrates behaviour which is unusual for paramagnetic systems. This behaviour includes hysteresis and memory effects. Such qualitative change of the system's magnetic field response is interpreted as a phase transition of rare earth ion impurities. This phenomenon is similar to the phenomenon of dilute ferromagnetism in semiconductors. The clear temperature dependence of themore » phenomenon is demonstrated.« less

Miniaturized GC/MS instrumentation for in situ measurements: micro gas chromatography coupled with miniature quadrupole array and paul ion trap mass spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, P.; Chutjian, A.; Darrach, M.; Orient, O.

2002-01-01

Miniaturized chemical instrumentation is needed for in situ measurements in planetary exploration and other spaceflight applications where factors such as reduction in payload requirements and enhanced robustness are important. In response to this need, we are 'continuing to develop miniaturized GC/MS instrumentation which combines chemical separations by gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry (MS) to provide positive identification of chemical compounds in complex mixtures of gases, such as those found in the International Space Station's cabin atmosphere. Our design approach utilizes micro gas chromatography components coupled with either a miniature quadrupole mass spectrometer array (QMSA) or compact, high-resolution Paul ion trap.

Wave-Wave Coupling and Disasters: The 1985 Mexico Earthquake and the 2001 WTC Collapse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lomnitz, C.

2002-12-01

Wave-wave coupling occurs in the presence of weak nonlinearity. It can generate quite dramatic, unexpected effects. In the 1985 earthquake disaster in Mexico City more than 400 high-rise buildings collapsed on soft ground with a loss of life of around 10,000. The emergence of a large, monochromatic, coherent ground wave was an unforeseen factor. Linear modeling failed to reproduce the main features of this signal including the prominent spectral peak close to the resonant frequency of the high-rise buildings, and an extremely long time duration (more than five minutes). The signal was apparently due to coupling of a fundamental Rayleigh mode to the quarter-wavelength shear resonance in the surface mud layer through their common frequency at 0.4 Hz. An additional unexpected feature was the low attenuation of these modes in the mud layer, and the presence of prograde particle motion. Prograde rotation, though not necessarily caused by nonlinear effects, will couple with structural modes of vibration that tend to destabilize a tall building, much like a tall ship in ocean waves. Such unanticipated features may play a critical role in earthquake disasters on soft ground. A related case is the World Trade Center disaster of 11 September 2001, which was presumed to be due to gradual heat softening of steel girders. If so, the Twin Towers should have leaned over sideways but actually the collapse occurred vertically and quite suddenly. A likely alternative is coupling between a fireball caused by a phase transition between low- and high-oxygen consumption modes in burning jet fuel: (low-oxygen) 2CnH2n+2 + (n+1)O2 = nC2 + (2n+2)H2O, (1) (high-oxygen) 2CnH2n+2 + (3n+1)O2 = 2nCO2 + (2n+2)H2O, (2) and a pressure pulse propagating vertically inside the tubular structure. The pulse would have taken out the concrete floors, thus initiating collapse by implosion of the structural shell. Linear thinking may fail to anticipate coupling, and thus appropriate preventive measures may not be provided.

Sources, distribution and export coefficient of phosphorus in lowland polders of Lake Taihu Basin, China.

PubMed

Huang, Jiacong; Gao, Junfeng; Jiang, Yong; Yin, Hongbin; Amiri, Bahman Jabbarian

2017-12-01

Identifying phosphorus (P) sources, distribution and export from lowland polders is important for P pollution management, however, is challenging due to the high complexity of hydrological and P transport processes in lowland areas. In this study, the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of P export coefficient (PEC) from all the 2539 polders in Lake Taihu Basin, China were estimated using a coupled P model for describing P dynamics in a polder system. The estimated amount of P export from polders in Lake Taihu Basin during 2013 was 1916.2 t/yr, with a spatially-averaged PEC of 1.8 kg/ha/yr. PEC had peak values (more than 4.0 kg/ha/yr) in the polders near/within the large cities, and was high during the rice-cropping season. Sensitivity analysis based on the coupled P model revealed that the sensitive factors controlling the PEC varied spatially and changed through time. Precipitation and air temperature were the most sensitive factors controlling PEC. Culvert controlling and fertilization were sensitive factors controlling PEC during some periods. This study demonstrated an estimation of PEC from 2539 polders in Lake Taihu Basin, and an identification of sensitive environmental factors affecting PEC. The investigation of polder P export in a watershed scale is helpful for water managers to learn the distribution of P sources, to identify key P sources, and thus to achieve best management practice in controlling P export from lowland areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Platelet-activating factor and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors interact for full development and maintenance of long-term potentiation in the rat medial vestibular nuclei.

PubMed

Grassi, S; Francescangeli, E; Goracci, G; Pettorossi, V E

1999-01-01

In rat brainstem slices, we investigated the interaction between platelet-activating factor and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in mediating long-term potentiation within the medial vestibular nuclei. We analysed the N1 field potential wave evoked in the ventral portion of the medial vestibular nuclei by primary vestibular afferent stimulation. The group I metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, (R,S)-1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid, prevented long-term potentiation induced by a platelet-activating factor analogue [1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-(methylcarbamyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine], as well as the full development of potentiation, induced by high-frequency stimulation under the blocking agent for synaptosomal platelet-activating factor receptors (ginkolide B), at drug washout. However, potentiation directly induced by the group I glutamate metabotropic receptor agonist, (R,S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine, was reduced by ginkolide B. These findings suggest that platelet-activating factor, whether exogenous or released following potentiation induction, exerts its effect through presynaptic group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, mediating the increase of glutamate release. In addition, we found that this mechanism, which led to full potentiation through presynaptic group I metabotropic glutamate receptor activation, was inactivated soon after application of potentiation-inducing stimulus. In fact, the long-lasting block of the platelet-activating factor and metabotropic glutamate receptors prevented the full potentiation development and the induced potentiation progressively declined to null. Moreover, ginkolide B, given when high-frequency-dependent potentiation was established, only reduced it within 5 min after potentiation induction. We conclude that to fully develop vestibular long-term potentiation requires presynaptic events. Platelet-activating factor, released after the activation of postsynaptic mechanisms which induce potentiation, is necessary for coupling postsynaptic and presynaptic phenomena, through the activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, and its action lasts only for a short period. If this coupling does not occur, a full and long-lasting potentiation cannot develop.

Hybrid photonic crystal cavity and waveguide for coupling to diamond NV-centers.

PubMed

Barclay, Paul E; Fu, Kai-Mei; Santori, Charles; Beausoleil, Raymond G

2009-06-08

A design for an ultra-high Q photonic crystal nanocavity engineered to interact with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers located near the surface of a single crystal diamond sample is presented. The structure is based upon a nanowire photonic crystal geometry, and consists of a patterned high refractive index thin film, such as gallium phosphide (GaP), supported by a diamond substrate. The nanocavity supports a mode with quality factor Q > 1.5 x 10(6) and mode volume V < 0.52(lambda/nGaP)(3), and promises to allow Purcell enhanced collection of spontaneous emission from an NV located more than 50 nm below the diamond surface. The nanowire photonic crystal waveguide can be used to efficiently couple light into and out of the cavity, or as an efficient broadband collector of NV phonon sideband emission. The proposed structures can be fabricated using existing materials and processing techniques.

Planar LTCC transformers for high voltage flyback converters.

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

Schofield, Daryl; Schare, Joshua M.; Glass, Sarah Jill

This paper discusses the design and use of low-temperature (850 C to 950 C) co-fired ceramic (LTCC) planar magnetic flyback transformers for applications that require conversion of a low voltage to high voltage (> 100V) with significant volumetric constraints. Measured performance and modeling results for multiple designs showed that the LTCC flyback transformer design and construction imposes serious limitations on the achievable coupling and significantly impacts the transformer performance and output voltage. This paper discusses the impact of various design factors that can provide improved performance by increasing transformer coupling and output voltage. The experiments performed on prototype units demonstratedmore » LTCC transformer designs capable of greater than 2 kV output. Finally, the work investigated the effect of the LTCC microstructure on transformer insulation. Although this paper focuses on generating voltages in the kV range, the experimental characterization and discussion presented in this work applies to designs requiring lower voltage.« less

Plasmonic nano-sensor based on metal-dielectric-metal waveguide with the octagonal cavity ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorbani, Saeed; Dashti, Mohammad Ali; Jabbari, Masoud

2018-06-01

In this paper, a refractive index plasmonic sensor including a waveguide of metal–insulator–metal with side coupled octagonal cavity ring has been suggested. The sensory and transmission feature of the structure has been analyzed numerically using Finite Element Method numerical solution. The effect of coupling distance and changing the width of metal–insulator–metal waveguide and refractive index of the dielectric located inside octagonal cavity—which are the effective factors in determining the sensory feature—have been examined so completely that the results of the numerical simulation show a linear relation between the resonance wavelength and refractive index of the liquid/gas dielectric material inside the octagonal cavity ring. High sensitivity of the sensor in the resonance wavelength, simplicity and a compact geometry are the advantages of the refractive plasmonic sensor advised which make that possible to use it for designing high performance nano-sensor and bio-sensing devices.

Integrated modeling and analysis of the multiple electromechanical couplings for the direct driven feed system in machine tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaojun; Lu, Dun; Liu, Hui; Zhao, Wanhua

2018-06-01

The complicated electromechanical coupling phenomena due to different kinds of causes have significant influences on the dynamic precision of the direct driven feed system in machine tools. In this paper, a novel integrated modeling and analysis method of the multiple electromechanical couplings for the direct driven feed system in machine tools is presented. At first, four different kinds of electromechanical coupling phenomena in the direct driven feed system are analyzed systematically. Then a novel integrated modeling and analysis method of the electromechanical coupling which is influenced by multiple factors is put forward. In addition, the effects of multiple electromechanical couplings on the dynamic precision of the feed system and their main influencing factors are compared and discussed, respectively. Finally, the results of modeling and analysis are verified by the experiments. It finds out that multiple electromechanical coupling loops, which are overlapped and influenced by each other, are the main reasons of the displacement fluctuations in the direct driven feed system.

Electromagnetic {\\varvec{N}}^{\\varvec{*}} Transition Form Factors in the ANL-Osaka Dynamical Coupled-Channels Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamano, Hiroyuki

2018-05-01

We give an overview of our recent efforts to extract electromagnetic transition form factors for N^* and Δ^* baryon resonances through a global analysis of the single-pion electroproductions off the proton within the ANL-Osaka dynamical coupled-channels approach. Preliminary results for the extracted form factors associated with Δ(1232)3/2^+ and the Roper resonance are presented, with emphasis on the complex-valued nature of the transition form factors defined by poles.

Disrespect, Tension, and Togetherness--Apartness in Marriage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblatt, Paul C.; And Others

1979-01-01

For a study of marital togetherness and apartness, the partners in 136 couples completed questionnaires. The role of disrespect, a factor serving as an abrasive in marriage, was investigated. Findings suggest that therapy for couples with a presenting problem of insufficient contact may first have to deal with abrasive factors. (Author)

Review of rigorous coupled-wave analysis and of homogeneous effective medium approximations for high spatial-frequency surface-relief gratings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glytsis, Elias N.; Brundrett, David L.; Gaylord, Thomas K.

1993-01-01

A review of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis as applied to the diffraction of electro-magnetic waves by gratings is presented. The analysis is valid for any polarization, angle of incidence, and conical diffraction. Cascaded and/or multiplexed gratings as well as material anisotropy can be incorporated under the same formalism. Small period rectangular groove gratings can also be modeled using approximately equivalent uniaxial homogeneous layers (effective media). The ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices of these layers depend on the gratings filling factor, the refractive indices of the substrate and superstrate, and the ratio of the freespace wavelength to grating period. Comparisons of the homogeneous effective medium approximations with the rigorous coupled-wave analysis are presented. Antireflection designs (single-layer or multilayer) using the effective medium models are presented and compared. These ultra-short period antireflection gratings can also be used to produce soft x-rays. Comparisons of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis with experimental results on soft x-ray generation by gratings are also included.

Factors Associated with Involvement in Marriage Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Stephen F.; Holman, Thomas B.; Yang, Chongming

2007-01-01

Little is known empirically about the characteristics of couples who do and do not participate in marriage preparation. This study assessed the individual, couple, family, and sociocultural context variables that distinguish couples who become involved in marriage preparation from those who do not, using a sample of 7,331 couples. The results…

Diurnal variation in the coupling of photosynthetic electron transport and carbon fixation in iron-limited phytoplankton in the NE subarctic Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuback, N.; Flecken, M.; Maldonado, M. T.; Tortell, P. D.

2015-10-01

Active chlorophyll a fluorescence approaches, including fast repetition rate fluorometry (FRRF), have the potential to provide estimates of phytoplankton primary productivity at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. FRRF-derived productivity rates are based on estimates of charge separation at PSII (ETRRCII), which must be converted into ecologically relevant units of carbon fixation. Understanding sources of variability in the coupling of ETRRCII and carbon fixation provides physiological insight into phytoplankton photosynthesis, and is critical for the application of FRRF as a primary productivity measurement tool. In the present study, we simultaneously measured phytoplankton carbon fixation and ETRRCII in the iron-limited NE subarctic Pacific, over the course of a diurnal cycle. We show that rates of ETRRCII are closely tied to the diurnal cycle in light availability, whereas rates of carbon fixation appear to be influenced by endogenous changes in metabolic energy allocation under iron-limited conditions. Unsynchronized diurnal oscillations of the two rates led to 3.5 fold changes in the conversion factor coupling ETRRCII and carbon fixation (Φe:C / nPSII). Consequently, diurnal variability in phytoplankton carbon fixation cannot be adequately captured with FRRF approaches if a constant conversion factor is applied. Utilizing several auxiliary photophysiological measurements, we observed that a high conversion factor is associated with conditions of excess light, and correlates with the expression of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in the pigment antenna, as derived from FRRF measurements. The observed correlation between NPQ and the conversion factor Φe:C / nPSII has the potential to improve estimates of phytoplankton carbon fixation rates from FRRF measurements alone.

Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual risk factors for overprovision of partner support in marriage.

PubMed

Brock, Rebecca L; Lawrence, Erika

2014-02-01

Recent research indicates that receiving too much support from one's spouse (i.e., overprovision of support) is actually more detrimental to marriage than not receiving enough support. The principal goal of the present study was to develop a novel framework for explaining the pathways through which couples experience overprovision of support in their marriages. Intrapersonal factors (anxious and avoidant attachment), interpersonal factors (conflict management and emotional intimacy), and contextual factors (stress originating outside of the marriage) were assessed during the transition into marriage as potential risk factors for experiencing higher levels of support overprovision during the first 5 years of marriage in a sample of 103 couples using growth curve analytic techniques. To the extent that (a) husbands were higher in avoidant attachment, (b) husbands reported greater chronic role strain, and (c) couples had lower levels of emotional intimacy, support overprovision was greater for both husbands and wives. In addition, emotional intimacy (lower levels) was a partial pathway through which husband avoidant attachment contributed to support overprovision. Finally, factors placing couples at risk for support overprovision in their marriages appear to be distinct from those increasing the risk for support underprovision. The potential for results to inform contemporary marital theories and marital preparation programs is discussed.

Tailoring the energy distribution and loss of 2D plasmons

DOE PAGES

Lin, Xiao; Rivera, Nicholas; Lopez, Josue J.; ...

2016-10-25

Here, the ability to tailor the energy distribution of plasmons at the nanoscale has many applications in nanophotonics, such as designing plasmon lasers, spasers, and quantum emitters. To this end, we analytically study the energy distribution and the proper field quantization of 2D plasmons with specific examples for graphene plasmons. We find that the portion of the plasmon energy contained inside graphene (energy confinement factor) can exceed 50%, despite graphene being infinitely thin. In fact, this very high energy confinement can make it challenging to tailor the energy distribution of graphene plasmons just by modifying the surrounding dielectric environment ormore » the geometry, such as changing the separation distance between two coupled graphene layers. However, by adopting concepts of parity-time symmetry breaking, we show that tuning the loss in one of the two coupled graphene layers can simultaneously tailor the energy confinement factor and propagation characteristics, causing the phenomenon of loss-induced plasmonic transparency.« less

Ferroelectric, elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties of Ba(Ti0.7Zr0.3)O3-x(Ba0.82Ca0.18)TiO3 Pb-free ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Ruihao; Xue, Deqing; Zhou, Yumei; Ding, Xiangdong; Sun, Jun; Xue, Dezhen

2017-07-01

We designed and synthesized a pseudo-binary Pb-free system, Ba(Ti0.7Zr0.3)O3-x(Ba0.82Ca0.18)TiO3, by combining a rhombohedral end (with only cubic to rhombohedral ferroelectric phase transition) and a tetragonal end (with only cubic to tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition). The established composition-temperature phase diagram is characterized by a tricritical point type morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), and the MPB composition has better ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties than the compositions deviating from MPB. Moreover, a full set of material constants (including elastic stiffness constants, elastic compliance constants, piezoelectric constants, dielectric constants, and electromechanical coupling factors) of the MPB composition are determined using a resonance method. The good piezoelectric performance of the MPB composition can be ascribed to the high dielectric constants, elastic softening, and large electromechanical coupling factor.

Real-time observation of fluctuations in a driven-dissipative quantum many-body system undergoing a phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donner, Tobias

2015-03-01

A Bose-Einstein condensate whose motional degrees of freedom are coupled to a high-finesse optical cavity via a transverse pump beam constitutes a dissipative quantum many-body system with long range interactions. These interactions can induce a structural phase transition from a flat to a density-modulated state. The transverse pump field simultaneously represents a probe of the atomic density via cavity- enhanced Bragg scattering. By spectrally analyzing the light field leaking out of the cavity, we measure non-destructively the dynamic structure factor of the fluctuating atomic density while the system undergoes the phase transition. An observed asymmetry in the dynamic structure factor is attributed to the coupling to dissipative baths. Critical exponents for both sides of the phase transition can be extracted from the data. We further discuss our progress in adding strong short-range interactions to this system, in order to explore Bose-Hubbard physics with cavity-mediated long-range interactions and self-organization in lower dimensions.

Probing dynamics of micro-magnets with multi-mode superconducting resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovchanskiy, I. A.; Abramov, N. N.; Stolyarov, V. S.; Shchetinin, I. V.; Dzhumaev, P. S.; Averkin, A. S.; Kozlov, S. N.; Golubov, A. A.; Ryazanov, V. V.; Ustinov, A. V.

2018-05-01

In this work, we propose and explore a sensitive technique for investigation of ferromagnetic resonance and corresponding magnetic properties of individual micro-scaled and/or weak ferromagnetic samples. The technique is based on coupling the investigated sample to a high-Q transmission line superconducting resonator, where the response of the sample is studied at eigen frequencies of the resonator. The high quality factor of the resonator enables sensitive detection of weak absorption losses at multiple frequencies of the ferromagnetic resonance. Studying the microwave response of individual micro-scaled permalloy rectangles, we have confirmed the superiority of fluxometric demagnetizing factor over the commonly accepted magnetometric one and have depicted the demagnetization of the sample, as well as magnetostatic standing wave resonance.

La-doped SrTiO3 films with large cryogenic thermoelectric power factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Tyler A.; Kajdos, Adam P.; Stemmer, Susanne

2013-05-01

The thermoelectric properties at temperatures between 10 K and 300 K of La-doped SrTiO3 thin films grown by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on undoped SrTiO3 substrates are reported. Below 50 K, the Seebeck coefficients exhibit very large magnitudes due to the influence of phonon drag. Combined with high carrier mobilities, exceeding 50 000 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 2 K for the films with the lowest carrier densities, this leads to thermoelectric power factors as high as 470 μWcm-1 K-2. The results are compared with other promising low temperature thermoelectric materials and discussed in the context of coupling with phonons in the undoped substrate.

Design and test of voltage and current probes for EAST ICRF antenna impedance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianhua, WANG; Gen, CHEN; Yanping, ZHAO; Yuzhou, MAO; Shuai, YUAN; Xinjun, ZHANG; Hua, YANG; Chengming, QIN; Yan, CHENG; Yuqing, YANG; Guillaume, URBANCZYK; Lunan, LIU; Jian, CHENG

2018-04-01

On the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST), a pair of voltage and current probes (V/I probes) is installed on the ion cyclotron radio frequency transmission lines to measure the antenna input impedance, and supplement the conventional measurement technique based on voltage probe arrays. The coupling coefficients of V/I probes are sensitive to their sizes and installing locations, thus they should be determined properly to match the measurement range of data acquisition card. The V/I probes are tested in a testing platform at low power with various artificial loads. The testing results show that the deviation of coupling resistance is small for loads R L > 2.5 Ω, while the resistance deviations appear large for loads R L < 1.5 Ω, which implies that the power loss cannot be neglected at high VSWR. As the factors that give rise to the deviation of coupling resistance calculation, the phase measurement error is the more significant factor leads to deleterious results rather than the amplitude measurement error. To exclude the possible ingredients that may lead to phase measurement error, the phase detector can be calibrated in steady L-mode scenario and then use the calibrated data for calculation under H-mode cases in EAST experiments.

Tunable phonon-cavity coupling in graphene membranes.

PubMed

De Alba, R; Massel, F; Storch, I R; Abhilash, T S; Hui, A; McEuen, P L; Craighead, H G; Parpia, J M

2016-09-01

A major achievement of the past decade has been the realization of macroscopic quantum systems by exploiting the interactions between optical cavities and mechanical resonators. In these systems, phonons are coherently annihilated or created in exchange for photons. Similar phenomena have recently been observed through phonon-cavity coupling-energy exchange between the modes of a single system mediated by intrinsic material nonlinearity. This has so far been demonstrated primarily for bulk crystalline, high-quality-factor (Q > 10(5)) mechanical systems operated at cryogenic temperatures. Here, we propose graphene as an ideal candidate for the study of such nonlinear mechanics. The large elastic modulus of this material and capability for spatial symmetry breaking via electrostatic forces is expected to generate a wealth of nonlinear phenomena, including tunable intermodal coupling. We have fabricated circular graphene membranes and report strong phonon-cavity effects at room temperature, despite the modest Q factor (∼100) of this system. We observe both amplification into parametric instability (mechanical lasing) and the cooling of Brownian motion in the fundamental mode through excitation of cavity sidebands. Furthermore, we characterize the quenching of these parametric effects at large vibrational amplitudes, offering a window on the all-mechanical analogue of cavity optomechanics, where the observation of such effects has proven elusive.

Improved RF Measurements of SRF Cavity Quality Factors

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

Holzbauer, J. P.; Contreras, C.; Pischalnikov, Y.

SRF cavity quality factors can be accurately measured using RF-power based techniques only when the cavity is very close to critically coupled. This limitation is from systematic errors driven by non-ideal RF components. When the cavity is not close to critically coupled, these systematic effects limit the accuracy of the measurements. The combination of the complex base-band envelopes of the cavity RF signals in combination with a trombone in the circuit allow the relative calibration of the RF signals to be extracted from the data and systematic effects to be characterized and suppressed. The improved calibration allows accurate measurements tomore » be made over a much wider range of couplings. Demonstration of these techniques during testing of a single-spoke resonator with a coupling factor of near 7 will be presented, along with recommendations for application of these techniques.« less

Relationship Factors Associated with Sexual Risk Behavior and High-Risk Alcohol Consumption Among Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men: Challenges and Opportunities to Intervene on HIV Risk.

PubMed

Martinez, Omar; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Levine, Ethan C; Starks, Tyrel; Dolezal, Curtis; Dodge, Brian; Icard, Larry; Moya, Eva; Chavez-Baray, Silvia; Rhodes, Scott D; Fernandez, M Isabel

2017-05-01

The HIV epidemic continues to be a major public health concern, affecting communities with varying prevention and treatment needs. In the U.S., Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate burden of HIV incidence. While recent studies have highlighted the relevance of relationship factors for HIV transmission among MSM generally, the unique needs and experiences of Latino MSM have received relatively little attention. Consequently, associations between relationship factors and HIV risk among Latino MSM remain unknown. This mixed-method study examined relationship status and dynamics and potential HIV-related risk behaviors among Latino MSM. Quantitative analyses with 240 Latino MSM investigated associations between relationship status and engagement in condomless anal intercourse (CAI). Focus groups with 20 Latino male couples and 10 health service providers explored the impact of relationship dynamics on sexual behaviors, as well as opportunities to intervene on HIV risk. The majority of participants were predominantly Spanish speaking, most screened positive for high-risk alcohol consumption in the past month, more than half engaged in CAI in the past 3 months, and a majority reported multiple sexual partners in this period. Among participants in same-sex relationships (n = 175), approximately half reported multiple partners in the previous 3 months and more than two-thirds reported CAI in this time period. Being in a same-sex relationship was positively associated with high-risk alcohol consumption and being age 30 or older and negatively associated with having multiple partners. Moreover, being in a same-sex relationship significantly increased the likelihood that participants would report engaging in CAI. Qualitative analyses identified themes related to relationship dynamics and sexual behavior, as well as opportunities to intervene on HIV risk. Despite the challenges encountered by Latino male couples, most participants expressed commitment to and support for their partners. As such, prevention efforts involving Latino male couples must address relationship dynamics and the role they play in sexual health, including safer sex practices.

Relationship Factors Associated with Sexual Risk Behavior and High-Risk Alcohol Consumption among Latino MSM: Challenges and Opportunities to Intervene on HIV Risk

PubMed Central

Martinez, Omar; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Levine, Ethan; Starks, Tyrel; Dolezal, Curtis; Dodge, Brian; Icard, Larry; Moya, Eva; Chavez-Baray, Silvia; Rhodes, Scott D.; Fernandez, M. Isabel

2016-01-01

The HIV epidemic continues to be a major public health concern, affecting communities with varying prevention and treatment needs. In the United States, Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate burden of HIV incidence. While recent studies have highlighted the relevance of relationship factors for HIV transmission among MSM generally, the unique needs and experiences of Latino MSM have received relatively little attention. Consequently, associations among relationship factors and HIV risk among Latino MSM remain unknown. This mixed-methods study examined relationship status and dynamics and potential HIV-related risk behaviors among Latino MSM. Quantitative analyses with 240 Latino MSM investigated associations between relationship status and engagement in condomless anal intercourse (CAI). Focus groups with 20 Latino male couples and 10 health service providers explored the impact of relationship dynamics on sexual behaviors, as well as opportunities to intervene on HIV risk. The majority of participants were predominantly Spanish speaking, most screened positive for high-risk alcohol consumption in the past month, more than half engaged in CAI in the past three months, and a majority reported multiple sexual partners in this period. Among participants in same-sex relationships (n=175), approximately half reported multiple partners in the previous three months and more than two-thirds reported CAI in this time period. Being in a same-sex relationship was positively associated with high-risk alcohol consumption and being age 30 or older, and negatively associated with having multiple partners. Moreover, being in a same-sex relationship significantly increased the likelihood that participants would report engaging in CAI. Qualitative analyses identified themes related to relationship dynamics and sexual behavior, as well as opportunities to intervene on HIV risk. Despite the challenges encountered by Latino male couples, most participants expressed commitment to and support for their partners. As such, prevention efforts involving Latino male couples must address relationship dynamics and the role they play in sexual health, including safer sex practices. PMID:27633063

Comparative study of the neutrino-nucleon cross section at ultrahigh energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, V. P.; Hepp, P.

2011-01-01

The high-energy neutrino cross section is a crucial ingredient in the calculation of the event rate in high-energy neutrino telescopes. Currently, there are several approaches that predict different behaviors for its magnitude for ultrahigh energies. In this paper, we present a comparison between the predictions based on linear Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi dynamics, nonlinear QCD, and the imposition of a Froissart-like behavior at high energies. In particular, we update the predictions based on the color glass condensate, presenting for the first time the results for σνN using the solution of the running coupling Balitsky-Kovchegov equation. Our results demonstrate that the current theoretical uncertainty for the neutrino-nucleon cross section reaches a factor of three for neutrino energies around 1011GeV and increases to a factor of five for 1013GeV.

Compact rf polarizer and its application to pulse compression systems

DOE PAGES

Franzi, Matthew; Wang, Juwen; Dolgashev, Valery; ...

2016-06-01

We present a novel method of reducing the footprint and increasing the efficiency of the modern multi-MW rf pulse compressor. This system utilizes a high power rf polarizer to couple two circular waveguide modes in quadrature to a single resonant cavity in order to replicate the response of a traditional two cavity configuration using a 4-port hybrid. The 11.424 GHz, high-Q, spherical cavity has a 5.875 cm radius and is fed by the circularly polarized signal to simultaneously excite the degenerate TE 114 modes. The overcoupled spherical cavity has a Q 0 of 9.4×10 4 and coupling factor (β) ofmore » 7.69 thus providing a loaded quality factor Q L of 1.06×10 4 with a fill time of 150 ns. Cold tests of the polarizer demonstrated good agreement with the numerical design, showing transmission of -0.05 dB and reflection back to the input rectangular WR 90 waveguide less than -40 dB over a 100 MHz bandwidth. This novel rf pulse compressor was tested at SLAC using XL-4 Klystron that provided rf power up to 32 MW and generated peak output power of 205 MW and an average of 135 MW over the discharged signal. A general network analysis of the polarizer is discussed as well as the design and high power test of the rf pulse compressor.« less

Influence of the normal modes on the plasma uniformity in large scale CCP reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eremin, Denis; Brinkmann, Ralf Peter; Mussenbrock, Thomas; Lane, Barton; Matsukuma, Masaaki; Ventzek, Peter

2016-09-01

Large scale capacitively coupled plasmas (CCP) driven by sources with high frequency components often exhibit phenomena which are absent in relatively well understood small scale CCPs driven at low frequencies. Of particular interest are such phenomena which affect discharge parameters of direct relevance to the plasma processing applications. One of such parameters is plasma uniformity. By using a self-consistent 2d3v Particle-in-cell/Monte-Carlo (PIC/MCC) code parallelized on GPU we have been able to show that uniformity of the plasma generated is influenced predominantly by two factors, the ionization pattern caused by high-energy electrons and the average temperature of low-energy plasma electrons. The heating mechanisms for these two groups of electrons appear to be different leading to different transversal (radial) profiles of the corresponding factors, which is well captured by the kinetic PIC/MCC code. We find that the heating mechanisms are intrinsically connected with excitation of normal modes inherent to a plasma-filled CCP reactor. In this work we study the wave nature of these phenomena, such as their excitation, propagation, and interaction with electrons. Supported by SFB-TR 87 project of the German Research Foundation and by the ``Experimental and numerical analysis of very high frequency capacitively coupled plasma discharges'' mutual research project between RUB and Tokyo Electron Ltd.

Ultra-High Q Acoustic Resonance in Superfluid ^4He

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lorenzo, L. A.; Schwab, K. C.

2017-02-01

We report the measurement of the acoustic quality factor of a gram-scale, kilohertz-frequency superfluid resonator, detected through the parametric coupling to a superconducting niobium microwave cavity. For temperatures between 400 mK and 50 mK, we observe a T^{-4} temperature dependence of the quality factor, consistent with a 3-phonon dissipation mechanism. We observe Q factors up to 1.4× 10^8, consistent with the dissipation due to dilute ^3He impurities, and expect that significant further improvements are possible. These experiments are relevant to exploring quantum behavior and decoherence of massive macroscopic objects, the laboratory detection of continuous gravitational waves from pulsars, and the probing of possible limits to physical length scales.

Spatial Variability of Benthic-Pelagic Coupling in an Estuary Ecosystem: Consequences for Microphytobenthos Resuspension Phenomenon

PubMed Central

Ubertini, Martin; Lefebvre, Sébastien; Gangnery, Aline; Grangeré, Karine; Le Gendre, Romain; Orvain, Francis

2012-01-01

The high degree of physical factors in intertidal estuarine ecosystem increases material processing between benthic and pelagic compartments. In these ecosystems, microphytobenthos resuspension is a major phenomenon since its contribution to higher trophic levels can be highly significant. Understanding the sediment and associated microphytobenthos resuspension and its fate in the water column is indispensable for measuring the food available to benthic and pelagic food webs. To identify and hierarchize the physical/biological factors potentially involved in MPB resuspension, the entire intertidal area and surrounding water column of an estuarine ecosystem, the Bay des Veys, was sampled during ebb tide. A wide range of physical parameters (hydrodynamic regime, grain size of the sediment, and suspended matter) and biological parameters (flora and fauna assemblages, chlorophyll) were analyzed to characterize benthic-pelagic coupling at the bay scale. Samples were collected in two contrasted periods, spring and late summer, to assess the impact of forcing variables on benthic-pelagic coupling. A mapping approach using kriging interpolation enabled us to overlay benthic and pelagic maps of physical and biological variables, for both hydrological conditions and trophic indicators. Pelagic Chl a concentration was the best predictor explaining the suspension-feeders spatial distribution. Our results also suggest a perennial spatio-temporal structure of both benthic and pelagic compartments in the ecosystem, at least when the system is not imposed to intense wind, with MPB distribution controlled by both grain size and bathymetry. The benthic component appeared to control the pelagic one via resuspension phenomena at the scale of the bay. Co-inertia analysis showed closer benthic-pelagic coupling between the variables in spring. The higher MPB biomass observed in summer suggests a higher contribution to filter-feeders diets, indicating a higher resuspension effect in summer than in spring, in turn suggesting an important role of macrofauna bioturbation and filter feeding (Cerastoderma edule). PMID:22952910

Efficiency, error and yield in light-directed maskless synthesis of DNA microarrays

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Light-directed in situ synthesis of DNA microarrays using computer-controlled projection from a digital micromirror device--maskless array synthesis (MAS)--has proved to be successful at both commercial and laboratory scales. The chemical synthetic cycle in MAS is quite similar to that of conventional solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides, but the complexity of microarrays and unique synthesis kinetics on the glass substrate require a careful tuning of parameters and unique modifications to the synthesis cycle to obtain optimal deprotection and phosphoramidite coupling. In addition, unintended deprotection due to scattering and diffraction introduce insertion errors that contribute significantly to the overall error rate. Results Stepwise phosphoramidite coupling yields have been greatly improved and are now comparable to those obtained in solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides. Extended chemical exposure in the synthesis of complex, long oligonucleotide arrays result in lower--but still high--final average yields which approach 99%. The new synthesis chemistry includes elimination of the standard oxidation until the final step, and improved coupling and light deprotection. Coupling Insertions due to stray light are the limiting factor in sequence quality for oligonucleotide synthesis for gene assembly. Diffraction and local flare are by far the largest contributors to loss of optical contrast. Conclusions Maskless array synthesis is an efficient and versatile method for synthesizing high density arrays of long oligonucleotides for hybridization- and other molecular binding-based experiments. For applications requiring high sequence purity, such as gene assembly, diffraction and flare remain significant obstacles, but can be significantly reduced with straightforward experimental strategies. PMID:22152062

Factors associated with relationship dissolution and post-dissolution adjustment among lesbian adoptive couples.

PubMed

Farr, Rachel H

2017-01-02

Same-sex adoptive couples are increasingly visible, yet few studies have addressed relationship stability and dissolution among these couples. In this study, using a theoretical framework based on Investment Models and Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Theory, factors associated with dissolution and post-dissolution adjustment among 27 lesbian adoptive couples were examined across two points. At Wave 1, all 27 couples were together; children were on average 3 years old. Results revealed that nearly one third broke up over 5 years (between Waves 1 and 2). Factors related to shorter relationship length and undermining coparenting at Wave 1 distinguished women who later broke up versus stayed together. Worse mental health at Wave 2 characterized women in dissolved rather than sustained relationships, even with comparable individual adjustment at Wave 1. Weaker parenting alliance and greater dissatisfaction with childcare divisions were reported by women no longer with their partners at Wave 2 as compared with those in enduring partnerships. This research has implications for understanding lesbian relationship dynamics and associations with individual adjustment.

Variations in fluid transport and seismogenic properties in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone: constraints from joint active-source and local earthquake tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulatto, M.; Laigle, M.; Charvis, P.; Galve, A.

2015-12-01

The degree of coupling and the seismogenic properties of the plate interface at subduction zones are affected by the abundance of slab fluids and subducted sediments. High fluid input can cause high pore-fluid pressures in the subduction channel and decrease coupling leading to aseismic behaviour. Constraining fluid input and transfer is therefore important for understanding plate coupling and large earthquake hazard, particularly in places where geodetic and seismological constraints are scarce. We use P-wave traveltimes from several active source seismic experiments and P- and S-wave traveltimes from shallow and intermediate depth (< 150 km) local earthquakes recorded on a vast amphibious array of OBSs and land stations to recover the Vp and Vp/Vs structure of the central Lesser Antilles subduction zone. Our model extends between Martinique and Antigua from the prism to the arc and from the surface to a depth of 160 km. We find low Vp and high Vp/Vs ratio (> 1.80) on the top of the slab, at depths of up to 100 km. We interpret this high Vp/Vs ratio anomaly as evidence of elevated fluid content either as free fluids or as bound fluids in hydrated minerals (e.g. serpentinite). The strength and depth extent of the anomaly varies strongly from south to north along the subduction zone and correlates with variations in forearc morphology and with sediment input constrained by multi-channel seismic reflection profiles. The anomaly is stronger and extends to greater depth in the south, offshore Martinique, where sediment input is elevated due to the vicinity of the Orinoco delta. The gently dipping forearc slope observed in this region may be the result of weak coupling of the plate interface. A high Vp/Vs ratio is also observed in the forearc likely indicating a fractured and water-saturated overriding plate. On the other hand the anomaly is weaker and shallower offshore Guadeloupe, where sediment input is low due to subduction of the Barracuda ridge. Here a strong plate coupling is likely responsible for uplifting the inner forearc and formation of the Karukera spur. We infer that variations in plate coupling modulated by slab fluid transport and release are a major factor in determining the distribution of seismic slip in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone.

Role of temperature on static correlational properties in a spin-polarized electron gas

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

Arora, Priya; Moudgil, R. K., E-mail: rkmoudgil@kuk.ac.in; Kumar, Krishan

We have studied the effect of temperature on the static correlational properties of a spin-polarized three-dimensional electron gas (3DEG) over a wide coupling and temperature regime. This problem has been very recently studied by Brown et al. using the restricted path-integral Monte Carlo (RPIMC) technique in the warm-dense regime. To this endeavor, we have used the finite temperature version of the dynamical mean-field theory of Singwi et al, the so-called quantum STLS (qSTLS) approach. The static density structure factor and the static pair-correlation function are calculated, and compared with the RPIMC simulation data. We find an excellent agreement with themore » simulation at high temperature over a wide coupling range. However, the agreement is seen to somewhat deteriorate with decreasing temperature. The pair-correlation function is found to become small negative for small electron separation. This may be attributed to the inadequacy of the mean-field theory in dealing with the like spin electron correlations in the strong-coupling domain. A nice agreement with RPIMC data at high temperature seems to arise due to weakening of both the exchange and coulomb correlations with rising temperature.« less

Influence of Heterogamy by Religion on Risk of Marital Dissolution: A Cohort Study of 20,000 Couples.

PubMed

Wright, David M; Rosato, Michael; O'Reilly, Dermot

2017-01-01

Heterogamous marriages, in which partners have dissimilar attributes (e.g. by socio-economic status or ethnicity), are often at elevated risk of dissolution. We investigated the influences of heterogamy by religion and area of residence on risk of marital dissolution in Northern Ireland, a country with a history of conflict and residential segregation along Catholic-Protestant lines. We expected Catholic-Protestant marriages to have elevated risks of dissolution, especially in areas with high concentrations of a single religious group where opposition to intermarriage was expected to be high. We estimated risks of marital dissolution from 2001 to 2011 for 19,791 couples drawn from the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (a record linkage study), adjusting for a range of compositional and contextual factors using multilevel logistic regression. Dissolution risk decreased with increasing age and higher socio-economic status. Catholic-Protestant marriages were rare (5.9 % of the sample) and were at increased risk of dissolution relative to homogamous marriages. We found no association between local population composition and dissolution risk for Catholic-Protestant couples, indicating that partner and household characteristics may have a greater influence on dissolution risk than the wider community.

Analysis and Optimization of Four-Coil Planar Magnetically Coupled Printed Spiral Resonators.

PubMed

Khan, Sadeque Reza; Choi, GoangSeog

2016-08-03

High-efficiency power transfer at a long distance can be efficiently established using resonance-based wireless techniques. In contrast to the conventional two-coil-based inductive links, this paper presents a magnetically coupled fully planar four-coil printed spiral resonator-based wireless power-transfer system that compensates the adverse effect of low coupling and improves efficiency by using high quality-factor coils. A conformal architecture is adopted to reduce the transmitter and receiver sizes. Both square architecture and circular architectures are analyzed and optimized to provide maximum efficiency at a certain operating distance. Furthermore, their performance is compared on the basis of the power-transfer efficiency and power delivered to the load. Square resonators can produce higher measured power-transfer efficiency (79.8%) than circular resonators (78.43%) when the distance between the transmitter and receiver coils is 10 mm of air medium at a resonant frequency of 13.56 MHz. On the other hand, circular coils can deliver higher power (443.5 mW) to the load than the square coils (396 mW) under the same medium properties. The performance of the proposed structures is investigated by simulation using a three-layer human-tissue medium and by experimentation.

Cavity optomechanics in a levitated helium drop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childress, L.; Schmidt, M. P.; Kashkanova, A. D.; Brown, C. D.; Harris, G. I.; Aiello, A.; Marquardt, F.; Harris, J. G. E.

2017-12-01

We describe a proposal for a type of optomechanical system based on a drop of liquid helium that is magnetically levitated in vacuum. In the proposed device, the drop would serve three roles: its optical whispering-gallery modes would provide the optical cavity, its surface vibrations would constitute the mechanical element, and evaporation of He atoms from its surface would provide continuous refrigeration. We analyze the feasibility of such a system in light of previous experimental demonstrations of its essential components: magnetic levitation of mm-scale and cm-scale drops of liquid He , evaporative cooling of He droplets in vacuum, and coupling to high-quality optical whispering-gallery modes in a wide range of liquids. We find that the combination of these features could result in a device that approaches the single-photon strong-coupling regime, due to the high optical quality factors attainable at low temperatures. Moreover, the system offers a unique opportunity to use optical techniques to study the motion of a superfluid that is freely levitating in vacuum (in the case of 4He). Alternatively, for a normal fluid drop of 3He, we propose to exploit the coupling between the drop's rotations and vibrations to perform quantum nondemolition measurements of angular momentum.

Could a Weak Coupling Massless SU(5) Theory Underly the Standard Model S-Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Alan R.

2011-04-01

The unitary Critical Pomeron connects to a unique massless left-handed SU(5) theory that, remarkably, might provide an unconventional underlying unification for the Standard Model. Multi-regge theory suggests the existence of a bound-state high-energy S-Matrix that replicates Standard Model states and interactions via massless fermion anomaly dynamics. Configurations of anomalous wee gauge boson reggeons play a vacuum-like role. All particles, including neutrinos, are bound-states with dynamical masses (there is no Higgs field) that are formed (in part) by anomaly poles. The contributing zero-momentum chirality transitions break the SU(5) symmetry to vector SU(3)⊗U(1) in the S-Matrix. The high-energy interactions are vector reggeon exchanges accompanied by wee boson sums (odd-signature for the strong interaction and even-signature for the electroweak interaction) that strongly enhance couplings. The very small SU(5) coupling, αQUD ≲ 1/120, should be reflected in small (Majorana) neutrino masses. A color sextet quark sector, still to be discovered, produces both Dark Matter and Electroweak Symmetry Breaking. Anomaly color factors imply this sector could be produced at the LHC with large cross-sections, and would be definitively identified in double pomeron processes.

Factors influencing the coupling between non-180° domain switching and lattice strain in perovskite piezoceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Naveen; Khatua, Dipak Kumar; Mahale, Bhoopesh; Ranjan, Rajeev

2018-04-01

Domain switching and lattice strain are known to be important processes contributing to the large electromechanical response observed in perovskite-based piezoelectrics. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the coupling between the two phenomena, and the factors which influence this coupling. Here, we report a systematic investigation to understand the factors influencing the coupling between domain switching and lattice strain in perovskite piezoelectrics by x-ray diffraction in situ with electric field. In a slight departure from the conventional approach, we employ a strategy which enables x-ray diffraction study in situ with electric field on randomly oriented piezoelectric grains in their unclamped (free) state. Experiments were carried out on two different systems (1 -x ) PbTi O3-(x ) BiSc O3 and (1 -x ) PbTi O3-(x ) PbZr O3 in their rhombohedral phase. We found that lattice strain along the nonpolar 〈100〉 R rhombohedral direction varies linearly with the non-180° domain switching fraction (η111). We introduce a parameter β to characterize the strength of coupling between the two phenomena and show that the coupling is enhanced when the system approaches the morphotropic phase boundary. We also demonstrate that the grain-to-grain interaction nearly doubles this coupling in a dense piezoelectric ceramic.

Controlling spin relaxation with a cavity

DOE PAGES

Bienfait, A.; Pla, J. J.; Kubo, Y.; ...

2016-02-15

Spontaneous emission of radiation is one of the fundamental mechanisms by which an excited quantum system returns to equilibrium. For spins, however, spontaneous emission is generally negligible compared to other non-radiative relaxation processes because of the weak coupling between the magnetic dipole and the electromagnetic field. In 1946, Purcell realized that the rate of spontaneous emission can be greatly enhanced by placing the quantum system in a resonant cavity. This effect has since been used extensively to control the lifetime of atoms and semiconducting heterostructures coupled to microwave or optical cavities, and is essential for the realization of high-efficiency single-photonmore » sources. In this paper, we report the application of this idea to spins in solids. By coupling donor spins in silicon to a superconducting microwave cavity with a high quality factor and a small mode volume, we reach the regime in which spontaneous emission constitutes the dominant mechanism of spin relaxation. The relaxation rate is increased by three orders of magnitude as the spins are tuned to the cavity resonance, demonstrating that energy relaxation can be controlled on demand. Our results provide a general way to initialize spin systems into their ground state and therefore have applications in magnetic resonance and quantum information processing. Finally, they also demonstrate that the coupling between the magnetic dipole of a spin and the electromagnetic field can be enhanced up to the point at which quantum fluctuations have a marked effect on the spin dynamics; as such, they represent an important step towards the coherent magnetic coupling of individual spins to microwave photons.« less

Understanding the Social Meaning of Infertility and Childbearing: A Qualitative Study of the Perception of Childbearing and Childlessness in Northern Ghana

PubMed Central

Tabong, Philip Teg-Nefaah; Adongo, Philip Baba

2013-01-01

Background Infertility is a major medical condition that affects many married couples in sub-Saharan African and as such associated with several social meanings. This study therefore explored community's perception of childbearing and childlessness in Northern Ghana using the Upper West Region as a case study. Methods The study was exploratory and qualitative using in-depth and key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Fifteen marriage unions with infertility (childless), forty-five couples with children, and eight key informants were purposively sampled and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guides. Three focus group discussions were also carried out, one for childless women, one for women with children and one with men with children. The data collected were transcribed, coded, arranged, and analyzed for categories and themes and finally triangulated. Results The study revealed that infertility was caused by both social and biological factors. Socially couples could become infertile through supernatural causes such as bewitchment, and disobediences of social norms. Abortion, masturbation and use of contraceptives were also identified as causes of infertility. Most childless couples seek treatment from spiritualist, traditional healers and hospital. These sources of treatment are used simultaneously. Conclusion Childbearing is highly valued in the community and Childlessness is highly engendered, and stigmatised in this community with manifold social consequences. In such a community therefore, the concept of reproductive choice must encompass policies that make it possible for couples to aspire to have the number of children they wish. PMID:23342158

Vicinal 1H-1H NMR coupling constants from density functional theory as reliable tools for stereochemical analysis of highly flexible multichiral center molecules.

PubMed

López-Vallejo, Fabian; Fragoso-Serrano, Mabel; Suárez-Ortiz, Gloria Alejandra; Hernández-Rojas, Adriana C; Cerda-García-Rojas, Carlos M; Pereda-Miranda, Rogelio

2011-08-05

A protocol for stereochemical analysis, based on the systematic comparison between theoretical and experimental vicinal (1)H-(1)H NMR coupling constants, was developed and applied to a series of flexible compounds (1-8) derived from the 6-heptenyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one framework. The method included a broad conformational search, followed by geometry optimization at the DFT B3LYP/DGDZVP level, calculation of the vibrational frequencies, thermochemical parameters, magnetic shielding tensors, and the total NMR spin-spin coupling constants. Three scaling factors, depending on the carbon atom hybridizations, were found for the (1)H-C-C-(1)H vicinal coupling constants: f((sp3)-(sp3)) = 0.910, f((sp3)-(sp2)) = 0.929, and f((sp2)-(sp2))= 0.977. A remarkable correlation between the theoretical (J(pre)) and experimental (1)H-(1)H NMR (J(exp)) coupling constants for spicigerolide (1), a cytotoxic natural product, and some of its synthetic stereoisomers (2-4) demonstrated the predictive value of this approach for the stereochemical assignment of highly flexible compounds containing multiple chiral centers. The stereochemistry of two natural 6-heptenyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones (14 and 15) containing diverse functional groups in the heptenyl side chain was also analyzed by application of this combined theoretical and experimental approach, confirming its reliability. Additionally, a geometrical analysis for the conformations of 1-8 revealed that weak hydrogen bonds substantially guide the conformational behavior of the tetraacyloxy-6-heptenyl-2H-pyran-2-ones.

On the interface between perturbative and nonperturbative QCD

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

Deur, Alexandre; Brodsky, Stanley J.; de Teramond, Guy F.

2016-04-04

The QCD running couplingmore » $$\\alpha_s(Q^2)$$ sets the strength of the interactions of quarks and gluons as a function of the momentum transfer $Q$. The $Q^2$ dependence of the coupling is required to describe hadronic interactions at both large and short distances. In this article we adopt the light-front holographic approach to strongly-coupled QCD, a formalism which incorporates confinement, predicts the spectroscopy of hadrons composed of light quarks, and describes the low-$Q^2$ analytic behavior of the strong coupling $$\\alpha_s(Q^2)$$. The high-$Q^2$ dependence of the coupling $$\\alpha_s(Q^2)$$ is specified by perturbative QCD and its renormalization group equation. The matching of the high and low $Q^2$ regimes of $$\\alpha_s(Q^2)$$ then determines the scale $$Q_0$$ which sets the interface between perturbative and nonperturbative hadron dynamics. The value of $$Q_0$$ can be used to set the factorization scale for DGLAP evolution of hadronic structure functions and the ERBL evolution of distribution amplitudes. We discuss the scheme-dependence of the value of $$Q_0$$ and the infrared fixed-point of the QCD coupling. Our analysis is carried out for the $$\\bar{MS}$$, $$g_1$$, $MOM$ and $V$ renormalization schemes. Our results show that the discrepancies on the value of $$\\alpha_s$$ at large distance seen in the literature can be explained by different choices of renormalization schemes. Lastly, we also provide the formulae to compute $$\\alpha_s(Q^2)$$ over the entire range of space-like momentum transfer for the different renormalization schemes discussed in this article.« less

Reusable launch vehicle model uncertainties impact analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiaye; Mu, Rongjun; Zhang, Xin; Deng, Yanpeng

2018-03-01

Reusable launch vehicle(RLV) has the typical characteristics of complex aerodynamic shape and propulsion system coupling, and the flight environment is highly complicated and intensely changeable. So its model has large uncertainty, which makes the nominal system quite different from the real system. Therefore, studying the influences caused by the uncertainties on the stability of the control system is of great significance for the controller design. In order to improve the performance of RLV, this paper proposes the approach of analyzing the influence of the model uncertainties. According to the typical RLV, the coupling dynamic and kinematics models are built. Then different factors that cause uncertainties during building the model are analyzed and summed up. After that, the model uncertainties are expressed according to the additive uncertainty model. Choosing the uncertainties matrix's maximum singular values as the boundary model, and selecting the uncertainties matrix's norm to show t how much the uncertainty factors influence is on the stability of the control system . The simulation results illustrate that the inertial factors have the largest influence on the stability of the system, and it is necessary and important to take the model uncertainties into consideration before the designing the controller of this kind of aircraft( like RLV, etc).

Far-field coupling in nanobeam photonic crystal cavities

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

Rousseau, Ian, E-mail: ian.rousseau@epfl.ch; Sánchez-Arribas, Irene; Carlin, Jean-François

2016-05-16

We optimized the far-field emission pattern of one-dimensional photonic crystal nanobeams by modulating the nanobeam width, forming a sidewall Bragg cross-grating far-field coupler. By setting the period of the cross-grating to twice the photonic crystal period, we showed using three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations that the intensity extracted to the far-field could be improved by more than three orders of magnitude compared to the unmodified ideal cavity geometry. We then experimentally studied the evolution of the quality factor and far-field intensity as a function of cross-grating coupler amplitude. High quality factor (>4000) blue (λ = 455 nm) nanobeam photonic crystals were fabricated out ofmore » GaN thin films on silicon incorporating a single InGaN quantum well gain medium. Micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy of sets of twelve identical nanobeams revealed a nine-fold average increase in integrated far-field emission intensity and no change in average quality factor for the optimized structure compared to the unmodulated reference. These results are useful for research environments and future nanophotonic light-emitting applications where vertical in- and out-coupling of light to nanocavities is required.« less

Elucidation of Sigma Factor-Associated Networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals a Modular Architecture with Limited and Function-Specific Crosstalk

PubMed Central

Schulz, Sebastian; Eckweiler, Denitsa; Bielecka, Agata; Nicolai, Tanja; Franke, Raimo; Dötsch, Andreas; Hornischer, Klaus; Bruchmann, Sebastian; Düvel, Juliane; Häussler, Susanne

2015-01-01

Sigma factors are essential global regulators of transcription initiation in bacteria which confer promoter recognition specificity to the RNA polymerase core enzyme. They provide effective mechanisms for simultaneously regulating expression of large numbers of genes in response to challenging conditions, and their presence has been linked to bacterial virulence and pathogenicity. In this study, we constructed nine his-tagged sigma factor expressing and/or deletion mutant strains in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To uncover the direct and indirect sigma factor regulons, we performed mRNA profiling, as well as chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to high-throughput sequencing. We furthermore elucidated the de novo binding motif of each sigma factor, and validated the RNA- and ChIP-seq results by global motif searches in the proximity of transcriptional start sites (TSS). Our integrated approach revealed a highly modular network architecture which is composed of insulated functional sigma factor modules. Analysis of the interconnectivity of the various sigma factor networks uncovered a limited, but highly function-specific, crosstalk which orchestrates complex cellular processes. Our data indicate that the modular structure of sigma factor networks enables P. aeruginosa to function adequately in its environment and at the same time is exploited to build up higher-level functions by specific interconnections that are dominated by a participation of RpoN. PMID:25780925

"The best is always yet to come": Relationship stages and processes among young LGBT couples.

PubMed

Macapagal, Kathryn; Greene, George J; Rivera, Zenaida; Mustanski, Brian

2015-06-01

Limited research has examined relationship development among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples in emerging adulthood. A better understanding of LGBT couples can inform the development of relationship education programs that reflect their unique needs. The following questions guided this study: (a) What are the stages and processes during young LGBT couples' relationship development? and (b) How do these compare with existing literature on heterosexual adults? A secondary goal was to explore similarities and differences between couples assigned male (MAAB) and female at birth (FAAB). Thirty-six couples completed interviews on their relationship history. Qualitative analyses showed that relationship stages and processes were similar to past research on heterosexuals, but participants' subjective experiences reflected their LGBT identities and emerging adulthood, which exerted additional stress on the relationship. These factors also affected milestones indicative of commitment among heterosexual adults (e.g., introducing partner to family). Mixed methods analyses indicated that MAAB couples described negotiating relationship agreements and safe sex in more depth than FAAB couples. Relationship development models warrant modifications to consider the impact of sexual and gender identity and emerging adulthood when applied to young LGBT couples. These factors should be addressed in interventions to promote relationship health among young LGBT couples. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship Factors and Couples' Engagement in Sun Protection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manne, S. L.; Coups, E. J.; Kashy, D. A.

2016-01-01

Individuals may be more motivated to adopt health practices if they consider the benefits of these behaviors for their close relationships. The goal of this study was to examine couple concordance with sun protection and use the interdependence and communal coping theory to evaluate the role of relationship factors in sun protection. One hundred…

Supplemental Private Health Insurance and Depressive Symptoms in Older Married Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Min, Meeyoung Oh; Townsend, Aloen L.; Miller, Baila; Rovine, Michael J.

2005-01-01

Stress process theory is applied to examine lack of supplemental private health insurance as a risk factor for depressive symptomatology among older married couples covered by Medicare. Dyadic data from 130 African-American couples and 1,429 White couples in the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest-Old Survey were analyzed using…

A Closely Coupled Experimental and Numerical Approach for Hypersonic and High Enthalpy Flow Investigations Utilising the HEG Shock Tunnel and the DLR TAU Code

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

factorization scheme (Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss- Seidel ) can be used for time integration. Additional convergence acceleration is achieved by the...of the full Stefan -Maxwell equations. The diffusive mass flux of species S is computed according to: for 1 for jS S S Sm j jm S j eS jd S S S j j j...approximate factorization scheme (Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss- Seidel ). For steady state problems, equation (69) reduces to R=0 because ddU t

Military-related posttraumatic stress disorder and intimate relationship behaviors: a developing dyadic relationship model.

PubMed

Gerlock, April A; Grimesey, Jackie; Sayre, George

2014-07-01

The protracted conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and an all-volunteer military has resulted in multiple war zone deployments for many service members. While quick redeployment turnaround has left little time for readjustment for either the service member or family, dealing with the long-term sequelae of combat exposure often leaves families and intimate partners ill-prepared for years after deployments. Using a modified grounded theory approach, digitally recorded couple interviews of 23 couples were purposefully selected from a larger sample of 441 couples to better understand the impact of war zone deployment on the couple. The veteran sample was recruited from a randomly selected cohort of men in treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Overall, it was found when veterans experiencing deployment-related PTSD reenter or start new intimate relationships they may bring with them a unique cluster of interrelated issues which include PTSD symptoms, physical impairment, high rates of alcohol and/or drug abuse, and psychological and physical aggression. These factors contributed to a dynamic of exacerbating conflict. How these couples approached relationship qualities of mutuality, balanced locus of control and weakness tolerance across six axes of caregiving, disability, responsibility, trauma, communication, and community impacted the couple's capacity to communicate and resolve conflict. This dyadic relationship model is used to help inform implications for clinical practice. © 2013 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Diagnosing the Nature of Land-Atmosphere Coupling During the 2006-7 Dry/Wet Extremes in the U.S. Southern Great Plains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santanello, Joseph A., Jr.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Kumar, Sujay V.; Dong, Xiquan; Kennedy, Aaron D.

2011-01-01

Land-atmosphere interactions play a critical role in determining the. diurnal evolution of both planetary boundary layer (PBL) and land surface temperature and moisture states. The degree of coupling between the land surface and PBL in numerical weather prediction and climate models remains largely unexplored and undiagnosed due to the complex interactions and feedbacks present across a range of scales. Further, uncoupled systems or experiments (e.g., the Project for Intercomparison of Land Parameterization Schemes, PILPS) may lead to inaccurate water and energy cycle process understanding by neglecting feedback processes such as PBL-top entrainment. In this study, a framework for diagnosing local land-atmosphere coupling (LoCo) is presented using a coupled mesoscale model with a suite of PBL and land surface model (LSM) options along with observations during the summers of 200617 in the U.S. Southern Great Plains. Specifically, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model has been coupled to NASA's Land Information System (LIS), which provides a flexible and high-resolution representation and initialization of land surface physics and states. A range of diagnostics exploring the links and feedbacks between soil moisture and precipitation are examined for the dry/wet extremes of this region, along with the sensitivity of PBL-LSM coupling to perturbations in soil moisture. As such, this methodology provides a potential pathway to study factors controlling local land-atmosphere coupling (LoCo) using the LIS-WRF system, which is serving as a testbed for LoCo experiments to evaluate coupling diagnostics within the community.

HIV-Negative Partnered Men's Willingness to Use Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Associated Factors Among an Internet Sample of U.S. HIV-Negative and HIV-Discordant Male Couples

PubMed Central

Stephenson, Rob

2015-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Research on male couples' willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critically lacking. Methods: A cross-sectional 2011 Internet survey collected dyadic data from 275 HIV-negative and 58 HIV-discordant male couples to describe 631 HIV-negative partnered mens' willingness to use PrEP and associated couple-level demographic and behavioral factors with multivariate multilevel modeling. Results: Fifty-three percent were very to extremely likely to use PrEP. Willingness was positively associated with being in a mixed race and behaviorally non-monogamous relationship, and with amyl nitrate use with sex outside the relationship. Willingness was negatively associated with having a college education. Conclusion: Prevention efforts should educate male couples about the potential benefits of PrEP. PMID:26790016

Diagnosing human blood clotting deficiency.

PubMed

Ong, Chong Cheen; Gopinath, Subash C B; Rebecca, Leong Wei Xian; Perumal, Veeradasan; Lakshmipriya, Thangavel; Saheed, Mohamed Shuaib Mohamed

2018-05-15

There are different clotting factors present in blood, carries the clotting cascade and excessive bleeding may cause a deficiency in the clotting Diagnosis of this deficiency in clotting drastically reduces the potential fatality. For enabling a sensor to detect the clotting factors, suitable probes such as antibody and aptamer have been used to capture these targets on the sensing surface. Two major clotting factors were widely studied for the diagnosis of clotting deficiency, which includes factor IX and thrombin. In addition, factor IX is considered as the substitute for heparin and the prothrombotic associated with the increased thrombin generation are taking into account their prevalence. The biosensors, surface plasmon resonance, evanescent-field-coupled waveguide-mode sensor, metal-enhanced PicoGreen fluorescence and electrochemical aptasensor were well-documented and improvements have been made for high-performance sensing. We overviewed detecting factor IX and thrombin using these biosensors, for the potential application in medical diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of a treatment with Se-rich rice flour high in resistant starch on enteric dysbiosis and chronic inflammation in diabetic ICR mice.

PubMed

Yuan, Huaibo; Wang, Wenjuan; Chen, Deyi; Zhu, Xiping; Meng, Lina

2017-05-01

Enteric dysbiosis is associated with chronic inflammation and interacts with obesity and insulin resistance. Obesity and diabetes are induced in ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice fed a high-fat diet and administered a streptozocin injection. These mice were treated with normal rice (NR), normal rice with a high resistant starch content (NRRS) or Se-rich rice (selenium-enriched rice) with a high resistant starch content (SRRS). Faecal cell counts of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus were significantly higher in SRRS-treated mice than in diabetic controls, while Enterobacter cloacae were lower. Similar results were also found in NRRS-treated mice. In contrast, no significant difference was found between NR-treated and diabetic control groups. The treatments with SRRS and NRRS reduced the faecal pH values of the diabetic mice. Regarding the inflammatory factor levels, lower levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor-k-gene binding (NF-κB) and leptin (LEP) and higher adiponutrin (ADPN) levels were found in the SRRS and NRRS-treated mice compared with the diabetic and NR-treated mice. In addition, the CRP, IL-6 and NF-κB levels in the SRRS-treated mice were significantly reduced compared with those observed in the NRRS-treated mice. The reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) results showed that the SRRS and NRRS-treated mice presented higher expression levels of orphan G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41) and orphan G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43) proteins compared with diabetic mice and NR-treated mice. These results indicate that treatments with rice high in RS exert beneficial effects by improving enteric dysbiosis and chronic inflammation. In addition, selenium and RS may exert synergistic effects on chronic inflammation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Marital Therapy with Older Couples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qualls, Sara Honn

1993-01-01

Presents basic information concerning normal aging that therapists need to understand sources of conflict and distress in older or caregiving couples. Describes unique aspects of assessment and intervention with older couples. Examines marital satisfaction across life span, including factors that alter marital functioning, developmental tasks and…

Fabrication of Lanthanum Telluride 14-1-11 Zintl High-Temperature Thermoelectric Couple

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravi, Vilupanur A.; Li, Billy Chun-Yip; Fleurial, Pierre; Star, Kurt

2010-01-01

The development of more efficient thermoelectric couple technology capable of operating with high-grade heat sources up to 1,275 K is key to improving the performance of radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Lanthanum telluride La3-xTe4 and 14-1-11 Zintls (Yb14MnSb11) have been identified as very promising materials. The fabrication of advanced high-temperature thermoelectric couples requires the joining of several dissimilar materials, typically including a number of diffusion bonding and brazing steps, to achieve a device capable of operating at elevated temperatures across a large temperature differential (up to 900 K). A thermoelectric couple typically comprises a heat collector/ exchanger, metallic interconnects on both hot and cold sides, n-type and ptype conductivity thermoelectric elements, and cold-side hardware to connect to the cold-side heat rejection and provide electrical connections. Differences in the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of the materials that make up the thermoelectric couple, especially differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), result in undesirable interfacial stresses that can lead to mechanical failure of the device. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the thermoelectric materials under consideration have large CTE values, are brittle, and cracks can propagate through them with minimal resistance. The inherent challenge of bonding brittle, high-thermal-expansion thermoelectric materials to a hot shoe material that is thick enough to carry the requisite electrical current was overcome. A critical advantage over prior art is that this device was constructed using all diffusion bonds and a minimum number of assembly steps. The fabrication process and the materials used are described in the following steps: (1) Applying a thin refractory metal foil to both sides of lanthanum telluride. To fabricate the n-type leg of the advanced thermoelectric couple, the pre-synthesized lanthanum telluride coupon was diffusion bonded to the metal foil using a thin adhesion layer. (2) Repeating a similar process for the 14-1-11 Zintl p-type leg of the advanced thermoelectric couple. (3) Bonding thick CTE-matched metal plates on the metallized lanthanum telluride and Yb14MnSb11 to form the hot and cold sides of the thermoelectric couple. The calculated conversion efficiency of such an advanced couple would be about 10.5 percent, about 35 percent better than heritage radioisotope thermoelectric technology that relies on Si-Ge alloys. In addition, unlike Si-Ge alloys, these materials can be combined with many other thermoelectric materials optimized for operation at lower temperatures to achieve conversion efficiency in excess of 15 percent (a factor of 2 increase over heritage technology).

Reversing the negative cycle: interpreting the mutual influence of adaptive, self-protective measures in the couple.

PubMed

Berkowitz, D A

1999-10-01

The author discusses factors that shape the subjective meanings each member of the couple gives to marital interactions and the intersubjective disjunctions between the partners that can result. These include adaptive, self-protective mechanisms, the wish for mastery, guilt, and defense against grieving. Through illuminating these factors, psychoanalytic couple therapy can enhance empathic awareness of how each partner's attitudes, actions, and once adaptive defenses can actualize the other's transference expectations and evoke his or her painful and traumatic childhood relationships and experiences.

Modified van Vaals-Bergman coaxial cable coil (lambda coil) for high-field imaging.

PubMed

Matsuzawa, H; Nakada, T

1996-03-01

An easily constructed, low-capacitive coupling volume coil based on the van Vaals-Bergman coaxial cable coil for high field imaging is described. The coil (designated "lambda coil") was constructed using two 5/4 length 50 omega coaxial cables matched to a 50 omega transmission line with LC bridge balun. The standing wave on the single 5/4 lambda length coaxial cable provides two points of current maxima in oppositional direction. Therefore, the four current elements necessary for effective B1 field generation can be obtained by two 5/4 lambda length coaxial cables arranged analogous to 1/2 lambda T-antenna. Capacitive coupling between the coil elements and conductive samples (i.e. animals) is minimized by simply retaining the shield of the coaxial cable for the area of voltage maxima. The lambda coil exhibited excellent performance as a volume coil with a high quality factor and highly homogeneous rf fields. Because of its dramatically simple architecture and excellent performance, the lambda coil configuration appears to be an economical alternative to the original van Vaals-Bergman design, especially for research facilities with a high field magnet and limited bore space.

Factors impacting couples' decision-making between vasectomy reversal versus sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PubMed

Kavoussi, P K; Kavoussi, K M; Odenwald, K C; Kavoussi, S K

2018-04-02

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which impact a couples' decision-making between the options of vasectomy reversal vs. sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection when counseled both by a reproductive urologist and a reproductive endocrinologist. A retrospective chart review was performed of couples who wish to achieve a pregnancy with a male partner with a history of prior vasectomy, in a couples' private fertility center. Of patients presenting for fertility options with a history of vasectomy, 175 couples elected to be counseled by both a reproductive urologist and a reproductive endocrinologist on the options between vasectomy reversal and sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, with 78.3% of the couples opting for vasectomy reversal and 21.7% opting for sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The overall mean age of the male partners was 40.5 years of age, and the mean age of the female partners was 33. The mean obstructed interval was 9.7 years. Twenty-three percent of the female partners in couples selecting vasectomy reversal had diminished ovarian reserve, and 31.6% of couples selecting sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection had female partners with diminished ovarian reserve, two of which elected to have donor oocyte in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Male age, female age, and ovarian reserve status did not have significant roles in this decision-making (p value 0.3578, 0.1185, and 0.3041, respectively); however, a longer obstructed interval since vasectomy was a significant factor associated with couples opting for sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (0.0238). In this study, the majority of couples who were counseled on vasectomy reversal vs. sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection by a reproductive urologist and reproductive endocrinologist chose vasectomy reversal. Neither male partner age, female partner age, nor ovarian reserve status seemed to impact the decision; however, a longer obstructed interval was a significant factor that was associated with the decision of couples toward sperm retrieval/in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection rather than vasectomy reversal. © 2018 The Authors. Andrology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Green frequency-doubled laser-beam propagation in high-temperature hohlraum plasmas.

PubMed

Niemann, C; Berger, R L; Divol, L; Froula, D H; Jones, O; Kirkwood, R K; Meezan, N; Moody, J D; Ross, J; Sorce, C; Suter, L J; Glenzer, S H

2008-02-01

We demonstrate propagation and small backscatter losses of a frequency-doubled (2omega) laser beam interacting with inertial confinement fusion hohlraum plasmas. The electron temperature of 3.3 keV, approximately a factor of 2 higher than achieved in previous experiments with open geometry targets, approaches plasma conditions of high-fusion yield hohlraums. In this new temperature regime, we measure 2omega laser-beam transmission approaching 80% with simultaneous backscattering losses of less than 10%. These findings suggest that good laser coupling into fusion hohlraums using 2omega light is possible.

Structure and Dynamics of Interacting Nanoparticles in Semidilute Polymer Solutions

DOE PAGES

Pollng-Skutvik, Ryan; Mongcopa, Katrina Irene S.; Faraone, Antonio; ...

2016-08-17

We investigate the structure and dynamics of silica nanoparticles and polymer chains in semidilute solutions of high molecular weight polystyrene in 2-butanone to determine the effect of long-range interparticle interactions on the coupling between particle and polymer dynamics. Particles at concentrations of 1–10 wt % are well dispersed in the semidilute polymer solutions and exhibit long-range electrostatic repulsions between particles. Because the particles are comparably sized to the radius of gyration of the polymer, the particle dynamics is predicted to couple to that of the polymer. We verify that the polymer structure and dynamics are not significantly affected by themore » particles, indicating that the particle–polymer coupling does not change with increasing particle loading. We find that the coupling between the dynamics of comparably sized particles and polymer results in subdiffusive particle dynamics, as expected. Over the interparticle distance, however, the particle dynamics is hindered and not fully described by the relaxation of the surrounding polymer chains. Instead, the particle dynamics is inversely related to the structure factor, suggesting that physical particle–polymer coupling on short length scales and interparticle interactions on long length scales both present energetic barriers to particle motion that lead to subdiffusive dynamics and de Gennes narrowing, respectively.« less

Differences in spousal influence on smoking cessation by gender and education among Japanese couples.

PubMed

Takagi, Daisuke; Kondo, Naoki; Takada, Misato; Hashimoto, Hideki

2014-11-19

Previous studies have reported that spousal non-smoking has a spillover effect on the partner's cessation. However, discussion is lacking on the factors modifying that association. We examined whether the spillover effect of spousal non-smoking was associated with the couple's educational attainment. We used paired marital data from the Japanese Study on Stratification, Health, Income, and Neighborhood (J-SHINE), which targeted residents aged 25-50 years in four Japanese municipalities. We selected a spouse smoker at the time of marriage (target respondent), and set his/her smoking status change (continued or quit smoking after marriage) as an outcome, regressed on the counterpart's smoking status (continued smoking or non-smoking) and combinations of each couple's educational attainment as explanatory variables using log-binomial regression models (n =1001 targets; 708 men and 293 women). Regression results showed that a counterpart who previously quit smoking or was a never-smoker was associated with the target male spouse's subsequent cessation. However, for women, the association between husband's non-smoking and their own cessation was significant only for couples in which both spouses were highly educated. Our findings suggest that a spouse's smoking status is important for smoking cessation interventions in men. For women, however, a couple's combined educational attainment may matter in the interventions.

Decoupling Principle Analysis and Development of a Parallel Three-Dimensional Force Sensor

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yanzhi; Jiao, Leihao; Weng, Dacheng; Zhang, Dan; Zheng, Rencheng

2016-01-01

In the development of the multi-dimensional force sensor, dimension coupling is the ubiquitous factor restricting the improvement of the measurement accuracy. To effectively reduce the influence of dimension coupling on the parallel multi-dimensional force sensor, a novel parallel three-dimensional force sensor is proposed using a mechanical decoupling principle, and the influence of the friction on dimension coupling is effectively reduced by making the friction rolling instead of sliding friction. In this paper, the mathematical model is established by combining with the structure model of the parallel three-dimensional force sensor, and the modeling and analysis of mechanical decoupling are carried out. The coupling degree (ε) of the designed sensor is defined and calculated, and the calculation results show that the mechanical decoupling parallel structure of the sensor possesses good decoupling performance. A prototype of the parallel three-dimensional force sensor was developed, and FEM analysis was carried out. The load calibration and data acquisition experiment system are built, and then calibration experiments were done. According to the calibration experiments, the measurement accuracy is less than 2.86% and the coupling accuracy is less than 3.02%. The experimental results show that the sensor system possesses high measuring accuracy, which provides a basis for the applied research of the parallel multi-dimensional force sensor. PMID:27649194

Many-body dynamics of chemically propelled nanomotors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colberg, Peter H.; Kapral, Raymond

2017-08-01

The collective behavior of chemically propelled sphere-dimer motors made from linked catalytic and noncatalytic spheres in a quasi-two-dimensional confined geometry is studied using a coarse-grained microscopic dynamical model. Chemical reactions at the catalytic spheres that convert fuel to product generate forces that couple to solvent degrees of freedom as a consequence of momentum conservation in the microscopic dynamics. The collective behavior of the many-body system is influenced by direct intermolecular interactions among the motors, chemotactic effects due to chemical gradients, hydrodynamic coupling, and thermal noise. Segregation into high and low density phases and globally homogeneous states with strong fluctuations are investigated as functions of the motor characteristics. Factors contributing to this behavior are discussed in the context of active Brownian models.

[Plasma temperature calculation and coupling mechanism analysis of laser-double wire hybrid welding].

PubMed

Zheng, Kai; Li, Huan; Yang, Li-Jun; Gu, Xiao-Yan; Gao, Ying

2013-04-01

The plasma radiation of laser-double wire hybrid welding was collected by using fiber spectrometer, the coupling mechanism of arc with laser was studied through high-speed photography during welding process, and the temperature of hybrid plasma was calculated by using the method of Boltzmann plot. The results indicated that with laser hybrid, luminance was enhanced; radiation intensity became stronger; arc was attracted to the laser point; cross section contracted and arc was more stable. The laser power, welding current and arc-arc distance are important factors that have great influence on electron temperature. Increase in the laser power, amplification of welding current and reduction of arc-arc distance can all result in the rise of temperature.

Nanofabrication for On-Chip Optical Levitation, Atom-Trapping, and Superconducting Quantum Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norte, Richard Alexander

Researchers have spent decades refining and improving their methods for fabricating smaller, finer-tuned, higher-quality nanoscale optical elements with the goal of making more sensitive and accurate measurements of the world around them using optics. Quantum optics has been a well-established tool of choice in making these increasingly sensitive measurements which have repeatedly pushed the limits on the accuracy of measurement set forth by quantum mechanics. A recent development in quantum optics has been a creative integration of robust, high-quality, and well-established macroscopic experimental systems with highly-engineerable on-chip nanoscale oscillators fabricated in cleanrooms. However, merging large systems with nanoscale oscillators often require them to have extremely high aspect-ratios, which make them extremely delicate and difficult to fabricate with an experimentally reasonable repeatability, yield and high quality. In this work we give an overview of our research, which focused on microscopic oscillators which are coupled with macroscopic optical cavities towards the goal of cooling them to their motional ground state in room temperature environments. The quality factor of a mechanical resonator is an important figure of merit for various sensing applications and observing quantum behavior. We demonstrated a technique for pushing the quality factor of a micromechanical resonator beyond conventional material and fabrication limits by using an optical field to stiffen and trap a particular motional mode of a nanoscale oscillator. Optical forces increase the oscillation frequency by storing most of the mechanical energy in a nearly loss-less optical potential, thereby strongly diluting the effects of material dissipation. By placing a 130 nm thick SiO2 pendulum in an optical standing wave, we achieve an increase in the pendulum center-of-mass frequency from 6.2 to 145 kHz. The corresponding quality factor increases 50-fold from its intrinsic value to a final value of Qm = 5.8(1.1) x 105, representing more than an order of magnitude improvement over the conventional limits of SiO2 for a pendulum geometry. Our technique may enable new opportunities for mechanical sensing and facilitate observations of quantum behavior in this class of mechanical systems. We then give a detailed overview of the techniques used to produce high-aspect-ratio nanostructures with applications in a wide range of quantum optics experiments. The ability to fabricate such nanodevices with high precision opens the door to a vast array of experiments which integrate macroscopic optical setups with lithographically engineered nanodevices. Coupled with atom-trapping experiments in the Kimble Lab, we use these techniques to realize a new waveguide chip designed to address ultra-cold atoms along lithographically patterned nanobeams which have large atom-photon coupling and near 4pi Steradian optical access for cooling and trapping atoms. We describe a fully integrated and scalable design where cold atoms are spatially overlapped with the nanostring cavities in order to observe a resonant optical depth of d0 ≈ 0.15. The nanodevice illuminates new possibilities for integrating atoms into photonic circuits and engineering quantum states of atoms and light on a microscopic scale. We then describe our work with superconducting microwave resonators coupled to a phononic cavity towards the goal of building an integrated device for quantum-limited microwave-to-optical wavelength conversion. We give an overview of our characterizations of several types of substrates for fabricating a low-loss high-frequency electromechanical system. We describe our electromechanical system fabricated on a SiN membrane which consists of a 12 GHz superconducting LC resonator coupled capacitively to the high frequency localized modes of a phononic nanobeam. Using our suspended membrane geometry we isolate our system from substrates with significant loss tangents, drastically reducing the parasitic capacitance of our superconducting circuit to ≈ 2.5 fF. This opens up a number of possibilities in making a new class of low-loss high-frequency electromechanics with relatively large electromechanical coupling. We present our substrate studies, fabrication methods, and device characterization.

Temperament and character modify risk of drug addiction and influence choice of drugs.

PubMed

Milivojevic, Dragan; Milovanovic, Srdjan D; Jovanovic, Minja; Svrakic, Dragan M; Svrakic, Nenad M; Svrakic, Slobodan M; Cloninger, C Robert

2012-01-01

Drug addiction and alcoholism involve a complex etiopathogenesis with a variable degree of risk contributions from the host (person), environment, and addictive substances. In this work, temperament and character features of individuals addicted to opiates or alcohol are compared with normal controls to study personality factors in the overall risk for drug addiction. The study was done in a permissive environment, with easy access to alcohol and heroin, which facilitated analyses of personality factors in drug choice. Participants included 412 consecutive patients (312 opiate addicts, 100 alcohol addicts) treated at the Specialized Hospital for Chemical Dependency in Belgrade, Serbia, and a community sample of 346 controls. Opiate addicts manifested antisocial temperament configuration (high Novelty Seeking, low Reward Dependence) coupled with high Self-transcendence (ie, susceptibility to fantasy and imagination). Alcohol addicts manifested sensitive temperament configuration (high Novelty Seeking coexisting with high Harm Avoidance). Immature personality was observed far more frequently in opiate addicts than in alcoholics or normals. Novelty Seeking appears to be a general risk factor for drug addiction. High Harm Avoidance appears to channel individuals with high Novelty Seeking towards alcoholism. Immature character traits and probable Personality Disorder increase the risk of illegal drugs. Based on equivalent research in nonpermissive environments, at least a portion of our opiate addicts could have developed alcoholism instead in environments with more limited access to opiates. Personality factors provide useful guidelines for preventive work with young individuals with personality risk factors for drug addiction. Copyright © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Thin film organic photodetectors for indirect X-ray detection demonstrating low dose rate sensitivity at low voltage operation

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

Starkenburg, Daken J.; Johns, Paul M.; Baciak, James E.

Here, developments in the field of organic semiconductors have generated organic photodetectors with high quantum efficiency, wide spectral sensitivity, low power consumption, and unique form factors that are flexible and conformable to their substrate shape. In this work, organic photodetectors coupled with inorganic CsI(Tl) scintillators are used to showcase the low dose rate sensitivity that is enabled when high performance organic photodetectors and scintillator crystals are integrated. The detection capability of these organic-inorganic coupled systems to high energy radiation highlights their potential as an alternative to traditional photomultiplier tubes for nuclear spectroscopy applications. When exposed to Bremsstrahlung radiation produced frommore » an X-ray generator, SubPc:C 60, AlPcCl:C 70, and P3HT:PC 61BM thin film photodetectors with active layer thicknesses less than 100 nm show detection of incident radiation at low and no applied bias. Remarkably low dose rates, down to at least 0.28 µGy/s, were detectable with a characteristic linear relationship between exposure rate and photodetector current output. These devices also demonstrate sensitivities as high as 5.37 mC Gy -1 cm -2 when coupled to CsI(Tl). Additionally, as the tube voltage across the X-ray generator was varied, these organic-inorganic systems showed their ability to detect a range of continuous radiation spectra spanning several hundred keV.« less

High-Quality In-Plane Aligned CsPbX3 Perovskite Nanowire Lasers with Composition-Dependent Strong Exciton-Photon Coupling.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoxia; Shoaib, Muhammad; Wang, Xiao; Zhang, Xuehong; He, Mai; Luo, Ziyu; Zheng, Weihao; Li, Honglai; Yang, Tiefeng; Zhu, Xiaoli; Ma, Libo; Pan, Anlian

2018-06-14

Cesium lead halide perovskite nanowires have emerged as promising low-dimensional semiconductor structures for integrated photonic applications. Understanding light-matter interactions in a nanowire cavity is of both fundamental and practical interest in designing low-power-consumption nanoscale light sources. In this work, high-quality in-plane aligned halide perovskite CsPbX 3 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanowires are synthesized by a vapor growth method on an annealed M-plane sapphire substrate. Large-area nanowire laser arrays have been achieved based on the as-grown aligned CsPbX 3 nanowires at room temperature with quite low pumping thresholds, very high quality factors, and a high degree of linear polarization. More importantly, it is found that exciton-polaritons are formed in the nanowires under the excitation of a pulsed laser, indicating a strong exciton-photon coupling in the optical microcavities made of cesium lead halide perovskites. The coupling strength in these CsPbX 3 nanowires is dependent on the atomic composition, where the obtained room-temperature Rabi splitting energy is ∼210 ± 13, 146 ± 9, and 103 ± 5 meV for the CsPbCl 3 , CsPbBr 3 , and CsPbI 3 nanowires, respectively. This work provides fundamental insights for the practical applications of all-inorganic perovskite CsPbX 3 nanowires in designing light-emitting devices and integrated nanophotonic systems.

High power microwave hazard facing smart ammunitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohl, J.

1995-03-01

The battle field of the present and even more the one in future will be characterized by the use of weapon systems with a high degree of electronics, computers, and sensors, designed and built to keep not only the man out of the loop. But the higher the technology used for smart weapon systems, the more these systems are endangered by numerous sources of hazard. One of those sources is the threat caused by induced or natural electromagnetic fields. These threat factors can be generated by natural, civil and military environment. In principle there are two main applications which must be considered in military applications: Firstly, weapon systems, that is, high power microwave sources as well as intelligent electromagnetic radiation systems to defeat ammunition on the battle field and secondly, the hardening of the own smart ammunition systems and missiles against the interference sources created by the different types of electromagnetic fields. This report will discuss the possible electromagnetic coupling effects on smart ammunition and missiles and their typical interference caused on the electronics and sensor level. Real time 6-DOF simulations show the flight mission which may be compromised depending on the coupled electromagnetic fields. The German MOD has established a research program where smart ammunitions with different seeker systems are investigated in respect of the coupling effects on smart ammunition caused by high power microwaves. This program considers all available resources and know how in Germany. The systems are investigated by analytical, numerical, and experimental methods with passive and activated missiles.

Thin film organic photodetectors for indirect X-ray detection demonstrating low dose rate sensitivity at low voltage operation

DOE PAGES

Starkenburg, Daken J.; Johns, Paul M.; Baciak, James E.; ...

2017-12-14

Developments in the field of organic semiconductors have generated organic photodetectors with high quantum efficiency, wide spectral sensitivity, low power consumption, and unique form factors that are flexible and conformable to their substrate shape. In this work, organic photodetectors coupled with inorganic CsI(Tl) scintillators are used to showcase the low dose rate sensitivity that is enabled when high performance organic photodetectors and scintillator crystals are integrated. The detection capability of these organic-inorganic coupled systems to high energy radiation highlights their potential as an alternative to traditional photomultiplier tubes for nuclear spectroscopy applications. When exposed to Bremsstrahlung radiation produced from anmore » X-ray generator, SubPc:C60, AlPcCl:C70, and P3HT:PC61BM thin film photodetectors with active layer thicknesses less than 100 nm show detection of incident radiation at low and no applied bias. Remarkably low dose rates, down to at least 0.28 µGy/s, were detectable with a characteristic linear relationship between exposure rate and photodetector current output. These devices also demonstrate sensitivities as high as 5.37 mC Gy-1 cm-2 when coupled to CsI(Tl). Additionally, as the tube voltage across the X-ray generator was varied, these organic-inorganic systems showed their ability to detect a range of continuous radiation spectra spanning several hundred keV.« less

Impact of transient soil water simulation to estimated nitrogen leaching and emission at high- and low-deposition forest sites in southern California

Treesearch

Yuan Yuan; Thomas Meixner; Mark E. Fenn; Jirka Simunek

2011-01-01

Soil water dynamics and drainage are key abiotic factors controlling losses of atmospherically deposited N in Southern California. In this paper soil N leaching and trace gaseous emissions simulated by the DAYCENT biogeochemical model using its original semi‐dynamic water flow module were compared to that coupled with a finite element transient water flow...

Experimental Performance of a Single-Mode Ytterbium-doped Fiber Ring Laser with Intracavity Modulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Numata, Kenji; Camp, Jordan

2012-01-01

We have developed a linearly polarized Ytterbium-doped fiber ring laser with a single longitudinal mode output at 1064 run. A fiber-coupled intracavity phase modulator ensured mode-hop free operation and allowed fast frequency tuning. The fiber laser was locked with high stability to an iodine-stabilized laser, showing a frequency noise suppression of a factor approx 10 (exp 5) at 1 mHz

Effects of Aluminium on Rat Brain Mitochondria Bioenergetics: an In vitro and In vivo Study.

PubMed

Iglesias-González, Javier; Sánchez-Iglesias, Sofía; Beiras-Iglesias, Andrés; Méndez-Álvarez, Estefanía; Soto-Otero, Ramón

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have highlighted the potential of aluminium as an aetiological factor for some neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Our previous studies have shown that aluminium can cause oxidative stress, reduce the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, and enhance the dopaminergic neurodegeneration induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in an experimental model of Parkinson's disease in rats. We now report a study on the effects caused by aluminium on mitochondrial bioenergetics following aluminium addition and after its chronic administration to rats. To develop our study, we used a high-resolution respirometry to test the mitochondrial respiratory capacities under the conditions of coupling, uncoupling, and non-coupling. Our study showed alterations in leakiness, a reduction in the maximum capacity of complex II-linked respiratory pathway, a decline in the respiration efficiency, and a decrease in the activities of complexes III and V in both models studied. The observed effects also included both an alteration in mitochondrial transmembrane potential and a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation capacity when relatively high concentrations of aluminium were added to the isolated mitochondria. These findings contribute to explain both the ability of aluminium to generate oxidative stress and its suggested potential to act as an etiological factor by promoting the progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

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

Ghosh, A.; Hsiung, S.M.; Chowdhury, A.H.

Long-term stability of emplacement drifts and potential near-field fluid flow resulting from coupled effects are among the concerns for safe disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLW). A number of factors can induce drift instability or change the near-field flow patterns. Repetitive seismic loads from earthquakes and thermal loads generated by the decay of emplaced waste are two significant factors. One of two key technical uncertainties (KTU) that can potentially pose a high risk of noncompliance with the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 60 is the prediction of thermal-mechanical (including repetitive seismic load) effects on stability of emplacement drifts andmore » the engineered barrier system. The second KTU of concern is the prediction of thermal-mechanical-hydrological (including repetitive seismic load) effects on the host rock surrounding the engineered barrier system. The Rock Mechanics research project being conducted at the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) is intended to address certain specific technical issues associated with these two KTUs. This research project has two major components: (i) seismic response of rock joints and a jointed rock mass and (ii) coupled thermal-mechanical-hydrological (TMH) response of a jointed rock mass surrounding the engineered barrier system (EBS). This final report summarizes the research activities concerned with the repetitive seismic load aspect of both these KTUs.« less

The risk for marital infidelity across a year-long deployment.

PubMed

Balderrama-Durbin, Christina; Stanton, Kimberley; Snyder, Douglas K; Cigrang, Jeffrey A; Talcott, G Wayne; Smith Slep, Amy M; Heyman, Richard E; Cassidy, Daniel G

2017-08-01

Military deployment can create significant relationship strain. Although most couples navigate the challenges of deployment successfully, this period may render some couples more vulnerable to adverse relationship outcomes such as infidelity due to a convergence of factors including geographic separation and reduced emotional and physical intimacy. Despite anecdotal reports of increased rates of infidelity during deployment, empirical findings are lacking. This study used a prospective design to examine the prevalence and risk factors of infidelity across the deployment cycle including a year-long deployment to Iraq. A total of 63 married male Airmen were assessed both pre- and 6-9 months postdeployment. The rate of sexual infidelity prior to deployment (21%) was commensurate with the lifetime rate of sexual involvement outside the marriage in representative community samples of men. Across the deployment period, the prevalence of sexual infidelity was strikingly high (22.6%) compared with annual community estimates (1.5-4%; Allen et al., 2005). Findings demonstrated that service members with a prior history of separation, steps toward divorce, and relationship distress prior to deployment had elevated risk for infidelity over the deployment cycle. Moreover, roughly 75% of Airmen who experienced infidelity over the deployment cycle divorced by 6-9 months postdeployment whereas only 5% of service members without infidelity divorced during this same time period. Considering well-documented adverse impacts of infidelity and divorce, the current findings may assist in identifying military couples at risk for infidelity and informing targeted prevention or early intervention strategies for these couples prior to or immediately following deployment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

BCS-Bose model of exotic superconductors: Generalized coherence length

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

Casas, M.; Getino, J.M.; de Llano, M.

1994-12-01

Analytic expressions are derived for the root-mean-square (rms) radius of a pair of fermions in a BCS many-fermion state in one, two, and three dimensions, in terms of the BCS gap energy and the associated chemical potential. These expressions are valid for any coupling strength of [ital any] pair interaction model implying a momentum-independent gap energy. The latter holds, e.g., for an attractive [delta] pair potential examined in the one-dimensional (1D) case (whose [ital N]-fermion ground state can be determined exactly) or for the BCS (electron-phonon) model interaction in any dimension. Weak-coupling and/or high-density limits for the rms radius aremore » identical in 1D, 2D, and 3D, and reduce to the familiar well-known Pippard result to within a factor of order unity. In contrast, strong-coupling and/or low-density limits coincide in 1D and 3D, but differ by a factor of order unity in the 2D limit, and in each case are essentially the size of a single, isolated pair. The 1D [delta] interaction McGuire-Yang-Gaudin many-fermion model is studied in detail. The interaction renormalization scheme of Miyake and of Randeria, Duan, and Shieh, and the BCS interaction model, both in 2D, are employed to analyze cuprate superconductor empirical results. Reasonable agreement between theoretical rms radii with experimental coherence lengths suggests that cuprates can be described moderately well as [ital weakly] [ital coupled] superconductors within the BCS-Bose formalism.« less

The Effect of Cumulative Risk on Paternal Engagement: Examining Differences among Adolescent and Older Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrie, Danielle; Lee, Yookyong; Fagan, Jay

2011-01-01

This study examined the association between fathers' and mothers' risk factors and paternal engagement 1 and 3 years postbirth. Distinguishing between new and persistent risk factors, we tested whether cumulative risk has unique effects on couples where one or both parents are adolescents at birth. Results indicated that although fathers' and…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the URICA among Couple Therapy Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tambling, Rachel B.; Johnson, Lee N.

2012-01-01

Assessing and measuring client motivation to change has been of great interest to therapists and researchers in a variety of fields. This article presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA), a measure of motivation to change, in a sample of individuals in couple therapy. Four…

Coupling fibroblast growth factor 23 production and cleavage: iron deficiency, rickets, and kidney disease.

PubMed

Wolf, Myles; White, Kenneth E

2014-07-01

High levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) cause the rare disorders of hypophosphatemic rickets and are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Despite major advances in understanding FGF23 biology, fundamental aspects of FGF23 regulation in health and in CKD remain mostly unknown. Autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) is caused by gain-of-function mutations in FGF23 that prevent its proteolytic cleavage, but affected individuals experience a waxing and waning course of phosphate wasting. This led to the discovery that iron deficiency is an environmental trigger that stimulates FGF23 expression and hypophosphatemia in ADHR. Unlike osteocytes in ADHR, normal osteocytes couple increased FGF23 production with commensurately increased FGF23 cleavage to ensure that normal phosphate homeostasis is maintained in the event of iron deficiency. Simultaneous measurement of FGF23 by intact and C-terminal assays supported these breakthroughs by providing minimally invasive insight into FGF23 production and cleavage in bone. These findings also suggest a novel mechanism of FGF23 elevation in patients with CKD, who are often iron deficient and demonstrate increased FGF23 production and decreased FGF23 cleavage, consistent with an acquired state that mimics the molecular pathophysiology of ADHR. Iron deficiency stimulates FGF23 production, but normal osteocytes couple increased FGF23 production with increased cleavage to maintain normal circulating levels of biologically active hormone. These findings uncover a second level of FGF23 regulation within osteocytes, failure of which culminates in elevated levels of biologically active FGF23 in ADHR and perhaps CKD.

Characteristics of the Mg2+-ATPase Activity Associated with the Membrane-Bound Maize Coupling Factor 1

PubMed Central

Cohen, William S.

1989-01-01

The membrane-bound coupling factor of maize mesophyll thylakoids is a latent ATPase. Mg2+-ATPase activity can be induced in the light with either dithiothreitol or low concentrations of trypsin. Maize thylakoids that are activated with light plus trypsin exhibit considerably higher levels of activity in Na2SO3-dependent Mg2+-ATPase assays compared to thylakoids that are light and dithiothreitol activated (1400 micromoles per milligram of chlorophyll per hour versus 200 micromoles per milligram of chlorophyll per hour). Treatment with light and dithiothreitol or light plus trypsin were also required to demonstrate high levels of octyl glucoside-dependent Mg2+-ATPase activity in maize mesophyll thylakoids. Only small differences in octyl glucoside-dependent Mg2+-ATPase activity were observed in preparations that were activated in the light with either trypsin or dithiothreitol. Mg2+-ATPase activity can also be induced in maize mesophyll chloroplasts by illuminating intact preparations under appropriate conditions. Little or no ATPase activity was observed in the absence of illumination or in the presence of light plus methyl viologen. The active state decayed in the dark with a t½ of 6 to 7 minutes at room temperature. Based on the effect of the thiol oxidant, o-iodosobenzoate, and the uncoupler, nigericin, on the kinetics of deactivation of ATPase activity in intact maize chloroplasts, it appears that the activation process requires a transmembrane proton gradient and reduction of a key disulfide bridge in the gamma of chloroplast coupling factor one. PMID:16667119

Investigations of thickness-shear mode elastic constant and damping of shunted piezoelectric materials with a coupling resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Ji-Ying; Li, Zhao-Hui; Sun, Yang; Li, Qi-Hu

2016-12-01

Shear-mode piezoelectric materials have been widely used to shunt the damping of vibrations where utilizing surface or interface shear stresses. The thick-shear mode (TSM) elastic constant and the mechanical loss factor can change correspondingly when piezoelectric materials are shunted to different electrical circuits. This phenomenon makes it possible to control the performance of a shear-mode piezoelectric damping system through designing the shunt circuit. However, due to the difficulties in directly measuring the TSM elastic constant and the mechanical loss factor of piezoelectric materials, the relationships between those parameters and the shunt circuits have rarely been investigated. In this paper, a coupling TSM electro-mechanical resonant system is proposed to indirectly measure the variations of the TSM elastic constant and the mechanical loss factor of piezoelectric materials. The main idea is to transform the variations of the TSM elastic constant and the mechanical loss factor into the changes of the easily observed resonant frequency and electrical quality factor of the coupling electro-mechanical resonator. Based on this model, the formular relationships are set up theoretically with Mason equivalent circuit method and they are validated with finite element (FE) analyses. Finally, a prototype of the coupling electro-mechanical resonator is fabricated with two shear-mode PZT5A plates to investigate the TSM elastic constants and the mechanical loss factors of different circuit-shunted cases of the piezoelectric plate. Both the resonant frequency shifts and the bandwidth changes observed in experiments are in good consistence with the theoretical and FE analyses under the same shunt conditions. The proposed coupling resonator and the obtained relationships are validated with but not limited to PZT5A. Project supported by the National Defense Foundation of China (Grant No. 9149A12050414JW02180).

Electromechanical coupling factor of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers.

PubMed

Caronti, Alessandro; Carotenuto, Riccardo; Pappalardo, Massimo

2003-01-01

Recently, a linear, analytical distributed model for capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) was presented, and an electromechanical equivalent circuit based on the theory reported was used to describe the behavior of the transducer [IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 49, 159-168 (2002)]. The distributed model is applied here to calculate the dynamic coupling factor k(w) of a lossless CMUT, based on a definition that involves the energies stored in a dynamic vibration cycle, and the results are compared with those obtained with a lumped model. A strong discrepancy is found between the two models as the bias voltage increases. The lumped model predicts an increasing dynamic k factor up to unity, whereas the distributed model predicts a more realistic saturation of this parameter to values substantially lower. It is demonstrated that the maximum value of k(w), corresponding to an operating point close to the diaphragm collapse, is 0.4 for a CMUT single cell with a circular membrane diaphragm and no parasitic capacitance (0.36 for a cell with a circular plate diaphragm). This means that the dynamic coupling factor of a CMUT is comparable to that of a piezoceramic plate oscillating in the thickness mode. Parasitic capacitance decreases the value of k(w), because it does not contribute to the energy conversion. The effective coupling factor k(eff) is also investigated, showing that this parameter coincides with k(w) within the lumped model approximation, but a quite different result is obtained if a computation is made with the more accurate distributed model. As a consequence, k(eff), which can be measured from the transducer electrical impedance, does not give a reliable value of the actual dynamic coupling factor.

Electromechanical coupling factor of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caronti, Alessandro; Carotenuto, Riccardo; Pappalardo, Massimo

2003-01-01

Recently, a linear, analytical distributed model for capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) was presented, and an electromechanical equivalent circuit based on the theory reported was used to describe the behavior of the transducer [IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 49, 159-168 (2002)]. The distributed model is applied here to calculate the dynamic coupling factor kw of a lossless CMUT, based on a definition that involves the energies stored in a dynamic vibration cycle, and the results are compared with those obtained with a lumped model. A strong discrepancy is found between the two models as the bias voltage increases. The lumped model predicts an increasing dynamic k factor up to unity, whereas the distributed model predicts a more realistic saturation of this parameter to values substantially lower. It is demonstrated that the maximum value of kw, corresponding to an operating point close to the diaphragm collapse, is 0.4 for a CMUT single cell with a circular membrane diaphragm and no parasitic capacitance (0.36 for a cell with a circular plate diaphragm). This means that the dynamic coupling factor of a CMUT is comparable to that of a piezoceramic plate oscillating in the thickness mode. Parasitic capacitance decreases the value of kw, because it does not contribute to the energy conversion. The effective coupling factor keff is also investigated, showing that this parameter coincides with kw within the lumped model approximation, but a quite different result is obtained if a computation is made with the more accurate distributed model. As a consequence, keff, which can be measured from the transducer electrical impedance, does not give a reliable value of the actual dynamic coupling factor.

“The Best is Always Yet to Come”: Relationship Stages and Processes Among Young LGBT Couples

PubMed Central

Macapagal, Kathryn; Greene, George J.; Rivera, Zenaida A.; Mustanski, Brian

2015-01-01

Limited research has examined relationship development among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples in emerging adulthood. A better understanding of LGBT couples can inform the development of relationship education programs that reflect their unique needs. The following questions guided this study: 1) what are the stages and processes during young LGBT couples’ relationship development? and 2) how do these compare to existing literature on heterosexual adults? A secondary goal was to explore similarities and differences between couples assigned male (MAAB) and female at birth (FAAB). Thirty-six couples completed interviews on their relationship history. Qualitative analyses showed that relationship stages and processes were similar to past research on heterosexuals, but participants’ subjective experiences reflected their LGBT identities and emerging adulthood, which exerted additional stress on the relationship. These factors also affected milestones indicative of commitment among heterosexual adults (e.g., introducing partner to family). Mixed-methods analyses indicated that MAAB couples described negotiating relationship agreements and safe sex in more depth than FAAB couples. Relationship development models warrant modifications to consider the impact of sexual and gender identity and emerging adulthood when applied to young LGBT couples. These factors should be addressed in interventions to promote relationship health among young LGBT couples. PMID:26053345

Analysis of Water Vapour Flux Between Alpine Wetlands Underlying the Surface and Atmosphere in the Source Region of the Yellow River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Y.; Wen, J.; Liu, R.; Wang, X.; JIA, D.

2017-12-01

Wetland underlying surface is sensitive to climate change. Analysis of the degree of coupling between wetlands and the atmosphere and a quantitative assessment of how environmental factors influence latent heat flux have considerable scientific significance. Previous studies, which focused on the forest, grassland and farmland ecosystems, lack research on the alpine wetlands. In addition, research on the environmental control mechanism of latent heat flux is still qualitative and lacks quantitative evaluations and calculations. Using data from the observational tests of the Maduo Observatory of Climate and Environment of the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, CAS, from June 1 to August 31, 2014, this study analysed the time-varying characteristics and causes of the degree of coupling between alpine wetlands underlying surface and the atmosphere and quantitatively calculated the influences of different environmental factors (solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit) on latent heat flux. The results were as follows: Due to the diurnal variations of solar radiation and wind speed, the diurnal variations of the Ω factor present a trend in which the Ω factor are small in the morning and large in the evening. Due to the vegetation growing cycle, the seasonal variations of the Ω factor present a reverse "U" trend . These trends are similar to the diurnal and seasonal variations of the absolute control exercised by solar radiation over the latent heat flux. This conforms to omega theory. The values for average absolute atmospheric factor (surface factor or total ) control exercised by solar radiation and water vapour pressure are 0.20 (0.02 or 0.22 ) and 0.005 (-0.07 or -0.06) W·m-2·Pa-1, respectively.. Generally speaking, solar radiation and water vapour pressure deficit exert opposite forces on the latent heat flux. The average Ω factor is high during the vegetation growing season, with a value of 0.38, and the degree of coupling between the alpine wetland surface and the atmosphere system is low. The actual measurements agree with omega theory. The latent heat flux is mainly influenced by solar radiation. From the above, our study has provided reference information for exploring the influences of environmental factors on the latent heat flux over the alpine wetlands of the Yellow River source region.

Long-term ongoing pregnancy rate and mode of conception after a positive and negative post-coital test.

PubMed

Hessel, Marloes; Brandes, Monique; de Bruin, Jan Peter; Bots, Rob S G M; Kremer, Jan A M; Nelen, Willianne L D M; Hamilton, Carl J C M

2014-09-01

Many fertility clinics have decided to abolish the post-coital test. Yet, it is a significant factor in prognostic models that predict the spontaneous pregnancy rate within one year. The aim of this study was to evaluate (1) the long-term outcome of infertile couples with a positive or a negative post-coital test during their fertility work-up and (2) the contribution of the different modes of conception. Retrospective cohort study. Three fertility clinics in the Netherlands, of which two are secondary care training hospitals and is a one tertiary care academic training hospital. 2476 newly referred infertile couples, where a post-coital test was performed in 1624 couples. After basic fertility work-up, couples were treated according to the national treatment protocols. Spontaneous and overall ongoing pregnancy rate. The spontaneous and overall ongoing pregnancy rates after three years were 37.7 and 77.5% after a positive post-coital test compared with 26.9 and 68.8% after a negative test (p < 0.001). Even in couples with severe male factor infertility (total motile sperm count <3) (p = 0.005) and mild male factor infertility (total motile sperm count 3-20) (p < 0.001), there was a significantly higher spontaneous ongoing pregnancy rate, justifying expectant management. After a follow-up of three years a positive post-coital test is still associated with a higher spontaneous and a higher overall ongoing pregnancy rate, even in couples with severe male factor infertility. © 2014 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Technology and operational considerations for low-heat-rate trajectories. [of future winged earth reentry vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wurster, K. E.; Eldred, C. H.

1979-01-01

A broad parametric study which examines several critical aspects of low-heat-rate entry trajectories is performed. Low planform loadings associated with future winged earth-entry vehicles coupled with the potential application of metallic thermal protection systems (TPS) suggest that such trajectories are of particular interest. Studied are three heating conditions - reference, stagnation, and windward centerline, for both laminar and turbulent flow; configuration-related factors including planform loading and hypersonic angle of attack; and mission-related factors such as cross-range and orbit inclination. Results indicate benefits in the design of TPS to be gained by utilizing moderate angles of attack as opposed to high-lift coefficient, high angles of attack, during entry. An assessment of design and technology implications is made.

Rolled-up TiO₂ optical microcavities for telecom and visible photonics.

PubMed

Madani, Abbas; Böttner, Stefan; Jorgensen, Matthew R; Schmidt, Oliver G

2014-01-15

The fabrication of high-quality-factor polycrystalline TiO₂ vertically rolled-up microcavities (VRUMs) by the controlled release of differentially strained TiO₂ bilayered nanomembranes, operating at both telecom and visible wavelengths, is reported. Optical characterization of these resonators reveals quality factors as high as 3.8×10³ in the telecom wavelength range (1520-1570 nm) by interfacing a TiO₂ VRUMs with a tapered optical fiber. In addition, a splitting in the fundamental modes is experimentally observed due to the broken rotational symmetry in our resonators. This mode splitting indicates coupling between clockwise and counterclockwise traveling whispering gallery modes of the VRUMs. Moreover, we show that our biocompatible rolled-up TiO₂ resonators function at several positions along the tube, making them promising candidates for multiplexing and biosensing applications.

High-Q photonic resonators and electro-optic coupling using silicon-on-lithium-niobate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witmer, Jeremy D.; Valery, Joseph A.; Arrangoiz-Arriola, Patricio; Sarabalis, Christopher J.; Hill, Jeff T.; Safavi-Naeini, Amir H.

2017-04-01

Future quantum networks, in which superconducting quantum processors are connected via optical links, will require microwave-to-optical photon converters that preserve entanglement. A doubly-resonant electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a promising platform to realize this conversion. Here, we present our progress towards building such a modulator by demonstrating the optically-resonant half of the device. We demonstrate high quality (Q) factor ring, disk and photonic crystal resonators using a hybrid silicon-on-lithium-niobate material system. Optical Q factors up to 730,000 are achieved, corresponding to propagation loss of 0.8 dB/cm. We also use the electro-optic effect to modulate the resonance frequency of a photonic crystal cavity, achieving a electro-optic modulation coefficient between 1 and 2 pm/V. In addition to quantum technology, we expect that our results will be useful both in traditional silicon photonics applications and in high-sensitivity acousto-optic devices.

High temperature (NaBi)0.48□0.04Bi2Nb2O9-based piezoelectric ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gai, Zhi-Gang; Wang, Jin-Feng; Zhao, Ming-Lei; Wang, Chun-Ming; Zang, Guo-Zhong; Ming, Bao-Quan; Qi, Peng; Zhang, Shujun; Shrout, Thomas R.

2006-07-01

The effect of (LiCe) substitution for A site on the properties of (NaBi)0.48◻0.04Bi2Nb2O9 (NB◻N)-based ceramics was investigated. The coercive fields (EC) of NB◻N)-based ceramics were significantly decreased from 61.0to32.5kV/cm and the Curie temperature (TC) gradually decreases from 820to803°C with increasing the (LiCe) modification. The piezoelectric coefficient d33, planar coupling factor kp, and mechanical quality factor Q of (NaBi)0.38(LiCe)0.05◻0.14Bi2Nb2O9 ceramic were found to be 27pC/N, 11.2%, and 2600, respectively, together with the high TC (˜809°C) and stable piezoelectric properties, demonstrating that the (LiCe) modified NB◻N-based material a promising candidate for high temperature applications.

To say or not to say: Dyadic ambivalence over emotional expression and its associations with pain, sexuality, and distress in couples coping with provoked vestibulodynia.

PubMed

Awada, Nayla; Bergeron, Sophie; Steben, Marc; Hainault, Victoria-Ann; McDuff, Pierre

2014-05-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a highly prevalent and taxing female genital pain condition. Despite the intimate nature of this pain and the fact that affective factors such as anxiety have been shown to modulate its manifestations, no study has yet explored the emotional regulation of couples in which the woman suffers from PVD. Ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) is an emotional regulation variable that quantifies the extent to which a person is comfortable with the way she or he expresses emotions. We examined whether the dyadic AEE of couples in which the woman suffers from PVD was differentially associated with women's pain and couples' psychological, sexual, and relational functioning. Couples (N = 254), in which the woman suffered from PVD, completed the AEE questionnaire. A couple typology of dyadic AEE was created. Dependent measures for both members of the couple were the global measure of sexual satisfaction scale, the Beck depression inventory II, and the revised dyadic adjustment scale. The female sexual function index and the sexual history form were used to assess the sexual function of women and men, respectively. Women also completed the pain rating index of the McGill pain questionnaire. Couples, in which both partners were considered low on AEE, had the highest scores on sexual satisfaction (P = 0.02) and function (P < 0.01), the lowest depression scores (P < 0.01), and the best dyadic adjustment (P = 0.02). No difference in pain intensity was found between couples. Findings suggest that, for couples in which the woman suffers from PVD, an emotional regulation that is low in ambivalence in both partners is associated with better psychological, sexual, and relational outcomes. Results indicate that emotional regulation may be important to consider in the assessment and treatment of couples coping with PVD. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

A novel framework of classical and quantum prisoner's dilemma games on coupled networks.

PubMed

Deng, Xinyang; Zhang, Qi; Deng, Yong; Wang, Zhen

2016-03-15

Evolutionary games on multilayer networks are attracting growing interest. While among previous studies, the role of quantum games in such a infrastructure is still virgin and may become a fascinating issue across a myriad of research realms. To mimick two kinds of different interactive environments and mechanisms, in this paper a new framework of classical and quantum prisoner's dilemma games on two-layer coupled networks is considered. Within the proposed model, the impact of coupling factor of networks and entanglement degree in quantum games on the evolutionary process has been studied. Simulation results show that the entanglement has no impact on the evolution of the classical prisoner's dilemma, while the rise of the coupling factor obviously impedes cooperation in this game, and the evolution of quantum prisoner's dilemma is greatly impacted by the combined effect of entanglement and coupling.

A novel framework of classical and quantum prisoner’s dilemma games on coupled networks

PubMed Central

Deng, Xinyang; Zhang, Qi; Deng, Yong; Wang, Zhen

2016-01-01

Evolutionary games on multilayer networks are attracting growing interest. While among previous studies, the role of quantum games in such a infrastructure is still virgin and may become a fascinating issue across a myriad of research realms. To mimick two kinds of different interactive environments and mechanisms, in this paper a new framework of classical and quantum prisoner’s dilemma games on two-layer coupled networks is considered. Within the proposed model, the impact of coupling factor of networks and entanglement degree in quantum games on the evolutionary process has been studied. Simulation results show that the entanglement has no impact on the evolution of the classical prisoner’s dilemma, while the rise of the coupling factor obviously impedes cooperation in this game, and the evolution of quantum prisoner’s dilemma is greatly impacted by the combined effect of entanglement and coupling. PMID:26975447

Limits in Proton Nuclear Singlet-State Lifetimes Measured with para-Hydrogen-Induced Polarization.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuning; Duan, Xueyou; Soon, Pei Che; Sychrovský, Vladimír; Canary, James W; Jerschow, Alexej

2016-10-05

The synthesis of a hyperpolarized molecule was developed, where the polarization and the singlet state were preserved over two controlled chemical steps. Nuclear singlet-state lifetimes close to 6 min for protons are reported in dimethyl fumarate. Owing to the high symmetry (AA'X 3 X 3 ' and A 2 systems), the singlet-state readout requires either a chemical desymmetrization or a long and repeated spin lock. Using DFT calculations and relaxation models, we further determine nuclear spin singlet lifetime limiting factors, which include the intramolecular dipolar coupling mechanism (proton-proton and proton-deuterium), the chemical shift anisotropy mechanism (symmetric and antisymmetric), and the intermolecular dipolar coupling mechanism (to oxygen and deuterium). If the limit of paramagnetic relaxation caused by residual oxygen could be lifted, the intramolecular dipolar coupling to deuterium would become the limiting relaxation mechanism and proton lifetimes upwards of 26 min could become available in the molecules considered here (dimethyl maleate and dimethyl fumarate). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coupling of three-dimensional field and human thermoregulatory models in a crowded enclosure

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

Xue, H.; Kang, Z.J.; Bong, T.Y.

1999-11-12

Health, comfort, and energy conservation are important factors to consider in the design of a building and its HVAC systems. Advanced tools are required to evaluate parameters regarding airflow, temperature, and humidity ratio in buildings, with the end results being better indoor air quality and thermal environment as well as increased confidence in the performance of buildings. A numerical model coupling the three-dimensional field and human thermoregulatory models is proposed and developed. A high-Re {kappa}-{epsilon} turbulence model is used for the field simulation. A modified 25-mode model of human thermoregulation is adopted to predict human thermal response in physiological parameters,more » such as body temperature and body heat loss. Distributions of air velocity, temperature, and moisture content are demonstrated in a crowded enclosure with mechanical ventilation under two ventilation rates. The results are analyzed and discussed. The coupling model is useful in assisting and verifying ventilation and air-conditioning system designs.« less

Determination of the rare-earth elements in geological materials by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lichte, F.E.; Meier, A.L.; Crock, J.G.

1987-01-01

A method of analysis of geological materials for the determination of the rare-earth elements using the Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric technique (ICP-MS) has been developed. Instrumental parameters and factors affecting analytical results have been first studied and then optimized. Samples are analyzed directly following an acid digestion, without the need for separation or preconcentration with limits of detection of 2-11 ng/g, precision of ?? 2.5% relative standard deviation, and accuracy comparable to inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. A commercially available ICP-MS instrument is used with modifications to the sample introduction system, torch, and sampler orifice to reduce the effects of high salt content of sample solutions prepared from geologic materials. Corrections for isobaric interferences from oxide ions and other diatomic and triatomic ions are made mathematically. Special internal standard procedures are used to compensate for drift in metahmetal oxide ratios and sensitivity. Reference standard values are used to verify the accuracy and utility of the method.

Fiber-Coupled Wide Field of View Optical Receiver for High Speed Space Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suddath, Shannon N.

Research groups at NASA Glenn Research Center are interested in improving data rates on the International Space Station (ISS) using a free-space optical (FSO) link. However, known flexure of the ISS structure is expected to cause misalignment of the FSO link. Passive-control designs for mitigating misalignment are under investigation, including using a fiber-bundle for improved field of view. The designs must overcome the obstacle of coupling directly to fiber, rather than a photodetector, as NASA will maintain the use of small form-factor pluggable optical transceivers (SFPs) in the ISS network. In this thesis, a bundle-based receiver capable of coupling directly to fiber is designed, simulated, and tested in lab. Two 3-lens systems were evaluated for power performance in the lab, one with a 20 mm focal length aspheric lens and the other with a 50 mm focal length aspheric lens. The maximum output power achieved was 8 muW.

The influence of maternal and paternal factors on time to pregnancy--a Dutch population-based birth-cohort study: the GECKO Drenthe study.

PubMed

Mutsaerts, M A Q; Groen, H; Huiting, H G; Kuchenbecker, W K H; Sauer, P J J; Land, J A; Stolk, R P; Hoek, A

2012-02-01

Both maternal and paternal factors have been suggested to influence a couple's fecundity. To investigate this, we examined the role of several maternal and paternal lifestyle and socio-demographic factors as determinants of time to pregnancy (TTP) in a Dutch birth-cohort. Groningen Expert Center for Kids with Obesity (GECKO) Drenthe is a population-based birth-cohort study of children born between April 2006 and April 2007 in Drenthe, a province of The Netherlands. Both partners received extensive questionnaires during pregnancy. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to determine the impact of the investigated factors on TTP. A total of 4778 children were born, and the parents of 2997 children (63%) gave their consent to participate. After excluding unintended pregnancies and pregnancies as a result of fertility treatment, the data of 1924 couples were available for analysis. Hazards ratios and 95% confidence intervals of factors influencing TTP in multivariable Cox regression analysis were: maternal age 1.23 (0.98-1.54) for age <25 years, 1.17 (1.03-1.32) for age 25-30 years and 0.72 (0.61-0.85) for age >35 years (reference category: 30-35 years); paternal age: 1.31 (0.94-1.82) for age <25 years, 1.11 (0.97-1.28) for age 25-30 years and 0.91 (0.80-1.04 for age >35 years (reference category: 30-35 years); nulliparity: 0.76 (0.68-0.85) versus multiparity; menstrual cycle length: 1.12 (0.95-1.30) for 3 weeks, 0.72 (0.62-0.83) for 4-6 weeks, 0.68 (0.40-1.16) for >6 weeks and 0.66 (0.54-0.81) for irregular cycle (reference category: 4 weeks); prior contraceptive use: 0.78 (0.67-0.91) for no contraception, 1.68 (1.45-1.95) for condom use, 1.08 (0.89-1.33) for condom use combined with oral contraception, 1.40 (1.16-1.70) for intrauterine device and 0.50 (0.25-1.01) for contraceptive injection (reference category: oral contraception); and maternal educational level 0.75 (0.62-0.92) for low education level and 0.81 (0.73-0.90) for medium educational level (reference category: high educational level). This population-based birth-cohort study performed in fertile couples who had conceived revealed neither maternal nor paternal modifiable lifestyle factors were significantly associated with TTP after adjustment for confounding by socio-demographic factors. In contrast, several non-modifiable maternal socio-demographic factors are significant predictors of a couple's fecundity.

Physiological ICSI (PICSI) vs. Conventional ICSI in Couples with Male Factor: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Avalos-Durán, Georgina; Ángel, Ana María Emilia Cañedo-Del; Rivero-Murillo, Juana; Zambrano-Guerrero, Jaime Enoc; Carballo-Mondragón, Esperanza; Checa-Vizcaíno, Miguel Ángel

2018-04-19

To determine the efficacy of the physiological ICSI technique (PICSI) vs. conventional ICSI in the prognosis of couples, with respect to the following outcome measures: live births, clinical pregnancy, implantation, embryo quality, fertilization and miscarriage rates. A systematic review of the literature, extracting raw data and performing data analysis. Patient(s): Couples with the male factor, who were subjected to in-vitro fertilization. Main Outcome Measures: rates of live births, clinical pregnancy, implantation, embryo quality, fertilization and miscarriage. In the systematic search, we found 2,918 studies and an additional study from other sources; only two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The rates of live births, clinical pregnancy, implantation, embryo quality, fertilization and miscarriage were similar for both groups. There is no statistically significant difference between PICSI vs. ICSI, for any of the outcomes analyzed in this study. Enough information is still not available to prove the efficacy of the PICSI technique over ICSI in couples with male factor.

Proof of factorization of χ _{cJ} production in non-equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC in color singlet mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Gouranga C.

2017-12-01

Recently we have proved the factorization of NRQCD S-wave heavy quarkonium production at all orders in coupling constant. In this paper we extend this to prove the factorization of infrared divergences in χ _{cJ} production from color singlet c{\\bar{c}} pair in non-equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC at all orders in coupling constant. This can be relevant to study the quark-gluon plasma at RHIC and LHC.

Relationship satisfaction in lesbian couples: Review, methodological critique, and research agenda.

PubMed

Lavner, Justin A

2017-01-02

There has been increased interest in and attention to understanding the characteristics associated with relationship satisfaction among same-sex couples. This review examines the individual, couple, and external factors associated with relationship satisfaction among contemporary lesbian couples, highlighting domains such as internalized homophobia, personality, communication, conflict, sex, stress, and social support. I discuss methodological concerns and future directions to advance research in this area.

High throughput, cell type-specific analysis of key proteins in human endometrial biopsies of women from fertile and infertile couples

PubMed Central

Leach, Richard E.; Jessmon, Philip; Coutifaris, Christos; Kruger, Michael; Myers, Evan R.; Ali-Fehmi, Rouba; Carson, Sandra A.; Legro, Richard S.; Schlaff, William D.; Carr, Bruce R.; Steinkampf, Michael P.; Silva, Susan; Leppert, Phyllis C.; Giudice, Linda; Diamond, Michael P.; Armant, D. Randall

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Although histological dating of endometrial biopsies provides little help for prediction or diagnosis of infertility, analysis of individual endometrial proteins, proteomic profiling and transcriptome analysis have suggested several biomarkers with altered expression arising from intrinsic abnormalities, inadequate stimulation by or in response to gonadal steroids or altered function due to systemic disorders. The objective of this study was to delineate the developmental dynamics of potentially important proteins in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, utilizing a collection of endometrial biopsies from women of fertile (n = 89) and infertile (n = 89) couples. METHODS AND RESULTS Progesterone receptor-B (PGR-B), leukemia inhibitory factor, glycodelin/progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP), homeobox A10, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor, calcitonin and chemokine ligand 14 (CXCL14) were measured using a high-throughput, quantitative immunohistochemical method. Significant cyclic and tissue-specific regulation was documented for each protein, as well as their dysregulation in women of infertile couples. Infertile patients demonstrated a delay early in the secretory phase in the decline of PGR-B (P < 0.05) and premature mid-secretory increases in PAEP (P < 0.05) and CXCL14 (P < 0.05), suggesting that the implantation interval could be closing early. Correlation analysis identified potential interactions among certain proteins that were disrupted by infertility. CONCLUSIONS This approach overcomes the limitations of a small sample number. Protein expression and localization provided important insights into the potential roles of these proteins in normal and pathological development of the endometrium that is not attainable from transcriptome analysis, establishing a basis for biomarker, diagnostic and targeted drug development for women with infertility. PMID:22215622

Infrared nano-sensor based on doubly splited optomechanical cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yeping; Ai, Jie; Xiang, Yanjun; Ma, Liehua; Li, Tao; Ma, Jingfang

2017-10-01

Optomechanical crystal (OMC) cavities are simultaneous have photonic and phononic bandgaps. The strong interaction between high co-localized optical mode and mechanical mode are excellent candidates for precision measurements due to their simplicity, sensitivity and all optical operation. Here, we investigate OMC nanobeam cavities in silicon operating at the near-infrared wavelengths to achieve high optomechanical coupling rate and ultra-small motion mass. Numerical simulation results show that the optical Q-factor reached to 1.2×105 , which possesses an optical mode resonating at the wavelength of 1181 nm and the extremely localized mechanical mode vibrating at 9.2GHz. Moreover, a novel type of doubly splited nanocavity tailored to sensitively measure torques and mass. In the nanomechanical resonator central hollow area suspended low-mass elements (<100fg) are sensitive to environmental stimulate. By changing the split width, an ultra-small effective motion mass of only 4fg with a mechanical frequency as high as 11.9GHz can be achieved, while the coupling rate up to 1.58MHz. Potential applications on these devices include sensing mass, acceleration, displacement, and magnetic probing the quantum properties of nanoscale systems.

Improving couples' quality of life through a Web-based prostate cancer education intervention.

PubMed

Song, Lixin; Rini, Christine; Deal, Allison M; Nielsen, Matthew E; Chang, Hao; Kinneer, Patty; Teal, Randall; Johnson, David C; Dunn, Mary W; Mark, Barbara; Palmer, Mary H

2015-03-01

To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed web-based, couple-oriented intervention called Prostate Cancer Education and Resources for Couples (PERC). Quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods approach. Oncology outpatient clinics at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at UNC–Chapel Hill. 26 patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) and their partners. Pre- and postpilot quantitative assessments and a postpilot qualitative interview were conducted. General and PCa-specific symptoms, quality of life, psychosocial factors, PERC’s ease of use, and web activities. Improvement was shown in some PCa-specific and general symptoms (small effect sizes for patients and small-to-medium effect sizes for partners), overall quality of life, and physical and social domains of quality of life for patients (small effect sizes). Web activity data indicated high PERC use. Qualitative and quantitative analyses indicated that participants found PERC easy to use and understand,as well as engaging, of high quality, and relevant. Overall, participants were satisfied with PERC and reported that PERC improved their knowledge about symptom management and communication as a couple. PERC was a feasible, acceptable method of reducing the side effects of PCa treatment–related symptoms and improving quality of life. PERC has the potential to reduce the negative impacts of symptoms and enhance quality of life for patients with localized PCa and their partners, particularly for those who live in rural areas and have limited access to post-treatment supportive care.

Adult Couples Facing a Planned or an Unplanned Pregnancy: Two Realities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchard, Genevieve

2005-01-01

This study examined demographic, individual, and relational factors that differentiate adult couples facing an unplanned pregnancy carried to term from those facing a planned pregnancy. One hundred and eighteen couples expecting their first child completed, along with a demographic questionnaire, measures of personality, perceived stress,…

Couple Consensus during Marital Joint Decision-Making: A Context, Process, Outcome Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godwin, Deborah D.; Scanzoni, John

1989-01-01

Tested conceptual model of context, processes, and outcomes of joint marital decision making of married couples (N=188) which specified spouses' process variables as individual-level measures and partners' consensus as a couple construct. Found context factor of spouses' emotional interdependence influenced both partners' coerciveness and degree…

Incorporating Ideological Context in Counseling Couples Experiencing Infertility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Judith A.; Panchal, Krishna

2008-01-01

This article describes the influence of ideological values on couples' experience of infertility. Contextual issues are considered in terms of how they influence medical decision making as well as emotional factors. Strength-based counseling interventions that attend to couples' diverse values are described. Last, implications for counselors,…

Financial Arrangements and Relationship Quality in Low-Income Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addo, Fenaba R.; Sassler, Sharon

2010-01-01

This study explored the association between household financial arrangements and relationship quality using a representative sample of low-income couples with children. We detailed the banking arrangements couples utilize, assessed which factors relate to holding a joint account versus joint and separate, only separate, or no account, and analyzed…

The effect of transverse flow on the nuclear modification factor at RHIC and LHC

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

Betz, Barbara; Gyulassy, Miklos

2016-01-22

We determine the nuclear modification factor at RHIC and LHC energies using a generic jet-energy loss model that is expanded by an additional flow factor accounting for the impact of transverse flow. We consider a pQCD-based ansatz with and without jet-energy loss fluctuations that is coupled to a state-of-the-art hydrodynamic prescription and includes a running coupling effect. We show that the nuclear modification factor is a rather insensitive quantity that is barely affected by the flow dynamics of the medium created in a heavy-ion collision.

Two-level bulk microfabrication of a mechanical broadband vibration amplitude-amplifier with ten coupled resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Michelle; Maiwald, Verena; Thiele, Lothar; Beutel, Jan; Roman, Cosmin; Hierold, Christofer

2018-04-01

A micromechanical broadband vibration amplitude-amplifier for low power detection of acoustic emission signals is presented. It is based on a coupled mass-spring system and was fabricated in a two-level bulk microfabrication process. The device consists of ten resonators coupled in series, which decrease in mass by a factor of three each, to achieve a high amplification over a broad bandwidth. The fabrication process for this multiscale device is based on front- and backside etching of a silicon-on-insulator wafer. It enables coupling MEMS resonators of two different thicknesses with a weight ratio from largest to smallest mass of 26’244 and reduces die size by resonator stacking. The first ten eigenmodes of the device are in-plane and unidirectional. Steady-state and transient response of the device in comparison to a 1D lumped element model is presented. An average amplitude amplification of 295 over a bandwidth of 10.7 kHz (4.4-15.1 kHz) is achieved and can be reached in less than 1 ms. Applications are low-power detection of short broadband vibration signals e.g. for structural health monitoring (cliffs, pipelines, bridges).

Finite Element Analysis of Poroelastic Composites Undergoing Thermal and Gas Diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salamon, N. J. (Principal Investigator); Sullivan, Roy M.; Lee, Sunpyo

1995-01-01

A theory for time-dependent thermal and gas diffusion in mechanically time-rate-independent anisotropic poroelastic composites has been developed. This theory advances previous work by the latter two authors by providing for critical transverse shear through a three-dimensional axisymmetric formulation and using it in a new hypothesis for determining the Biot fluid pressure-solid stress coupling factor. The derived governing equations couple material deformation with temperature and internal pore pressure and more strongly couple gas diffusion and heat transfer than the previous theory. Hence the theory accounts for the interactions between conductive heat transfer in the porous body and convective heat carried by the mass flux through the pores. The Bubnov Galerkin finite element method is applied to the governing equations to transform them into a semidiscrete finite element system. A numerical procedure is developed to solve the coupled equations in the space and time domains. The method is used to simulate two high temperature tests involving thermal-chemical decomposition of carbon-phenolic composites. In comparison with measured data, the results are accurate. Moreover unlike previous work, for a single set of poroelastic parameters, they are consistent with two measurements in a restrained thermal growth test.

Analysis of Anderson Acceleration on a Simplified Neutronics/Thermal Hydraulics System

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

Toth, Alex; Kelley, C. T.; Slattery, Stuart R

ABSTRACT A standard method for solving coupled multiphysics problems in light water reactors is Picard iteration, which sequentially alternates between solving single physics applications. This solution approach is appealing due to simplicity of implementation and the ability to leverage existing software packages to accurately solve single physics applications. However, there are several drawbacks in the convergence behavior of this method; namely slow convergence and the necessity of heuristically chosen damping factors to achieve convergence in many cases. Anderson acceleration is a method that has been seen to be more robust and fast converging than Picard iteration for many problems, withoutmore » significantly higher cost per iteration or complexity of implementation, though its effectiveness in the context of multiphysics coupling is not well explored. In this work, we develop a one-dimensional model simulating the coupling between the neutron distribution and fuel and coolant properties in a single fuel pin. We show that this model generally captures the convergence issues noted in Picard iterations which couple high-fidelity physics codes. We then use this model to gauge potential improvements with regard to rate of convergence and robustness from utilizing Anderson acceleration as an alternative to Picard iteration.« less

Determining the microwave coupling and operational efficiencies of a microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition reactor under high pressure diamond synthesis operating conditions

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

Nad, Shreya; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824; Gu, Yajun

2015-07-15

The microwave coupling efficiency of the 2.45 GHz, microwave plasma assisted diamond synthesis process is investigated by experimentally measuring the performance of a specific single mode excited, internally tuned microwave plasma reactor. Plasma reactor coupling efficiencies (η) > 90% are achieved over the entire 100–260 Torr pressure range and 1.5–2.4 kW input power diamond synthesis regime. When operating at a specific experimental operating condition, small additional internal tuning adjustments can be made to achieve η > 98%. When the plasma reactor has low empty cavity losses, i.e., the empty cavity quality factor is >1500, then overall microwave discharge coupling efficienciesmore » (η{sub coup}) of >94% can be achieved. A large, safe, and efficient experimental operating regime is identified. Both substrate hot spots and the formation of microwave plasmoids are eliminated when operating within this regime. This investigation suggests that both the reactor design and the reactor process operation must be considered when attempting to lower diamond synthesis electrical energy costs while still enabling a very versatile and flexible operation performance.« less

Low-loss, submicron chalcogenide integrated photonics with chlorine plasma etching

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

Chiles, Jeff; Malinowski, Marcin; Rao, Ashutosh

A chlorine plasma etching-based method for the fabrication of high-performance chalcogenide-based integrated photonics on silicon substrates is presented. By optimizing the etching conditions, chlorine plasma is employed to produce extremely low-roughness etched sidewalls on waveguides with minimal penalty to propagation loss. Using this fabrication method, microring resonators with record-high intrinsic Q-factors as high as 450 000 and a corresponding propagation loss as low as 0.42 dB/cm are demonstrated in submicron chalcogenide waveguides. Furthermore, the developed chlorine plasma etching process is utilized to demonstrate fiber-to-waveguide grating couplers in chalcogenide photonics with high power coupling efficiency of 37% for transverse-electric polarized modes.

Bandwidth-limited control and ringdown suppression in high-Q resonators.

PubMed

Borneman, Troy W; Cory, David G

2012-12-01

We describe how the transient behavior of a tuned and matched resonator circuit and a ringdown suppression pulse may be integrated into an optimal control theory (OCT) pulse-design algorithm to derive control sequences with limited ringdown that perform a desired quantum operation in the presence of resonator distortions of the ideal waveform. Inclusion of ringdown suppression in numerical pulse optimizations significantly reduces spectrometer deadtime when using high quality factor (high-Q) resonators, leading to increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity of inductive measurements. To demonstrate the method, we experimentally measure the free-induction decay of an inhomogeneously broadened solid-state free radical spin system at high Q. The measurement is enabled by using a numerically optimized bandwidth-limited OCT pulse, including ringdown suppression, robust to variations in static and microwave field strengths. We also discuss the applications of pulse design in high-Q resonators to universal control of anisotropic-hyperfine coupled electron-nuclear spin systems via electron-only modulation even when the bandwidth of the resonator is significantly smaller than the hyperfine coupling strength. These results demonstrate how limitations imposed by linear response theory may be vastly exceeded when using a sufficiently accurate system model to optimize pulses of high complexity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combination of Carrier Concentration Regulation and High Band Degeneracy for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu3SbSe4.

PubMed

Zhang, Dan; Yang, Junyou; Jiang, Qinghui; Zhou, Zhiwei; Li, Xin; Xin, Jiwu; Basit, Abdul; Ren, Yangyang; He, Xu; Chu, Weijing; Hou, Jingdi

2017-08-30

The effect of Al-, Ga-, and In-doping on the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Cu 3 SbSe 4 has been comparatively studied on the basis of theoretical prediction and experimental validation. It is found that tiny Al/Ga/In substitution leads to a great enhancement of electrical conductivity with high carrier concentration and also large Seebeck coefficient due to the preserved high band degeneracy and thereby a remarkably high power factor. Ultimately, coupled with the depressed lattice thermal conductivity, all three elements (Al/Ga/In) substituted samples have obtained a highly improved thermoelectric performance with respect to undoped Cu 3 SbSe 4 . Compared to the samples at the same Al/In doping level, the slightly Ga-doped sample presents better TE performance over the wide temperature range, and the Cu 3 Sb 0.995 Ga 0.005 Se 4 sample presents a record high ZT value of 0.9 among single-doped Cu 3 SbSe 4 at 623 K, which is about 80% higher than that of pristine Cu 3 SbSe 4 . This work offers an alternative approach to boost the TE properties of Cu 3 SbSe 4 by selecting efficient dopant to weaken the coupling between electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient.

Analysis of the strong coupling form factors of ΣbNB and ΣcND in QCD sum rules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Guo-Liang; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Li, Zhen-Yu

2017-08-01

In this article, we study the strong interaction of the vertices Σ b NB and Σ c ND using the three-point QCD sum rules under two different Dirac structures. Considering the contributions of the vacuum condensates up to dimension 5 in the operation product expansion, the form factors of these vertices are calculated. Then, we fit the form factors into analytical functions and extrapolate them into time-like regions, which gives the coupling constants. Our analysis indicates that the coupling constants for these two vertices are G ΣbNB = 0.43±0.01 GeV-1 and G ΣcND = 3.76±0.05 GeV-1. Supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2016MS133)

Shifts in Gamma Phase–Amplitude Coupling Frequency from Theta to Alpha Over Posterior Cortex During Visual Tasks

PubMed Central

Voytek, Bradley; Canolty, Ryan T.; Shestyuk, Avgusta; Crone, Nathan E.; Parvizi, Josef; Knight, Robert T.

2010-01-01

The phase of ongoing theta (4–8 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) electrophysiological oscillations is coupled to high gamma (80–150 Hz) amplitude, which suggests that low-frequency oscillations modulate local cortical activity. While this phase–amplitude coupling (PAC) has been demonstrated in a variety of tasks and cortical regions, it has not been shown whether task demands differentially affect the regional distribution of the preferred low-frequency coupling to high gamma. To address this issue we investigated multiple-rhythm theta/alpha to high gamma PAC in two subjects with implanted subdural electrocorticographic grids. We show that high gamma amplitude couples to the theta and alpha troughs and demonstrate that, during visual tasks, alpha/high gamma coupling preferentially increases in visual cortical regions. These results suggest that low-frequency phase to high-frequency amplitude coupling is modulated by behavioral task and may reflect a mechanism for selection between communicating neuronal networks. PMID:21060716

Structure-Based Design of Molecules to Reactivate Tumor-Derived p53 Mutations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

cluster in conserved regions or “hot spots” (Hainaut and Hollstein, 2000). Missense mutations leading to amino acid changes are the most common p53...domain stabilization compounds. Analysis of the residue-specific temperature factors of the high resolution core domain structure, coupled with a...second scoring results, 13 compounds (10 from the SPECS database and 3 from the TimTec database) were selected for further analysis using solution

Raman lasing in As₂S₃ high-Q whispering gallery mode resonators.

PubMed

Vanier, Francis; Rochette, Martin; Godbout, Nicolas; Peter, Yves-Alain

2013-12-01

We report the first observation of a nonlinear process in a chalcogenide microresonator. Raman scattering and stimulated Raman scattering leading to laser oscillation is observed in microspheres made of As₂S₃. The coupled pump power threshold is as low as 13 μW using a pump wavelength of 1550 nm. The quality factor of the chalcogenide microresonator is also the highest ever reported with Q>7×10(7).

Corrosion and Biofouling of OTEC System Surfaces - Design Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-11-01

condition between different areas on a given member can lead to accelerated attack by a differential envirornment cell . These differences can be...resistance. As shown in Figure 1, -. gal- vanic cell is essentially a battery/load system. When the intermetallic resistance, R1 , or the environmental...members of a couple should be maximized when possible. Also, insulating or high resistance F bushings, etc., can reduce or el4 !.minate galvanic corrosion

The Optokinetic Cervical Reflex (OKCR) in Pilots of High-Performance Aircraft.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-04-01

Coupled System virtual reality - the attempt to create a realistic, three-dimensional environment or synthetic immersive environment in which the user ...factors interface between the pilot and the flight environment. The final section is a case study of head- and helmet-mounted displays (HMD) and the impact...themselves as actually moving (flying) through a virtual environment. However, in the studies of Held, et al. (1975) and Young, et al. (1975) the

Multiple mortality events in bats: a global review

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Shea, Thomas J.; Cryan, Paul; Hayman, David TH; Plowright, Raina K.; Streicker, Daniel G.

2016-01-01

Collectively, over half of all reported MMEs were of anthropogenic origin. The documented occurrence of MMEs in bats due to abiotic factors such as intense storms, flooding, heat waves, and drought is likely to increase in the future with climate change. Coupled with the chronic threats of roosting and foraging habitat loss, increasing mortality through MMEs is unlikely to be compensated for, given the need for high survival in the dynamics of bat populations.

Predictors of depressive symptoms in older rural couples: the impact of work, stress and health.

PubMed

Rayens, Mary Kay; Reed, Deborah B

2014-01-01

Older farmers experience a high rate of suicide, and depression is closely aligned with suicide among agricultural workers. Depressive symptoms may be influenced by work patterns, work satisfaction, stress, and health status. In addition, members of a couple may affect each other's depressive symptoms. The purpose was to determine whether depressive symptoms score is predicted by hours worked on the farm, satisfaction with work, number of health conditions, perceived stress, and demographics in a sample of older farm couples, and to assess the degree of influence on depressive symptoms spouses have on each other. A total of 494 couples participated in the initial interview for a longitudinal study of farmers aged 50 and above. Data from husbands and wives were used together in a multilevel, dyad-based regression model to determine predictors of depressive symptoms. Men's depressive symptoms scores were predicted by their own number of health conditions and stress and by their wives' stress and health conditions. Women's depressive symptoms scores were predicted by their own work satisfaction, stress, and number of health conditions and their husbands' time spent working on the farm and stress. Stress management may be particularly important in older farm couples, since perceived duress of 1 member of the dyad impacts both. Work factors and health conditions also affect depressive symptoms in older rural couples, but these may be less easily modified. © 2013 National Rural Health Association.

Coupled two-dimensional edge plasma and neutral gas modeling of tokamak scrape-off-layers

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

Maingi, Rajesh

1992-08-01

The objective of this study is to devise a detailed description of the tokamak scrape-off-layer (SOL), which includes the best available models of both the plasma and neutral species and the strong coupling between the two in many SOL regimes. A good estimate of both particle flux and heat flux profiles at the limiter/divertor target plates is desired. Peak heat flux is one of the limiting factors in determining the survival probability of plasma-facing-components at high power levels. Plate particle flux affects the neutral flux to the pump, which determines the particle exhaust rate. A technique which couples a two-dimensionalmore » (2-D) plasma and a 2-D neutral transport code has been developed (coupled code technique), but this procedure requires large amounts of computer time. Relevant physics has been added to an existing two-neutral-species model which takes the SOL plasma/neutral coupling into account in a simple manner (molecular physics model), and this model is compared with the coupled code technique mentioned above. The molecular physics model is benchmarked against experimental data from a divertor tokamak (DIII-D), and a similar model (single-species model) is benchmarked against data from a pump-limiter tokamak (Tore Supra). The models are then used to examine two key issues: free-streaming-limits (ion energy conduction and momentum flux) and the effects of the non-orthogonal geometry of magnetic flux surfaces and target plates on edge plasma parameter profiles.« less

The influence of engine technology advancements on aircraft economics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witherspoon, J. W.; Gaffin, W. O.

1973-01-01

A technology advancement in a new powerplant has both favorable and unfavorable effects. Increased bypass ratio and compression ratio, coupled with high turbine temperatures, improve performance but also increase engine price and maintenance cost. The factors that should be evaluated in choosing an engine for airline use are discussed. These factors are compared for two engines that might be considered for future 150 to 200 passenger airplanes: an all-new turbofan and a quiet derivative of an existing first generation turbofan. The results of the performance and cost evaluations of the example engines are reduced to common units so they can be combined.

Silicon nano-membrane based photonic crystal microcavities for high sensitivity bio-sensing.

PubMed

Lai, Wei-Cheng; Chakravarty, Swapnajit; Zou, Yi; Chen, Ray T

2012-04-01

We experimentally demonstrated photonic crystal microcavity based resonant sensors coupled to photonic crystal waveguides in silicon nano-membrane on insulator for chemical and bio-sensing. Linear L-type microcavities are considered. In contrast to cavities with small mode volumes, but low quality factors for bio-sensing, we showed increasing the length of the microcavity enhances the quality factor of the resonance by an order of magnitude and increases the resonance wavelength shift while retaining compact device characteristics. Q~26760 and sensitivity down to 15 ng/ml and ~110 pg/mm2 in bio-sensing was experimentally demonstrated on silicon-on-insulator devices.

Changes in solar wind-magnetosphere coupling with solar cycle, season, and time relative to stream interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPherron, Robert L.; Baker, Daniel N.; Pulkkinen, T. I.; Hsu, T.-S.; Kissinger, J.; Chu, X.

2013-07-01

Geomagnetic activity depends on a variety of factors including solar zenith angle, solar UV, strength of the interplanetary magnetic field, speed and density of the solar wind, orientation of the Earth’s dipole, distance of the Earth from Sun, occurrence of CMEs and CIRs, and possibly other parameters. We have investigated some of these using state-dependant linear prediction filters. For a given state a prediction filter transforms a coupling function such as rectified solar wind electric field (VBs) to an output like the auroral electrojet index (AL). The area of this filter calculated from the sum of the filter coefficients measures the strength of the coupling. When the input and output are steady for a time longer than the duration of the filter the ratio of output to input is equal to this area. We find coupling strength defined in this way for Es=VBs to AL (and AU) is weakest at solar maximum and strongest at solar minimum. AL coupling displays a semiannual variation being weakest at the solstices and strongest at the equinoxes. AU coupling has only an annual variation being strongest at summer solstice. AL and AU coupling also vary with time relative to a stream interface. Es coupling is weaker after the interface, but ULF coupling is stronger. Total prediction efficiency remains about constant at the interface. The change in coupling strength with the solar cycle can be explained as an effect of more frequent saturation of the polar cap potential causing a smaller ratio of AL to Es. Stronger AL coupling at the equinoxes possibly indicates some process that makes magnetic reconnection less efficient when the dipole axis is tilted along the Earth-Sun line. Strong AU coupling at summer solstice is likely due to high conductivity in northern summer. Coupling changes at a stream interface are correlated with the presence of strong wave activity in ground and satellite measurements and may be an artifact of the method by which solar wind data are propagated.

Waveguide-loaded silica fibers for coupling to high-index micro-resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latawiec, P.; Burek, M. J.; Venkataraman, V.; Lončar, M.

2016-01-01

Tapered silica fibers are often used to rapidly probe the optical properties of micro-resonators. However, their low refractive index precludes phase-matching when coupling to high-index micro-resonators, reducing efficiency. Here, we demonstrate efficient optical coupling from tapered fibers to high-index micro-resonators by loading the fibers with an ancillary adiabatic waveguide-coupler fabricated via angled-etching. We demonstrate greatly enhanced coupling to a silicon multimode micro-resonator when compared to coupling via the bare fiber only. Signatures of resonator optical bistability are observed at high powers. This scheme can be applied to resonators of any size and material, increasing the functional scope of fiber coupling.

Magnetic effect in the test of the weak equivalence principle using a rotating torsion pendulum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lin; Liu, Qi; Zhao, Hui-Hui; Yang, Shan-Qing; Luo, Pengshun; Shao, Cheng-Gang; Luo, Jun

2018-04-01

The high precision test of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a rotating torsion pendulum requires thorough analysis of systematic effects. Here we investigate one of the main systematic effects, the coupling of the ambient magnetic field to the pendulum. It is shown that the dominant term, the interaction between the average magnetic field and the magnetic dipole of the pendulum, is decreased by a factor of 1.1 × 104 with multi-layer magnetic shield shells. The shield shells reduce the magnetic field to 1.9 × 10-9 T in the transverse direction so that the dipole-interaction limited WEP test is expected at η ≲ 10-14 for a pendulum dipole less than 10-9 A m2. The high-order effect, the coupling of the magnetic field gradient to the magnetic quadrupole of the pendulum, would also contribute to the systematic errors for a test precision down to η ˜ 10-14.

Magnetic effect in the test of the weak equivalence principle using a rotating torsion pendulum.

PubMed

Zhu, Lin; Liu, Qi; Zhao, Hui-Hui; Yang, Shan-Qing; Luo, Pengshun; Shao, Cheng-Gang; Luo, Jun

2018-04-01

The high precision test of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a rotating torsion pendulum requires thorough analysis of systematic effects. Here we investigate one of the main systematic effects, the coupling of the ambient magnetic field to the pendulum. It is shown that the dominant term, the interaction between the average magnetic field and the magnetic dipole of the pendulum, is decreased by a factor of 1.1 × 10 4 with multi-layer magnetic shield shells. The shield shells reduce the magnetic field to 1.9 × 10 -9 T in the transverse direction so that the dipole-interaction limited WEP test is expected at η ≲ 10 -14 for a pendulum dipole less than 10 -9 A m 2 . The high-order effect, the coupling of the magnetic field gradient to the magnetic quadrupole of the pendulum, would also contribute to the systematic errors for a test precision down to η ∼ 10 -14 .

Charge transfer and ionization in collisions of Si3+ with H from low to high energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. G.; He, B.; Ning, Y.; Liu, C. L.; Yan, J.; Stancil, P. C.; Schultz, D. R.

2006-11-01

Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state Si3+(3sS1) ions with atomic hydrogen are investigated using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) and classical-trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) methods. The MOCC calculations utilize ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial coupling matrix elements obtained from Herrero [J. Phys. B 29, 5583 (1996)] which were calculated with a full configuration-interaction method. Total and state-selective single-electron capture cross sections are obtained for collision energies from 0.01eV/u to 1MeV/u . Total and state-selective rate coefficients are also presented for temperatures from 2×103K to 107K . Comparison with existing data reveals that the total CTMC cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental measurements at the higher considered energies and that previous Landau-Zener calculations underestimate the total rate coefficients by a factor of up to two. The CTMC calculations of target ionization are presented for high energies.

Liquid core microbubble resonators for highly sensitive temperature sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Jonathan M.; Yang, Yong; Nic Chormaic, Sile

2014-03-01

It is experimentally shown that a large thermal blue shift of up to 100 GHz/K (0.2 nm/K at a wavelength of 775 nm) can be achieved with higher order radial modes in an ethanol-filled microbubble whispering gallery mode resonator (WGR). Q-factors for the most thermally sensitive modes are typically 105, equivalent to a measurement resolution of 8.5 mK. The thermal shift rate is determined for different modes when the core of the microbubble is filled with air, water, and ethanol. The measured shifts are compared against Finite Element Model (FEM) simulations. It is also shown that, if the microbubble is in the quasi-droplet regime, the fundamental TE mode in a bubble with a 500 nm wall is estimated to experience a shift of 35 GHz/K, while the effective index is still high enough to allow efficient coupling to a tapered optical fiber. Nonetheless, at a wall thickness of 1 μm, the most sensitive modes (n = 2) observed were still strongly coupled.

Determination of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in 1 mL whole blood using programmable temperature vaporization large volume injection coupled to gas chromatogram and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Shen, Haitao; Guan, Rongfa; Li, Jingguang; Zhang, Lei; Ren, Yiping; Xu, Xiaomin; Song, Yang; Zhao, Yunfeng; Han, Jianlong; Wu, Yongning

2013-03-12

A sensitive method based on programmable temperature vaporization large volume injection coupled to gas chromatogram and high-resolution mass spectrometry (PTV-GC-HRMS) has been developed for the determination of ultra trace levels of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL PCBs) in small amounts of human blood. Blood samples (1mL) were first extracted by column extraction and then purified with column chromatorgraphies. Final extracts (20μL) were introduced to the PTV injector under the solvent vent mode and detected by GC-HRMS (SIM mode). PTV parameters were observed by changing one factor at a time (practical conditions: vent flow: 50mLmin(-1), vent pressure: 0kPa and vent time: 0.1min), recoveries of most PCB congeners ranged from 55.1% to 108%, and method detection limits were in the range of 0.11-1.63pgg(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial distribution and historical trends of heavy metals in the sediments of petroleum producing regions of the Beibu Gulf, China.

PubMed

Yang, Jichao; Wang, Weiguo; Zhao, Mengwei; Chen, Bin; Dada, Olusegun A; Chu, Zhihui

2015-02-15

The concentrations of As, Sb, Hg, Pb, Cd, and Ba in the surface and core sediments of the oil and gas producing region of the Beibu Gulf were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (AFS), and the spatial distribution and historical trends of these elements are discussed. The results show that the concentrations of these elements are highest near the platforms. The results of Enrichment Factor (EF) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) also reveal significantly higher enrichment around the platforms, which imply that the offshore petroleum production was the cause of the unusual distribution and severe enrichment of these elements in the study area. The environment around the platforms was highly laden with toxic elements, thereby representing a very high ecological risk to the environment of the study area. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topical review: spins and mechanics in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Donghun; Lee, Kenneth W.; Cady, Jeffrey V.; Ovartchaiyapong, Preeti; Bleszynski Jayich, Ania C.

2017-03-01

There has been rapidly growing interest in hybrid quantum devices involving a solid-state spin and a macroscopic mechanical oscillator. Such hybrid devices create exciting opportunities to mediate interactions between disparate quantum bits (qubits) and to explore the quantum regime of macroscopic mechanical objects. In particular, a system consisting of the nitrogen-vacancy defect center (NV center) in diamond coupled to a high-quality-factor mechanical oscillator is an appealing candidate for such a hybrid quantum device, as it utilizes the highly coherent and versatile spin properties of the defect center. In this paper, we will review recent experimental progress on diamond-based hybrid quantum devices in which the spin and orbital dynamics of single defects are driven by the motion of a mechanical oscillator. In addition, we discuss prospective applications for this device, including long-range, phonon-mediated spin-spin interactions, and phonon cooling in the quantum regime. We conclude the review by evaluating the experimental limitations of current devices and identifying alternative device architectures that may reach the strong coupling regime.

Packaging of fiber lasers and components for use in harsh environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creeden, Daniel; Johnson, Benjamin R.; Jones, Casey; Ibach, Charles; Lemons, Michael; Budni, Peter A.; Zona, James P.; Marcinuk, Adam; Willis, Chris; Sweeney, James; Setzler, Scott D.

2016-03-01

High power continuous and pulsed fiber lasers and amplifiers have become more prevalent in laser systems over the last ten years. In fielding such systems, strong environmental and operational factors drive the packaging of the components. These include large operational temperature ranges, non-standard wavelengths of operation, strong vibration, and lack of water cooling. Typical commercial fiber components are not designed to survive these types of environments. Based on these constraints, we have had to develop and test a wide range of customized fiber-based components and systems to survive in these conditions. In this paper, we discuss some of those designs and detail the testing performed on those systems and components. This includes the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, modified to survive extended temperature ranges, as well as customized components designed specifically for performance in harsh environments. Some of these custom components include: ruggedized/monolithic fiber spools; detachable and repeatable fiber collimators; low loss fiber-to-fiber coupling schemes; and high power fiber-coupled isolators.

Examining relationship/family planning factors and sexual relationship power among immigrant Latino couples in the United States.

PubMed

Matsuda, Yui; McGrath, Jacqueline M; Knafl, George J; Worthington, Everett L; Jallo, Nancy; Corona, Rosalie

2014-01-01

The ability to influence partners' actions within an intimate relationship (sexual relationship power [SRP]) is a key concept in achieving optimum family planning (FP) among U.S. Latinos. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between relationship/FP factors and SRP. The actor-partner interdependence model was used to analyze data for 40 couples. Both men's and women's sexual communications were positively associated with SRP, only women's relationship satisfaction was positively associated with SRP, women's general communication was negatively associated with men's SRP, and men's contraception attitudes were negatively associated with SRP. Couples interventions are needed, which account for SRP and gender differences. These findings provide direction for developing targeted interventions to achieve better FP for Latino couples.

Romantic Relationships in Intra-Ethnic and Inter-Ethnic Adolescent Couples in Germany: The Role of Attachment to Parents, Self-Esteem, and Conflict Resolution Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucx, Freek; Seiffge-Krenke, Inge

2010-01-01

We investigated romantic relationships in a sample of 380 adolescents who formed 190 heterosexual couples (mean age: females 17 years; males 18 years): 173 intra-ethnic (German) couples and 17 inter-ethnic couples. Factor analyses revealed two types of love experiences: (a) experiences of attraction and a passionate focus on the partner…

Polarized Couples in Therapy: Recognizing Indifference as the Opposite of Love.

PubMed

Abbasi, Irum Saeed; Alghamdi, Nawal G

2017-01-02

How can a couple "fall in love" and then subsequently "stumble out of love"? For centuries, this question has perplexed partners, researchers, and therapists alike. Unlike falling out of love, which may be a long-term gradual decline in love, falling in love may occur without much deliberation like the famous "love at first sight." During a developing love relationship, couples are more susceptible to ignoring a myriad of factors that will eventually influence their relationship. These ignored personal and general factors become increasingly conspicuous after the relationship is established. When facing relationship difficulties, the presence or absence of mutual love and intimacy steers the couple's relationship toward continuity or termination. Emotional indifference (which is the opposite of love) diminishes love and care; the terms marital disaffection and romantic disengagement are used synonymously to represent emotional indifference in couples. Marital disaffection is one of the central concerns of couples entering therapy. Nevertheless, spouses may enter therapy with divergent goals that may be polar opposites. Therefore, treatment of polarized or different agenda couples is challenging because disaffected spouses may be seeking counseling to break the bond at a safe venue, while their partners may still be obliviously hoping for the rebirth of their lost love. This article reviews marital disaffection/romantic disengagement and discusses counseling options for polarized couples.

Evaluating the influence of process parameters on soluble microbial products formation using response surface methodology coupled with grey relational analysis.

PubMed

Xu, Juan; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Luo, Hong-Wei; Fang, Fang; Li, Wen-Wei; Zeng, Raymond J; Tong, Zhong-Hua; Yu, Han-Qing

2011-01-01

Soluble microbial products (SMPs) present a major part of residual chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluents from biological wastewater treatment systems, and the SMP formation is greatly influenced by a variety of process parameters. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with grey relational analysis (GRA) method was used to evaluate the effects of substrate concentration, temperature, NH(4)(+)-N concentration and aeration rate on the SMP production in batch activated sludge reactors. Carbohydrates were found to be the major component of SMP, and the influential priorities of these factors were: temperature>substrate concentration > aeration rate > NH(4)(+)-N concentration. On the basis of the RSM results, the interactive effects of these factors on the SMP formation were evaluated, and the optimal operating conditions for a minimum SMP production in such a batch activated sludge system also were identified. These results provide useful information about how to control the SMP formation of activated sludge and ensure the bioreactor high-quality effluent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interlayer excitons in a bulk van der Waals semiconductor.

PubMed

Arora, Ashish; Drüppel, Matthias; Schmidt, Robert; Deilmann, Thorsten; Schneider, Robert; Molas, Maciej R; Marauhn, Philipp; Michaelis de Vasconcellos, Steffen; Potemski, Marek; Rohlfing, Michael; Bratschitsch, Rudolf

2017-09-21

Bound electron-hole pairs called excitons govern the electronic and optical response of many organic and inorganic semiconductors. Excitons with spatially displaced wave functions of electrons and holes (interlayer excitons) are important for Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity, dissipationless current flow, and the light-induced exciton spin Hall effect. Here we report on the discovery of interlayer excitons in a bulk van der Waals semiconductor. They form due to strong localization and spin-valley coupling of charge carriers. By combining high-field magneto-reflectance experiments and ab initio calculations for 2H-MoTe 2 , we explain their salient features: the positive sign of the g-factor and the large diamagnetic shift. Our investigations solve the long-standing puzzle of positive g-factors in transition metal dichalcogenides, and pave the way for studying collective phenomena in these materials at elevated temperatures.Excitons, quasi-particles of bound electron-hole pairs, are at the core of the optoelectronic properties of layered transition metal dichalcogenides. Here, the authors unveil the presence of interlayer excitons in bulk van der Waals semiconductors, arising from strong localization and spin-valley coupling of charge carriers.

Analytical study of the acoustic field in a spherical resonator for single bubble sonoluminescence.

PubMed

Dellavale, Damián; Urteaga, Raúl; Bonetto, Fabián J

2010-01-01

The acoustic field in the liquid within a spherical solid shell is calculated. The proposed model takes into account Stoke's wave equation in the viscous fluid, the membrane theory to describe the solid shell motion and the energy loss through the external couplings of the system. A point source at the resonator center is included to reproduce the acoustic emission of a sonoluminescence bubble. Particular calculations of the resulting acoustic field are performed for viscous liquids of interest in single bubble sonoluminescence. The model reveals that in case of radially symmetric modes of low frequency, the quality factor is mainly determined by the acoustic energy flowing through the mechanical coupling of the resonator. Alternatively, for high frequency modes the quality factor is mainly determined by the viscous dissipation in the liquid. Furthermore, the interaction between the bubble acoustic emission and the resonator modes is analyzed. It was found that the bubble acoustic emission produces local maxima in the resonator response. The calculated amplitudes and relative phases of the harmonics constituting the bubble acoustic environment can be used to improve multi-frequency driving in sonoluminescence.

Synchronicity in predictive modelling: a new view of data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duane, G. S.; Tribbia, J. J.; Weiss, J. B.

2006-11-01

The problem of data assimilation can be viewed as one of synchronizing two dynamical systems, one representing "truth" and the other representing "model", with a unidirectional flow of information between the two. Synchronization of truth and model defines a general view of data assimilation, as machine perception, that is reminiscent of the Jung-Pauli notion of synchronicity between matter and mind. The dynamical systems paradigm of the synchronization of a pair of loosely coupled chaotic systems is expected to be useful because quasi-2D geophysical fluid models have been shown to synchronize when only medium-scale modes are coupled. The synchronization approach is equivalent to standard approaches based on least-squares optimization, including Kalman filtering, except in highly non-linear regions of state space where observational noise links regimes with qualitatively different dynamics. The synchronization approach is used to calculate covariance inflation factors from parameters describing the bimodality of a one-dimensional system. The factors agree in overall magnitude with those used in operational practice on an ad hoc basis. The calculation is robust against the introduction of stochastic model error arising from unresolved scales.

Low-Frequency Interlayer Raman Modes to Probe Interface of Twisted Bilayer MoS 2

DOE PAGES

Huang, Shengxi; Liang, Liangbo; Ling, Xi; ...

2016-02-21

A variety of van der Waals homo- and hetero- structures assembled by stamping monolayers together present optoelectronic properties suitable for diverse applications. Understanding the details of the interlayer stacking and resulting coupling is crucial for tuning these properties. Twisted bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides offer a great platform for developing a precise understanding of the structure/property relationship. Here, we study the low-frequency interlayer shear and breathing Raman modes (<50 cm-1) in twisted bilayer MoS 2 by Raman spectroscopy and first-principles modeling. Twisting introduces both rotational and translational shifts and significantly alters the interlayer stacking and coupling, leading to notable frequency andmore » intensity changes of low-frequency modes. The frequency variation can be up to 8 cm-1 and the intensity can vary by a factor of ~5 for twisting near 0 and 60 , where the stacking is a mixture of multiple high-symmetry stacking patterns and is thus especially sensitive to twisting. Moreover, for twisting angles between 20 and 40 , the interlayer coupling is nearly constant since the stacking results in mismatched lattices over the entire sample. It follows that the Raman signature is relatively uniform. Interestingly, unlike the breathing mode, the shear mode is extremely sensitive to twisting: it disappears between 20 and 40 as its frequency drops to almost zero due to the stacking-induced mismatch. Note that for some samples, multiple breathing mode peaks appear, indicating non-uniform coupling across the interface. In contrast to the low-frequency interlayer modes, high-frequency intralayer Raman modes are much less sensitive to interlayer stacking and coupling, showing negligible changes upon twisting. Our research demonstrates the effectiveness of low-frequency Raman modes for probing the interfacial coupling and environment of twisted bilayer MoS2, and potentially other two-dimensional materials and heterostructures.« less

Coupling of conservative and dissipative forces in frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sader, John E.; Jarvis, Suzanne P.

2006-11-01

Frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) utilizes the principle of self-excitation to ensure the cantilever probe vibrates at its resonant frequency, regardless of the tip-sample interaction. Practically, this is achieved by fixing the phase difference between tip deflection and driving force at precisely 90° . This, in turn, decouples the frequency shift and excitation amplitude signals, enabling quantitative interpretation in terms of conservative and dissipative tip-sample interaction forces. In this article, we theoretically investigate the effect of phase detuning in the self-excitation mechanism on the coupling between conservative and dissipative forces in FM-AFM. We find that this coupling depends only on the relative difference in the drive and resonant frequencies far from the surface, and is thus very weakly dependent on the actual phase error particularly for high quality factors. This establishes that FM-AFM is highly robust with respect to phase detuning, and enables quantitative interpretation of the measured frequency shift and excitation amplitude, even while operating away from the resonant frequency with the use of appropriate replacements in the existing formalism. We also examine the calibration of phase shifts in FM-AFM measurements and demonstrate that the commonly used approach of minimizing the excitation amplitude can lead to significant phase detuning, particularly in liquid environments.

Evaluation of a direct injection nebulizer interface for flow injection analysis and high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection

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

LaFreniere, K.E.

A direct injection nebulizer (DIN) was designed, developed and evaluated to determine its potential utilization as an effective interface for flow injection analysis (FIA) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection. The analytical figures of merit for the DIN when used as an interface for FIA-ICP-AES were found to be comparable to or better than those obtained with conventional pneumatic nebulization in terms of limits of detection (LODs), reproducibility, linearity, and interelement effects. In the HPLC mode, the LODDs were found to be comparable to those obtained by continuous-flow sample introduction into themore » ICP, or inferior by up to only a factor of four. Stable plasma operation was maintained for the DIN sample introduction of a variety of pure organic solvents, including acetonitrile, methanol, methyl-isobutylketone, and pyridine. The HPLC-DIN-ICP-AES facility was specifically applied for the speciation of inorganic and organo-metallic species contained in synthetic mixtures, vanilla extracts and a variety of energy-related materials, such as shale oil process water, coal extracts, shale oil, crude oil, and an SRC II. Suggestions for future research are also considered.« less

Activation of G-protein coupled estrogen receptor inhibits the proliferation of cervical cancer cells via sustained activation of ERK1/2.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiong; Wu, Yuan-Zhe; Zhang, Yan-Mei; Ji, Xiao-Hong; Hao, Qun

2015-04-01

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynaecological women cancer and suggested to be modulated by estrogenic signals. G protein-coupled receptor (GPER), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor, has been reported to regulate the cell proliferation of various cancers. But there is no study investigating the effects of GPER on the progression of cervical cancer. In the present study, we revealed for the first time that GPER was also highly expressed in various human cervical cancer cells. Activation of GPER via its specific agonist G-1 induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and down regulation of cyclin B via a time dependent manner. Furthermore, G-1 treatment induced sustained activation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 via epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signals. Both inhibitors of ERK1/2 and EGFR significantly abolished G-1-induced suppression of cell proliferation and down regulation of cyclin B. Generally, our study revealed that GPER is highly expressed in human cervical cancer cells and its activation inhibits cell proliferation via EGFR/ERK1/2 signals. It suggested that G-1 can be considered as a potential new pharmacological tool to reduce the growth of cervical cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Predictors of Pregnancy and Live Birth in Couples with Unexplained or Male-factor Infertility after Insemination

PubMed Central

Huang, Hao; Hansen, Karl R.; Factor-Litvak, Pamela; Carson, Sandra A.; Guzick, David S.; Santoro, Nanette; Diamond, Michael P.; Eisenberg, Esther; Zhang, Heping

2012-01-01

Objective To identify risk factors for pregnancy outcomes in couples treated with intracervical or intrauterine insemination, with or without superovulation for unexplained or male-factor infertility. The treatment continued for four cycles unless pregnancy was achieved. Design Secondary analysis of data from a randomized superovulation and intrauterine insemination trial. Setting Academic medical centers. Intervention(s) None. Patients Out of 932 couples randomized to four treatment groups, 664 couples who had completed the lifestyle questionnaires were assessed for occurrence of pregnancy and live birth. Main outcome measure(s) pregnancy and live birth. Results The pregnancy and live birth rates were significantly higher in couples in which the female partners reported that they had consumed coffee or tea in the past or drank alcoholic beverages in the past (past users) when compared to those who had never consumed coffee or tea (4.0, 1.6–10.2 for pregnancy; 3.1, 1.2–8.1 for live birth) or alcoholic beverages (1.9, 1.1–3.3 for pregnancy; 2.1, 1.2–3.7 for live birth) (data are adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval). Past users also had significantly higher pregnancy and live birth rates than those who were currently consuming coffee or tea or alcoholic beverages. Demographic, occupational exposures and other lifestyle factors were not significant. Conclusion(s) Couples in which the female partners drank coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages in the past had higher pregnancy and live birth rates when compared to never or current users. When discontinuing these habits, they might have made other lifestyle changes to improve the pregnancy outcome. PMID:22270557

Cost-effectiveness of primary offer of IVF vs. primary offer of IUI followed by IVF (for IUI failures) in couples with unexplained or mild male factor subfertility.

PubMed

Pashayan, Nora; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Mathur, Raj

2006-06-23

In unexplained and mild male factor subfertility, both intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) are indicated as first line treatments. Because the success rate of IUI is low, many couples failing IUI subsequently require IVF treatment. In practice, it is therefore important to examine the comparative outcomes (live birth-producing pregnancy), costs, and cost-effectiveness of primary offer of IVF, compared with primary offer of IUI followed by IVF for couples failing IUI. Mathematical modelling was used to estimate comparative clinical and cost effectiveness of either primary offer of one full IVF cycle (including frozen cycles when applicable) or "IUI + IVF" (defined as primary IUI followed by IVF for IUI failures) to a hypothetical cohort of subfertile couples who are eligible for both treatment strategies. Data used in calculations were derived from the published peer-reviewed literature as well as activity data of local infertility units. Cost-effectiveness ratios for IVF, "unstimulated-IUI (U-IUI) + IVF", and "stimulated IUI (S-IUI) + IVF" were 12,600 pounds sterling, 13,100 pound sterling and 15,100 pound sterling per live birth-producing pregnancy respectively. For a hypothetical cohort of 100 couples with unexplained or mild male factor subfertility, compared with primary offer of IVF, 6 cycles of "U-IUI + IVF" or of "S-IUI + IVF" would cost an additional 174,200 pounds sterling and 438,000 pounds sterling, representing an opportunity cost of 54 and 136 additional IVF cycles and 14 to 35 live birth-producing pregnancies respectively. For couples with unexplained and mild male factor subfertility, primary offer of a full IVF cycle is less costly and more cost-effective than providing IUI (of any modality) followed by IVF.

Cost-effectiveness of primary offer of IVF vs. primary offer of IUI followed by IVF (for IUI failures) in couples with unexplained or mild male factor subfertility

PubMed Central

Pashayan, Nora; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Mathur, Raj

2006-01-01

Background In unexplained and mild male factor subfertility, both intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) are indicated as first line treatments. Because the success rate of IUI is low, many couples failing IUI subsequently require IVF treatment. In practice, it is therefore important to examine the comparative outcomes (live birth-producing pregnancy), costs, and cost-effectiveness of primary offer of IVF, compared with primary offer of IUI followed by IVF for couples failing IUI. Methods Mathematical modelling was used to estimate comparative clinical and cost effectiveness of either primary offer of one full IVF cycle (including frozen cycles when applicable) or "IUI + IVF" (defined as primary IUI followed by IVF for IUI failures) to a hypothetical cohort of subfertile couples who are eligible for both treatment strategies. Data used in calculations were derived from the published peer-reviewed literature as well as activity data of local infertility units. Results Cost-effectiveness ratios for IVF, "unstimulated-IUI (U-IUI) + IVF", and "stimulated IUI (S-IUI) + IVF" were £12,600, £13,100 and £15,100 per live birth-producing pregnancy respectively. For a hypothetical cohort of 100 couples with unexplained or mild male factor subfertility, compared with primary offer of IVF, 6 cycles of "U-IUI + IVF" or of "S-IUI + IVF" would cost an additional £174,200 and £438,000, representing an opportunity cost of 54 and 136 additional IVF cycles and 14 to 35 live birth-producing pregnancies respectively. Conclusion For couples with unexplained and mild male factor subfertility, primary offer of a full IVF cycle is less costly and more cost-effective than providing IUI (of any modality) followed by IVF. PMID:16796733

The transition to parenthood among young African American and Latino couples: relational predictors of risk for parental dysfunction.

PubMed

Florsheim, Paul; Sumida, Emi; McCann, Claire; Winstanley, Matthew; Fukui, Ritsuko; Seefeldt, Trina; Moore, David

2003-03-01

This study examined relationship factors associated with parental dysfunction among young African American and Latino couples. Parent dysfunction was defined in terms of parenting stress, child abuse potential, physically punitive behavior, and paternal disengagement. Fathers who reported positive relations with their own parents and partners before childbirth reported more positive adjustments to parenthood at follow-up. The quality of the prebirth partner relationship buffered the impact of a relationship breakup on a young father's adjustment to parenthood. The quality of a mother's relationship with her parents was the best predictor of her adjustment to parenthood. However, mothers who reported large declines in the quality of the partner relationship also reported high levels of parenting stress. Clinical and policy implications of findings are discussed.

Characteristic analysis of a polarization output coupling Porro prism resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hailong; Meng, Junqing; Chen, Weibiao

2015-02-01

An Electro-optical Q-switched Nd:YAG slab laser with a crossed misalignment Porro prism resonator for space applications has been theoretically and experimentally investigated. The phase shift induced by the combination of different wave plates and Porro prism azimuth angles have been studied for creating high loss condition prior to Q-switching. The relationship of the effective output coupling reflectivity and the employed Q-switch driving voltage is explored by using Jones matrix optics. In the experiment, the maximum output pulse energy of 93 mJ with 14-ns pulse duration is obtained at the repetition rate of 20 Hz and the optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is 16.8%. The beam quality factors are M 2 x = 2.5 and M 2y = 2.2, respectively.

HLA sharing among couples appears unrelated to idiopathic recurrent fetal loss in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Moghraby, J S; Tamim, H; Anacan, V; Al Khalaf, H; Moghraby, S A

2010-08-01

Recurrent fetal loss (RFL) is a prevalent problem affecting approximately 1% of all women of childbearing age. Many factors can lead to RFL; however, recent studies have indicated the important role of the maternal immune system in this process. The human leukocyte antigens (HLA), HLA-linked genes and regulatory factors play an important role in fetal loss and in fetal development. The current retrospective study was preformed to examine the HLA alleles shared between couples with RFL in Saudi Arabia, using a large cohort of women (having three or more RFL). Specific HLA alleles that could influence this condition, or the number of miscarriages experienced, were expected to be highlighted in this way. A total of 253 consecutive patients who visited the RFL clinic at the King AbdulAziz Medical City, National Guard Hospital in Riyadh were included in this study. They included 54 consanguineous couples, 132 non-consanguineous couples and another 67 couples shared only their tribal origin. Clinical examinations as well as laboratory investigations were carried out on each patient. Class I HLA, HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C, and Class II HLA, HLA-DR and HLA-DQ, were typed for each patient and their partner. No relationship was seen between sharing of HLA alleles and the number of RFL experienced by the couples, among neither consanguineous nor non-consanguineous couples. Although the results of this study suggest that HLA sharing is not an indicative factor in RFL, definitive conclusions on this topic must be based on large case-control studies.

Unmet need for contraception among married women in an urban area of Puducherry, India.

PubMed

Sulthana, Bahiya; Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Sunderamurthy, Bhuvaneswary; Manoharan, Keerthana; Subramanian, Manimozhi

2015-01-01

Unmet need for contraception remains a national problem. The study was conducted in an urban area of Puducherry, India, among the eligible couples to assess the unmet need for contraception and to determine the awareness and pattern of use of contraceptives along with the socio-demographic factors associated with the unmet needs for contraception. This cross-sectional study included eligible couples with married women in age group of 15-45 yr as the study population (n=267). Probability proportional to size sampling followed by systematic random sampling was used. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to collect data from the respondents. Double data entry and validation of data was done. Unmet need for contraception was 27.3 per cent (95% CI: 22.3-33); unmet need for spacing and limiting was 4.9 and 22.5 per cent, respectively. Among those with unmet need (n=73), 50 per cent reported client related factors (lack of knowledge, shyness, etc.); and 37 per cent reported contraception related factors (availability, accessibility, affordability, side effects) as a cause for unmet need. Our study showed a high unmet need for contraception in the study area indicating towards a necessity to address user perspective to meet the contraception needs.

Absolute measurements and certified reference material for iron isotopes using multiple-collector inductively coupled mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhou, Tao; Zhao, Motian; Wang, Jun; Lu, Hai

2008-01-01

Two enriched isotopes, 99.94 at.% 56Fe and 99.90 at.% 54Fe, were blended under gravimetric control to prepare ten synthetic isotope samples whose 56Fe isotope abundances ranged from 95% to 20%. For multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) measurements typical polyatomic interferences were removed by using Ar and H2 as collision gas and operating the MC-ICP-MS system in soft mode. Thus high-precision measurements of the Fe isotope abundance ratios were accomplished. Based on the measurement of the synthetic isotope abundance ratios by MC-ICP-MS, the correction factor for mass discrimination was calculated and the results were in agreement with results from IRMM014. The precision of all ten correction factors was 0.044%, indicating a good linearity of the MC-ICP-MS method for different isotope abundance ratio values. An isotopic reference material was certified under the same conditions as the instrument was calibrated. The uncertainties of ten correction factors K were calculated and the final extended uncertainties of the isotopic certified Fe reference material were 5.8363(37) at.% 54Fe, 91.7621(51) at.% 56Fe, 2.1219(23) at.% 57Fe, and 0.2797(32) at.% 58Fe.

Transcriptional coupling of synaptic transmission and energy metabolism: role of nuclear respiratory factor 1 in co-regulating neuronal nitric oxide synthase and cytochrome c oxidase genes in neurons.

PubMed

Dhar, Shilpa S; Liang, Huan Ling; Wong-Riley, Margaret T T

2009-10-01

Neuronal activity is highly dependent on energy metabolism; yet, the two processes have traditionally been regarded as independently regulated at the transcriptional level. Recently, we found that the same transcription factor, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) co-regulates an important energy-generating enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase, as well as critical subunits of glutamatergic receptors. The present study tests our hypothesis that the co-regulation extends to the next level of glutamatergic synapses, namely, neuronal nitric oxide synthase, which generates nitric oxide as a downstream signaling molecule. Using in silico analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, promoter mutations, and NRF-1 silencing, we documented that NRF-1 functionally bound to Nos1, but not Nos2 (inducible) and Nos3 (endothelial) gene promoters. Both COX and Nos1 transcripts were up-regulated by depolarizing KCl treatment and down-regulated by TTX-mediated impulse blockade in neurons. However, NRF-1 silencing blocked the up-regulation of both Nos1 and COX induced by KCl depolarization, and over-expression of NRF-1 rescued both Nos1 and COX transcripts down-regulated by TTX. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis that synaptic neuronal transmission and energy metabolism are tightly coupled at the molecular level.

When Couples Divorce: Issues for Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambliss, Catherine

Couples counseling is about both saving and optimally ending relationships. Some of the factors affecting the counselor's role in couples therapy are addressed in this paper. It opens with a listing of the objectives of counseling, such as the need to remain neutral. Some of the societal influences on divorce rate are discussed, along with…

Gear Spline Coupling Program

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

Guo, Yi; Errichello, Robert

2013-08-29

An analytical model is developed to evaluate the design of a spline coupling. For a given torque and shaft misalignment, the model calculates the number of teeth in contact, tooth loads, stiffnesses, stresses, and safety factors. The analytic model provides essential spline coupling design and modeling information and could be easily integrated into gearbox design and simulation tools.

Distal and Proximal Factors in Domestic Violence: A Test of an Integrated Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMaris, Alfred; Benson, Michael L.; Fox, Greer L.; Hill, Terrence; Van Wyk, Judy

2003-01-01

Tests a model of couple violence drawn from several theoretical perspectives. The outcome distinguishes among nonviolent couples and those experiencing either physical aggression or intense male violence. According to the model, background characteristics of couples are related to relationship stressors, which affect the risk of violence via their…

Theory on the Dynamics of Oscillatory Loops in the Transcription Factor Networks

PubMed Central

Murugan, Rajamanickam

2014-01-01

We develop a detailed theoretical framework for various types of transcription factor gene oscillators. We further demonstrate that one can build genetic-oscillators which are tunable and robust against perturbations in the critical control parameters by coupling two or more independent Goodwin-Griffith oscillators through either -OR- or -AND- type logic. Most of the coupled oscillators constructed in the literature so far seem to be of -OR- type. When there are transient perturbations in one of the -OR- type coupled-oscillators, then the overall period of the system remains constant (period-buffering) whereas in case of -AND- type coupling the overall period of the system moves towards the perturbed oscillator. Though there is a period-buffering, the amplitudes of oscillators coupled through -OR- type logic are more sensitive to perturbations in the parameters associated with the promoter state dynamics than -AND- type. Further analysis shows that the period of -AND- type coupled dual-feedback oscillators can be tuned without conceding on the amplitudes. Using these results we derive the basic design principles governing the robust and tunable synthetic gene oscillators without compromising on their amplitudes. PMID:25111803

Wear studies of all UHMWPE couples under various bio-tribological conditions.

PubMed

Joyce, T J; Unsworth, A

2004-01-01

Wear tests were undertaken in which ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was rubbed against itself. Tests primarily employed a pin-on-plate wear test machine, with distilled water, Ringer solution and dilute bovine serum being used as the lubricants. Loads of 10N and 40N were employed, and some test pins had a rotational motion added. In all cases wear was high, with mean wear factors of up to 91 10 -6 mm3/Nm being measured, but the addition of rotation reduced the amount of material worn from the test plates. In the presence of bovine serum and under reciprocation only, pin wear was relatively low. With bovine serum as the lubricant, total mean wear factors for the UHMWPE couples were calculated to be in the range of 35 to 58 10-6mm3/Nm. Therefore the pin-on-plate tests showed that the choice of lubricant as well as the motion applied to the test pin had a significant influence on the wear volumes measured. A two-piece UHMWPE 'prosthesis' with matching hemispherical faces was fabricated and tested on a finger simulator. Distilled water was used as the lubricant and wear factors were found to be greater for the metacarpal component, 21 10 -6mm3/Nm, than the phalangeal component, 3 10-6mm3/Nm, after ten million cycles of testing. This result paralleled the greater wear seen by the plate than by the pin in the pin-on-plate tests under reciprocating motion. (Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Biomechanics 2004; 2: 29-34).

Measuring and assessing maintainability at the end of high level design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briand, Lionel C.; Morasca, Sandro; Basili, Victor R.

1993-01-01

Software architecture appears to be one of the main factors affecting software maintainability. Therefore, in order to be able to predict and assess maintainability early in the development process we need to be able to measure the high-level design characteristics that affect the change process. To this end, we propose a measurement approach, which is based on precise assumptions derived from the change process, which is based on Object-Oriented Design principles and is partially language independent. We define metrics for cohesion, coupling, and visibility in order to capture the difficulty of isolating, understanding, designing and validating changes.

Electromagnetically induced transparency in planar metamaterials based on guided mode resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yaru; Chen, Hang; Li, Xiangjun; Hong, Zhi

2017-06-01

We present and numerically demonstrate a novel, electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in planar metamaterials (MMs) based on guided mode resonance (GMR). The unit cell of the MM consists of two metallic ring resonators. The GMR with high quality factor (Q) is achieved by changing the distance between the two rings of the MM. Narrow EIT-like spectral response is realized by coupling between a high Q GMR and a low Q dipolar resonance of the MM. Our work could provide another efficient way towards the realization of EIT with large group index using very simple structures.

Analysis of silicon on insulator (SOI) optical microring add-drop filter based on waveguide intersections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaźmierczak, Andrzej; Bogaerts, Wim; Van Thourhout, Dries; Drouard, Emmanuel; Rojo-Romeo, Pedro; Giannone, Domenico; Gaffiot, Frederic

2008-04-01

We present a compact passive optical add-drop filter which incorporates two microring resonators and a waveguide intersection in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Such a filter is a key element for designing simple layouts of highly integrated complex optical networks-on-chip. The filter occupies an area smaller than 10μm×10μm and exhibits relatively high quality factors (up to 4000) and efficient signal dropping capabilities. In the present work, the influence of filter parameters such as the microring-resonators radii and the coupling section shape are analyzed theoretically and experimentally

The Circuit Theory Behind Coupled-Mode Magnetic Resonance-Based Wireless Power Transmission.

PubMed

Kiani, Mehdi; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2012-09-01

Inductive coupling is a viable scheme to wirelessly energize devices with a wide range of power requirements from nanowatts in radio frequency identification tags to milliwatts in implantable microelectronic devices, watts in mobile electronics, and kilowatts in electric cars. Several analytical methods for estimating the power transfer efficiency (PTE) across inductive power transmission links have been devised based on circuit and electromagnetic theories by electrical engineers and physicists, respectively. However, a direct side-by-side comparison between these two approaches is lacking. Here, we have analyzed the PTE of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors via reflected load theory (RLT) and compared it with a method known as coupled-mode theory (CMT). We have also derived PTE equations for multiple capacitively loaded inductors based on both RLT and CMT. We have proven that both methods basically result in the same set of equations in steady state and either method can be applied for short- or midrange coupling conditions. We have verified the accuracy of both methods through measurements, and also analyzed the transient response of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors. Our analysis shows that the CMT is only applicable to coils with high quality factor ( Q ) and large coupling distance. It simplifies the analysis by reducing the order of the differential equations by half compared to the circuit theory.

The Circuit Theory Behind Coupled-Mode Magnetic Resonance-Based Wireless Power Transmission

PubMed Central

Kiani, Mehdi; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2014-01-01

Inductive coupling is a viable scheme to wirelessly energize devices with a wide range of power requirements from nanowatts in radio frequency identification tags to milliwatts in implantable microelectronic devices, watts in mobile electronics, and kilowatts in electric cars. Several analytical methods for estimating the power transfer efficiency (PTE) across inductive power transmission links have been devised based on circuit and electromagnetic theories by electrical engineers and physicists, respectively. However, a direct side-by-side comparison between these two approaches is lacking. Here, we have analyzed the PTE of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors via reflected load theory (RLT) and compared it with a method known as coupled-mode theory (CMT). We have also derived PTE equations for multiple capacitively loaded inductors based on both RLT and CMT. We have proven that both methods basically result in the same set of equations in steady state and either method can be applied for short- or midrange coupling conditions. We have verified the accuracy of both methods through measurements, and also analyzed the transient response of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors. Our analysis shows that the CMT is only applicable to coils with high quality factor (Q) and large coupling distance. It simplifies the analysis by reducing the order of the differential equations by half compared to the circuit theory. PMID:24683368

Variability and validity of intimate partner violence reporting by couples in Tanzania.

PubMed

Halim, Nafisa; Steven, Ester; Reich, Naomi; Badi, Lilian; Messersmith, Lisa

2018-01-01

In recent years, major global institutions have amplified their efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV) against women-a global health and human rights violation affecting 15-71% of reproductive aged women over their lifetimes. Still, some scholars remain concerned about the validity of instruments used for IPV assessment in population-based studies. In this paper, we conducted two validation analyses using novel data from 450 women-men dyads across nine villages in Northern Tanzania. First, we examined the level of inter-partner agreement in reporting of men's physical, sexual, emotional and economic IPV against women in the last three and twelve months prior to the survey, ever in the relationship, and during pregnancy. Second, we conducted a convergent validity analysis to compare the relative efficacy of men's self-reports of perpetration and women's of victimization as a valid indicator of IPV against Tanzanian women using logistic regression models with village-level clustered errors. We found that, for every violence type across the recall periods of the last three months, the last twelve months and ever in the relationship, at least one in three couples disagreed about IPV occurrences in the relationship. Couples' agreement about physical, sexual and economic IPV during pregnancy was high with 86-93% of couples reporting concordantly. Also, men's self-reported perpetration had statistically significant associations with at least as many validated risk factors as had women's self-reported victimization. This finding suggests that men's self-reports are at least as valid as women's as an indicator of IPV against women in Northern Tanzania. We recommend more validation studies are conducted in low-income countries, and that data on relationship factors affecting IPV reports and reporting are made available along with data on IPV occurrences.

Impact of electronic coupling, symmetry, and planarization on one- and two-photon properties of triarylamines with one, two, or three diarylboryl acceptors.

PubMed

Makarov, Nikolay S; Mukhopadhyay, Sukrit; Yesudas, Kada; Brédas, Jean-Luc; Perry, Joseph W; Pron, Agnieszka; Kivala, Milan; Müllen, Klaus

2012-04-19

We have performed a study of the one- and two-photon absorption properties of a systematically varied series of triarylamino-compounds with one, two, or three attached diarylborane arms arranged in linear dipolar, bent dipolar, and octupolar geometries. Two-photon fluorescence excitation spectra were measured over a wide spectral range with femtosecond laser pulses. We found that on going from the single-arm to the two- and three-arm systems, the peak in two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section is suppressed by factors of 3-11 for the lowest excitonic level associated with the electronic coupling of the arms, whereas it is enhanced by factors of 4-8 for the higher excitonic level. These results show that the coupling of arms redistributes the 2PA cross-section between the excitonic levels in a manner that strongly favors the higher-energy excitonic level. The experimental data on one- and two-photon cross-sections, ground- and excited-state transition dipole moments, and permanent dipole moment differences between the ground and the lowest excited states were compared to the results obtained from a simple Frenkel exciton model and from highly correlated quantum-chemical calculations. It has been found that planarization of the structure around the triarylamine moiety leads to a sizable increase in peak 2PA cross-section for the lowest excitonic level of the two-arm system, whereas for the three-arm system, the corresponding peak was weakened and shifted to lower energy. Our studies show the importance of the interarm coupling, number of arms, and structural planarity on both the enhancement and the suppression of two-photon cross-sections in multiarm molecules. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Fabrication et caracterisation de cavites organiques a modes de galerie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrane, Tassadit

The aim of this master project is to combine the high quality factor of whispering gallery optical microcavities with the high photoluminescence efficiency of conjugated polymers. These polymer-cavity composite systems have a great potential for studying the interaction of light and matter in the strong coupling regime. In particular, this system would offer a great opportunity to create a Bose-Einstein condensate of polaritons, the quasi-particles made from a strong interaction between excitons and photons. Organic semiconductors, with their large delocalized excitons, coupled to good whispering gallery cavities with high quality factors and small volumes are an ideal system for this purpose. Two approaches toward this end were explored: in the first approach a pre-existing dielectric whispering gallery cavity was coated with a thin film of conjugated polymer, while in the second one the whispering gallery cavity was fabricated directly with the organic semi-conductor. For testing the first approach, a silica microsphere was dip-coated with copolymer, and the interaction between the whispering gallery modes in the microcavity and the copolymer was studied using photoluminescence spectroscopy. The well-defined resonances obtained at the emission wavelength of the organic material confirm the effective coupling between the photoluminescence and the modes of the cavity. In the second approach, we developed a process to fabricate microdisk cavities with the copolymer. The difficulty in this approach lies in the sensitivity of the organic semiconductor to the microfabrication process. It is critical to avoid dissolving or otherwise altering it during the photolithographic steps. For this purpose a protective polymer, parylene-C, is deposited on the top of the copolymer. This protective polymer was chosen to be transparent at the absorption and emission wavelengths of the copolymer and inert in the solvents used during the different steps of microfabrication. The development of this fabrication process allowed us to obtain a whispering gallery cavity with a quality factor of 5x104. These promising results suggest future uses of this cavity to explore the interactions between the polymer and the cavity modes. The adequate setup for the detection of edge-emitted photoluminescence in copolymer microdisks is in progress and will be available for the future characterisation of organic whispering gallery cavities. The development of this polymer-based whispering gallery cavities is the first step along the way toward demonstrating a polariton Bose-Einstein condensate.

Coupled and decoupled on-chip solenoid inductors with nanogranular magnetic cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yuhan; Wang, Luo; Wang, Yicheng; Zhang, Huaiwu; Peng, Dongliang; Bai, Feiming

2017-12-01

On-chip integrated solenoid inductors with multilayered nanogranular magnetic cores have been designed and fabricated on silicon wafers. Both decoupled and coupled inductors with multilayered magnetic cores were studied. For the decoupled inductor, an inductance of 14.2 nH or an equivalent inductance area density greater than 100 nH/mm2 was obtained, which is about 14 times of that of the air-core inductor, and the quality factor is 7.5 at 130 MHz. For the coupled inductor, an even higher peak quality factor of 17 was achieved at 300 MHz, however, the inductance area density decreased to 34 nH/mm2. The reason of the enhanced peak quality factor was attributed to less spike domains on the edge of the closure-loop shaped magnetic core, and therefore higher permeability and more uniform uniaxial anisotropy.

Apparatus for Use in Determining Surface Conductivity at Microwave Frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hearn, Chase P. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An apparatus is provided for use in determining surface conductivity of a flat or shaped conductive material at microwave frequencies. A plate has an electrically conductive surface with first and second holes passing through the plate. An electrically conductive material under test (MUT) is maintained in a spaced apart relationship with the electrically conductive surface of the plate by one or more nonconductive spacers. A first coupling loop is electrically shielded within the first hole while a second coupling loop is electrically shielded within the second hole. A dielectric resonator element is positioned between the first and second coupling loops, while also being positioned closer to the MUT than the electrically conductive surface of the plate. Microwave energy at an operating frequency f is supplied from a signal source to the first coupling loop while microwave energy received at the second coupling loop is measured. The apparatus is capable of measuring the Q-factor of the dielectric resonator situated in the 'cavity' existing between the electrically conductive surface of the plate and the MUT. Surface conductivity of the electrically conductive surface can be determined via interpolation using: 1 ) the measured Q-factor with the electrically conductive surface in place, and 2) the measured Q-factor when the MUT is replaced with reference standards having known surface conductivities.

[Factors associated with marital status among spouse after diagnosed in newly reported HIV cases in China, 2014].

PubMed

Li, J; Xu, J; Tang, H L; Han, J; Mao, Y R

2017-02-10

Objective: To analyze the factors associated with divorce or separation when one of the spouse diagnosed and newly reported as HIV positive, in China. Methods: Data from the Chinese HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System, by December 31, 2015 were used for collection on newly reported HIV cases regarding their baseline information in 2014 and follow-up within one year, among couples and above 18 year olds. HIV cases were divided into divorce/separation group and married group according to their marriage dynamics in one year after being diagnosed as HIV positive. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze potential factors associated with divorce or separation after the diagnoses made. Results: A total of 31 708 HIV cases were included in this study. 22.5% (7 134/31 708) of them got divorced or separated in one year after diagnose being made. 81.6% (25 864/31 708) of them had couples tested in one year after diagnose made and 10.0% (2 599/25 864) of them got divorced or separated. Among 18.4% (5 844/31 708) of the HIV cases who did not have their couples tested in one year after the diagnoses, 77.6% (4 535/5 844) got divorced or separated. For those who did not have their couples tested in one year after the diagnose. Data from the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that factors as those who were older than 45 (46-60 yr.: OR =1.28, 95 %CI : 1.03-1.58; ≥61 yr.: OR =1.83, 95 %CI : 1.41-2.37), with Han ethnicity ( OR =1.56, 95 %CI : 1.34-1.83), with high school education or above ( OR =1.55, 95 %CI : 1.27-1.90), non-farmers or non-rural laborers ( OR =1.34, 95 %CI : 1.17-1.54), infected through injecting drug use ( OR =1.33, 95 % CI : 1.03-1.71), men who had sex with men ( OR =1.49, 95 % CI : 1.20-1.86), or with childless ( OR =2.35, 95 %CI : 1.78-3.09) etc . were more likely to be divorced or separated after the diagnoses being made, among those who had their couples tested in one year after the diagnoses. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that factors as those who were above 60 year olds ( OR =1.32, 95 %CI : 1.12-1.56), with Han ethnicity ( OR =1.27, 95 %CI : 1.13-1.44), with high school education or above ( OR =1.26, 95 %CI : 1.11-1.43), non-farmers or non-rural labors ( OR =1.37, 95 %CI : 1.25-1.51), infected through having sex with men ( OR =1.38, 95 %CI : 1.25-1.54), or without a child ( OR =1.48, 95 % CI : 1.27-1.71), were more likely to be divorced or separated after the diagnoses. Conclusion: A certain proportion of HIV cases got divorced or separated in one year after the diagnosis was made. The proportions of divorce or separation were different among populations. Interventions targeting reducing divorce or separation in certain populations should be integrated into routine care system to reduce the HIV transmission.

Hard diffraction in the QCD dipole picture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, A.; Peschanski, R.

1996-02-01

Using the QCD dipole picture of the BFKL pomeron, the gluon contribution to the cross-section for single diffractive dissociation in deep-inelastic high-energy scattering is calculated. The resulting contribution to the proton diffractive structure function integrated over t is given in terms of relevant variables, xP, Q2, and β = {x Bj}/{x P}. It factorizes into an explicit x P-dependent Hard Pomeron flux factor and structure function. The lux factor is found to have substantial logarithmic corrections which may account for the recent measurements of the Pomeron intercept in this process. The triple Pomeron coupling is shown to be strongly enhanced by the resummation of leading logs. The obtained pattern of scaling violation at small β is similar to that for F2 at small xBj.

Tunable, Electrically Small, Inductively Coupled Antenna for Transportable Ionospheric Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esser, Benedikt; Mauch, Daniel; Dickens, James; Mankowski, John; Neuber, Andreas

2018-04-01

An electrically small antenna is evaluated for use as the principle radiating element in a mobile ionospheric heating array. Consisting of a small loop antenna inductively coupled to a capacitively loaded loop, the electrically small antenna provides high efficiency with the capability of being tuned within the range of ionospheric heating. At a factor 60 smaller in area than a High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program element, this antenna provides a compact, efficient radiating element for mobile ionospheric heating. A prototype antenna at 10 MHz was built to study large-scale feasibility and possible use with photoconductive semiconductor switch-based drivers. Based on the experimental study, the design has been extrapolated to a small 6 × 4 array of antennas. At a total power input of 16.1 MW this array is predicted to provide 3.6-GW effective radiated power typically required for ionospheric heating. Array cross talk is addressed, including effects upon individual antenna port parameters. Tuning within the range of ionospheric heating, 3-10 MHz, is made possible without the use of lossy dielectrics through a large capacitive area suited to tune the antenna. Considerations for high power operation across the band are provided including a method of driving the antenna with a simple switcher requiring no radio frequency cabling. Source matching may be improved via adjustment of the coupling between small loop antenna and capacitively loaded loop improving |S11| from -1 to -21 dB at 3 MHz.

The Research of Regression Method for Forecasting Monthly Electricity Sales Considering Coupled Multi-factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiangbo; Liu, Junhui; Li, Tiantian; Yin, Shuo; He, Xinhui

2018-01-01

The monthly electricity sales forecasting is a basic work to ensure the safety of the power system. This paper presented a monthly electricity sales forecasting method which comprehensively considers the coupled multi-factors of temperature, economic growth, electric power replacement and business expansion. The mathematical model is constructed by using regression method. The simulation results show that the proposed method is accurate and effective.

The Shock and Vibration Digest, Volume 14, Number 2, February 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

figurations. 75 4J DUCTS 82-424 (Also see No. 346) Coupling Lou Factors for Statistical Energy Analysis of Sound Transnission at Rectangular...waves, Sound waves, Wave props- tures by means of statistical energy analysis (SEA) coupling gation loss factors for the structure-borne sound...multilayered panels are discussed. Statistical energy analysis (SEA) has proved to be a promising Experimental results of stiffened panels, damping tape

Coupling Surfactants/Cosolvents with Oxidants: Effects on Site Characterization and DNAPL Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dugan, P. J.; Siegrist, R. L.; Crimi, M. L.

2004-12-01

Within the last decade, surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation \\(SEAR\\), and more recently, in-situ chemical oxidation \\(ISCO\\) show promise for remediation of dense nonaqueous phase liquid \\(DNAPL\\) contamination in the subsurface. DNAPL removal is typically difficult to achieve with one remedial technique; however, coupling of treatments can be a highly effective method for remediation of DNAPL contamination. Little research has been completed to date to evaluate such coupling and the factors that impact appropriate engineering design and remediation performance assessment. Partitioning tracer tests (PTTs) are a promising method for estimating the volume and distribution of DNAPL. PTTs have several useful purposes: locating subsurface DNAPL zones, estimating NAPL saturation or volume within these contaminated zones, and providing a quantitative and qualitative means of assessing remediation performance. PTT theory permits direct calculation of the NAPL saturation from the chromatographic separation of a tracer pulse consisting of suites of partitioning and non-partitioning tracers that travel with the advecting groundwater. The PTT has been used with limited success after surfactant/cosolvent recovery but has not been assessed as a performance assessment tool after ISCO. There are several factors that could potentially impact the feasibility of the PTT after ISCO. First, previous batch experiments indicate that partitioning tracers degrade in the presence of the oxidant potassium permanganate. Secondly, tracer partitioning could be inhibited by manganese dioxide film formation after chemical oxidation of DNAPL. Both of these factors have potential to influence partitioning tracer transport, which could lead to inaccurate estimates of the post-remediation NAPL saturation, and therefore remediation efficiency. There is a need for researching PTTs after surfactant/cosolvent coupling with ISCO. In general, DNAPL-zone characterization methods have significant uncertainty, and assessing remediation efficiency is difficult. Effluent concentrations can be monitored in the extraction fluid during surfactant/cosolvent flushing, as an independent measure of mass removed. However, a challenge with ISCO in terms of performance assessment is that there is no way to directly measure mass destroyed, except through post-remediation characterization (i.e., PTTs or soil cores). Column and 2-D cell studies were conducted to investigate removal of DNAPL with surfactant/cosolvent flushing coupled with ISCO using the oxidant potassium permanganate. Partitioning and non-partitioning tracers were used in the pre- and post-remediation studies to investigate the effect of these remedial techniques on the viability of PTT.

What, Why, and for Whom: Couples Interventions--A Deconstruction Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sher, Tamara Goldman

2012-01-01

This paper provides a commentary on the special series on universal processes and common factors in couple therapy. The authors in this section share their insights, from varying perspectives, about what it is in couples therapy and relationship education programs that work, why they work, and for whom they work best. In so doing, these articles…

Remarried Couples in Premarital Education: Does Our Content Match Participant Needs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Winifred Ellen

2013-01-01

Premarital education has been found to be an effective way to reduce risk factors of divorce, yet limited research existed on the use of premarital education with individuals who divorced and later remarried. Thus, remarrying couples, already at a higher risk of divorce than couples entering their first marriage, may be entering remarriage…

Perceptions of Committed Marriages in African American Heterosexual Couples Married 25 Years and Longer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddox, Moshae

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and provide insight into meanings and factors that contribute to healthy committed marriages among African American heterosexual married couples. This study explored the experiences of couples who had been married for 25 years and longer. This qualitative study was conducted using a…

Community-Engaged Modeling of Geographic and Demographic Patterns of Multiple Public Health Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Basra, Komal; Fabian, M. Patricia; Holberger, Raymond R.; French, Robert

2017-01-01

Many health risk factors are intervention targets within communities, but information regarding high-risk subpopulations is rarely available at a geographic resolution that is relevant for community-scale interventions. Researchers and community partners in New Bedford, Massachusetts (USA) collaboratively identified high-priority behaviors and health outcomes of interest available in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We developed multivariable regression models from the BRFSS explaining variability in exercise, fruit and vegetable consumption, body mass index, and diabetes prevalence as a function of demographic and behavioral characteristics, and linked these models with population microdata developed using spatial microsimulation to characterize high-risk populations and locations. Individuals with lower income and educational attainment had lower rates of multiple health-promoting behaviors (e.g., fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise) and higher rates of self-reported diabetes. Our models in combination with the simulated population microdata identified census tracts with an elevated percentage of high-risk subpopulations, information community partners can use to prioritize funding and intervention programs. Multi-stressor modeling using data from public databases and microsimulation methods for characterizing high-resolution spatial patterns of population attributes, coupled with strong community partner engagement, can provide significant insight for intervention. Our methodology is transferrable to other communities. PMID:28684710

Photonic crystal nanofiber air-mode cavity with high Q-factor and high sensitivity for refractive index sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaoxue; Chen, Xin; Nie, Hongrui; Yang, Daquan

2018-01-01

Recently, due to its superior characteristics and simple manufacture, such as small size, low loss, high sensitivity and convenience to couple, the optical fiber sensor has become one of the most promising sensors. In order to achieve the most effective realization of light propagation by changing the structure of sensors, FOM(S •Q/λres) ,which is determined by two significant variables Q-factor and sensitivity, as a trade-off parameter should be optimized to a high value. In typical sensors, a high Q can be achieved by confining the optical field in the high refractive index dielectric region to make an interaction between analytes and evanescent field of the resonant mode. However, the ignored sensitivity is relatively low with a high Q achieved, which means that the resonant wavelength shift changes non-obviously when the refractive index increases. Meanwhile, the sensitivity also leads to a less desirable FOM. Therefore, a gradient structure, which can enhance the performance of sensors by achieving high Q and high sensitivity, has been developed by Kim et al. later. Here, by introducing parabolic-tapered structure, the light field localized overlaps strongly and sufficiently with analytes. And based on a one-dimensional photonic-crystal nanofiber air-mode cavity, a creative optical fiber sensor is proposed by combining good stability and transmission characteristics of fiber and strengths of tapered structure, realizing excellent FOM {4.7 x 105 with high Q-factors (Q{106) and high sensitivities (<700 nm/RIU).

Constraints on the off-shell Higgs boson signal strength in the high-mass ZZ and WW final states with the ATLAS detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; Abdinov, O.; Aben, R.; Abolins, M.; AbouZeid, O. S.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abreu, R.; Abulaiti, Y.; Acharya, B. S.; Adamczyk, L.; Adams, D. L.; Adelman, J.; Adomeit, S.; Adye, T.; Affolder, A. A.; Agatonovic-Jovin, T.; Aguilar-Saavedra, J. A.; Agustoni, M.; Ahlen, S. P.; Ahmadov, F.; Aielli, G.; Akerstedt, H.; Åkesson, T. P. A.; Akimoto, G.; Akimov, A. V.; Alberghi, G. L.; Albert, J.; Albrand, S.; Alconada Verzini, M. J.; Aleksa, M.; Aleksandrov, I. N.; Alexa, C.; Alexander, G.; Alexopoulos, T.; Alhroob, M.; Alimonti, G.; Alio, L.; Alison, J.; Alkire, S. P.; Allbrooke, B. M. M.; Allport, P. P.; Aloisio, A.; Alonso, A.; Alonso, F.; Alpigiani, C.; Altheimer, A.; Alvarez Gonzalez, B.; Piqueras, D. Álvarez; Alviggi, M. G.; Amako, K.; Amaral Coutinho, Y.; Amelung, C.; Amidei, D.; Amor Dos Santos, S. P.; Amorim, A.; Amoroso, S.; Amram, N.; Amundsen, G.; Anastopoulos, C.; Ancu, L. S.; Andari, N.; Andeen, T.; Anders, C. F.; Anders, G.; Anderson, K. J.; Andreazza, A.; Andrei, V.; Angelidakis, S.; Angelozzi, I.; Anger, P.; Angerami, A.; Anghinolfi, F.; Anisenkov, A. V.; Anjos, N.; Annovi, A.; Antonelli, M.; Antonov, A.; Antos, J.; Anulli, F.; Aoki, M.; Aperio Bella, L.; Arabidze, G.; Arai, Y.; Araque, J. P.; Arce, A. T. H.; Arduh, F. A.; Arguin, J.-F.; Argyropoulos, S.; Arik, M.; Armbruster, A. J.; Arnaez, O.; Arnal, V.; Arnold, H.; Arratia, M.; Arslan, O.; Artamonov, A.; Artoni, G.; Asai, S.; Asbah, N.; Ashkenazi, A.; Åsman, B.; Asquith, L.; Assamagan, K.; Astalos, R.; Atkinson, M.; Atlay, N. B.; Auerbach, B.; Augsten, K.; Aurousseau, M.; Avolio, G.; Axen, B.; Ayoub, M. K.; Azuelos, G.; Baak, M. A.; Baas, A. E.; Bacci, C.; Bachacou, H.; Bachas, K.; Backes, M.; Backhaus, M.; Badescu, E.; Bagiacchi, P.; Bagnaia, P.; Bai, Y.; Bain, T.; Baines, J. T.; Baker, O. K.; Balek, P.; Balestri, T.; Balli, F.; Banas, E.; Banerjee, Sw.; Bannoura, A. A. E.; Bansil, H. S.; Barak, L.; Baranov, S. P.; Barberio, E. L.; Barberis, D.; Barbero, M.; Barillari, T.; Barisonzi, M.; Barklow, T.; Barlow, N.; Barnes, S. L.; Barnett, B. M.; Barnett, R. M.; Barnovska, Z.; Baroncelli, A.; Barone, G.; Barr, A. J.; Barreiro, F.; Barreiro Guimarães da Costa, J.; Bartoldus, R.; Barton, A. E.; Bartos, P.; Bassalat, A.; Basye, A.; Bates, R. L.; Batista, S. J.; Batley, J. R.; Battaglia, M.; Bauce, M.; Bauer, F.; Bawa, H. S.; Beacham, J. B.; Beattie, M. D.; Beau, T.; Beauchemin, P. H.; Beccherle, R.; Bechtle, P.; Beck, H. P.; Becker, K.; Becker, M.; Becker, S.; Beckingham, M.; Becot, C.; Beddall, A. J.; Beddall, A.; Bednyakov, V. A.; Bee, C. P.; Beemster, L. J.; Beermann, T. A.; Begel, M.; Behr, J. K.; Belanger-Champagne, C.; Bell, W. H.; Bella, G.; Bellagamba, L.; Bellerive, A.; Bellomo, M.; Belotskiy, K.; Beltramello, O.; Benary, O.; Benchekroun, D.; Bender, M.; Bendtz, K.; Benekos, N.; Benhammou, Y.; Benhar Noccioli, E.; Benitez Garcia, J. A.; Benjamin, D. P.; Bensinger, J. 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2015-07-01

Measurements of the ZZ and WW final states in the mass range above the and thresholds provide a unique opportunity to measure the off-shell coupling strength of the Higgs boson. This paper presents constraints on the off-shell Higgs boson event yields normalised to the Standard Model prediction (signal strength) in the , and final states. The result is based on pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb at a collision energy of TeV. Using the method, the observed 95 confidence level (CL) upper limit on the off-shell signal strength is in the range 5.1-8.6, with an expected range of 6.7-11.0. In each case the range is determined by varying the unknown and background K-factor from higher-order quantum chromodynamics corrections between half and twice the value of the known signal K-factor. Assuming the relevant Higgs boson couplings are independent of the energy scale of the Higgs boson production, a combination with the on-shell measurements yields an observed (expected) 95 CL upper limit on in the range 4.5-7.5 (6.5-11.2) using the same variations of the background K-factor. Assuming that the unknown background K-factor is equal to the signal K-factor, this translates into an observed (expected) 95 CL upper limit on the Higgs boson total width of 22.7 (33.0) MeV.