Physics of Intact Capture of Cometary Coma Dust Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, William

2011-06-01

In 1986, Tom Ahrens and I developed a simple model for hypervelocity capture in low density foams, aimed in particular at the suggestion that such techniques could be used to capture dust during flyby of an active comet nucleus. While the model was never published in printed form, it became known to many in the cometary dust sampling community. More sophisticated models have been developed since, but our original model still retains superiority for some applications and elucidates the physics of the capture process in a more intuitive way than the more recent models. The model makes use of the small value of the Hugoniot intercept typical of highly distended media to invoke analytic expressions with functional forms common to fluid dynamics. The model successfully describes the deceleration and ablation of a particle that is large enough to see the foam as a low density continuum. I will present that model, updated with improved calculations of the temperature in the shocked foam, and show its continued utility in elucidating the phenomena of hypervelocity penetration of low-density foams.

Memory as a hologram: an analysis of learning and recall.

PubMed

Franklin, Donald R J; Mewhort, D J K

2015-03-01

We present a holographic theory of human memory. According to the theory, a subject's vocabulary resides in a dynamic distributed representation-a hologram. Studying or recalling a word alters both the existing representation of that word in the hologram and all words associated with it. Recall is always prompted by a recall cue (either a start instruction or the word just recalled). Order of report is a joint function of the item and associative information residing in the hologram at the time the report is made. We apply the model to archival data involving simple free recall, learning in multitrial free recall, simple serial recall, and learning in multitrial serial recall. The model captures accuracy and order of report in both free and serial recall. It also captures learning and subjective organisation in multitrial free recall. We offer the model as an alternative to the short- and long-term account of memory postulated in the modal model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Model validation of simple-graph representations of metabolism

PubMed Central

Holme, Petter

2009-01-01

The large-scale properties of chemical reaction systems, such as metabolism, can be studied with graph-based methods. To do this, one needs to reduce the information, lists of chemical reactions, available in databases. Even for the simplest type of graph representation, this reduction can be done in several ways. We investigate different simple network representations by testing how well they encode information about one biologically important network structure—network modularity (the propensity for edges to be clustered into dense groups that are sparsely connected between each other). To achieve this goal, we design a model of reaction systems where network modularity can be controlled and measure how well the reduction to simple graphs captures the modular structure of the model reaction system. We find that the network types that best capture the modular structure of the reaction system are substrate–product networks (where substrates are linked to products of a reaction) and substance networks (with edges between all substances participating in a reaction). Furthermore, we argue that the proposed model for reaction systems with tunable clustering is a general framework for studies of how reaction systems are affected by modularity. To this end, we investigate statistical properties of the model and find, among other things, that it recreates correlations between degree and mass of the molecules. PMID:19158012

Simulating Eastern- and Central-Pacific Type ENSO Using a Simple Coupled Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Xianghui; Zheng, Fei

2018-06-01

Severe biases exist in state-of-the-art general circulation models (GCMs) in capturing realistic central-Pacific (CP) El Niño structures. At the same time, many observational analyses have emphasized that thermocline (TH) feedback and zonal advective (ZA) feedback play dominant roles in the development of eastern-Pacific (EP) and CP El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), respectively. In this work, a simple linear air-sea coupled model, which can accurately depict the strength distribution of the TH and ZA feedbacks in the equatorial Pacific, is used to investigate these two types of El Niño. The results indicate that the model can reproduce the main characteristics of CP ENSO if the TH feedback is switched off and the ZA feedback is retained as the only positive feedback, confirming the dominant role played by ZA feedback in the development of CP ENSO. Further experiments indicate that, through a simple nonlinear control approach, many ENSO characteristics, including the existence of both CP and EP El Niño and the asymmetries between El Niño and La Niña, can be successfully captured using the simple linear air-sea coupled model. These analyses indicate that an accurate depiction of the climatological sea surface temperature distribution and the related ZA feedback, which are the subject of severe biases in GCMs, is very important in simulating a realistic CP El Niño.

Optical depth in particle-laden turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frankel, A.; Iaccarino, G.; Mani, A.

2017-11-01

Turbulent clustering of particles causes an increase in the radiation transmission through gas-particle mixtures. Attempts to capture the ensemble-averaged transmission lead to a closure problem called the turbulence-radiation interaction. A simple closure model based on the particle radial distribution function is proposed to capture the effect of turbulent fluctuations in the concentration on radiation intensity. The model is validated against a set of particle-resolved ray tracing experiments through particle fields from direct numerical simulations of particle-laden turbulence. The form of the closure model is generalizable to arbitrary stochastic media with known two-point correlation functions.

WHAEM: PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION FOR THE WELLHEAD ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODEL (EPA/600/SR-94/210)

EPA Science Inventory

A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a groundwater flo...

Simple model of hydrophobic hydration.

PubMed

Lukšič, Miha; Urbic, Tomaz; Hribar-Lee, Barbara; Dill, Ken A

2012-05-31

Water is an unusual liquid in its solvation properties. Here, we model the process of transferring a nonpolar solute into water. Our goal was to capture the physical balance between water's hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions in a model that is simple enough to be nearly analytical and not heavily computational. We develop a 2-dimensional Mercedes-Benz-like model of water with which we compute the free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and the heat capacity of transfer as a function of temperature, pressure, and solute size. As validation, we find that this model gives the same trends as Monte Carlo simulations of the underlying 2D model and gives qualitative agreement with experiments. The advantages of this model are that it gives simple insights and that computational time is negligible. It may provide a useful starting point for developing more efficient and more realistic 3D models of aqueous solvation.

Modeling and Testing of Phase Transition-Based Deployable Systems for Small Body Sample Capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quadrelli, Marco; Backes, Paul; Wilkie, Keats; Giersch, Lou; Quijano, Ubaldo; Keim, Jason; Mukherjee, Rudranarayan

2009-01-01

This paper summarizes the modeling, simulation, and testing work related to the development of technology to investigate the potential that shape memory actuation has to provide mechanically simple and affordable solutions for delivering assets to a surface and for sample capture and return. We investigate the structural dynamics and controllability aspects of an adaptive beam carrying an end-effector which, by changing equilibrium phases is able to actively decouple the end-effector dynamics from the spacecraft dynamics during the surface contact phase. Asset delivery and sample capture and return are at the heart of several emerging potential missions to small bodies, such as asteroids and comets, and to the surface of large bodies, such as Titan.

Seasonal Synchronization of a Simple Stochastic Dynamical Model Capturing El Niño Diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thual, S.; Majda, A.; Chen, N.

2017-12-01

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has significant impact on global climate and seasonal prediction. Recently, a simple ENSO model was developed that automatically captures the ENSO diversity and intermittency in nature, where state-dependent stochastic wind bursts and nonlinear advection of sea surface temperature (SST) are coupled to simple ocean-atmosphere processes that are otherwise deterministic, linear and stable. In the present article, it is further shown that the model can reproduce qualitatively the ENSO synchronization (or phase-locking) to the seasonal cycle in nature. This goal is achieved by incorporating a cloud radiative feedback that is derived naturally from the model's atmosphere dynamics with no ad-hoc assumptions and accounts in simple fashion for the marked seasonal variations of convective activity and cloud cover in the eastern Pacific. In particular, the weak convective response to SSTs in boreal fall favors the eastern Pacific warming that triggers El Niño events while the increased convective activity and cloud cover during the following spring contributes to the shutdown of those events by blocking incoming shortwave solar radiations. In addition to simulating the ENSO diversity with realistic non-Gaussian statistics in different Niño regions, both the eastern Pacific moderate and super El Niño, the central Pacific El Niño as well as La Niña show a realistic chronology with a tendency to peak in boreal winter as well as decreased predictability in spring consistent with the persistence barrier in nature. The incorporation of other possible seasonal feedbacks in the model is also documented for completeness.

Goodness-of-fit tests for open capture-recapture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollock, K.H.; Hines, J.E.; Nichols, J.D.

1985-01-01

General goodness-of-fit tests for the Jolly-Seber model are proposed. These tests are based on conditional arguments using minimal sufficient statistics. The tests are shown to be of simple hypergeometric form so that a series of independent contingency table chi-square tests can be performed. The relationship of these tests to other proposed tests is discussed. This is followed by a simulation study of the power of the tests to detect departures from the assumptions of the Jolly-Seber model. Some meadow vole capture-recapture data are used to illustrate the testing procedure which has been implemented in a computer program available from the authors.

Hierarchical calibration and validation of computational fluid dynamics models for solid sorbent-based carbon capture

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

Lai, Canhai; Xu, Zhijie; Pan, Wenxiao

2016-01-01

To quantify the predictive confidence of a solid sorbent-based carbon capture design, a hierarchical validation methodology—consisting of basic unit problems with increasing physical complexity coupled with filtered model-based geometric upscaling has been developed and implemented. This paper describes the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) multi-phase reactive flow simulations and the associated data flows among different unit problems performed within the said hierarchical validation approach. The bench-top experiments used in this calibration and validation effort were carefully designed to follow the desired simple-to-complex unit problem hierarchy, with corresponding data acquisition to support model parameters calibrations at each unit problem level. A Bayesianmore » calibration procedure is employed and the posterior model parameter distributions obtained at one unit-problem level are used as prior distributions for the same parameters in the next-tier simulations. Overall, the results have demonstrated that the multiphase reactive flow models within MFIX can be used to capture the bed pressure, temperature, CO2 capture capacity, and kinetics with quantitative accuracy. The CFD modeling methodology and associated uncertainty quantification techniques presented herein offer a solid framework for estimating the predictive confidence in the virtual scale up of a larger carbon capture device.« less

Modeling and Measurements of Multiphase Flow and Bubble Entrapment in Steel Continuous Casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Kai; Thomas, Brian G.; Ruan, Xiaoming

2016-02-01

In steel continuous casting, argon gas is usually injected to prevent clogging, but the bubbles also affect the flow pattern, and may become entrapped to form defects in the final product. To investigate this behavior, plant measurements were conducted, and a computational model was applied to simulate turbulent flow of the molten steel and the transport and capture of argon gas bubbles into the solidifying shell in a continuous slab caster. First, the flow field was solved with an Eulerian k- ɛ model of the steel, which was two-way coupled with a Lagrangian model of the large bubbles using a discrete random walk method to simulate their turbulent dispersion. The flow predicted on the top surface agreed well with nailboard measurements and indicated strong cross flow caused by biased flow of Ar gas due to the slide-gate orientation. Then, the trajectories and capture of over two million bubbles (25 μm to 5 mm diameter range) were simulated using two different capture criteria (simple and advanced). Results with the advanced capture criterion agreed well with measurements of the number, locations, and sizes of captured bubbles, especially for larger bubbles. The relative capture fraction of 0.3 pct was close to the measured 0.4 pct for 1 mm bubbles and occurred mainly near the top surface. About 85 pct of smaller bubbles were captured, mostly deeper down in the caster. Due to the biased flow, more bubbles were captured on the inner radius, especially near the nozzle. On the outer radius, more bubbles were captured near to narrow face. The model presented here is an efficient tool to study the capture of bubbles and inclusion particles in solidification processes.

Identifying mechanisms for superdiffusive dynamics in cell trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passucci, Giuseppe; Brasch, Megan; Henderson, James; Manning, M. Lisa

Self-propelled particle (SPP) models have been used to explore features of active matter such as motility-induced phase separation, jamming, and flocking, and are often used to model biological cells. However, many cells exhibit super-diffusive trajectories, where displacements scale faster than t 1 / 2 in all directions, and these are not captured by traditional SPP models. We extract cell trajectories from image stacks of mouse fibroblast cells moving on 2D substrates and find super-diffusive mean-squared displacements in all directions across varying densities. Two SPP model modifications have been proposed to capture super-diffusive dynamics: Levy walks and heterogeneous motility parameters. In mouse fibroblast cells displacement probability distributions collapse when time is rescaled by a power greater than 1/2, which is consistent with Levy walks. We show that a simple SPP model with heterogeneous rotational noise can also generate a similar collapse. Furthermore, a close examination of statistics extracted directly from cell trajectories is consistent with a heterogeneous mobility SPP model and inconsistent with a Levy walk model. Our work demonstrates that a simple set of analyses can distinguish between mechanisms for anomalous diffusion in active matter.

Neutron Capture Energies for Flux Normalization and Approximate Model for Gamma-Smeared Power

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

Kim, Kang Seog; Clarno, Kevin T.; Liu, Yuxuan

The Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) neutronics simulator MPACT has used a single recoverable fission energy for each fissionable nuclide assuming that all recoverable energies come only from fission reaction, for which capture energy is merged with fission energy. This approach includes approximations and requires improvement by separating capture energy from the merged effective recoverable energy. This report documents the procedure to generate recoverable neutron capture energies and the development of a program called CapKappa to generate capture energies. Recoverable neutron capture energies have been generated by using CapKappa withmore » the evaluated nuclear data file (ENDF)/B-7.0 and 7.1 cross section and decay libraries. The new capture kappas were compared to the current SCALE-6.2 and the CASMO-5 capture kappas. These new capture kappas have been incorporated into the Simplified AMPX 51- and 252-group libraries, and they can be used for the AMPX multigroup (MG) libraries and the SCALE code package. The CASL VERA neutronics simulator MPACT does not include a gamma transport capability, which limits it to explicitly estimating local energy deposition from fission, neutron, and gamma slowing down and capture. Since the mean free path of gamma rays is typically much longer than that for the neutron, and the total gamma energy is about 10% to the total energy, the gamma-smeared power distribution is different from the fission power distribution. Explicit local energy deposition through neutron and gamma transport calculation is significantly important in multi-physics whole core simulation with thermal-hydraulic feedback. Therefore, the gamma transport capability should be incorporated into the CASL neutronics simulator MPACT. However, this task will be timeconsuming in developing the neutron induced gamma production and gamma cross section libraries. This study is to investigate an approximate model to estimate gammasmeared power distribution without performing any gamma transport calculation. A simple approximate gamma smearing model has been investigated based on the facts that pinwise gamma energy depositions are almost flat over a fuel assembly, and assembly-wise gamma energy deposition is proportional to kappa-fission energy deposition. The approximate gamma smearing model works well for single assembly cases, and can partly improve the gamma smeared power distribution for the whole core model. Although the power distributions can be improved by the approximate gamma smearing model, still there is an issue to explicitly obtain local energy deposition. A new simple approach or gamma transport/diffusion capability may need to be incorporated into MPACT to estimate local energy deposition for more robust multi-physics simulation.« less

Effects of self-relevant cues and cue valence on autobiographical memory specificity in dysphoria.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Noboru; Mochizuki, Satoshi

2017-04-01

Reduced autobiographical memory specificity (rAMS) is a characteristic memory bias observed in depression. To corroborate the capture hypothesis in the CaRFAX (capture and rumination, functional avoidance, executive capacity and control) model, we investigated the effects of self-relevant cues and cue valence on rAMS using an adapted Autobiographical Memory Test conducted with a nonclinical population. Hierarchical linear modelling indicated that the main effects of depression and self-relevant cues elicited rAMS. Moreover, the three-way interaction among valence, self-relevance, and depression scores was significant. A simple slope test revealed that dysphoric participants experienced rAMS in response to highly self-relevant positive cues and low self-relevant negative cues. These results partially supported the capture hypothesis in nonclinical dysphoria. It is important to consider cue valence in future studies examining the capture hypothesis.

A Design Support Framework through Dynamic Deployment of Hypothesis and Verification in the Design Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomaguch, Yutaka; Fujita, Kikuo

This paper proposes a design support framework, named DRIFT (Design Rationale Integration Framework of Three layers), which dynamically captures and manages hypothesis and verification in the design process. A core of DRIFT is a three-layered design process model of action, model operation and argumentation. This model integrates various design support tools and captures design operations performed on them. Action level captures the sequence of design operations. Model operation level captures the transition of design states, which records a design snapshot over design tools. Argumentation level captures the process of setting problems and alternatives. The linkage of three levels enables to automatically and efficiently capture and manage iterative hypothesis and verification processes through design operations over design tools. In DRIFT, such a linkage is extracted through the templates of design operations, which are extracted from the patterns embeded in design tools such as Design-For-X (DFX) approaches, and design tools are integrated through ontology-based representation of design concepts. An argumentation model, gIBIS (graphical Issue-Based Information System), is used for representing dependencies among problems and alternatives. A mechanism of TMS (Truth Maintenance System) is used for managing multiple hypothetical design stages. This paper also demonstrates a prototype implementation of DRIFT and its application to a simple design problem. Further, it is concluded with discussion of some future issues.

Cell population modelling of yeast glycolytic oscillations.

PubMed Central

Henson, Michael A; Müller, Dirk; Reuss, Matthias

2002-01-01

We investigated a cell-population modelling technique in which the population is constructed from an ensemble of individual cell models. The average value or the number distribution of any intracellular property captured by the individual cell model can be calculated by simulation of a sufficient number of individual cells. The proposed method is applied to a simple model of yeast glycolytic oscillations where synchronization of the cell population is mediated by the action of an excreted metabolite. We show that smooth one-dimensional distributions can be obtained with ensembles comprising 1000 individual cells. Random variations in the state and/or structure of individual cells are shown to produce complex dynamic behaviours which cannot be adequately captured by small ensembles. PMID:12206713

A simple shear limited, single size, time dependent flocculation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuprenas, R.; Tran, D. A.; Strom, K.

2017-12-01

This research focuses on the modeling of flocculation of cohesive sediment due to turbulent shear, specifically, investigating the dependency of flocculation on the concentration of cohesive sediment. Flocculation is important in larger sediment transport models as cohesive particles can create aggregates which are orders of magnitude larger than their unflocculated state. As the settling velocity of each particle is determined by the sediment size, density, and shape, accounting for this aggregation is important in determining where the sediment is deposited. This study provides a new formulation for flocculation of cohesive sediment by modifying the Winterwerp (1998) flocculation model (W98) so that it limits floc size to that of the Kolmogorov micro length scale. The W98 model is a simple approach that calculates the average floc size as a function of time. Because of its simplicity, the W98 model is ideal for implementing into larger sediment transport models; however, the model tends to over predict the dependency of the floc size on concentration. It was found that the modification of the coefficients within the original model did not allow for the model to capture the dependency on concentration. Therefore, a new term within the breakup kernel of the W98 formulation was added. The new formulation results is a single size, shear limited, and time dependent flocculation model that is able to effectively capture the dependency of the equilibrium size of flocs on both suspended sediment concentration and the time to equilibrium. The overall behavior of the new model is explored and showed align well with other studies on flocculation. Winterwerp, J. C. (1998). A simple model for turbulence induced flocculation of cohesive sediment. .Journal of Hydraulic Research, 36(3):309-326.

Simple, empirical approach to predict neutron capture cross sections from nuclear masses

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

Couture, Aaron Joseph; Casten, Richard F.; Cakirli, R. B.

Here, neutron capture cross sections are essential to understanding the astrophysical s and r processes, the modeling of nuclear reactor design and performance, and for a wide variety of nuclear forensics applications. Often, cross sections are needed for nuclei where experimental measurements are difficult. Enormous effort, over many decades, has gone into attempting to develop sophisticated statistical reaction models to predict these cross sections. Such work has met with some success but is often unable to reproduce measured cross sections to better than 40%, and has limited predictive power, with predictions from different models rapidly differing by an order ofmore » magnitude a few nucleons from the last measurement.« less

Simple, empirical approach to predict neutron capture cross sections from nuclear masses

DOE PAGES

Couture, Aaron Joseph; Casten, Richard F.; Cakirli, R. B.

2017-12-20

Here, neutron capture cross sections are essential to understanding the astrophysical s and r processes, the modeling of nuclear reactor design and performance, and for a wide variety of nuclear forensics applications. Often, cross sections are needed for nuclei where experimental measurements are difficult. Enormous effort, over many decades, has gone into attempting to develop sophisticated statistical reaction models to predict these cross sections. Such work has met with some success but is often unable to reproduce measured cross sections to better than 40%, and has limited predictive power, with predictions from different models rapidly differing by an order ofmore » magnitude a few nucleons from the last measurement.« less

Computational Modeling of Statistical Learning: Effects of Transitional Probability versus Frequency and Links to Word Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirman, Daniel; Estes, Katharine Graf; Magnuson, James S.

2010-01-01

Statistical learning mechanisms play an important role in theories of language acquisition and processing. Recurrent neural network models have provided important insights into how these mechanisms might operate. We examined whether such networks capture two key findings in human statistical learning. In Simulation 1, a simple recurrent network…

Application of Influence Diagrams in Identifying Soviet Satellite Missions

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

Probabilities Comparison ......................... 58 35. Continuous Model Variables ............................ 59 36. Sample Inclination Data...diagramming is a method which allows the simple construction of a model to illustrate the interrelationships which exist among variables by capturing an...environmental monitoring systems. The module also contained an array of instruments for geophysical and astrophysical experimentation . 4.3.14.3 Soyuz. The Soyuz

Continuum Model for River Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacometti, Achille; Maritan, Amos; Banavar, Jayanth R.

1995-07-01

The effects of erosion, avalanching, and random precipitation are captured in a simple stochastic partial differential equation for modeling the evolution of river networks. Our model leads to a self-organized structured landscape and to abstraction and piracy of the smaller tributaries as the evolution proceeds. An algebraic distribution of the average basin areas and a power law relationship between the drainage basin area and the river length are found.

Tuning of PID controllers for boiler-turbine units.

PubMed

Tan, Wen; Liu, Jizhen; Fang, Fang; Chen, Yanqiao

2004-10-01

A simple two-by-two model for a boiler-turbine unit is demonstrated in this paper. The model can capture the essential dynamics of a unit. The design of a coordinated controller is discussed based on this model. A PID control structure is derived, and a tuning procedure is proposed. The examples show that the method is easy to apply and can achieve acceptable performance.

A Bayesian zero-truncated approach for analysing capture-recapture count data from classical scrapie surveillance in France.

PubMed

Vergne, Timothée; Calavas, Didier; Cazeau, Géraldine; Durand, Benoît; Dufour, Barbara; Grosbois, Vladimir

2012-06-01

Capture-recapture (CR) methods are used to study populations that are monitored with imperfect observation processes. They have recently been applied to the monitoring of animal diseases to evaluate the number of infected units that remain undetected by the surveillance system. This paper proposes three bayesian models to estimate the total number of scrapie-infected holdings in France from CR count data obtained from the French classical scrapie surveillance programme. We fitted two zero-truncated Poisson (ZTP) models (with and without holding size as a covariate) and a zero-truncated negative binomial (ZTNB) model to the 2006 national surveillance count dataset. We detected a large amount of heterogeneity in the count data, making the use of the simple ZTP model inappropriate. However, including holding size as a covariate did not bring any significant improvement over the simple ZTP model. The ZTNB model proved to be the best model, giving an estimation of 535 (CI(95%) 401-796) infected and detectable sheep holdings in 2006, although only 141 were effectively detected, resulting in a holding-level prevalence of 4.4‰ (CI(95%) 3.2-6.3) and a sensitivity of holding-level surveillance of 26% (CI(95%) 18-35). The main limitation of the present study was the small amount of data collected during the surveillance programme. It was therefore not possible to build complex models that would allow depicting more accurately the epidemiological and detection processes that generate the surveillance data. We discuss the perspectives of capture-recapture count models in the context of animal disease surveillance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scalable Track Detection in SAR CCD Images

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

Chow, James G; Quach, Tu-Thach

Existing methods to detect vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images ta ken at different times of the same scene, rely on simple, fast models to label track pixels. These models, however, are often too simple to capture natural track features such as continuity and parallelism. We present a simple convolutional network architecture consisting of a series of 3-by-3 convolutions to detect tracks. The network is trained end-to-end to learn natural track features entirely from data. The network is computationally efficient and improves the F-score on a standard dataset to 0.988,more » up fr om 0.907 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Capturing your charity care: 5 recommendations.

PubMed

Stern, Hal T

2007-09-01

To identify all charity care patients, hospitals should: Communicate with patients at the point of service. Make qualification for charity care as simple as possible. Use electronic databases to check patient ability to pay. Use predictive modeling techniques. Identify the frequent users of the emergency department.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE ANALYTIC ELEMENT METHOD FOR WELLHEAD PROTECTION

EPA Science Inventory

A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a ground-water fl...

The use of mechanistic descriptions of algal growth and zooplankton grazing in an estuarine eutrophication model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baird, M. E.; Walker, S. J.; Wallace, B. B.; Webster, I. T.; Parslow, J. S.

2003-03-01

A simple model of estuarine eutrophication is built on biomechanical (or mechanistic) descriptions of a number of the key ecological processes in estuaries. Mechanistically described processes include the nutrient uptake and light capture of planktonic and benthic autotrophs, and the encounter rates of planktonic predators and prey. Other more complex processes, such as sediment biogeochemistry, detrital processes and phosphate dynamics, are modelled using empirical descriptions from the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Study (PPBES) ecological model. A comparison is made between the mechanistically determined rates of ecological processes and the analogous empirically determined rates in the PPBES ecological model. The rates generally agree, with a few significant exceptions. Model simulations were run at a range of estuarine depths and nutrient loads, with outputs presented as the annually averaged biomass of autotrophs. The simulations followed a simple conceptual model of eutrophication, suggesting a simple biomechanical understanding of estuarine processes can provide a predictive tool for ecological processes in a wide range of estuarine ecosystems.

Extracting material response from simple mechanical tests on hardening-softening-hardening viscoplastic solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, Nisha

Compliant foams are usually characterized by a wide range of desirable mechanical properties. These properties include viscoelasticity at different temperatures, energy absorption, recoverability under cyclic loading, impact resistance, and thermal, electrical, acoustic and radiation-resistance. Some foams contain nano-sized features and are used in small-scale devices. This implies that the characteristic dimensions of foams span multiple length scales, rendering modeling their mechanical properties difficult. Continuum mechanics-based models capture some salient experimental features like the linear elastic regime, followed by non-linear plateau stress regime. However, they lack mesostructural physical details. This makes them incapable of accurately predicting local peaks in stress and strain distributions, which significantly affect the deformation paths. Atomistic methods are capable of capturing the physical origins of deformation at smaller scales, but suffer from impractical computational intensity. Capturing deformation at the so-called meso-scale, which is capable of describing the phenomenon at a continuum level, but with some physical insights, requires developing new theoretical approaches. A fundamental question that motivates the modeling of foams is `how to extract the intrinsic material response from simple mechanical test data, such as stress vs. strain response?' A 3D model was developed to simulate the mechanical response of foam-type materials. The novelty of this model includes unique features such as the hardening-softening-hardening material response, strain rate-dependence, and plastically compressible solids with plastic non-normality. Suggestive links from atomistic simulations of foams were borrowed to formulate a physically informed hardening material input function. Motivated by a model that qualitatively captured the response of foam-type vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) pillars under uniaxial compression [2011,"Analysis of Uniaxial Compression of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes," J. Mech.Phys. Solids, 59, pp. 2227--2237, Erratum 60, 1753-1756 (2012)], the property space exploration was advanced to three types of simple mechanical tests: 1) uniaxial compression, 2) uniaxial tension, and 3) nanoindentation with a conical and a flat-punch tip. The simulations attempt to explain some of the salient features in experimental data, like 1) The initial linear elastic response. 2) One or more nonlinear instabilities, yielding, and hardening. The model-inherent relationships between the material properties and the overall stress-strain behavior were validated against the available experimental data. The material properties include the gradient in stiffness along the height, plastic and elastic compressibility, and hardening. Each of these tests was evaluated in terms of their efficiency in extracting material properties. The uniaxial simulation results proved to be a combination of structural and material influences. Out of all deformation paths, flat-punch indentation proved to be superior since it is the most sensitive in capturing the material properties.

Decoration of silicon nanostructures with copper particles for simultaneous selective capture and mass spectrometry detection of His-tagged model peptide.

PubMed

Coffinier, Yannick; Kurylo, Ievgen; Drobecq, Hervé; Szunerits, Sabine; Melnyk, Oleg; Zaitsev, Vladimir N; Boukherroub, Rabah

2014-10-21

We present in this work a simple and fast preparation method of a new affinity surface-assisted laser/desorption ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) substrate based on silicon nanostructures decorated with copper particles. The silicon nanostructures were fabricated by the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method. Then, superhydrophilic areas surrounded by superhydrophobic regions were formed through hydrosilylation reaction of 1-octadecene, followed by local degradation of the octadecyl layer. After that, copper particles were deposited in the hydrophilic areas by using the electroless method. We have demonstrated that these surfaces were able to perform high selective capture of model His-tag peptide even in a complex mixture such as serum solution. Then, the captured peptide was detected by mass spectrometry at a femtomolar level without the need of organic matrix.

Getting the tail to wag the dog: Incorporating groundwater transport into catchment solute transport models using rank StorAge Selection (rSAS) functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harman, C. J.

2015-12-01

Surface water hydrologic models are increasingly used to analyze the transport of solutes through the landscape, such as nitrate. However, many of these models cannot adequately capture the effect of groundwater flow paths, which can have long travel times and accumulate legacy contaminants, releasing them to streams over decades. If these long lag times are not accounted for, the short-term efficacy of management activities to reduce nitrogen loads may be overestimated. Models that adopt a simple 'well-mixed' assumption, leading to an exponential transit time distribution at steady state, cannot adequately capture the broadly skewed nature of groundwater transit times in typical watersheds. Here I will demonstrate how StorAge Selection functions can be used to capture the long lag times of groundwater in a typical subwatershed-based hydrologic model framework typical of models like SWAT, HSPF, HBV, PRMS and others. These functions can be selected and calibrated to reproduce historical data where available, but can also be fitted to the results of a steady-state groundwater transport model like MODFLOW/MODPATH, allowing those results to directly inform the parameterization of an unsteady surface water model. The long tails of the transit time distribution predicted by the groundwater model can then be completely captured by the surface water model. Examples of this application in the Chesapeake Bay watersheds and elsewhere will be given.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE ANALYTIC ELEMENT METHOD FOR WELLHEAD PROJECTION - PROJECT SUMMARY

EPA Science Inventory

A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a ground-water fl...

Modeling and simulation of thermally actuated bilayer plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartels, Sören; Bonito, Andrea; Muliana, Anastasia H.; Nochetto, Ricardo H.

2018-02-01

We present a mathematical model of polymer bilayers that undergo large bending deformations when actuated by non-mechanical stimuli such as thermal effects. The simple model captures a large class of nonlinear bending effects and can be discretized with standard plate elements. We devise a fully practical iterative scheme and apply it to the simulation of folding of several practically useful compliant structures comprising of thin elastic layers.

Statistical Mechanics of the US Supreme Court

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Edward D.; Broedersz, Chase P.; Bialek, William

2015-07-01

We build simple models for the distribution of voting patterns in a group, using the Supreme Court of the United States as an example. The maximum entropy model consistent with the observed pairwise correlations among justices' votes, an Ising spin glass, agrees quantitatively with the data. While all correlations (perhaps surprisingly) are positive, the effective pairwise interactions in the spin glass model have both signs, recovering the intuition that ideologically opposite justices negatively influence each another. Despite the competing interactions, a strong tendency toward unanimity emerges from the model, organizing the voting patterns in a relatively simple "energy landscape." Besides unanimity, other energy minima in this landscape, or maxima in probability, correspond to prototypical voting states, such as the ideological split or a tightly correlated, conservative core. The model correctly predicts the correlation of justices with the majority and gives us a measure of their influence on the majority decision. These results suggest that simple models, grounded in statistical physics, can capture essential features of collective decision making quantitatively, even in a complex political context.

Diffusion models of the flanker task: Discrete versus gradual attentional selection

PubMed Central

White, Corey N.; Ratcliff, Roger; Starns, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

The present study tested diffusion models of processing in the flanker task, in which participants identify a target that is flanked by items that indicate the same (congruent) or opposite response (incongruent). Single- and dual-process flanker models were implemented in a diffusion-model framework and tested against data from experiments that manipulated response bias, speed/accuracy tradeoffs, attentional focus, and stimulus configuration. There was strong mimcry among the models, and each captured the main trends in the data for the standard conditions. However, when more complex conditions were used, a single-process spotlight model captured qualitative and quantitative patterns that the dual-process models could not. Since the single-process model provided the best balance of fit quality and parsimony, the results indicate that processing in the simple versions of the flanker task is better described by gradual rather than discrete narrowing of attention. PMID:21964663

Many-body formulation of carriers capture time in quantum dots applicable in device simulation codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallone, Marco

2010-03-01

We present an application of Green's functions formalism to calculate in a simplified but rigorous way electrons and holes capture time in quantum dots in closed form as function of carrier density, levels confinement potential, and temperature. Carrier-carrier (Auger) scattering and single LO-phonon emission are both addressed accounting for dynamic effects of the potential screening in the single plasmon pole approximation of the dielectric function. Regarding the LO-phonons interaction, the formulation evidences the role of the dynamic screening from wetting-layer carriers in comparison with its static limit, describes the interplay between screening and Fermi band filling, and offers simple expressions for capture time, suitable for modeling implementation.

Efficacy of a Simple Formulation Composed of Nematode-Trapping Fungi and Bidens pilosa var. radiata Scherff Aqueous Extracts (BPE) for Controlling the Southern Root-Knot Nematode

PubMed Central

Ajitomi, Atsushi; Taba, Satoshi; Ajitomi, Yoshino; Kinjo, Misa; Sekine, Ken-taro

2018-01-01

We tested a formulation composed of a mixture of Bidens pilosa var. radiata extract (BPE) and nematode-trapping fungi for its effects on Meloidogyne incognita. In earlier evaluations of the effects of plant extracts on the hyphal growth of 5 species of nematode-trapping fungi with different capture organs (traps), the growth of all species was slightly inhibited. However, an investigation on the number of capture organs and nematode-trapping rates revealed that Arthrobotrys dactyloides formed significantly more rings and nematode traps than those of the control. An evaluation of simple mixed formulations prepared using sodium alginate showed that nematodes were captured with all formulations tested. The simple mixed formulation showed a particularly high capture rate. Furthermore, in a pot test, although the effects of a single formulation made from the fungus or plant extract were acceptable, the efficacy of the simple mixed formulation against M. incognita root-knot formation was particularly high. PMID:29311429

Cycle development and design for CO{sub 2} capture from flue gas by vacuum swing adsorption

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

Jun Zhang; Paul A. Webley

CO{sub 2} capture and storage is an important component in the development of clean power generation processes. One CO{sub 2} capture technology is gas-phase adsorption, specifically pressure (or vacuum) swing adsorption. The complexity of these processes makes evaluation and assessment of new adsorbents difficult and time-consuming. In this study, we have developed a simple model specifically targeted at CO{sub 2} capture by pressure swing adsorption and validated our model by comparison with data from a fully instrumented pilot-scale pressure swing adsorption process. The model captures non-isothermal effects as well as nonlinear adsorption and nitrogen coadsorption. Using the model and ourmore » apparatus, we have designed and studied a large number of cycles for CO{sub 2} capture. We demonstrate that by careful management of adsorption fronts and assembly of cycles based on understanding of the roles of individual steps, we are able to quickly assess the effect of adsorbents and process parameters on capture performance and identify optimal operating regimes and cycles. We recommend this approach in contrast to exhaustive parametric studies which tend to depend on specifics of the chosen cycle and adsorbent. We show that appropriate combinations of process steps can yield excellent process performance and demonstrate how the pressure drop, and heat loss, etc. affect process performance through their effect on adsorption fronts and profiles. Finally, cyclic temperature profiles along the adsorption column can be readily used to infer concentration profiles - this has proved to be a very useful tool in cyclic function definition. Our research reveals excellent promise for the application of pressure/vacuum swing adsorption technology in the arena of CO{sub 2} capture from flue gases. 20 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Cycle development and design for CO2 capture from flue gas by vacuum swing adsorption.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun; Webley, Paul A

2008-01-15

CO2 capture and storage is an important component in the development of clean power generation processes. One CO2 capture technology is gas-phase adsorption, specifically pressure (or vacuum) swing adsorption. The complexity of these processes makes evaluation and assessment of new adsorbents difficult and time-consuming. In this study, we have developed a simple model specifically targeted at CO2 capture by pressure swing adsorption and validated our model by comparison with data from a fully instrumented pilot-scale pressure swing adsorption process. The model captures nonisothermal effects as well as nonlinear adsorption and nitrogen coadsorption. Using the model and our apparatus, we have designed and studied a large number of cycles for CO2 capture. We demonstrate that by careful management of adsorption fronts and assembly of cycles based on understanding of the roles of individual steps, we are able to quickly assess the effect of adsorbents and process parameters on capture performance and identify optimal operating regimes and cycles. We recommend this approach in contrast to exhaustive parametric studies which tend to depend on specifics of the chosen cycle and adsorbent. We show that appropriate combinations of process steps can yield excellent process performance and demonstrate how the pressure drop, and heat loss, etc. affect process performance through their effect on adsorption fronts and profiles. Finally, cyclic temperature profiles along the adsorption column can be readily used to infer concentration profiles-this has proved to be a very useful tool in cyclic function definition. Our research reveals excellent promise for the application of pressure/vacuum swing adsorption technology in the arena of CO2 capture from flue gases.

Promoting Teacher Growth through Lesson Study: A Culturally Embedded Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebaeguin, Marlon

2015-01-01

Lesson Study has captured the attention of many international educators with its promise of improved student learning and sustained teacher growth. Lesson Study, however, has cultural underpinnings that a simple transference model overlooks. A culturally embedded approach attends to the existing cultural orientations and values of host schools.…

Analysis of precision and accuracy in a simple model of machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Julian

2017-12-01

Machine learning is a procedure where a model for the world is constructed from a training set of examples. It is important that the model should capture relevant features of the training set, and at the same time make correct prediction for examples not included in the training set. I consider the polynomial regression, the simplest method of learning, and analyze the accuracy and precision for different levels of the model complexity.

Capture zones for simple aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

McElwee, Carl D.

1991-01-01

Capture zones showing the area influenced by a well within a certain time are useful for both aquifer protection and cleanup. If hydrodynamic dispersion is neglected, a deterministic curve defines the capture zone. Analytical expressions for the capture zones can be derived for simple aquifers. However, the capture zone equations are transcendental and cannot be explicitly solved for the coordinates of the capture zone boundary. Fortunately, an iterative scheme allows the solution to proceed quickly and efficiently even on a modest personal computer. Three forms of the analytical solution must be used in an iterative scheme to cover the entire region of interest, after the extreme values of the x coordinate are determined by an iterative solution. The resulting solution is a discrete one, and usually 100-1000 intervals along the x-axis are necessary for a smooth definition of the capture zone. The presented program is written in FORTRAN and has been used in a variety of computing environments. No graphics capability is included with the program; it is assumed the user has access to a commercial package. The superposition of capture zones for multiple wells is expected to be satisfactory if the spacing is not too close. Because this program deals with simple aquifers, the results rarely will be the final word in a real application.

Hydrodynamic capture of microswimmers into sphere-bound orbits.

PubMed

Takagi, Daisuke; Palacci, Jérémie; Braunschweig, Adam B; Shelley, Michael J; Zhang, Jun

2014-03-21

Self-propelled particles can exhibit surprising non-equilibrium behaviors, and how they interact with obstacles or boundaries remains an important open problem. Here we show that chemically propelled micro-rods can be captured, with little change in their speed, into close orbits around solid spheres resting on or near a horizontal plane. We show that this interaction between sphere and particle is short-range, occurring even for spheres smaller than the particle length, and for a variety of sphere materials. We consider a simple model, based on lubrication theory, of a force- and torque-free swimmer driven by a surface slip (the phoretic propulsion mechanism) and moving near a solid surface. The model demonstrates capture, or movement towards the surface, and yields speeds independent of distance. This study reveals the crucial aspects of activity–driven interactions of self-propelled particles with passive objects, and brings into question the use of colloidal tracers as probes of active matter.

Simple technique to treat pupillary capture after transscleral fixation of intraocular lens.

PubMed

Jürgens, Ignasi; Rey, Amanda

2015-01-01

We describe a simple surgical technique to manage pupillary capture after previous transscleral fixation of an intraocular lens. Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling abundance using multinomial N-mixture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, Andy

2016-01-01

Multinomial N-mixture models are a generalization of the binomial N-mixture models described in Chapter 6 to allow for more complex and informative sampling protocols beyond simple counts. Many commonly used protocols such as multiple observer sampling, removal sampling, and capture-recapture produce a multivariate count frequency that has a multinomial distribution and for which multinomial N-mixture models can be developed. Such protocols typically result in more precise estimates than binomial mixture models because they provide direct information about parameters of the observation process. We demonstrate the analysis of these models in BUGS using several distinct formulations that afford great flexibility in the types of models that can be developed, and we demonstrate likelihood analysis using the unmarked package. Spatially stratified capture-recapture models are one class of models that fall into the multinomial N-mixture framework, and we discuss analysis of stratified versions of classical models such as model Mb, Mh and other classes of models that are only possible to describe within the multinomial N-mixture framework.

Impact of electron-captures on nuclei near N = 50 on core-collapse supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titus, R.; Sullivan, C.; Zegers, R. G. T.; Brown, B. A.; Gao, B.

2018-01-01

The sensitivity of the late stages of stellar core collapse to electron-capture rates on nuclei is investigated, with a focus on electron-capture rates on 74 nuclei with neutron number close to 50, just above doubly magic 78Ni. It is demonstrated that variations in key characteristics of the evolution, such as the lepton fraction, electron fraction, entropy, stellar density, and in-fall velocity are about 50% due to uncertainties in the electron-capture rates on nuclei in this region, although thousands of nuclei are included in the simulations. The present electron-capture rate estimates used for the nuclei in this high-sensitivity region of the chart of isotopes are primarily based on a simple approximation, and it is shown that the estimated rates are likely too high, by an order of magnitude or more. Electron-capture rates based on Gamow-Teller strength distributions calculated in microscopic theoretical models will be required to obtain better estimates. Gamow-Teller distributions extracted from charge-exchange experiments performed at intermediate energies serve to guide the development and benchmark the models. A previously compiled weak-rate library that is used in the astrophysical simulations was updated as part of the work presented here, by adding additional rate tables for nuclei near stability for mass numbers between 60 and 110.

A family of hyperelastic models for human brain tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihai, L. Angela; Budday, Silvia; Holzapfel, Gerhard A.; Kuhl, Ellen; Goriely, Alain

2017-09-01

Experiments on brain samples under multiaxial loading have shown that human brain tissue is both extremely soft when compared to other biological tissues and characterized by a peculiar elastic response under combined shear and compression/tension: there is a significant increase in shear stress with increasing axial compression compared to a moderate increase with increasing axial tension. Recent studies have revealed that many widely used constitutive models for soft biological tissues fail to capture this characteristic response. Here, guided by experiments of human brain tissue, we develop a family of modeling approaches that capture the elasticity of brain tissue under varying simple shear superposed on varying axial stretch by exploiting key observations about the behavior of the nonlinear shear modulus, which can be obtained directly from the experimental data.

Mobile Modelling for Crowdsourcing Building Interior Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosser, J.; Morley, J.; Jackson, M.

2012-06-01

Indoor spatial data forms an important foundation to many ubiquitous computing applications. It gives context to users operating location-based applications, provides an important source of documentation of buildings and can be of value to computer systems where an understanding of environment is required. Unlike external geographic spaces, no centralised body or agency is charged with collecting or maintaining such information. Widespread deployment of mobile devices provides a potential tool that would allow rapid model capture and update by a building's users. Here we introduce some of the issues involved in volunteering building interior data and outline a simple mobile tool for capture of indoor models. The nature of indoor data is inherently private; however in-depth analysis of this issue and legal considerations are not discussed in detail here.

Models to capture the potential for disease transmission in domestic sheep flocks.

PubMed

Schley, David; Whittle, Sophie; Taylor, Michael; Kiss, Istvan Zoltan

2012-09-15

Successful control of livestock diseases requires an understanding of how they spread amongst animals and between premises. Mathematical models can offer important insight into the dynamics of disease, especially when built upon experimental and/or field data. Here the dynamics of a range of epidemiological models are explored in order to determine which models perform best in capturing real-world heterogeneities at sufficient resolution. Individual based network models are considered together with one- and two-class compartmental models, for which the final epidemic size is calculated as a function of the probability of disease transmission occurring during a given physical contact between two individuals. For numerical results the special cases of a viral disease with a fast recovery rate (foot-and-mouth disease) and a bacterial disease with a slow recovery rate (brucellosis) amongst sheep are considered. Quantitative results from observational studies of physical contact amongst domestic sheep are applied and results from the differently structured flocks (ewes with newborn lambs, ewes with nearly weaned lambs and ewes only) compared. These indicate that the breeding cycle leads to significant changes in the expected basic reproduction ratio of diseases. The observed heterogeneity of contacts amongst animals is best captured by full network simulations, although simple compartmental models describe the key features of an outbreak but, as expected, often overestimate the speed of an outbreak. Here the weights of contacts are heterogeneous, with many low weight links. However, due to the well-connected nature of the networks, this has little effect and differences between models remain small. These results indicate that simple compartmental models can be a useful tool for modelling real-world flocks; their applicability will be greater still for more homogeneously mixed livestock, which could be promoted by higher intensity farming practices. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Explaining Moral Behavior.

PubMed

Osman, Magda; Wiegmann, Alex

2017-03-01

In this review we make a simple theoretical argument which is that for theory development, computational modeling, and general frameworks for understanding moral psychology researchers should build on domain-general principles from reasoning, judgment, and decision-making research. Our approach is radical with respect to typical models that exist in moral psychology that tend to propose complex innate moral grammars and even evolutionarily guided moral principles. In support of our argument we show that by using a simple value-based decision model we can capture a range of core moral behaviors. Crucially, the argument we propose is that moral situations per se do not require anything specialized or different from other situations in which we have to make decisions, inferences, and judgments in order to figure out how to act.

Teaching Bank Runs with Classroom Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balkenborg, Dieter; Kaplan, Todd; Miller, Timothy

2011-01-01

Once relegated to cinema or history lectures, bank runs have become a modern phenomenon that captures the interest of students. In this article, the authors explain a simple classroom experiment based on the Diamond-Dybvig model (1983) to demonstrate how a bank run--a seemingly irrational event--can occur rationally. They then present possible…

Investigation of Phase Transition-Based Tethered Systems for Small Body Sample Capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quadrelli, Marco; Backes, Paul; Wilkie, Keats; Giersch, Lou; Quijano, Ubaldo; Scharf, Daniel; Mukherjee, Rudranarayan

2009-01-01

This paper summarizes the modeling, simulation, and testing work related to the development of technology to investigate the potential that shape memory actuation has to provide mechanically simple and affordable solutions for delivering assets to a surface and for sample capture and possible return to Earth. We investigate the structural dynamics and controllability aspects of an adaptive beam carrying an end-effector which, by changing equilibrium phases is able to actively decouple the end-effector dynamics from the spacecraft dynamics during the surface contact phase. Asset delivery and sample capture and return are at the heart of several emerging potential missions to small bodies, such as asteroids and comets, and to the surface of large bodies, such as Titan.

A practical model for pressure probe system response estimation (with review of existing models)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, B. F.; Povey, T.

2018-04-01

The accurate estimation of the unsteady response (bandwidth) of pneumatic pressure probe systems (probe, line and transducer volume) is a common practical problem encountered in the design of aerodynamic experiments. Understanding the bandwidth of the probe system is necessary to capture unsteady flow features accurately. Where traversing probes are used, the desired traverse speed and spatial gradients in the flow dictate the minimum probe system bandwidth required to resolve the flow. Existing approaches for bandwidth estimation are either complex or inaccurate in implementation, so probes are often designed based on experience. Where probe system bandwidth is characterized, it is often done experimentally, requiring careful experimental set-up and analysis. There is a need for a relatively simple but accurate model for estimation of probe system bandwidth. A new model is presented for the accurate estimation of pressure probe bandwidth for simple probes commonly used in wind tunnel environments; experimental validation is provided. An additional, simple graphical method for air is included for convenience.

Estimation by capture-recapture of recruitment and dispersal over several sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lebreton, J.D.; Hines, J.E.; Pradel, R.; Nichols, J.D.; Spendelow, J.A.

2003-01-01

Dispersal in animal populations is intimately linked with accession to reproduction, i.e. recruitment, and population regulation. Dispersal processes are thus a key component of population dynamics to the same extent as reproduction or mortality processes. Despite the growing interest in spatial aspects of population dynamics, the methodology for estimating dispersal, in particular in relation with recruitment, is limited. In many animal populations, in particular vertebrates, the impossibility of following individuals over space and time in an exhaustive way leads to the need to frame the estimation of dispersal in the context of capture-recapture methodology. We present here a class of age-dependent multistate capture-recapture models for the simultaneous estimation of natal dispersal, breeding dispersal, and age-dependent recruitment. These models are suitable for populations in which individuals are marked at birth and then recaptured over several sites. Under simple constraints, they can be used in populations where non-breeders are not observed, as is often the case with colonial waterbirds monitored on their breeding grounds. Biological questions can be addressed by comparing models differing in structure, according to the generalized linear model philosophy broadly used in capture-recapture methodology. We illustrate the potential of this approach by an analysis of recruitment and dispersal in the roseate tern Sterna dougallii.

Simple stochastic order-book model of swarm behavior in continuous double auction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichiki, Shingo; Nishinari, Katsuhiro

2015-02-01

In this study, we present a simple stochastic order-book model for investors' swarm behaviors seen in the continuous double auction mechanism, which is employed by major global exchanges. Our study shows a characteristic called 'fat tail' seen in the data obtained from our model that incorporates the investors' swarm behaviors. Our model captures two swarm behaviors: one is investors' behavior to follow a trend in the historical price movement, and another is investors' behavior to send orders that contradict a trend in the historical price movement. In order to capture the features of influence by the swarm behaviors, from price data derived from our simulations using these models, we analyzed the price movement range, that is, how much the price is moved when it is continuously moved in a single direction. Depending on the type of swarm behavior, we saw a difference in the cumulative frequency distribution of this price movement range. In particular, for the model of investors who followed a trend in the historical price movement, we saw the power law in the tail of the cumulative frequency distribution of this price movement range. In addition, we analyzed the shape of the tail of the cumulative frequency distribution. The result demonstrated that one of the reasons the trend following of price occurs is that orders temporarily swarm on the order book in accordance with past price trends.

A position and attitude vision measurement system for wind tunnel slender model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Lei; Yang, Yinong; Xue, Bindang; Zhou, Fugen; Bai, Xiangzhi

2014-11-01

A position and attitude vision measurement system for drop test slender model in wind tunnel is designed and developed. The system used two high speed cameras, one is put to the side of the model and another is put to the position where the camera can look up the model. Simple symbols are set on the model. The main idea of the system is based on image matching technique between the 3D-digital model projection image and the image captured by the camera. At first, we evaluate the pitch angles, the roll angles and the position of the centroid of a model through recognizing symbols in the images captured by the side camera. And then, based on the evaluated attitude info, giving a series of yaw angles, a series of projection images of the 3D-digital model are obtained. Finally, these projection images are matched with the image which captured by the looking up camera, and the best match's projection images corresponds to the yaw angle is the very yaw angle of the model. Simulation experiments are conducted and the results show that the maximal error of attitude measurement is less than 0.05°, which can meet the demand of test in wind tunnel.

Preliminary skyshine calculations for the Poloidal Diverter Tokamak Experiment

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

Nigg, D.W.; Wheeler, F.J.

1981-01-01

The Poloidal Diverter Experiment (PDX) facility at Princeton University is the first operating tokamak to require substantial radiation shielding. A calculational model has been developed to estimate the radiation dose in the PDX control room and at the site boundary due to the skyshine effect. An efficient one-dimensional method is used to compute the neutron and capture gamma leakage currents at the top surface of the PDX roof shield. This method employs an S /SUB n/ calculation in slab geometry and, for the PDX, is superior to spherical models found in the literature. If certain conditions are met, the slabmore » model provides the exact probability of leakage out the top surface of the roof for fusion source neutrons and for capture gamma rays produced in the PDX floor and roof shield. The model also provides the correct neutron and capture gamma leakage current spectra and angular distributions, averaged over the top roof shield surface. For the PDX, this method is nearly as accurate as multidimensional techniques for computing the roof leakage and is much less costly. The actual neutron skyshine dose is computed using a Monte Carlo model with the neutron source at the roof surface obtained from the slab S /SUB n/ calculation. The capture gamma dose is computed using a simple point-kernel single-scatter method.« less

Segmenting Continuous Motions with Hidden Semi-markov Models and Gaussian Processes

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Tomoaki; Nagai, Takayuki; Mochihashi, Daichi; Kobayashi, Ichiro; Asoh, Hideki; Kaneko, Masahide

2017-01-01

Humans divide perceived continuous information into segments to facilitate recognition. For example, humans can segment speech waves into recognizable morphemes. Analogously, continuous motions are segmented into recognizable unit actions. People can divide continuous information into segments without using explicit segment points. This capacity for unsupervised segmentation is also useful for robots, because it enables them to flexibly learn languages, gestures, and actions. In this paper, we propose a Gaussian process-hidden semi-Markov model (GP-HSMM) that can divide continuous time series data into segments in an unsupervised manner. Our proposed method consists of a generative model based on the hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM), the emission distributions of which are Gaussian processes (GPs). Continuous time series data is generated by connecting segments generated by the GP. Segmentation can be achieved by using forward filtering-backward sampling to estimate the model's parameters, including the lengths and classes of the segments. In an experiment using the CMU motion capture dataset, we tested GP-HSMM with motion capture data containing simple exercise motions; the results of this experiment showed that the proposed GP-HSMM was comparable with other methods. We also conducted an experiment using karate motion capture data, which is more complex than exercise motion capture data; in this experiment, the segmentation accuracy of GP-HSMM was 0.92, which outperformed other methods. PMID:29311889

Formulation and validation of a computational model for a dilute biomass slurry undergoing rotational mixing

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

Sprague, Michael A.; Stickel, Jonathan J.; Sitaraman, Hariswaran

In this paper we develop a computational model for the mixing and transport of a dilute biomass slurry. The objective was to create a sufficiently simple and efficient model for biomass transport that can be coupled with reaction models for the study of conversion of cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars. Our target system is 5%-by-mass ..alpha..-cellulose, which is our proxy for more complex lignocellulosic biomass. In the authors' previous work, an experimental investigation with ..alpha..-cellulose under two vane-mixer configurations showed a bifurcation between a settling regime, for which settling effects dominate, and a suspended regime, for which solids are mostlymore » suspended. Here, a mixed-fluid model was chosen, for which the model for the mixture-velocity field is the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations under the Boussinesq approximation for buoyancy. Solids transport includes solids motion due to diffusion, settling, advection, and shear. Comparison of simulated and experimental results show good agreement in the suspended regime, and in capturing the bifurcation rate. While the model captured well the distribution of solids in the settling regime, the model was incapable of capturing the high torque values seen in experiments with vanishing mixer rotation rate.« less

Formulation and validation of a computational model for a dilute biomass slurry undergoing rotational mixing

DOE PAGES

Sprague, Michael A.; Stickel, Jonathan J.; Sitaraman, Hariswaran; ...

2018-02-17

In this paper we develop a computational model for the mixing and transport of a dilute biomass slurry. The objective was to create a sufficiently simple and efficient model for biomass transport that can be coupled with reaction models for the study of conversion of cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars. Our target system is 5%-by-mass ..alpha..-cellulose, which is our proxy for more complex lignocellulosic biomass. In the authors' previous work, an experimental investigation with ..alpha..-cellulose under two vane-mixer configurations showed a bifurcation between a settling regime, for which settling effects dominate, and a suspended regime, for which solids are mostlymore » suspended. Here, a mixed-fluid model was chosen, for which the model for the mixture-velocity field is the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations under the Boussinesq approximation for buoyancy. Solids transport includes solids motion due to diffusion, settling, advection, and shear. Comparison of simulated and experimental results show good agreement in the suspended regime, and in capturing the bifurcation rate. While the model captured well the distribution of solids in the settling regime, the model was incapable of capturing the high torque values seen in experiments with vanishing mixer rotation rate.« less

Decadal climate predictability in the southern Indian Ocean captured by SINTEX-F using a simple SST-nudging scheme.

PubMed

Morioka, Yushi; Doi, Takeshi; Behera, Swadhin K

2018-01-26

Decadal climate variability in the southern Indian Ocean has great influences on southern African climate through modulation of atmospheric circulation. Although many efforts have been made to understanding physical mechanisms, predictability of the decadal climate variability, in particular, the internally generated variability independent from external atmospheric forcing, remains poorly understood. This study investigates predictability of the decadal climate variability in the southern Indian Ocean using a coupled general circulation model, called SINTEX-F. The ensemble members of the decadal reforecast experiments were initialized with a simple sea surface temperature (SST) nudging scheme. The observed positive and negative peaks during late 1990s and late 2000s are well reproduced in the reforecast experiments initiated from 1994 and 1999, respectively. The experiments initiated from 1994 successfully capture warm SST and high sea level pressure anomalies propagating from the South Atlantic to the southern Indian Ocean. Also, the other experiments initiated from 1999 skillfully predict phase change from a positive to negative peak. These results suggest that the SST-nudging initialization has the essence to capture the predictability of the internally generated decadal climate variability in the southern Indian Ocean.

Analysis of capture-recapture models with individual covariates using data augmentation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2009-01-01

I consider the analysis of capture-recapture models with individual covariates that influence detection probability. Bayesian analysis of the joint likelihood is carried out using a flexible data augmentation scheme that facilitates analysis by Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, and a simple and straightforward implementation in freely available software. This approach is applied to a study of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) in which auxiliary data on a continuous covariate (body mass) are recorded, and it is thought that detection probability is related to body mass. In a second example, the model is applied to an aerial waterfowl survey in which a double-observer protocol is used. The fundamental unit of observation is the cluster of individual birds, and the size of the cluster (a discrete covariate) is used as a covariate on detection probability.

Simple Deterministically Constructed Recurrent Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodan, Ali; Tiňo, Peter

A large number of models for time series processing, forecasting or modeling follows a state-space formulation. Models in the specific class of state-space approaches, referred to as Reservoir Computing, fix their state-transition function. The state space with the associated state transition structure forms a reservoir, which is supposed to be sufficiently complex so as to capture a large number of features of the input stream that can be potentially exploited by the reservoir-to-output readout mapping. The largely "black box" character of reservoirs prevents us from performing a deeper theoretical investigation of the dynamical properties of successful reservoirs. Reservoir construction is largely driven by a series of (more-or-less) ad-hoc randomized model building stages, with both the researchers and practitioners having to rely on a series of trials and errors. We show that a very simple deterministically constructed reservoir with simple cycle topology gives performances comparable to those of the Echo State Network (ESN) on a number of time series benchmarks. Moreover, we argue that the memory capacity of such a model can be made arbitrarily close to the proved theoretical limit.

A stochastic evolutionary model generating a mixture of exponential distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenner, Trevor; Levene, Mark; Loizou, George

2016-02-01

Recent interest in human dynamics has stimulated the investigation of the stochastic processes that explain human behaviour in various contexts, such as mobile phone networks and social media. In this paper, we extend the stochastic urn-based model proposed in [T. Fenner, M. Levene, G. Loizou, J. Stat. Mech. 2015, P08015 (2015)] so that it can generate mixture models, in particular, a mixture of exponential distributions. The model is designed to capture the dynamics of survival analysis, traditionally employed in clinical trials, reliability analysis in engineering, and more recently in the analysis of large data sets recording human dynamics. The mixture modelling approach, which is relatively simple and well understood, is very effective in capturing heterogeneity in data. We provide empirical evidence for the validity of the model, using a data set of popular search engine queries collected over a period of 114 months. We show that the survival function of these queries is closely matched by the exponential mixture solution for our model.

How to catch more prey with less effective traps: explaining the evolution of temporarily inactive traps in carnivorous pitcher plants.

PubMed

Bauer, Ulrike; Federle, Walter; Seidel, Hannes; Grafe, T Ulmar; Ioannou, Christos C

2015-02-22

Carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants capture arthropods with specialized slippery surfaces. The key trapping surface, the pitcher rim (peristome), is highly slippery when wetted by rain, nectar or condensation, but not when dry. As natural selection should favour adaptations that maximize prey intake, the evolution of temporarily inactive traps seems paradoxical. Here, we show that intermittent trap deactivation promotes 'batch captures' of ants. Prey surveys revealed that N. rafflesiana pitchers sporadically capture large numbers of ants from the same species. Continuous experimental wetting of the peristome increased the number of non-recruiting prey, but decreased the number of captured ants and shifted their trapping mode from batch to individual capture events. Ant recruitment was also lower to continuously wetted pitchers. Our experimental data fit a simple model that predicts that intermittent, wetness-based trap activation should allow safe access for 'scout' ants under dry conditions, thereby promoting recruitment and ultimately higher prey numbers. The peristome trapping mechanism may therefore represent an adaptation for capturing ants. The relatively rare batch capture events may particularly benefit larger plants with many pitchers. This explains why young plants of many Nepenthes species additionally employ wetness-independent, waxy trapping surfaces.

An integrated Gaussian process regression for prediction of remaining useful life of slow speed bearings based on acoustic emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aye, S. A.; Heyns, P. S.

2017-02-01

This paper proposes an optimal Gaussian process regression (GPR) for the prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) of slow speed bearings based on a novel degradation assessment index obtained from acoustic emission signal. The optimal GPR is obtained from an integration or combination of existing simple mean and covariance functions in order to capture the observed trend of the bearing degradation as well the irregularities in the data. The resulting integrated GPR model provides an excellent fit to the data and improves over the simple GPR models that are based on simple mean and covariance functions. In addition, it achieves a low percentage error prediction of the remaining useful life of slow speed bearings. These findings are robust under varying operating conditions such as loading and speed and can be applied to nonlinear and nonstationary machine response signals useful for effective preventive machine maintenance purposes.

The fluid trampoline: droplets bouncing on a soap film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, John; Gilet, Tristan

2008-11-01

We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of droplets falling onto a horizontal soap film. Both static and vertically vibrated soap films are considered. A quasi-static description of the soap film shape yields a force-displacement relation that provides excellent agreement with experiment, and allows us to model the film as a nonlinear spring. This approach yields an accurate criterion for the transition between droplet bouncing and crossing on the static film; moreover, it allows us to rationalize the observed constancy of the contact time and scaling for the coefficient of restitution in the bouncing states. On the vibrating film, a variety of bouncing behaviours were observed, including simple and complex periodic states, multiperiodicity and chaos. A simple theoretical model is developed that captures the essential physics of the bouncing process, reproducing all observed bouncing states. Quantitative agreement between model and experiment is deduced for simple periodic modes, and qualitative agreement for more complex periodic and chaotic bouncing states.

Testing the Two-Layer Model for Correcting Clear Sky Reflectance near Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wen, Guoyong; Marshak, Alexander; Evans, Frank; Varnai, Tamas; Levy, Rob

2015-01-01

A two-layer model (2LM) was developed in our earlier studies to estimate the clear sky reflectance enhancement due to cloud-molecular radiative interaction at MODIS at 0.47 micrometers. Recently, we extended the model to include cloud-surface and cloud-aerosol radiative interactions. We use the LES/SHDOM simulated 3D true radiation fields to test the 2LM for reflectance enhancement at 0.47 micrometers. We find: The simple model captures the viewing angle dependence of the reflectance enhancement near cloud, suggesting the physics of this model is correct; the cloud-molecular interaction alone accounts for 70 percent of the enhancement; the cloud-surface interaction accounts for 16 percent of the enhancement; the cloud-aerosol interaction accounts for an additional 13 percent of the enhancement. We conclude that the 2LM is simple to apply and unbiased.

Quantum Optics Models of EIT Noise and Power Broadening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snider, Chad; Crescimanno, Michael; O'Leary, Shannon

2011-04-01

When two coherent beams of light interact with an atom they tend to drive the atom to a non-absorbing state through a process called Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT). If the light's frequency dithers, the atom's state stochastically moves in and out of this non-absorbing state. We describe a simple quantum optics model of this process that captures the essential experimentally observed statistical features of this EIT noise, with a particular emphasis on understanding power broadening.

A Physics Heptathlon: Simple Models of Seven Sporting Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spathopoulos, Vassilios McInnes

2010-01-01

Anything that can capture the interest of students can be used to enhance the teaching of physics, and sport is practised, watched and followed fanatically by almost every young person. At the same time, in recent years, a wealth of research data has become available from the field of sports science. The purpose of this article is to draw from…

Statistical Mechanics of US Supreme Court

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Edward; Broedersz, Chase; Bialek, William; Biophysics Theory Group Team

2014-03-01

We build simple models for the distribution of voting patterns in a group, using the Supreme Court of the United States as an example. The least structured, or maximum entropy, model that is consistent with the observed pairwise correlations among justices' votes is equivalent to an Ising spin glass. While all correlations (perhaps surprisingly) are positive, the effective pairwise interactions in the spin glass model have both signs, recovering some of our intuition that justices on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum should have a negative influence on one another. Despite the competing interactions, a strong tendency toward unanimity emerges from the model, and this agrees quantitatively with the data. The model shows that voting patterns are organized in a relatively simple ``energy landscape,'' correctly predicts the extent to which each justice is correlated with the majority, and gives us a measure of the influence that justices exert on one another. These results suggest that simple models, grounded in statistical physics, can capture essential features of collective decision making quantitatively, even in a complex political context. Funded by National Science Foundation Grants PHY-0957573 and CCF-0939370, WM Keck Foundation, Lewis-Sigler Fellowship, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and Winston Foundation.

Spatial analysis of the invasion of lionfish in the western Atlantic and Caribbean.

PubMed

Johnston, Matthew W; Purkis, Samuel J

2011-06-01

Pterois volitans and Pterois miles, two sub-species of lionfish, have become the first non-native, invasive marine fish established along the United States Atlantic coast and Caribbean. The route and timing of the invasion is poorly understood, however historical sightings and captures have been robustly documented since their introduction. Herein we analyze these records based on spatial location, dates of arrival, and prevailing physical factors at the capture sights. Using a cellular automata model, we examine the relationship between depth, salinity, temperature, and current, finding the latter as the most influential parameter for transport of lionfish to new areas. The model output is a synthetic validated reproduction of the lionfish invasion, upon which predictive simulations in other locations can be based. This predictive model is simple, highly adaptable, relies entirely on publicly available data, and is applicable to other species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing velocity dependent self-interacting dark matter with neutrino telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Denis S.; Albuquerque, Ivone F. M.

2018-02-01

Self-interacting dark matter models constitute an attractive solution to problems in structure formation on small scales. A simple realization of these models considers the dark force mediated by a light particle which can couple to the Standard Model through mixings with the photon or the Z boson. Within this scenario we investigate the sensitivity of the IceCube-DeepCore and PINGU neutrino telescopes to the associated muon neutrino flux produced by dark matter annihilations in the Sun. Despite the model's simplicity, several effects naturally appear: momentum suppressed capture by nuclei, velocity dependent dark matter self-capture, Sommerfeld enhanced annihilation, as well as the enhancement on the neutrino flux due to mediator late decays. Taking all these effects into account, we find that most of the model relevant parameter space can be tested by the three years of data already collected by the IceCube-DeepCore. We show that indirect detection through neutrinos can compete with the strong existing limits from direct detection experiments, specially in the case of isospin violation.

Random graph models of social networks.

PubMed

Newman, M E J; Watts, D J; Strogatz, S H

2002-02-19

We describe some new exactly solvable models of the structure of social networks, based on random graphs with arbitrary degree distributions. We give models both for simple unipartite networks, such as acquaintance networks, and bipartite networks, such as affiliation networks. We compare the predictions of our models to data for a number of real-world social networks and find that in some cases, the models are in remarkable agreement with the data, whereas in others the agreement is poorer, perhaps indicating the presence of additional social structure in the network that is not captured by the random graph.

Disordered Supersolids in the Extended Bose-Hubbard Model

DOE PAGES

Lin, Fei; Maier, T. A.; Scarola, V. W.

2017-10-06

The extended Bose-Hubbard model captures the essential properties of a wide variety of physical systems including ultracold atoms and molecules in optical lattices, Josephson junction arrays, and certain narrow band superconductors. It exhibits a rich phase diagram including a supersolid phase where a lattice solid coexists with a superfluid. We use quantum Monte Carlo to study the supersolid part of the phase diagram of the extended Bose-Hubbard model on the simple cubic lattice. We add disorder to the extended Bose-Hubbard model and find that the maximum critical temperature for the supersolid phase tends to be suppressed by disorder. But wemore » also find a narrow parameter window in which the supersolid critical temperature is enhanced by disorder. Our results show that supersolids survive a moderate amount of spatial disorder and thermal fluctuations in the simple cubic lattice.« less

Construction of flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) papers through MOF growth on filter paper and their selective dye capture.

PubMed

Park, Jeehyun; Oh, Moonhyun

2017-09-14

The conjugation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with other materials is an excellent strategy for the production of advanced materials having desired properties and so appropriate applicability. In particular, the integration of MOFs with a flexible paper is expected to form valuable materials in separation technology. Here we report a simple method for the generation of MOF papers through the compact and uniform growth of MOF nanoparticles on the cellulose surface of a carboxymethylated filter paper. The resulting MOF papers show a selective capture ability for negatively charged organic dyes and they can be used for dye separation through simple filtration of a dye solution on the MOF papers. In addition, MOF papers can be reused after a simple washing process without losing their effective dye capture ability.

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

Lin, Fei; Maier, T. A.; Scarola, V. W.

The extended Bose-Hubbard model captures the essential properties of a wide variety of physical systems including ultracold atoms and molecules in optical lattices, Josephson junction arrays, and certain narrow band superconductors. It exhibits a rich phase diagram including a supersolid phase where a lattice solid coexists with a superfluid. We use quantum Monte Carlo to study the supersolid part of the phase diagram of the extended Bose-Hubbard model on the simple cubic lattice. We add disorder to the extended Bose-Hubbard model and find that the maximum critical temperature for the supersolid phase tends to be suppressed by disorder. But wemore » also find a narrow parameter window in which the supersolid critical temperature is enhanced by disorder. Our results show that supersolids survive a moderate amount of spatial disorder and thermal fluctuations in the simple cubic lattice.« less

Effect of nonlinearity in hybrid kinetic Monte Carlo-continuum models.

PubMed

Balter, Ariel; Lin, Guang; Tartakovsky, Alexandre M

2012-01-01

Recently there has been interest in developing efficient ways to model heterogeneous surface reactions with hybrid computational models that couple a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model for a surface to a finite-difference model for bulk diffusion in a continuous domain. We consider two representative problems that validate a hybrid method and show that this method captures the combined effects of nonlinearity and stochasticity. We first validate a simple deposition-dissolution model with a linear rate showing that the KMC-continuum hybrid agrees with both a fully deterministic model and its analytical solution. We then study a deposition-dissolution model including competitive adsorption, which leads to a nonlinear rate, and show that in this case the KMC-continuum hybrid and fully deterministic simulations do not agree. However, we are able to identify the difference as a natural result of the stochasticity coming from the KMC surface process. Because KMC captures inherent fluctuations, we consider it to be more realistic than a purely deterministic model. Therefore, we consider the KMC-continuum hybrid to be more representative of a real system.

Effect of Nonlinearity in Hybrid Kinetic Monte Carlo-Continuum Models

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

Balter, Ariel I.; Lin, Guang; Tartakovsky, Alexandre M.

2012-04-23

Recently there has been interest in developing efficient ways to model heterogeneous surface reactions with hybrid computational models that couple a KMC model for a surface to a finite difference model for bulk diffusion in a continuous domain. We consider two representative problems that validate a hybrid method and also show that this method captures the combined effects of nonlinearity and stochasticity. We first validate a simple deposition/dissolution model with a linear rate showing that the KMC-continuum hybrid agrees with both a fully deterministic model and its analytical solution. We then study a deposition/dissolution model including competitive adsorption, which leadsmore » to a nonlinear rate, and show that, in this case, the KMC-continuum hybrid and fully deterministic simulations do not agree. However, we are able to identify the difference as a natural result of the stochasticity coming from the KMC surface process. Because KMC captures inherent fluctuations, we consider it to be more realistic than a purely deterministic model. Therefore, we consider the KMC-continuum hybrid to be more representative of a real system.« less

Empirical resistive-force theory for slender biological filaments in shear-thinning fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, Emily E.; Lauga, Eric

2017-06-01

Many cells exploit the bending or rotation of flagellar filaments in order to self-propel in viscous fluids. While appropriate theoretical modeling is available to capture flagella locomotion in simple, Newtonian fluids, formidable computations are required to address theoretically their locomotion in complex, nonlinear fluids, e.g., mucus. Based on experimental measurements for the motion of rigid rods in non-Newtonian fluids and on the classical Carreau fluid model, we propose empirical extensions of the classical Newtonian resistive-force theory to model the waving of slender filaments in non-Newtonian fluids. By assuming the flow near the flagellum to be locally Newtonian, we propose a self-consistent way to estimate the typical shear rate in the fluid, which we then use to construct correction factors to the Newtonian local drag coefficients. The resulting non-Newtonian resistive-force theory, while empirical, is consistent with the Newtonian limit, and with the experiments. We then use our models to address waving locomotion in non-Newtonian fluids and show that the resulting swimming speeds are systematically lowered, a result which we are able to capture asymptotically and to interpret physically. An application of the models to recent experimental results on the locomotion of Caenorhabditis elegans in polymeric solutions shows reasonable agreement and thus captures the main physics of swimming in shear-thinning fluids.

Evaluation of mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) species richness using two sampling methods in the hydroelectric reservoir of Simplício, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

PubMed

Alencar, Jeronimo; de Mello, Viviane Soares; Serra-Freire, Nicolau Maués; Silva, Júlia dos Santos; Morone, Fernanda; Guimarães, Anthony Érico

2012-04-01

We compared two types of light traps used for monitoring mosquito abundance in the hydroelectric reservoir of Simplício, Além Paraíba - Minas Gerais. Mosquitoes were captured bimonthly using automatic CDC and Shannon traps before the filling of the hydroelectric plant reservoir from December 2008 to December 2009. In total, 1474 specimens from 13 genera were captured. Among the captured specimens, several species known to be vectors of disease-causing agents for humans and/or animals were identified, including Anopheles aquasalis, Aedes albopictus, Coquillettidia venezuelensis, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, and Aedes scapularis. Sampling efficacy between the four capture sites was not found to be significantly different, irrespective of species captured or type of trap used. Poor correlation (r (x, y) = -0.0444) between the number of mosquito species and capture site was observed when not influenced by the type of trap used. Among the installation sites of the CDC and Shannon traps in the areas investigated, CDC traps fixed in livestock shelters obtained an overall higher abundance of species captured.

Electrostatics of cysteine residues in proteins: Parameterization and validation of a simple model

PubMed Central

Salsbury, Freddie R.; Poole, Leslie B.; Fetrow, Jacquelyn S.

2013-01-01

One of the most popular and simple models for the calculation of pKas from a protein structure is the semi-macroscopic electrostatic model MEAD. This model requires empirical parameters for each residue to calculate pKas. Analysis of current, widely used empirical parameters for cysteine residues showed that they did not reproduce expected cysteine pKas; thus, we set out to identify parameters consistent with the CHARMM27 force field that capture both the behavior of typical cysteines in proteins and the behavior of cysteines which have perturbed pKas. The new parameters were validated in three ways: (1) calculation across a large set of typical cysteines in proteins (where the calculations are expected to reproduce expected ensemble behavior); (2) calculation across a set of perturbed cysteines in proteins (where the calculations are expected to reproduce the shifted ensemble behavior); and (3) comparison to experimentally determined pKa values (where the calculation should reproduce the pKa within experimental error). Both the general behavior of cysteines in proteins and the perturbed pKa in some proteins can be predicted reasonably well using the newly determined empirical parameters within the MEAD model for protein electrostatics. This study provides the first general analysis of the electrostatics of cysteines in proteins, with specific attention paid to capturing both the behavior of typical cysteines in a protein and the behavior of cysteines whose pKa should be shifted, and validation of force field parameters for cysteine residues. PMID:22777874

Depletion of interstitial oxygen in silicon and the thermal donor model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borenstein, Jeffrey T.; Singh, Vijay A.; Corbett, James W.

1987-01-01

It is shown here that the experimental results of Newman (1985) and Tan et al. (1986) regarding the loss of oxygen interstitials during 450 C annealing of Czochralski silicon are consistent with the recently proposed model of Borenstein, Peak, and Corbett (1986) for thermal donor formation. Calculations were carried out for TD cores corresponding to O2, O3, O4, and/or O5 clusters. A simple model which attempts to capture the essential physics of the interstitial depletion has been constructed, and is briefly described.

Single-particle dynamics of the Anderson model: a local moment approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glossop, Matthew T.; Logan, David E.

2002-07-01

A non-perturbative local moment approach to single-particle dynamics of the general asymmetric Anderson impurity model is developed. The approach encompasses all energy scales and interaction strengths. It captures thereby strong coupling Kondo behaviour, including the resultant universal scaling behaviour of the single-particle spectrum; as well as the mixed valence and essentially perturbative empty orbital regimes. The underlying approach is physically transparent and innately simple, and as such is capable of practical extension to lattice-based models within the framework of dynamical mean-field theory.

Generalized estimators of avian abundance from count survey data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2004-01-01

I consider modeling avian abundance from spatially referenced bird count data collected according to common protocols such as capture?recapture, multiple observer, removal sampling and simple point counts. Small sample sizes and large numbers of parameters have motivated many analyses that disregard the spatial indexing of the data, and thus do not provide an adequate treatment of spatial structure. I describe a general framework for modeling spatially replicated data that regards local abundance as a random process, motivated by the view that the set of spatially referenced local populations (at the sample locations) constitute a metapopulation. Under this view, attention can be focused on developing a model for the variation in local abundance independent of the sampling protocol being considered. The metapopulation model structure, when combined with the data generating model, define a simple hierarchical model that can be analyzed using conventional methods. The proposed modeling framework is completely general in the sense that broad classes of metapopulation models may be considered, site level covariates on detection and abundance may be considered, and estimates of abundance and related quantities may be obtained for sample locations, groups of locations, unsampled locations. Two brief examples are given, the first involving simple point counts, and the second based on temporary removal counts. Extension of these models to open systems is briefly discussed.

Transitivity vs. intransitivity in decision making process - an example in quantum game theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, Marcin

2009-06-01

We compare two different ways of quantum modification in a simple sequential game called Cat's Dilemma in the context of the debate on intransitive and transitive preferences. This kind of analysis can have essential meaning for research on artificial intelligence (some possibilities are discussed). Nature has both transitive and intransitive properties and perhaps quantum models will be more able to capture this dualism than the classical models. We also present an electoral interpretation of the game.

A simple ecohydrological model captures essentials of seasonal leaf dynamics in semi-arid tropical grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choler, P.; Sea, W.; Briggs, P.; Raupach, M.; Leuning, R.

2009-09-01

Modelling leaf phenology in water-controlled ecosystems remains a difficult task because of high spatial and temporal variability in the interaction of plant growth and soil moisture. Here, we move beyond widely used linear models to examine the performance of low-dimensional, nonlinear ecohydrological models that couple the dynamics of plant cover and soil moisture. The study area encompasses 400 000 km2 of semi-arid perennial tropical grasslands, dominated by C4 grasses, in the Northern Territory and Queensland (Australia). We prepared 8 yr time series (2001-2008) of climatic variables and estimates of fractional vegetation cover derived from MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for 400 randomly chosen sites, of which 25% were used for model calibration and 75% for model validation. We found that the mean absolute error of linear and nonlinear models did not markedly differ. However, nonlinear models presented key advantages: (1) they exhibited far less systematic error than their linear counterparts; (2) their error magnitude was consistent throughout a precipitation gradient while the performance of linear models deteriorated at the driest sites, and (3) they better captured the sharp transitions in leaf cover that are observed under high seasonality of precipitation. Our results showed that low-dimensional models including feedbacks between soil water balance and plant growth adequately predict leaf dynamics in semi-arid perennial grasslands. Because these models attempt to capture fundamental ecohydrological processes, they should be the favoured approach for prognostic models of phenology.

A simple ecohydrological model captures essentials of seasonal leaf dynamics in semi-arid tropical grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choler, P.; Sea, W.; Briggs, P.; Raupach, M.; Leuning, R.

2010-03-01

Modelling leaf phenology in water-controlled ecosystems remains a difficult task because of high spatial and temporal variability in the interaction of plant growth and soil moisture. Here, we move beyond widely used linear models to examine the performance of low-dimensional, nonlinear ecohydrological models that couple the dynamics of plant cover and soil moisture. The study area encompasses 400 000 km2 of semi-arid perennial tropical grasslands, dominated by C4 grasses, in the Northern Territory and Queensland (Australia). We prepared 8-year time series (2001-2008) of climatic variables and estimates of fractional vegetation cover derived from MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for 400 randomly chosen sites, of which 25% were used for model calibration and 75% for model validation. We found that the mean absolute error of linear and nonlinear models did not markedly differ. However, nonlinear models presented key advantages: (1) they exhibited far less systematic error than their linear counterparts; (2) their error magnitude was consistent throughout a precipitation gradient while the performance of linear models deteriorated at the driest sites, and (3) they better captured the sharp transitions in leaf cover that are observed under high seasonality of precipitation. Our results showed that low-dimensional models including feedbacks between soil water balance and plant growth adequately predict leaf dynamics in semi-arid perennial grasslands. Because these models attempt to capture fundamental ecohydrological processes, they should be the favoured approach for prognostic models of phenology.

Detection of sepsis in patient blood samples using CD64 expression in a microfluidic cell separation device.

PubMed

Zhang, Ye; Li, Wenjie; Zhou, Yun; Johnson, Amanda; Venable, Amanda; Hassan, Ahmed; Griswold, John; Pappas, Dimitri

2017-12-18

A microfluidic affinity separation device was developed for the detection of sepsis in critical care patients. An affinity capture method was developed to capture cells based on changes in CD64 expression in a single, simple microfluidic chip for sepsis detection. Both sepsis patient samples and a laboratory CD64+ expression model were used to validate the microfluidic assay. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the chip cell capture had a linear relationship with CD64 expression in laboratory models. The Sepsis Chip detected an increase in upregulated neutrophil-like cells when the upregulated cell population is as low as 10% of total cells spiked into commercially available aseptic blood samples. In a proof of concept study, blood samples obtained from sepsis patients within 24 hours of diagnosis were tested on the chip to further validate its performance. On-chip CD64+ cell capture from 10 patient samples (619 ± 340 cells per chip) was significantly different from control samples (32 ± 11 cells per chip) and healthy volunteer samples (228 ± 95 cells per chip). In addition, the on-chip cell capture has a linear relationship with CD64 expression indicating our approach can be used to measure CD64 expression based on total cell capture on Sepsis Chip. Our method has proven to be sensitive, accurate, rapid, and cost-effective. Therefore, this device is a promising detection platform for neutrophil activation and sepsis diagnosis.

How to catch more prey with less effective traps: explaining the evolution of temporarily inactive traps in carnivorous pitcher plants

PubMed Central

Bauer, Ulrike; Federle, Walter; Seidel, Hannes; Grafe, T. Ulmar; Ioannou, Christos C.

2015-01-01

Carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants capture arthropods with specialized slippery surfaces. The key trapping surface, the pitcher rim (peristome), is highly slippery when wetted by rain, nectar or condensation, but not when dry. As natural selection should favour adaptations that maximize prey intake, the evolution of temporarily inactive traps seems paradoxical. Here, we show that intermittent trap deactivation promotes ‘batch captures' of ants. Prey surveys revealed that N. rafflesiana pitchers sporadically capture large numbers of ants from the same species. Continuous experimental wetting of the peristome increased the number of non-recruiting prey, but decreased the number of captured ants and shifted their trapping mode from batch to individual capture events. Ant recruitment was also lower to continuously wetted pitchers. Our experimental data fit a simple model that predicts that intermittent, wetness-based trap activation should allow safe access for ‘scout’ ants under dry conditions, thereby promoting recruitment and ultimately higher prey numbers. The peristome trapping mechanism may therefore represent an adaptation for capturing ants. The relatively rare batch capture events may particularly benefit larger plants with many pitchers. This explains why young plants of many Nepenthes species additionally employ wetness-independent, waxy trapping surfaces. PMID:25589604

System and process for capture of H.sub.2S from gaseous process streams and process for regeneration of the capture agent

DOEpatents

Heldenbrant, David J; Koech, Phillip K; Rainbolt, James E; Bearden, Mark D; Zheng, Feng

2014-02-18

A system and process are disclosed for selective removal and recovery of H.sub.2S from a gaseous volume, e.g., from natural gas. Anhydrous organic, sorbents chemically capture H.sub.2S gas to form hydrosulfide salts. Regeneration of the capture solvent involves addition of an anti-solvent that releases the captured H.sub.2S gas from the capture sorbent. The capture sorbent and anti-solvent are reactivated for reuse, e.g., by simple distillation.

Comparing convective heat fluxes derived from thermodynamics to a radiative-convective model and GCMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhara, Chirag; Renner, Maik; Kleidon, Axel

2015-04-01

The convective transport of heat and moisture plays a key role in the climate system, but the transport is typically parameterized in models. Here, we aim at the simplest possible physical representation and treat convective heat fluxes as the result of a heat engine. We combine the well-known Carnot limit of this heat engine with the energy balances of the surface-atmosphere system that describe how the temperature difference is affected by convective heat transport, yielding a maximum power limit of convection. This results in a simple analytic expression for convective strength that depends primarily on surface solar absorption. We compare this expression with an idealized grey atmosphere radiative-convective (RC) model as well as Global Circulation Model (GCM) simulations at the grid scale. We find that our simple expression as well as the RC model can explain much of the geographic variation of the GCM output, resulting in strong linear correlations among the three approaches. The RC model, however, shows a lower bias than our simple expression. We identify the use of the prescribed convective adjustment in RC-like models as the reason for the lower bias. The strength of our model lies in its ability to capture the geographic variation of convective strength with a parameter-free expression. On the other hand, the comparison with the RC model indicates a method for improving the formulation of radiative transfer in our simple approach. We also find that the latent heat fluxes compare very well among the approaches, as well as their sensitivity to surface warming. What our comparison suggests is that the strength of convection and their sensitivity in the climatic mean can be estimated relatively robustly by rather simple approaches.

Distribution of Captured Planetesimals in Circumplanetary Gas Disks and Implications for Accretion of Regular Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suetsugu, Ryo; Ohtsuki, Keiji

2017-04-01

Regular satellites of giant planets are formed by accretion of solid bodies in circumplanetary disks. Planetesimals that are moving on heliocentric orbits and are sufficiently large to be decoupled from the flow of the protoplanetary gas disk can be captured by gas drag from the circumplanetary disk. In the present work, we examine the distribution of captured planetesimals in circumplanetary disks using orbital integrations. We find that the number of captured planetesimals reaches an equilibrium state as a balance between continuous capture and orbital decay into the planet. The number of planetesimals captured into retrograde orbits is much smaller than that into prograde orbits, because the former experience a strong headwind and spiral into the planet rapidly. We find that the surface number density of planetesimals at the current radial location of regular satellites can be significantly enhanced by gas drag capture, depending on the velocity dispersions of the planetesimals and the width of the gap in the protoplanetary disk. Using a simple model, we examine the ratio of the surface densities of dust and captured planetesimals in the circumplanetary disk and find that solid material at the current location of regular satellites can be dominated by captured planetesimals when the velocity dispersion of those planetesimals is rather small and a wide gap is not formed in the protoplanetary disk. In this case, captured planetesimals in such a region can grow by mutual collision before spiraling into the planet and would contribute to the growth of regular satellites.

Surface hopping with a manifold of electronic states. III. Transients, broadening, and the Marcus picture

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

Dou, Wenjie; Subotnik, Joseph E.; Nitzan, Abraham

2015-06-21

In a previous paper [Dou et al., J. Chem. Phys. 142, 084110 (2015)], we have introduced a surface hopping (SH) approach to deal with the Anderson-Holstein model. Here, we address some interesting aspects that have not been discussed previously, including transient phenomena and extensions to arbitrary impurity-bath couplings. In particular, in this paper we show that the SH approach captures phonon coherence beyond the secular approximation, and that SH rates agree with Marcus theory at steady state. Finally, we show that, in cases where the electronic tunneling rate depends on nuclear position, a straightforward use of Marcus theory rates yieldsmore » a useful starting point for capturing level broadening. For a simple such model, we find I-V curves that exhibit negative differential resistance.« less

Branson: A Mini-App for Studying Parallel IMC, Version 1.0

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

Long, Alex

This code solves the gray thermal radiative transfer (TRT) equations in parallel using simple opacities and Cartesian meshes. Although Branson solves the TRT equations it is not designed to model radiation transport: Branson contains simple physics and does not have a multigroup treatment, nor can it use physical material data. The opacities have are simple polynomials in temperature there is a limited ability to specify complex geometries and sources. Branson was designed only to capture the computational demands of production IMC codes, especially in large parallel runs. It was also intended to foster collaboration with vendors, universities and other DOEmore » partners. Branson is similar in character to the neutron transport proxy-app Quicksilver from LLNL, which was recently open-sourced.« less

A screened independent atom model for the description of ion collisions from atomic and molecular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lüdde, Hans Jürgen; Horbatsch, Marko; Kirchner, Tom

2018-05-01

We apply a recently introduced model for an independent-atom-like calculation of ion-impact electron transfer and ionization cross sections to proton collisions from water, neon, and carbon clusters. The model is based on a geometrical interpretation of the cluster cross section as an effective area composed of overlapping circular disks that are representative of the atomic contributions. The latter are calculated using a time-dependent density-functional-theory-based single-particle description with accurate exchange-only ground-state potentials. We find that the net capture and ionization cross sections in p-X n collisions are proportional to n α with 2/3 ≤ α ≤ 1. For capture from water clusters at 100 keV impact energy α is close to one, which is substantially different from the value α = 2/3 predicted by a previous theoretical work based on the simplest-level electron nuclear dynamics method. For ionization at 100 keV and for capture at lower energies we find smaller α values than for capture at 100 keV. This can be understood by considering the magnitude of the atomic cross sections and the resulting overlaps of the circular disks that make up the cluster cross section in our model. Results for neon and carbon clusters confirm these trends. Simple parametrizations are found which fit the cross sections remarkably well and suggest that they depend on the relevant bond lengths.

Competitive Reporter Monitored Amplification (CMA) - Quantification of Molecular Targets by Real Time Monitoring of Competitive Reporter Hybridization

PubMed Central

Ullrich, Thomas; Ermantraut, Eugen; Schulz, Torsten; Steinmetzer, Katrin

2012-01-01

Background State of the art molecular diagnostic tests are based on the sensitive detection and quantification of nucleic acids. However, currently established diagnostic tests are characterized by elaborate and expensive technical solutions hindering the development of simple, affordable and compact point-of-care molecular tests. Methodology and Principal Findings The described competitive reporter monitored amplification allows the simultaneous amplification and quantification of multiple nucleic acid targets by polymerase chain reaction. Target quantification is accomplished by real-time detection of amplified nucleic acids utilizing a capture probe array and specific reporter probes. The reporter probes are fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides that are complementary to the respective capture probes on the array and to the respective sites of the target nucleic acids in solution. Capture probes and amplified target compete for reporter probes. Increasing amplicon concentration leads to decreased fluorescence signal at the respective capture probe position on the array which is measured after each cycle of amplification. In order to observe reporter probe hybridization in real-time without any additional washing steps, we have developed a mechanical fluorescence background displacement technique. Conclusions and Significance The system presented in this paper enables simultaneous detection and quantification of multiple targets. Moreover, the presented fluorescence background displacement technique provides a generic solution for real time monitoring of binding events of fluorescently labelled ligands to surface immobilized probes. With the model assay for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and 2 (HIV 1/2), we have been able to observe the amplification kinetics of five targets simultaneously and accommodate two additional hybridization controls with a simple instrument set-up. The ability to accommodate multiple controls and targets into a single assay and to perform the assay on simple and robust instrumentation is a prerequisite for the development of novel molecular point of care tests. PMID:22539973

The halo model in a massive neutrino cosmology

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

Massara, Elena; Villaescusa-Navarro, Francisco; Viel, Matteo, E-mail: emassara@sissa.it, E-mail: villaescusa@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: viel@oats.inaf.it

2014-12-01

We provide a quantitative analysis of the halo model in the context of massive neutrino cosmologies. We discuss all the ingredients necessary to model the non-linear matter and cold dark matter power spectra and compare with the results of N-body simulations that incorporate massive neutrinos. Our neutrino halo model is able to capture the non-linear behavior of matter clustering with a ∼20% accuracy up to very non-linear scales of k = 10 h/Mpc (which would be affected by baryon physics). The largest discrepancies arise in the range k = 0.5 – 1 h/Mpc where the 1-halo and 2-halo terms are comparable and are present also inmore » a massless neutrino cosmology. However, at scales k < 0.2 h/Mpc our neutrino halo model agrees with the results of N-body simulations at the level of 8% for total neutrino masses of < 0.3 eV. We also model the neutrino non-linear density field as a sum of a linear and clustered component and predict the neutrino power spectrum and the cold dark matter-neutrino cross-power spectrum up to k = 1 h/Mpc with ∼30% accuracy. For masses below 0.15 eV the neutrino halo model captures the neutrino induced suppression, casted in terms of matter power ratios between massive and massless scenarios, with a 2% agreement with the results of N-body/neutrino simulations. Finally, we provide a simple application of the halo model: the computation of the clustering of galaxies, in massless and massive neutrinos cosmologies, using a simple Halo Occupation Distribution scheme and our halo model extension.« less

A simple temperature-based method to estimate heterogeneous frozen ground within a distributed watershed model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follum, Michael L.; Niemann, Jeffrey D.; Parno, Julie T.; Downer, Charles W.

2018-05-01

Frozen ground can be important to flood production and is often heterogeneous within a watershed due to spatial variations in the available energy, insulation by snowpack and ground cover, and the thermal and moisture properties of the soil. The widely used continuous frozen ground index (CFGI) model is a degree-day approach and identifies frozen ground using a simple frost index, which varies mainly with elevation through an elevation-temperature relationship. Similarly, snow depth and its insulating effect are also estimated based on elevation. The objective of this paper is to develop a model for frozen ground that (1) captures the spatial variations of frozen ground within a watershed, (2) allows the frozen ground model to be incorporated into a variety of watershed models, and (3) allows application in data sparse environments. To do this, we modify the existing CFGI method within the gridded surface subsurface hydrologic analysis watershed model. Among the modifications, the snowpack and frost indices are simulated by replacing air temperature (a surrogate for the available energy) with a radiation-derived temperature that aims to better represent spatial variations in available energy. Ground cover is also included as an additional insulator of the soil. Furthermore, the modified Berggren equation, which accounts for soil thermal conductivity and soil moisture, is used to convert the frost index into frost depth. The modified CFGI model is tested by application at six test sites within the Sleepers River experimental watershed in Vermont. Compared to the CFGI model, the modified CFGI model more accurately captures the variations in frozen ground between the sites, inter-annual variations in frozen ground depths at a given site, and the occurrence of frozen ground.

A Computational Study of How Orientation Bias in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Can Give Rise to Orientation Selectivity in Primary Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Kuhlmann, Levin; Vidyasagar, Trichur R.

2011-01-01

Controversy remains about how orientation selectivity emerges in simple cells of the mammalian primary visual cortex. In this paper, we present a computational model of how the orientation-biased responses of cells in lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) can contribute to the orientation selectivity in simple cells in cats. We propose that simple cells are excited by lateral geniculate fields with an orientation-bias and disynaptically inhibited by unoriented lateral geniculate fields (or biased fields pooled across orientations), both at approximately the same retinotopic co-ordinates. This interaction, combined with recurrent cortical excitation and inhibition, helps to create the sharp orientation tuning seen in simple cell responses. Along with describing orientation selectivity, the model also accounts for the spatial frequency and length–response functions in simple cells, in normal conditions as well as under the influence of the GABAA antagonist, bicuculline. In addition, the model captures the response properties of LGN and simple cells to simultaneous visual stimulation and electrical stimulation of the LGN. We show that the sharp selectivity for stimulus orientation seen in primary visual cortical cells can be achieved without the excitatory convergence of the LGN input cells with receptive fields along a line in visual space, which has been a core assumption in classical models of visual cortex. We have also simulated how the full range of orientations seen in the cortex can emerge from the activity among broadly tuned channels tuned to a limited number of optimum orientations, just as in the classical case of coding for color in trichromatic primates. PMID:22013414

Blended particle filters for large-dimensional chaotic dynamical systems

PubMed Central

Majda, Andrew J.; Qi, Di; Sapsis, Themistoklis P.

2014-01-01

A major challenge in contemporary data science is the development of statistically accurate particle filters to capture non-Gaussian features in large-dimensional chaotic dynamical systems. Blended particle filters that capture non-Gaussian features in an adaptively evolving low-dimensional subspace through particles interacting with evolving Gaussian statistics on the remaining portion of phase space are introduced here. These blended particle filters are constructed in this paper through a mathematical formalism involving conditional Gaussian mixtures combined with statistically nonlinear forecast models compatible with this structure developed recently with high skill for uncertainty quantification. Stringent test cases for filtering involving the 40-dimensional Lorenz 96 model with a 5-dimensional adaptive subspace for nonlinear blended filtering in various turbulent regimes with at least nine positive Lyapunov exponents are used here. These cases demonstrate the high skill of the blended particle filter algorithms in capturing both highly non-Gaussian dynamical features as well as crucial nonlinear statistics for accurate filtering in extreme filtering regimes with sparse infrequent high-quality observations. The formalism developed here is also useful for multiscale filtering of turbulent systems and a simple application is sketched below. PMID:24825886

From the Nano- to the Macroscale - Bridging Scales for the Moving Contact Line Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nold, Andreas; Sibley, David; Goddard, Benjamin; Kalliadasis, Serafim; Complex Multiscale Systems Team

2016-11-01

The moving contact line problem remains an unsolved fundamental problem in fluid mechanics. At the heart of the problem is its multiscale nature: a nanoscale region close to the solid boundary where the continuum hypothesis breaks down, must be resolved before effective macroscale parameters such as contact line friction and slip can be obtained. To capture nanoscale properties very close to the contact line and to establish a link to the macroscale behaviour, we employ classical density-functional theory (DFT), in combination with extended Navier-Stokes-like equations. Using simple models for viscosity and slip at the wall, we compare our computations with the Molecular Kinetic Theory, by extracting the contact line friction, depending on the imposed temperature of the fluid. A key fluid property captured by DFT is the fluid layering at the wall-fluid interface, which has a large effect on the shearing properties of a fluid. To capture this crucial property, we propose an anisotropic model for the viscosity, which also allows us to scrutinize the effect of fluid layering on contact line friction.

Exploring the limits of case-to-capsule ratio, pulse length, and picket energy for symmetric hohlraum drive on the National Ignition Facility Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, D. A.; Hurricane, O. A.; Ralph, J. E.; Thomas, C. A.; Baker, K. L.; Benedetti, L. R.; Berzak Hopkins, L. F.; Casey, D. T.; Chapman, T.; Czajka, C. E.; Dewald, E. L.; Divol, L.; Döppner, T.; Hinkel, D. E.; Hohenberger, M.; Jarrott, L. C.; Khan, S. F.; Kritcher, A. L.; Landen, O. L.; LePape, S.; MacLaren, S. A.; Masse, L. P.; Meezan, N. B.; Pak, A. E.; Salmonson, J. D.; Woods, D. T.; Izumi, N.; Ma, T.; Mariscal, D. A.; Nagel, S. R.; Kline, J. L.; Kyrala, G. A.; Loomis, E. N.; Yi, S. A.; Zylstra, A. B.; Batha, S. H.

2018-05-01

We present a data-based model for low mode asymmetry in low gas-fill hohlraum experiments on the National Ignition Facility {NIF [Moses et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. 69, 1 (2016)]} laser. This model is based on the hypothesis that the asymmetry in these low fill hohlraums is dominated by the hydrodynamics of the expanding, low density, high-Z (gold or uranium) "bubble," which occurs where the intense outer cone laser beams hit the high-Z hohlraum wall. We developed a simple model which states that the implosion symmetry becomes more oblate as the high-Z bubble size becomes large compared to the hohlraum radius or the capsule size becomes large compared to the hohlraum radius. This simple model captures the trends that we see in data that span much of the parameter space of interest for NIF ignition experiments. We are now using this model as a constraint on new designs for experiments on the NIF.

True and apparent scaling: The proximity of the Markov-switching multifractal model to long-range dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruipeng; Di Matteo, T.; Lux, Thomas

2007-09-01

In this paper, we consider daily financial data of a collection of different stock market indices, exchange rates, and interest rates, and we analyze their multi-scaling properties by estimating a simple specification of the Markov-switching multifractal (MSM) model. In order to see how well the estimated model captures the temporal dependence of the data, we estimate and compare the scaling exponents H(q) (for q=1,2) for both empirical data and simulated data of the MSM model. In most cases the multifractal model appears to generate ‘apparent’ long memory in agreement with the empirical scaling laws.

Volterra representation enables modeling of complex synaptic nonlinear dynamics in large-scale simulations.

PubMed

Hu, Eric Y; Bouteiller, Jean-Marie C; Song, Dong; Baudry, Michel; Berger, Theodore W

2015-01-01

Chemical synapses are comprised of a wide collection of intricate signaling pathways involving complex dynamics. These mechanisms are often reduced to simple spikes or exponential representations in order to enable computer simulations at higher spatial levels of complexity. However, these representations cannot capture important nonlinear dynamics found in synaptic transmission. Here, we propose an input-output (IO) synapse model capable of generating complex nonlinear dynamics while maintaining low computational complexity. This IO synapse model is an extension of a detailed mechanistic glutamatergic synapse model capable of capturing the input-output relationships of the mechanistic model using the Volterra functional power series. We demonstrate that the IO synapse model is able to successfully track the nonlinear dynamics of the synapse up to the third order with high accuracy. We also evaluate the accuracy of the IO synapse model at different input frequencies and compared its performance with that of kinetic models in compartmental neuron models. Our results demonstrate that the IO synapse model is capable of efficiently replicating complex nonlinear dynamics that were represented in the original mechanistic model and provide a method to replicate complex and diverse synaptic transmission within neuron network simulations.

Volterra representation enables modeling of complex synaptic nonlinear dynamics in large-scale simulations

PubMed Central

Hu, Eric Y.; Bouteiller, Jean-Marie C.; Song, Dong; Baudry, Michel; Berger, Theodore W.

2015-01-01

Chemical synapses are comprised of a wide collection of intricate signaling pathways involving complex dynamics. These mechanisms are often reduced to simple spikes or exponential representations in order to enable computer simulations at higher spatial levels of complexity. However, these representations cannot capture important nonlinear dynamics found in synaptic transmission. Here, we propose an input-output (IO) synapse model capable of generating complex nonlinear dynamics while maintaining low computational complexity. This IO synapse model is an extension of a detailed mechanistic glutamatergic synapse model capable of capturing the input-output relationships of the mechanistic model using the Volterra functional power series. We demonstrate that the IO synapse model is able to successfully track the nonlinear dynamics of the synapse up to the third order with high accuracy. We also evaluate the accuracy of the IO synapse model at different input frequencies and compared its performance with that of kinetic models in compartmental neuron models. Our results demonstrate that the IO synapse model is capable of efficiently replicating complex nonlinear dynamics that were represented in the original mechanistic model and provide a method to replicate complex and diverse synaptic transmission within neuron network simulations. PMID:26441622

Simple universal models capture all classical spin physics.

PubMed

De las Cuevas, Gemma; Cubitt, Toby S

2016-03-11

Spin models are used in many studies of complex systems because they exhibit rich macroscopic behavior despite their microscopic simplicity. Here, we prove that all the physics of every classical spin model is reproduced in the low-energy sector of certain "universal models," with at most polynomial overhead. This holds for classical models with discrete or continuous degrees of freedom. We prove necessary and sufficient conditions for a spin model to be universal and show that one of the simplest and most widely studied spin models, the two-dimensional Ising model with fields, is universal. Our results may facilitate physical simulations of Hamiltonians with complex interactions. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Magnetically Actuated Cilia for Microfluidic Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanasoge, Srinivas; Owen, Drew; Ballard, Matt; Hesketh, Peter J.; Alexeev, Alexander; Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Collaboration; Petit InstituteBioengineering; Biosciences Collaboration

2015-11-01

We demonstrate magnetic micro-cilia based microfluidic mixing and capture techniques. For this, we use a simple and easy to fabricate high aspect ratio cilia, which are actuated magnetically. These micro-features are fabricated by evaporating NiFe alloy at room temperature, on to patterned photoresist. The evaporated alloy curls upwards when the seed layer is removed to release the cilia, thus making a free standing `C' shaped magnetic microstructure. This is actuated using an external electromagnet or a rotating magnet. The artificial cilia can be actuated upto 20Hz. We demonstrate the active mixing these cilia can produce in the microchannel. Also, we demonstrate the capture of target species in a sample using these fast oscillating cilia. The surface of the cilia is functionalized by streptavidin which binds to biotin labelled fluorescent microspheres and mimic the capture of bacteria. We show very high capture efficiencies by using these methods. These simple to fabricate micro cilia can easily be incorporated into many microfluidic systems which require high mixing and capture efficiencies.

A new electrocardiogram algorithm for diagnosing loss of ventricular capture during cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

PubMed

Ganière, Vincent; Domenichini, Giulia; Niculescu, Viviana; Cassagneau, Romain; Defaye, Pascal; Burri, Haran

2013-03-01

The prerequisite for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is ventricular capture, which may be verified by analysis of the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). Few algorithms exist to diagnose loss of ventricular capture. Electrocardiograms from 126 CRT patients were analysed during biventricular (BV), right ventricular (RV), and left ventricular (LV) pacing. An algorithm evaluating QRS narrowing in the limb leads and increasing negativity in lead I to diagnose changes in ventricular capture was devised, prospectively validated, and compared with two existing algorithms. Performance of the algorithm according to ventricular lead position was also assessed. Our algorithm had an accuracy of 88% to correctly identify the changes in ventricular capture (either loss or gain of RV or LV capture). The algorithm had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 96% with an accuracy of 96% for identifying loss of LV capture (the most clinically relevant change), and compared favourably with the existing algorithms. Performance of the algorithms was not significantly affected by RV or LV lead position. A simple two-step algorithm evaluating QRS width in the limb leads and changes in negativity in lead I can accurately diagnose the lead responsible for intermittent loss of ventricular capture in CRT. This simple tool may be of particular use outside the setting of specialized device clinics.

A simple model of the effect of ocean ventilation on ocean heat uptake

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

Nadiga, Balasubramanya T.; Urban, Nathan Mark

Presentation includes slides on Earth System Models vs. Simple Climate Models; A Popular SCM: Energy Balance Model of Anomalies; On calibrating against one ESM experiment, the SCM correctly captures that ESM's surface warming response with other forcings; Multi-Model Analysis: Multiple ESMs, Single SCM; Posterior Distributions of ECS; However In Excess of 90% of TOA Energy Imbalance is Sequestered in the World Oceans; Heat Storage in the Two Layer Model; Heat Storage in the Two Layer Model; Including TOA Rad. Imbalance and Ocean Heat in Calibration Improves Repr., but Significant Errors Persist; Improved Vertical Resolution Does Not Fix Problem; A Seriesmore » of Expts. Confirms That Anomaly-Diffusing Models Cannot Properly Represent Ocean Heat Uptake; Physics of the Thermocline; Outcropping Isopycnals and Horizontally-Averaged Layers; Local interactions between outcropping isopycnals leads to non-local interactions between horizontally-averaged layers; Both Surface Warming and Ocean Heat are Well Represented With Just 4 Layers; A Series of Expts. Confirms That When Non-Local Interactions are Allowed, the SCMs Can Represent Both Surface Warming and Ocean Heat Uptake; and Summary and Conclusions.« less

CDP++.Italian: Modelling Sublexical and Supralexical Inconsistency in a Shallow Orthography

PubMed Central

Perry, Conrad; Ziegler, Johannes C.; Zorzi, Marco

2014-01-01

Most models of reading aloud have been constructed to explain data in relatively complex orthographies like English and French. Here, we created an Italian version of the Connectionist Dual Process Model of Reading Aloud (CDP++) to examine the extent to which the model could predict data in a language which has relatively simple orthography-phonology relationships but is relatively complex at a suprasegmental (word stress) level. We show that the model exhibits good quantitative performance and accounts for key phenomena observed in naming studies, including some apparently contradictory findings. These effects include stress regularity and stress consistency, both of which have been especially important in studies of word recognition and reading aloud in Italian. Overall, the results of the model compare favourably to an alternative connectionist model that can learn non-linear spelling-to-sound mappings. This suggests that CDP++ is currently the leading computational model of reading aloud in Italian, and that its simple linear learning mechanism adequately captures the statistical regularities of the spelling-to-sound mapping both at the segmental and supra-segmental levels. PMID:24740261

Global Dynamic Exposure and the OpenBuildingMap - Communicating Risk and Involving Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schorlemmer, Danijel; Beutin, Thomas; Hirata, Naoshi; Hao, Ken; Wyss, Max; Cotton, Fabrice; Prehn, Karsten

2017-04-01

Detailed understanding of local risk factors regarding natural catastrophes requires in-depth characterization of the local exposure. Current exposure capture techniques have to find the balance between resolution and coverage. We aim at bridging this gap by employing a crowd-sourced approach to exposure capturing, focusing on risk related to earthquake hazard. OpenStreetMap (OSM), the rich and constantly growing geographical database, is an ideal foundation for this task. More than 3.5 billion geographical nodes, more than 200 million building footprints (growing by 100'000 per day), and a plethora of information about school, hospital, and other critical facilities allows us to exploit this dataset for risk-related computations. We are combining the strengths of crowd-sourced data collection with the knowledge of experts in extracting the most information from these data. Besides relying on the very active OpenStreetMap community and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, which are collecting building information at high pace, we are providing a tailored building capture tool for mobile devices. This tool is facilitating simple and fast building property capturing for OpenStreetMap by any person or interested community. With our OpenBuildingMap system, we are harvesting this dataset by processing every building in near-realtime. We are collecting exposure and vulnerability indicators from explicitly provided data (e.g. hospital locations), implicitly provided data (e.g. building shapes and positions), and semantically derived data, i.e. interpretation applying expert knowledge. The expert knowledge is needed to translate the simple building properties as captured by OpenStreetMap users into vulnerability and exposure indicators and subsequently into building classifications as defined in the Building Taxonomy 2.0 developed by the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) and the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS98). With this approach, we increase the resolution of existing exposure models from aggregated exposure information to building-by-building vulnerability. We report on our method, on the software development for the mobile application and the server-side analysis system, and on the OpenBuildingMap (www.openbuildingmap.org), our global Tile Map Service focusing on building properties. The free/open framework we provide can be used on commodity hardware for local to regional exposure capturing, for stakeholders in disaster management and mitigation for communicating risk, and for communities to understand their risk.

What Works? Toward a New Classification System for Mental Health Supported Accommodation Services: The Simple Taxonomy for Supported Accommodation (STAX-SA)

PubMed Central

McPherson, Peter; Krotofil, Joanna

2018-01-01

Inconsistent terminology and variation in service models have made synthesis of the supported accommodation literature challenging. To overcome this, we developed a brief, categorical taxonomy that aimed to capture the defining features of different supported accommodation models: the simple taxonomy for supported accommodation (STAX-SA). Data from a previous review of existing classification systems were used to develop the taxonomy structure. After initial testing and amendments, the STAX-SA and an existing taxonomy were applied to 132 supported accommodation service descriptions drawn from two systematic reviews and their performance compared. To assess external validity, the STAX-SA was distributed to a sample of supported accommodation managers in England and they were asked to use it to classify their services. The final version of the STAX-SA comprised of five supported accommodation ‘types’, based on four domains; Staffing location; Level of support; Emphasis on move-on; and Physical setting. The STAX-SA accurately categorized 71.1% (n = 94) of service descriptions, outperforming the comparison tool, and was not affected by publication date or research design. The STAX-SA effectively discriminated between ‘real world’ service models in England and 53.2% (n = 17) of service managers indicated that the taxonomy was ‘Very effective’ or ‘Extremely effective’ in capturing key characteristics of their service. The STAX-SA is an effective tool for classifying supported accommodation models and represents a promising approach to synthesizing the extant effectiveness literature. The authors recommend the development of reporting guidelines for future supported accommodation publications to facilitate comparison between models. PMID:29364171

What Works? Toward a New Classification System for Mental Health Supported Accommodation Services: The Simple Taxonomy for Supported Accommodation (STAX-SA).

PubMed

McPherson, Peter; Krotofil, Joanna; Killaspy, Helen

2018-01-24

Inconsistent terminology and variation in service models have made synthesis of the supported accommodation literature challenging. To overcome this, we developed a brief, categorical taxonomy that aimed to capture the defining features of different supported accommodation models: the simple taxonomy for supported accommodation (STAX-SA). Data from a previous review of existing classification systems were used to develop the taxonomy structure. After initial testing and amendments, the STAX-SA and an existing taxonomy were applied to 132 supported accommodation service descriptions drawn from two systematic reviews and their performance compared. To assess external validity, the STAX-SA was distributed to a sample of supported accommodation managers in England and they were asked to use it to classify their services. The final version of the STAX-SA comprised of five supported accommodation 'types', based on four domains; Staffing location ; Level of support ; Emphasis on move-on ; and Physical setting . The STAX-SA accurately categorized 71.1% ( n = 94) of service descriptions, outperforming the comparison tool, and was not affected by publication date or research design. The STAX-SA effectively discriminated between 'real world' service models in England and 53.2% ( n = 17) of service managers indicated that the taxonomy was ' Very effective ' or ' Extremely effective ' in capturing key characteristics of their service. The STAX-SA is an effective tool for classifying supported accommodation models and represents a promising approach to synthesizing the extant effectiveness literature. The authors recommend the development of reporting guidelines for future supported accommodation publications to facilitate comparison between models.

Electrostatics of cysteine residues in proteins: parameterization and validation of a simple model.

PubMed

Salsbury, Freddie R; Poole, Leslie B; Fetrow, Jacquelyn S

2012-11-01

One of the most popular and simple models for the calculation of pK(a) s from a protein structure is the semi-macroscopic electrostatic model MEAD. This model requires empirical parameters for each residue to calculate pK(a) s. Analysis of current, widely used empirical parameters for cysteine residues showed that they did not reproduce expected cysteine pK(a) s; thus, we set out to identify parameters consistent with the CHARMM27 force field that capture both the behavior of typical cysteines in proteins and the behavior of cysteines which have perturbed pK(a) s. The new parameters were validated in three ways: (1) calculation across a large set of typical cysteines in proteins (where the calculations are expected to reproduce expected ensemble behavior); (2) calculation across a set of perturbed cysteines in proteins (where the calculations are expected to reproduce the shifted ensemble behavior); and (3) comparison to experimentally determined pK(a) values (where the calculation should reproduce the pK(a) within experimental error). Both the general behavior of cysteines in proteins and the perturbed pK(a) in some proteins can be predicted reasonably well using the newly determined empirical parameters within the MEAD model for protein electrostatics. This study provides the first general analysis of the electrostatics of cysteines in proteins, with specific attention paid to capturing both the behavior of typical cysteines in a protein and the behavior of cysteines whose pK(a) should be shifted, and validation of force field parameters for cysteine residues. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Astrophysical 3He(α ,γ )7Be and 3H(α ,γ )7Li direct capture reactions in a potential-model approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tursunov, E. M.; Turakulov, S. A.; Kadyrov, A. S.

2018-03-01

The astrophysical 3He(α ,γ )7Be and 3H(α ,γ )7Li direct capture processes are studied in the framework of the two-body model with potentials of a simple Gaussian form, which describe correctly the phase shifts in the s , p , d , and f waves, as well as the binding energy and the asymptotic normalization constant of the ground p3 /2 and the first excited p1 /2 bound states. It is shown that the E 1 transition from the initial s wave to the final p waves is strongly dominant in both capture reactions. On this basis the s -wave potential parameters are adjusted to reproduce the new data of the LUNA Collaboration around 100 keV and the newest data at the Gamov peak estimated with the help of the observed neutrino fluxes from the sun, S34(23-5+6keV ) =0.548 ±0.054 keV b for the astrophysical S factor of the capture process 3He(α ,γ )7Be . The resulting model describes well the astrophysical S factor in the low-energy big-bang nucleosynthesis region of 180-400 keV; however, it has a tendency to underestimate the data above 0.5 MeV. The energy dependence of the S factor is mostly consistent with the data and the results of the no-core shell model with continuum, but substantially different from the fermionic molecular dynamics model predictions. Two-body potentials, adjusted for the properties of the 7Be nucleus, 3He+α elastic scattering data, and the astrophysical S factor of the 3He(α ,γ )7Be direct capture reaction, are able to reproduce the properties of the 7Li nucleus, the binding energies of the ground 3 /2- and first excited 1 /2- states, and phase shifts of the 3H+α elastic scattering in partial waves. Most importantly, these potential models can successfully describe both absolute value and energy dependence of the existing experimental data for the mirror astrophysical 3H(α ,γ )7Li capture reaction without any additional adjustment of the parameters.

Mathematical modelling of the active hearing process in mosquitoes

PubMed Central

Avitabile, D.; Homer, M.; Champneys, A. R.; Jackson, J. C.; Robert, D.

2010-01-01

Insects have evolved diverse and delicate morphological structures in order to capture the inherently low energy of a propagating sound wave. In mosquitoes, the capture of acoustic energy and its transduction into neuronal signals are assisted by the active mechanical participation of the scolopidia. We propose a simple microscopic mechanistic model of the active amplification in the mosquito species Toxorhynchites brevipalpis. The model is based on the description of the antenna as a forced-damped oscillator coupled to a set of active threads (ensembles of scolopidia) that provide an impulsive force when they twitch. This twitching is in turn controlled by channels that are opened and closed if the antennal oscillation reaches a critical amplitude. The model matches both qualitatively and quantitatively with recent experiments: spontaneous oscillations, nonlinear amplification, hysteresis, 2 : 1 resonances, frequency response and gain loss owing to hypoxia. The numerical simulations presented here also generate new hypotheses. In particular, the model seems to indicate that scolopidia located towards the tip of Johnston's organ are responsible for the entrainment of the other scolopidia and that they give the largest contribution to the mechanical amplification. PMID:19447819

Micromechanics of ice friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sammonds, P. R.; Bailey, E.; Lishman, B.; Scourfield, S.

2015-12-01

Frictional mechanics are controlled by the ice micro-structure - surface asperities and flaws - but also the ice fabric and permeability network structure of the contacting blocks. Ice properties are dependent upon the temperature of the bulk ice, on the normal stress and on the sliding velocity and acceleration. This means the shear stress required for sliding is likewise dependent on sliding velocity, acceleration, and temperature. We aim to describe the micro-physics of the contacting surface. We review micro-mechanical models of friction: the elastic and ductile deformation of asperities under normal loads and their shear failure by ductile flow, brittle fracture, or melting and hydrodynamic lubrication. Combinations of these give a total of six rheological models of friction. We present experimental results in ice mechanics and physics from laboratory experiments to understand the mechanical models. We then examine the scaling relations of the slip of ice, to examine how the micro-mechanics of ice friction can be captured simple reduced-parameter models, describing the mechanical state and slip rate of the floes. We aim to capture key elements that they may be incorporated into mid and ocean-basin scale modelling.

Aptamer-aided target capturing with biocatalytic metal deposition: an electrochemical platform for sensitive detection of cancer cells.

PubMed

Yi, Zi; Li, Xiao-Yan; Gao, Qing; Tang, Li-Juan; Chu, Xia

2013-04-07

A novel aptamer biosensor for cancer cell assay has been reported on the basis of ultrasensitive electrochemical detection. Cancer cell capturing is first accomplished via aptamer-aided recognition, and the cell-aptamer binding events then mediate an alkaline phosphatase-catalyzed silver deposition reaction which can be probed by electrochemical detection. Following biocatalytic silver deposition, an efficient amplification approach for sensitive electrochemical measurements is demonstrated, for cell detection with high sensitivity. Ramos cell are used as a model case, a typical biomarker of the acute blood cell cancer, Burkitt's lymphoma. The results reveal that the developed technique displays desirable selectivity in Ramos cell discrimination, and linear response range from 10 to 10(6) cells with a detection limit as low as 10 cells. Due to the simple procedures, label-free and electrochemistry based detection format, this technique is simple and cost-effective, and exhibits excellent compatibility with miniaturization technologies. The electrochemical cell detection strategy may create an intrinsically specific and sensitive platform for cancer cell assay and associated studies.

Graphene Quantum Dots-based Photoluminescent Sensor: A Multifunctional Composite for Pesticide Detection.

PubMed

Zor, Erhan; Morales-Narváez, Eden; Zamora-Gálvez, Alejandro; Bingol, Haluk; Ersoz, Mustafa; Merkoçi, Arben

2015-09-16

Due to their size and difficulty to obtain, cost/effective biological or synthetic receptors (e.g., antibodies or aptamers, respectively), organic toxic compounds (e.g., less than 1 kDa) are generally challenging to detect using simple platforms such as biosensors. This study reports on the synthesis and characterization of a novel multifunctional composite material, magnetic silica beads/graphene quantum dots/molecularly imprinted polypyrrole (mSGP). mSGP is engineered to specifically and effectively capture and signal small molecules due to the synergy among chemical, magnetic, and optical properties combined with molecular imprinting of tributyltin (291 Da), a hazardous compound, selected as a model analyte. Magnetic and selective properties of the mSGP composite can be exploited to capture and preconcentrate the analyte onto its surface, and its photoluminescent graphene quantum dots, which are quenched upon analyte recognition, are used to interrogate the presence of the contaminant. This multifunctional material enables a rapid, simple and sensitive platform for small molecule detection, even in complex mediums such as seawater, without any sample treatment.

Scheimpflug with computational imaging to extend the depth of field of iris recognition systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinharoy, Indranil

Despite the enormous success of iris recognition in close-range and well-regulated spaces for biometric authentication, it has hitherto failed to gain wide-scale adoption in less controlled, public environments. The problem arises from a limitation in imaging called the depth of field (DOF): the limited range of distances beyond which subjects appear blurry in the image. The loss of spatial details in the iris image outside the small DOF limits the iris image capture to a small volume-the capture volume. Existing techniques to extend the capture volume are usually expensive, computationally intensive, or afflicted by noise. Is there a way to combine the classical Scheimpflug principle with the modern computational imaging techniques to extend the capture volume? The solution we found is, surprisingly, simple; yet, it provides several key advantages over existing approaches. Our method, called Angular Focus Stacking (AFS), consists of capturing a set of images while rotating the lens, followed by registration, and blending of the in-focus regions from the images in the stack. The theoretical underpinnings of AFS arose from a pair of new and general imaging models we developed for Scheimpflug imaging that directly incorporates the pupil parameters. The model revealed that we could register the images in the stack analytically if we pivot the lens at the center of its entrance pupil, rendering the registration process exact. Additionally, we found that a specific lens design further reduces the complexity of image registration making AFS suitable for real-time performance. We have demonstrated up to an order of magnitude improvement in the axial capture volume over conventional image capture without sacrificing optical resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. The total time required for capturing the set of images for AFS is less than the time needed for a single-exposure, conventional image for the same DOF and brightness level. The net reduction in capture time can significantly relax the constraints on subject movement during iris acquisition, making it less restrictive.

The diurnal cycle of clouds and precipitation at the ARM SGP site: Cloud radar observations and simulations from the multiscale modeling framework

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Wei; Marchand, Roger; Fu, Qiang

2017-07-08

Millimeter Wavelength Cloud Radar (MMCR) data from December 1996 to December 2010, collected at the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program Southern Great Plains (SGP) site, are used to examine the diurnal cycle of hydrometeor occurrence. These data are categorized into clouds (-40 dBZ e ≤ reflectivity < -10 dBZ e), drizzle and light precipitation (-10 dBZ e ≤ reflectivity < 10 dBZ e), and heavy precipitation (reflectivity ≥ 10 dBZ e). The same criteria are implemented for the observation-equivalent reflectivity calculated by feeding outputs from a Multiscale Modeling Framework (MMF) climate model into a radar simulator.more » The MMF model consists of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model with conventional cloud parameterizations replaced by a cloud-resolving model. We find that a radar simulator combined with the simple reflectivity categories can be an effective approach for evaluating diurnal variations in model hydrometeor occurrence. It is shown that the MMF only marginally captures observed increases in the occurrence of boundary layer clouds after sunrise in spring and autumn and does not capture diurnal changes in boundary layer clouds during the summer. Above the boundary layer, the MMF captures reasonably well diurnal variations in the vertical structure of clouds and light and heavy precipitation in the summer but not in the spring.« less

Using maximum entropy modeling for optimal selection of sampling sites for monitoring networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Kumar, Sunil; Barnett, David T.; Evangelista, Paul H.

2011-01-01

Environmental monitoring programs must efficiently describe state shifts. We propose using maximum entropy modeling to select dissimilar sampling sites to capture environmental variability at low cost, and demonstrate a specific application: sample site selection for the Central Plains domain (453,490 km2) of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). We relied on four environmental factors: mean annual temperature and precipitation, elevation, and vegetation type. A “sample site” was defined as a 20 km × 20 km area (equal to NEON’s airborne observation platform [AOP] footprint), within which each 1 km2 cell was evaluated for each environmental factor. After each model run, the most environmentally dissimilar site was selected from all potential sample sites. The iterative selection of eight sites captured approximately 80% of the environmental envelope of the domain, an improvement over stratified random sampling and simple random designs for sample site selection. This approach can be widely used for cost-efficient selection of survey and monitoring sites.

Exploring the role of internal friction in the dynamics of unfolded proteins using simple polymer models.

PubMed

Cheng, Ryan R; Hawk, Alexander T; Makarov, Dmitrii E

2013-02-21

Recent experiments showed that the reconfiguration dynamics of unfolded proteins are often adequately described by simple polymer models. In particular, the Rouse model with internal friction (RIF) captures internal friction effects as observed in single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) studies of a number of proteins. Here we use RIF, and its non-free draining analog, Zimm model with internal friction, to explore the effect of internal friction on the rate with which intramolecular contacts can be formed within the unfolded chain. Unlike the reconfiguration times inferred from FCS experiments, which depend linearly on the solvent viscosity, the first passage times to form intramolecular contacts are shown to display a more complex viscosity dependence. We further describe scaling relationships obeyed by contact formation times in the limits of high and low internal friction. Our findings provide experimentally testable predictions that can serve as a framework for the analysis of future studies of contact formation in proteins.

A Simple Method for Amplifying RNA Targets (SMART)

PubMed Central

McCalla, Stephanie E.; Ong, Carmichael; Sarma, Aartik; Opal, Steven M.; Artenstein, Andrew W.; Tripathi, Anubhav

2012-01-01

We present a novel and simple method for amplifying RNA targets (named by its acronym, SMART), and for detection, using engineered amplification probes that overcome existing limitations of current RNA-based technologies. This system amplifies and detects optimal engineered ssDNA probes that hybridize to target RNA. The amplifiable probe-target RNA complex is captured on magnetic beads using a sequence-specific capture probe and is separated from unbound probe using a novel microfluidic technique. Hybridization sequences are not constrained as they are in conventional target-amplification reactions such as nucleic acid sequence amplification (NASBA). Our engineered ssDNA probe was amplified both off-chip and in a microchip reservoir at the end of the separation microchannel using isothermal NASBA. Optimal solution conditions for ssDNA amplification were investigated. Although KCl and MgCl2 are typically found in NASBA reactions, replacing 70 mmol/L of the 82 mmol/L total chloride ions with acetate resulted in optimal reaction conditions, particularly for low but clinically relevant probe concentrations (≤100 fmol/L). With the optimal probe design and solution conditions, we also successfully removed the initial heating step of NASBA, thus achieving a true isothermal reaction. The SMART assay using a synthetic model influenza DNA target sequence served as a fundamental demonstration of the efficacy of the capture and microfluidic separation system, thus bridging our system to a clinically relevant detection problem. PMID:22691910

Probabilistic parameter estimation in a 2-step chemical kinetics model for n-dodecane jet autoignition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, Layal; Lacaze, Guilhem; Khalil, Mohammad; Sargsyan, Khachik; Najm, Habib; Oefelein, Joseph

2018-05-01

This paper demonstrates the development of a simple chemical kinetics model designed for autoignition of n-dodecane in air using Bayesian inference with a model-error representation. The model error, i.e. intrinsic discrepancy from a high-fidelity benchmark model, is represented by allowing additional variability in selected parameters. Subsequently, we quantify predictive uncertainties in the results of autoignition simulations of homogeneous reactors at realistic diesel engine conditions. We demonstrate that these predictive error bars capture model error as well. The uncertainty propagation is performed using non-intrusive spectral projection that can also be used in principle with larger scale computations, such as large eddy simulation. While the present calibration is performed to match a skeletal mechanism, it can be done with equal success using experimental data only (e.g. shock-tube measurements). Since our method captures the error associated with structural model simplifications, we believe that the optimised model could then lead to better qualified predictions of autoignition delay time in high-fidelity large eddy simulations than the existing detailed mechanisms. This methodology provides a way to reduce the cost of reaction kinetics in simulations systematically, while quantifying the accuracy of predictions of important target quantities.

Linear analysis of auto-organization in Hebbian neural networks.

PubMed

Carlos Letelier, J; Mpodozis, J

1995-01-01

The self-organization of neurotopies where neural connections follow Hebbian dynamics is framed in terms of linear operator theory. A general and exact equation describing the time evolution of the overall synaptic strength connecting two neural laminae is derived. This linear matricial equation, which is similar to the equations used to describe oscillating systems in physics, is modified by the introduction of non-linear terms, in order to capture self-organizing (or auto-organizing) processes. The behavior of a simple and small system, that contains a non-linearity that mimics a metabolic constraint, is analyzed by computer simulations. The emergence of a simple "order" (or degree of organization) in this low-dimensionality model system is discussed.

Locomotion of C. elegans: A Piecewise-Harmonic Curvature Representation of Nematode Behavior

PubMed Central

Padmanabhan, Venkat; Khan, Zeina S.; Solomon, Deepak E.; Armstrong, Andrew; Rumbaugh, Kendra P.; Vanapalli, Siva A.; Blawzdziewicz, Jerzy

2012-01-01

Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living soil nematode, displays a rich variety of body shapes and trajectories during its undulatory locomotion in complex environments. Here we show that the individual body postures and entire trails of C. elegans have a simple analytical description in curvature representation. Our model is based on the assumption that the curvature wave is generated in the head segment of the worm body and propagates backwards. We have found that a simple harmonic function for the curvature can capture multiple worm shapes during the undulatory movement. The worm body trajectories can be well represented in terms of piecewise sinusoidal curvature with abrupt changes in amplitude, wavevector, and phase. PMID:22792224

Electron capture rates in stars studied with heavy ion charge exchange reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertulani, C. A.

2018-01-01

Indirect methods using nucleus-nucleus reactions at high energies (here, high energies mean ~ 50 MeV/nucleon and higher) are now routinely used to extract information of interest for nuclear astrophysics. This is of extreme relevance as many of the nuclei involved in stellar evolution are short-lived. Therefore, indirect methods became the focus of recent studies carried out in major nuclear physics facilities. Among such methods, heavy ion charge exchange is thought to be a useful tool to infer Gamow-Teller matrix elements needed to describe electron capture rates in stars and also double beta-decay experiments. In this short review, I provide a theoretical guidance based on a simple reaction model for charge exchange reactions.

A Simple Model of Circuit Design.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

mathematicians who discover mathematical ideas (i.cnat>, programmers who write code <Manna> <Barstow>, physicists who solve mechanics problems <de Kiecr-l...rules and shows how - they result in the design of circuits. ’l’he design rules must not only capture the purely mathematical constralints given by VICs...K VI.. *? and KCI, but also how those constraints can implement mechanism. Mathematical constraints tell us an amplifier’s input and output voltages

How much of reinforcement learning is working memory, not reinforcement learning? A behavioral, computational, and neurogenetic analysis

PubMed Central

Collins, Anne G. E.; Frank, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Instrumental learning involves corticostriatal circuitry and the dopaminergic system. This system is typically modeled in the reinforcement learning (RL) framework by incrementally accumulating reward values of states and actions. However, human learning also implicates prefrontal cortical mechanisms involved in higher level cognitive functions. The interaction of these systems remains poorly understood, and models of human behavior often ignore working memory (WM) and therefore incorrectly assign behavioral variance to the RL system. Here we designed a task that highlights the profound entanglement of these two processes, even in simple learning problems. By systematically varying the size of the learning problem and delay between stimulus repetitions, we separately extracted WM-specific effects of load and delay on learning. We propose a new computational model that accounts for the dynamic integration of RL and WM processes observed in subjects' behavior. Incorporating capacity-limited WM into the model allowed us to capture behavioral variance that could not be captured in a pure RL framework even if we (implausibly) allowed separate RL systems for each set size. The WM component also allowed for a more reasonable estimation of a single RL process. Finally, we report effects of two genetic polymorphisms having relative specificity for prefrontal and basal ganglia functions. Whereas the COMT gene coding for catechol-O-methyl transferase selectively influenced model estimates of WM capacity, the GPR6 gene coding for G-protein-coupled receptor 6 influenced the RL learning rate. Thus, this study allowed us to specify distinct influences of the high-level and low-level cognitive functions on instrumental learning, beyond the possibilities offered by simple RL models. PMID:22487033

Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods

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

Shen, Vincent K., E-mail: vincent.shen@nist.gov; Siderius, Daniel W.

2014-06-28

Using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods, we investigate the adsorptive behavior of the square-well fluid in two simple slit-pore-like models intended to capture fundamental characteristics of flexible adsorbent materials. Both models require as input thermodynamic information about the flexible adsorbent material itself. An important component of this work involves formulating the flexible pore models in the appropriate thermodynamic (statistical mechanical) ensembles, namely, the osmotic ensemble and a variant of the grand-canonical ensemble. Two-dimensional probability distributions, which are calculated using flat-histogram methods, provide the information necessary to determine adsorption thermodynamics. For example, we are able to determine precisely adsorption isotherms, (equilibrium) phasemore » transition conditions, limits of stability, and free energies for a number of different flexible adsorbent materials, distinguishable as different inputs into the models. While the models used in this work are relatively simple from a geometric perspective, they yield non-trivial adsorptive behavior, including adsorption-desorption hysteresis solely due to material flexibility and so-called “breathing” of the adsorbent. The observed effects can in turn be tied to the inherent properties of the bare adsorbent. Some of the effects are expected on physical grounds while others arise from a subtle balance of thermodynamic and mechanical driving forces. In addition, the computational strategy presented here can be easily applied to more complex models for flexible adsorbents.« less

Elucidating the effects of adsorbent flexibility on fluid adsorption using simple models and flat-histogram sampling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Vincent K.; Siderius, Daniel W.

2014-06-01

Using flat-histogram Monte Carlo methods, we investigate the adsorptive behavior of the square-well fluid in two simple slit-pore-like models intended to capture fundamental characteristics of flexible adsorbent materials. Both models require as input thermodynamic information about the flexible adsorbent material itself. An important component of this work involves formulating the flexible pore models in the appropriate thermodynamic (statistical mechanical) ensembles, namely, the osmotic ensemble and a variant of the grand-canonical ensemble. Two-dimensional probability distributions, which are calculated using flat-histogram methods, provide the information necessary to determine adsorption thermodynamics. For example, we are able to determine precisely adsorption isotherms, (equilibrium) phase transition conditions, limits of stability, and free energies for a number of different flexible adsorbent materials, distinguishable as different inputs into the models. While the models used in this work are relatively simple from a geometric perspective, they yield non-trivial adsorptive behavior, including adsorption-desorption hysteresis solely due to material flexibility and so-called "breathing" of the adsorbent. The observed effects can in turn be tied to the inherent properties of the bare adsorbent. Some of the effects are expected on physical grounds while others arise from a subtle balance of thermodynamic and mechanical driving forces. In addition, the computational strategy presented here can be easily applied to more complex models for flexible adsorbents.

Squiggle Ball Capture: A Simple, Visual Kinetic Theory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gfroerer, Tim; Rathbun, Ken

2007-01-01

When particles move about randomly in the presence of traps, how long does it take for them to be captured? Well, it depends on the average speed of the particles and the dimensions and distribution of the traps. For example, when neutrons are generated in nuclear fission reactions, they must be captured by other fissionable nuclei in order to…

Valuation of exotic options in the framework of Levy processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milev, Mariyan; Georgieva, Svetla; Markovska, Veneta

2013-12-01

In this paper we explore a straightforward procedure to price derivatives by using the Monte Carlo approach when the underlying process is a jump-diffusion. We have compared the Black-Scholes model with one of its extensions that is the Merton model. The latter model is better in capturing the market's phenomena and is comparative to stochastic volatility models in terms of pricing accuracy. We have presented simulations of asset paths and pricing of barrier options for both Geometric Brownian motion and exponential Levy processes as it is the concrete case of the Merton model. A desired level of accuracy is obtained with simple computer operations in MATLAB for efficient computational time.

A biochemically semi-detailed model of auxin-mediated vein formation in plant leaves.

PubMed

Roussel, Marc R; Slingerland, Martin J

2012-09-01

We present here a model intended to capture the biochemistry of vein formation in plant leaves. The model consists of three modules. Two of these modules, those describing auxin signaling and transport in plant cells, are biochemically detailed. We couple these modules to a simple model for PIN (auxin efflux carrier) protein localization based on an extracellular auxin sensor. We study the single-cell responses of this combined model in order to verify proper functioning of the modeled biochemical network. We then assemble a multicellular model from the single-cell building blocks. We find that the model can, under some conditions, generate files of polarized cells, but not true veins. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological signatures of dynamic river networks from a coupled landscape evolution and neutral community model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokes, M.; Perron, J. T.

2017-12-01

Freshwater systems host exceptionally species-rich communities whose spatial structure is dictated by the topology of the river networks they inhabit. Over geologic time, river networks are dynamic; drainage basins shrink and grow, and river capture establishes new connections between previously separated regions. It has been hypothesized that these changes in river network structure influence the evolution of life by exchanging and isolating species, perhaps boosting biodiversity in the process. However, no general model exists to predict the evolutionary consequences of landscape change. We couple a neutral community model of freshwater organisms to a landscape evolution model in which the river network undergoes drainage divide migration and repeated river capture. Neutral community models are macro-ecological models that include stochastic speciation and dispersal to produce realistic patterns of biodiversity. We explore the consequences of three modes of speciation - point mutation, time-protracted, and vicariant (geographic) speciation - by tracking patterns of diversity in time and comparing the final result to an equilibrium solution of the neutral model on the final landscape. Under point mutation, a simple model of stochastic and instantaneous speciation, the results are identical to the equilibrium solution and indicate the dominance of the species-area relationship in forming patterns of diversity. The number of species in a basin is proportional to its area, and regional species richness reaches its maximum when drainage area is evenly distributed among sub-basins. Time-protracted speciation is also modeled as a stochastic process, but in order to produce more realistic rates of diversification, speciation is not assumed to be instantaneous. Rather, each new species must persist for a certain amount of time before it is considered to be established. When vicariance (geographic speciation) is included, there is a transient signature of increased regional diversity after river capture. The results indicate that the mode of speciation and the rate of speciation relative to the rate of divide migration determine the evolutionary signature of river capture.

A Multi-Index Integrated Change detection method for updating the National Land Cover Database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jin, Suming; Yang, Limin; Xian, George Z.; Danielson, Patrick; Homer, Collin G.

2010-01-01

Land cover change is typically captured by comparing two or more dates of imagery and associating spectral change with true thematic change. A new change detection method, Multi-Index Integrated Change (MIIC), has been developed to capture a full range of land cover disturbance patterns for updating the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). Specific indices typically specialize in identifying only certain types of disturbances; for example, the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) has been widely used for monitoring fire disturbance. Recognizing the potential complementary nature of multiple indices, we integrated four indices into one model to more accurately detect true change between two NLCD time periods. The four indices are NBR, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Change Vector (CV), and a newly developed index called the Relative Change Vector (RCV). The model is designed to provide both change location and change direction (e.g. biomass increase or biomass decrease). The integrated change model has been tested on five image pairs from different regions exhibiting a variety of disturbance types. Compared with a simple change vector method, MIIC can better capture the desired change without introducing additional commission errors. The model is particularly accurate at detecting forest disturbances, such as forest harvest, forest fire, and forest regeneration. Agreement between the initial change map areas derived from MIIC and the retained final land cover type change areas will be showcased from the pilot test sites.

Nonlinear Dynamic Modeling of a Supersonic Commercial Transport Turbo-Machinery Propulsion System for Aero-Propulso-Servo-Elasticity Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Joseph W.; Kopasakis, George; Carlson, Jan-Renee; Woolwine, Kyle

2015-01-01

This paper covers the development of an integrated nonlinear dynamic model for a variable cycle turbofan engine, supersonic inlet, and convergent-divergent nozzle that can be integrated with an aeroelastic vehicle model to create an overall Aero-Propulso-Servo-Elastic (APSE) modeling tool. The primary focus of this study is to provide a means to capture relevant thrust dynamics of a full supersonic propulsion system by using relatively simple quasi-one dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods that will allow for accurate control algorithm development and capture the key aspects of the thrust to feed into an APSE model. Previously, propulsion system component models have been developed and are used for this study of the fully integrated propulsion system. An overview of the methodology is presented for the modeling of each propulsion component, with a focus on its associated coupling for the overall model. To conduct APSE studies the de- scribed dynamic propulsion system model is integrated into a high fidelity CFD model of the full vehicle capable of conducting aero-elastic studies. Dynamic thrust analysis for the quasi-one dimensional dynamic propulsion system model is presented along with an initial three dimensional flow field model of the engine integrated into a supersonic commercial transport.

Nonlinear Dynamic Modeling of a Supersonic Commercial Transport Turbo-Machinery Propulsion System for Aero-Propulso-Servo-Elasticity Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Joe; Carlson, Jan-Renee; Kopasakis, George; Woolwine, Kyle

2015-01-01

This paper covers the development of an integrated nonlinear dynamic model for a variable cycle turbofan engine, supersonic inlet, and convergent-divergent nozzle that can be integrated with an aeroelastic vehicle model to create an overall Aero-Propulso-Servo-Elastic (APSE) modeling tool. The primary focus of this study is to provide a means to capture relevant thrust dynamics of a full supersonic propulsion system by using relatively simple quasi-one dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods that will allow for accurate control algorithm development and capture the key aspects of the thrust to feed into an APSE model. Previously, propulsion system component models have been developed and are used for this study of the fully integrated propulsion system. An overview of the methodology is presented for the modeling of each propulsion component, with a focus on its associated coupling for the overall model. To conduct APSE studies the described dynamic propulsion system model is integrated into a high fidelity CFD model of the full vehicle capable of conducting aero-elastic studies. Dynamic thrust analysis for the quasi-one dimensional dynamic propulsion system model is presented along with an initial three dimensional flow field model of the engine integrated into a supersonic commercial transport.

How the twain can meet: Prospect theory and models of heuristics in risky choice.

PubMed

Pachur, Thorsten; Suter, Renata S; Hertwig, Ralph

2017-03-01

Two influential approaches to modeling choice between risky options are algebraic models (which focus on predicting the overt decisions) and models of heuristics (which are also concerned with capturing the underlying cognitive process). Because they rest on fundamentally different assumptions and algorithms, the two approaches are usually treated as antithetical, or even incommensurable. Drawing on cumulative prospect theory (CPT; Tversky & Kahneman, 1992) as the currently most influential instance of a descriptive algebraic model, we demonstrate how the two modeling traditions can be linked. CPT's algebraic functions characterize choices in terms of psychophysical (diminishing sensitivity to probabilities and outcomes) as well as psychological (risk aversion and loss aversion) constructs. Models of heuristics characterize choices as rooted in simple information-processing principles such as lexicographic and limited search. In computer simulations, we estimated CPT's parameters for choices produced by various heuristics. The resulting CPT parameter profiles portray each of the choice-generating heuristics in psychologically meaningful ways-capturing, for instance, differences in how the heuristics process probability information. Furthermore, CPT parameters can reflect a key property of many heuristics, lexicographic search, and track the environment-dependent behavior of heuristics. Finally, we show, both in an empirical and a model recovery study, how CPT parameter profiles can be used to detect the operation of heuristics. We also address the limits of CPT's ability to capture choices produced by heuristics. Our results highlight an untapped potential of CPT as a measurement tool to characterize the information processing underlying risky choice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring noctilucent cloud variability using the nudged and extended version of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuilman, Maartje; Karlsson, Bodil; Benze, Susanne; Megner, Linda

2017-11-01

Ice particles in the summer mesosphere - such as those connected to noctilucent clouds and polar mesospheric summer echoes - have since their discovery contributed to the uncovering of atmospheric processes on various scales ranging from interactions on molecular levels to global scale circulation patterns. While there are numerous model studies on mesospheric ice microphysics and how the clouds relate to the background atmosphere, there are at this point few studies using comprehensive global climate models to investigate observed variability and climatology of noctilucent clouds. In this study it is explored to what extent the large-scale inter-annual characteristics of noctilucent clouds are captured in a 30-year run - extending from 1979 to 2009 - of the nudged and extended version of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM30). To construct and investigate zonal mean inter-seasonal variability in noctilucent cloud occurrence frequency and ice mass density in both hemispheres, a simple cloud model is applied in which it is assumed that the ice content is solely controlled by the local temperature and water vapor volume mixing ratio. The model results are compared to satellite observations, each having an instrument-specific sensitivity when it comes to detecting noctilucent clouds. It is found that the model is able to capture the onset dates of the NLC seasons in both hemispheres as well as the hemispheric differences in NLCs, such as weaker NLCs in the SH than in the NH and differences in cloud height. We conclude that the observed cloud climatology and zonal mean variability are well captured by the model.

Angular Distributions of Differential Electron Capture Cross Sections in Collisions Between Low-Velocity Highly-Charged Ions and Neutral Targets.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waggoner, William Tracy

1990-01-01

Experimental capture cross sections d sigma / dtheta versus theta , are presented for various ions incident on neutral targets. First, distributions are presented for Ar ^{rm 8+} ions incident on H_{rm 2}, D _{rm 2}, and Ar targets. Energy gain studies indicate that capture occurs to primarily a 5d,f final state of Ar^{rm 7+} with some contributions from transfer ionization (T.I.) channels. Angular distribution spectra for all three targets are similar, with spectra having a main peak located at forward angles which is attributed to single capture events, and a secondary structure occurring at large angles which is attributed to T.I. contributions. A series of Ar^{rm 8+} on Ar spectra were collected using a retarding grid system as a low resolution energy spectrometer to resolve single capture events from T.I. events. The resulting single capture and T.I. angular distributions are presented. Results are discussed in terms of a classical deflection function employing a simple two state curve crossing model. Angular distributions for electron capture from He by C, N, O, F, and Ne ions with charge states from 5 ^+-8^+ are presented for projectile energies between 1.2 and 2.0 kV. Distributions for the same charge state but different ion species are simlar, but not identical with distributions for the 5 ^+ and 7^+ ions being strongly forward peaked, the 6^+ distributions are much less forward peaked with the O^{6+} distributions showing structure, the Ne^{8+} ion distribution appears to be an intermediate case between forward peaking and large angle scattering. These results are discussed in terms of classical deflection functions which utilize two state Coulomb diabatic curve crossing models. Finally, angular distributions are presented for electron capture from He by Ar^{rm 6+} ions at energies between 1287 eV and 296 eV. At large projectile energies the distribution is broad. As the energy decreases below 523 eV, distributions shift to forward angles with a second peak appearing outside the Coulomb angle, theta_{c} = Q/2E, which continues to grow in magnitude as the projectile energy decreases further. Results are compared with a model calculation employing a two state diabatic Coulomb curve crossing model and the classical deflection function.

Sandpile-based model for capturing magnitude distributions and spatiotemporal clustering and separation in regional earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batac, Rene C.; Paguirigan, Antonino A., Jr.; Tarun, Anjali B.; Longjas, Anthony G.

2017-04-01

We propose a cellular automata model for earthquake occurrences patterned after the sandpile model of self-organized criticality (SOC). By incorporating a single parameter describing the probability to target the most susceptible site, the model successfully reproduces the statistical signatures of seismicity. The energy distributions closely follow power-law probability density functions (PDFs) with a scaling exponent of around -1. 6, consistent with the expectations of the Gutenberg-Richter (GR) law, for a wide range of the targeted triggering probability values. Additionally, for targeted triggering probabilities within the range 0.004-0.007, we observe spatiotemporal distributions that show bimodal behavior, which is not observed previously for the original sandpile. For this critical range of values for the probability, model statistics show remarkable comparison with long-period empirical data from earthquakes from different seismogenic regions. The proposed model has key advantages, the foremost of which is the fact that it simultaneously captures the energy, space, and time statistics of earthquakes by just introducing a single parameter, while introducing minimal parameters in the simple rules of the sandpile. We believe that the critical targeting probability parameterizes the memory that is inherently present in earthquake-generating regions.

On the context-dependent scaling of consumer feeding rates.

PubMed

Barrios-O'Neill, Daniel; Kelly, Ruth; Dick, Jaimie T A; Ricciardi, Anthony; MacIsaac, Hugh J; Emmerson, Mark C

2016-06-01

The stability of consumer-resource systems can depend on the form of feeding interactions (i.e. functional responses). Size-based models predict interactions - and thus stability - based on consumer-resource size ratios. However, little is known about how interaction contexts (e.g. simple or complex habitats) might alter scaling relationships. Addressing this, we experimentally measured interactions between a large size range of aquatic predators (4-6400 mg over 1347 feeding trials) and an invasive prey that transitions among habitats: from the water column (3D interactions) to simple and complex benthic substrates (2D interactions). Simple and complex substrates mediated successive reductions in capture rates - particularly around the unimodal optimum - and promoted prey population stability in model simulations. Many real consumer-resource systems transition between 2D and 3D interactions, and along complexity gradients. Thus, Context-Dependent Scaling (CDS) of feeding interactions could represent an unrecognised aspect of food webs, and quantifying the extent of CDS might enhance predictive ecology. © The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assessing the response of Emerald Lake, an alpine watershed in Sequoia National Park, California, to acidification during snowmelt by using a simple hydrochemical model. Final report

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

Hooper, R.P.; West, C.T.; Peters, N.E.

1990-08-01

The authors constructed a simple, process-oriented model, called the Alpine Lake Forecaster (ALF), using data collected during the Integrated Watershed Study at Emerald Lake, Sequoia National Park, CA. The model was designed to answer questions concerning the impact of acid deposition on high-elevation watersheds in the Sierra Nevada, CA. ALF is able to capture the basic solute patterns in stream water during snowmelt in this alpine catchment where ground water is a minor contributor to stream flow. It includes an empirical representation of primary mineral weathering as the only alkalinity-generating mechanism. Hydrologic and chemical data from a heavy snow yearmore » were used to calibrate the model. Watershed processes during a light snow year appeared to be different from the calibration year. The model forecast concludes that stream and lake water are most likely to experience a loss of ANC and depression in pH during spring rain storms that occur during the snowmelt dilution phase.« less

Relaxation mechanisms in glassy dynamics: the Arrhenius and fragile regimes.

PubMed

Hentschel, H George E; Karmakar, Smarajit; Procaccia, Itamar; Zylberg, Jacques

2012-06-01

Generic glass formers exhibit at least two characteristic changes in their relaxation behavior, first to an Arrhenius-type relaxation at some characteristic temperature and then at a lower characteristic temperature to a super-Arrhenius (fragile) behavior. We address these transitions by studying the statistics of free energy barriers for different systems at different temperatures and space dimensions. We present a clear evidence for changes in the dynamical behavior at the transition to Arrhenius and then to a super-Arrhenius behavior. A simple model is presented, based on the idea of competition between single-particle and cooperative dynamics. We argue that Arrhenius behavior can take place as long as there is enough free volume for the completion of a simple T1 relaxation process. Once free volume is absent one needs a cooperative mechanism to "collect" enough free volume. We show that this model captures all the qualitative behavior observed in simulations throughout the considered temperature range.

Reinforced communication and social navigation: Remember your friends and remember yourself

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirshahvalad, A.; Rosvall, M.

2011-09-01

In social systems, people communicate with each other and form groups based on their interests. The pattern of interactions, the network, and the ideas that flow on the network naturally evolve together. Researchers use simple models to capture the feedback between changing network patterns and ideas on the network, but little is understood about the role of past events in the feedback process. Here, we introduce a simple agent-based model to study the coupling between peoples’ ideas and social networks, and better understand the role of history in dynamic social networks. We measure how information about ideas can be recovered from information about network structure and, the other way around, how information about network structure can be recovered from information about ideas. We find that it is, in general, easier to recover ideas from the network structure than vice versa.

Growth of Ni nanoclusters on irradiated graphene: a molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Valencia, F J; Hernandez-Vazquez, E E; Bringa, E M; Moran-Lopez, J L; Rogan, J; Gonzalez, R I; Munoz, F

2018-04-23

We studied the soft landing of Ni atoms on a previously damaged graphene sheet by means of molecular dynamics simulations. We found a monotonic decrease of the cluster frequency as a function of its size, but few big clusters comprise an appreciable fraction of the total number of Ni atoms. The aggregation of Ni atoms is also modeled by means of a simple phenomenological model. The results are in clear contrast with the case of hard or energetic landing of metal atoms, where there is a tendency to form mono-disperse metal clusters. This behavior is attributed to the high diffusion of unattached Ni atoms, together with vacancies acting as capture centers. The findings of this work show that a simple study of the energetics of the system is not enough in the soft landing regime, where it is unavoidable to also consider the growth process of metal clusters.

Microfluidic separation of magnetic nanoparticles on an ordered array of magnetized micropillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlandi, G.; Kuzhir, P.; Izmaylov, Y.; Alves Marins, J.; Ezzaier, H.; Robert, L.; Doutre, F.; Noblin, X.; Lomenech, C.; Bossis, G.; Meunier, A.; Sandoz, G.; Zubarev, A.

2016-06-01

Microfluidic separation of magnetic particles is based on their capture by magnetized microcollectors while the suspending fluid flows past the microcollectors inside a microchannel. Separation of nanoparticles is often challenging because of strong Brownian motion. Low capture efficiency of nanoparticles limits their applications in bioanalysis. However, at some conditions, magnetic nanoparticles may undergo field-induced aggregation that amplifies the magnetic attractive force proportionally to the aggregate volume and considerably increases nanoparticle capture efficiency. In this paper, we have demonstrated the role of such aggregation on an efficient capture of magnetic nanoparticles (about 80 nm in diameter) in a microfluidic channel equipped with a nickel micropillar array. This array was magnetized by an external uniform magnetic field, of intensity as low as 6-10 kA/m, and experiments were carried out at flow rates ranging between 0.3 and 30 μ L /min . Nanoparticle capture is shown to be mostly governed by the Mason number Ma, while the dipolar coupling parameter α does not exhibit a clear effect in the studied range, 1.4 < α < 4.5. The capture efficiency Λ shows a strongly decreasing Mason number behavior, Λ ∝M a-1.78 within the range 32 ≤ Ma ≤ 3250. We have proposed a simple theoretical model which considers destructible nanoparticle chains and gives the scaling behavior, Λ ∝M a-1.7 , close to the experimental findings.

Visibility graphlet approach to chaotic time series

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

Mutua, Stephen; Computer Science Department, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 190-50100, Kakamega; Gu, Changgui, E-mail: gu-changgui@163.com, E-mail: hjyang@ustc.edu.cn

Many novel methods have been proposed for mapping time series into complex networks. Although some dynamical behaviors can be effectively captured by existing approaches, the preservation and tracking of the temporal behaviors of a chaotic system remains an open problem. In this work, we extended the visibility graphlet approach to investigate both discrete and continuous chaotic time series. We applied visibility graphlets to capture the reconstructed local states, so that each is treated as a node and tracked downstream to create a temporal chain link. Our empirical findings show that the approach accurately captures the dynamical properties of chaotic systems.more » Networks constructed from periodic dynamic phases all converge to regular networks and to unique network structures for each model in the chaotic zones. Furthermore, our results show that the characterization of chaotic and non-chaotic zones in the Lorenz system corresponds to the maximal Lyapunov exponent, thus providing a simple and straightforward way to analyze chaotic systems.« less

Dynamical spreading of small bodies in 1:1 resonance with planets by the diurnal Yarkovsky effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xuefeng; Hou, Xiyun

2017-10-01

A simple model is introduced to describe the inherent dynamics of Trojans in the presence of the diurnal Yarkovsky effect. For different spin statuses, the orbital elements of the Trojans (mainly semimajor axis, eccentricity and inclination) undergo different variations. The variation rate is generally very small, but the total variation of the semimajor axis or the orbit eccentricity over the age of the Solar system may be large enough to send small Trojans out of the regular region (or, vice versa, to capture small bodies in the regular region). In order to demonstrate the analytical analysis, we first carry out numerical simulations in a simple model, and then generalize these to two 'real' systems, namely the Sun-Jupiter system and the Sun-Earth system. In the Sun-Jupiter system, where the motion of Trojans is regular, the Yarkovsky effect gradually alters the libration width or the orbit eccentricity, forcing the Trojan to move from regular regionsto chaotic regions, where chaos may eventually cause it to escape. In the Sun-Earth system, where the motion of Trojans is generally chaotic, our limited numerical simulations indicate that the Yarkovsky effect is negligible for Trojans of 100 m in size, and even for larger ones. The Yarkovsky effect on small bodies captured in other 1:1 resonance orbits is also briefly discussed.

Epidemics Modelings: Some New Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boatto, Stefanella; Khouri, Renata Stella; Solerman, Lucas; Codeço, Claudia; Bonnet, Catherine

2010-09-01

Epidemics modeling has been particularly growing in the past years. In epidemics studies, mathematical modeling is used in particular to reach a better understanding of some neglected diseases (dengue, malaria, …) and of new emerging ones (SARS, influenza A,….) of big agglomerates. Such studies offer new challenges both from the modeling point of view (searching for simple models which capture the main characteristics of the disease spreading), data analysis and mathematical complexity. We are facing often with complex networks especially when modeling the city dynamics. Such networks can be static (in first approximation) and homogeneous, static and not homogeneous and/or not static (when taking into account the city structure, micro-climates, people circulation, etc.). The objective being studying epidemics dynamics and being able to predict its spreading.

Numerical implementation of a cold-ion, Boltzmann-electron model for nonplanar plasma-surface interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holgate, J. T.; Coppins, M.

2018-04-01

Plasma-surface interactions are ubiquitous in the field of plasma science and technology. Much of the physics of these interactions can be captured with a simple model comprising a cold ion fluid and electrons which satisfy the Boltzmann relation. However, this model permits analytical solutions in a very limited number of cases. This paper presents a versatile and robust numerical implementation of the model for arbitrary surface geometries in cartesian and axisymmetric cylindrical coordinates. Specific examples of surfaces with sinusoidal corrugations, trenches, and hemi-ellipsoidal protrusions verify this numerical implementation. The application of the code to problems involving plasma-liquid interactions, plasma etching, and electron emission from the surface is discussed.

A simple level set method for solving Stefan problems

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

Chen, S.; Merriman, B.; Osher, S.

1997-07-15

Discussed in this paper is an implicit finite difference scheme for solving a heat equation and a simple level set method for capturing the interface between solid and liquid phases which are used to solve Stefan problems.

The biomechanics of simple steatosis and steatohepatitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, K. J.; Ormachea, J.; Drage, M. G.; Kim, H.; Hah, Z.

2018-05-01

Magnetic resonance and ultrasound elastography techniques are now important tools for staging high-grade fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. However, uncertainty remains about the effects of simple accumulation of fat (steatosis) and inflammation (steatohepatitis) on the parameters that can be measured using different elastographic techniques. To address this, we examine the rheological models that are capable of capturing the dominant viscoelastic behaviors associated with fat and inflammation in the liver, and quantify the resulting changes in shear wave speed and viscoelastic parameters. Theoretical results are shown to match measurements in phantoms and animal studies reported in the literature. These results are useful for better design of elastographic studies of fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis, potentially leading to improved diagnosis of these conditions.

Exploiting Motion Capture to Enhance Avoidance Behaviour in Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Basten, Ben J. H.; Jansen, Sander E. M.; Karamouzas, Ioannis

Realistic simulation of interacting virtual characters is essential in computer games, training and simulation applications. The problem is very challenging since people are accustomed to real-world situations and thus, they can easily detect inconsistencies and artifacts in the simulations. Over the past twenty years several models have been proposed for simulating individuals, groups and crowds of characters. However, little effort has been made to actually understand how humans solve interactions and avoid inter-collisions in real-life. In this paper, we exploit motion capture data to gain more insights into human-human interactions. We propose four measures to describe the collision-avoidance behavior. Based on these measures, we extract simple rules that can be applied on top of existing agent and force based approaches, increasing the realism of the resulting simulations.

Analysis and synthesis of laughter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundaram, Shiva; Narayanan, Shrikanth

2004-10-01

There is much enthusiasm in the text-to-speech community for synthesis of emotional and natural speech. One idea being proposed is to include emotion dependent paralinguistic cues during synthesis to convey emotions effectively. This requires modeling and synthesis techniques of various cues for different emotions. Motivated by this, a technique to synthesize human laughter is proposed. Laughter is a complex mechanism of expression and has high variability in terms of types and usage in human-human communication. People have their own characteristic way of laughing. Laughter can be seen as a controlled/uncontrolled physiological process of a person resulting from an initial excitation in context. A parametric model based on damped simple harmonic motion to effectively capture these diversities and also maintain the individuals characteristics is developed here. Limited laughter/speech data from actual humans and synthesis ease are the constraints imposed on the accuracy of the model. Analysis techniques are also developed to determine the parameters of the model for a given individual or laughter type. Finally, the effectiveness of the model to capture the individual characteristics and naturalness compared to real human laughter has been analyzed. Through this the factors involved in individual human laughter and their importance can be better understood.

CO 2 Leakage Into Shallow Aquifers: Modeling CO 2 Gas Evolution and Accumulation at Interfaces of Heterogeneity

DOE PAGES

Porter, Mark L.; Plampin, Michael; Pawar, Rajesh; ...

2014-12-31

The physicochemical processes associated with CO 2 leakage into shallow aquifer systems are complex and span multiple spatial and time scales. Continuum-scale numerical models that faithfully represent the underlying pore-scale physics are required to predict the long-term behavior and aid in risk analysis regarding regulatory and management decisions. This study focuses on benchmarking the numerical simulator, FEHM, with intermediate-scale column experiments of CO 2 gas evolution in homogeneous and heterogeneous sand configurations. Inverse modeling was conducted to calibrate model parameters and determine model sensitivity to the observed steady-state saturation profiles. It is shown that FEHM is a powerful tool thatmore » is capable of capturing the experimentally observed out ow rates and saturation profiles. Moreover, FEHM captures the transition from single- to multi-phase flow and CO 2 gas accumulation at interfaces separating sands. We also derive a simple expression, based on Darcy's law, for the pressure at which CO 2 free phase gas is observed and show that it reliably predicts the location at which single-phase flow transitions to multi-phase flow.« less

Modeling of submicrometer aerosol penetration through sintered granular membrane filters.

PubMed

Marre, Sonia; Palmeri, John; Larbot, André; Bertrand, Marielle

2004-06-01

We present a deep-bed aerosol filtration model that can be used to estimate the efficiency of sintered granular membrane filters in the region of the most penetrating particle size. In this region the capture of submicrometer aerosols, much smaller than the filter pore size, takes place mainly via Brownian diffusion and direct interception acting in synergy. By modeling the disordered sintered grain packing of such filters as a simple cubic lattice, and mapping the corresponding 3D connected pore volume onto a discrete cylindrical pore network, the efficiency of a granular filter can be estimated, using new analytical results for the efficiency of cylindrical pores. This model for aerosol penetration in sintered granular filters includes flow slip and the kinetics of particle capture by the pore surface. With a unique choice for two parameters, namely the structural tortuosity and effective kinetic coefficient of particle adsorption, this semiempirical model can account for the experimental efficiency of a new class of "high-efficiency particulate air" ceramic membrane filters as a function of particle size over a wide range of filter thickness and texture (pore size and porosity) and operating conditions (face velocity).

A simple nonlinear model for the return to isotropy in turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkar, Sutanu; Speziale, Charles G.

1990-01-01

A quadratic nonlinear generalization of the linear Rotta model for the slow pressure-strain correlation of turbulence is developed. The model is shown to satisfy realizability and to give rise to no stable nontrivial equilibrium solutions for the anisotropy tensor in the case of vanishing mean velocity gradients. The absence of stable nontrivial equilibrium solutions is a necessary condition to ensure that the model predicts a return to isotropy for all relaxational turbulent flows. Both the phase space dynamics and the temporal behavior of the model are examined and compared against experimental data for the return to isotropy problem. It is demonstrated that the quadratic model successfully captures the experimental trends which clearly exhibit nonlinear behavior. Direct comparisons are also made with the predictions of the Rotta model and the Lumley model.

New quasibound states of the compound nucleus in α -particle capture by the nucleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maydanyuk, Sergei P.; Zhang, Peng-Ming; Zou, Li-Ping

2017-07-01

We generalize the theory of nuclear decay and capture of Gamow that is based on tunneling through the barrier and internal oscillations inside the nucleus. In our formalism an additional factor is obtained, which describes distribution of the wave function of the the α particle inside the nuclear region. We discover new most stable states (called quasibound states) of the compound nucleus (CN) formed during the capture of α particle by the nucleus. With a simple example, we explain why these states cannot appear in traditional calculations of the α capture cross sections based on monotonic penetrabilities of a barrier, but they appear in a complete description of the evolution of the CN. Our result is obtained by a complete description of the CN evolution, which has the advantages of (1) a clear picture of the formation of the CN and its disintegration, (2) a detailed quantum description of the CN, (3) tests of the calculated amplitudes based on quantum mechanics (not realized in other approaches), and (4) high accuracy of calculations (not achieved in other approaches). These peculiarities are shown with the capture reaction of α +44Ca . We predict quasibound energy levels and determine fusion probabilities for this reaction. The difference between our approach and theory of quasistationary states with complex energies applied for the α capture is also discussed. We show (1) that theory does not provide calculations for the cross section of α capture (according to modern models of the α capture), in contrast with our formalism, and (2) these two approaches describe different states of the α capture (for the same α -nucleus potential).

Rapid Material Appearance Acquisition Using Consumer Hardware

PubMed Central

Filip, Jiří; Vávra, Radomír; Krupička, Mikuláš

2014-01-01

A photo-realistic representation of material appearance can be achieved by means of bidirectional texture function (BTF) capturing a material’s appearance for varying illumination, viewing directions, and spatial pixel coordinates. BTF captures many non-local effects in material structure such as inter-reflections, occlusions, shadowing, or scattering. The acquisition of BTF data is usually time and resource-intensive due to the high dimensionality of BTF data. This results in expensive, complex measurement setups and/or excessively long measurement times. We propose an approximate BTF acquisition setup based on a simple, affordable mechanical gantry containing a consumer camera and two LED lights. It captures a very limited subset of material surface images by shooting several video sequences. A psychophysical study comparing captured and reconstructed data with the reference BTFs of seven tested materials revealed that results of our method show a promising visual quality. Speed of the setup has been demonstrated on measurement of human skin and measurement and modeling of a glue dessication time-varying process. As it allows for fast, inexpensive, acquisition of approximate BTFs, this method can be beneficial to visualization applications demanding less accuracy, where BTF utilization has previously been limited. PMID:25340451

Modeling subglacial sediment discharge in 1-dimension: comparison with measurments and implications for glacial retreat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delaney, I. A.; Werder, M.; Farinotti, D.

2017-12-01

In recent decades increased sedimentation rates have been observed in reservoirs downstream of some retreating glaciers. This material either originates from slopes recently exposed by glacier retreat and no longer stabilized by ice, or subglacially, where pressurized melt water transports sediments from the glacier bed. Some evidence suggests that recently exposed periglacial areas can stablize relatively quickly and in some catchments provides a smaller precentage of the total sediment compared to the subglacial environment. As a result, in order predict and forecast sediment yield from glaciated catchments as glaciers thin and thier hydrology evolves, a subglacial sediment transport model must be implemented. Here a simple 1-dimensional glacio-hydraulic model uses the Darcy-Weissbach relationship to determine shear-stress of presurized water on the glacier bed. This is coupled with a sediment transport relationship to determine quantity of discharged material from the glacier snout. Several tuning factors allow calibration and the model to reproduces processes known to occur subglacially, including seasonal evolution of sediment expulsion and deposition of sediment on adverse slopes of overdeepenings. To asses the model's application to real glaciers, sediment flux data has been collected from Gornergletscher, Aletschgletscher and Griesgletscher in the Swiss Alps over time-scales of up to decades. By calibrating to these data, the skill of the model in recreating sediment trends and volumes is assesed. The outputs capture annual erosion quanities relatively well, however, challenges exist in capturing inter-annual variations in sediment discharge. Many of the model's short comings relate to caputuring the spatial distribution of sediment throughout the glacier bed, which is particularing difficult in 1-dimension. However, this work suggests that a simple models can be used to predict subglacial sediment transport with reasonable ability. Additionally, further development can prove fruitful in assessing the impacts of glacier retreat not only on hydrology but also downstream sedimentation.

Analytical and multibody modeling for the power analysis of standing jumps.

PubMed

Palmieri, G; Callegari, M; Fioretti, S

2015-01-01

Two methods for the power analysis of standing jumps are proposed and compared in this article. The first method is based on a simple analytical formulation which requires as input the coordinates of the center of gravity in three specified instants of the jump. The second method is based on a multibody model that simulates the jumps processing the data obtained by a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system and the dynamometric measurements obtained by the force platforms. The multibody model is developed with OpenSim, an open-source software which provides tools for the kinematic and dynamic analyses of 3D human body models. The study is focused on two of the typical tests used to evaluate the muscular activity of lower limbs, which are the counter movement jump and the standing long jump. The comparison between the results obtained by the two methods confirms that the proposed analytical formulation is correct and represents a simple tool suitable for a preliminary analysis of total mechanical work and the mean power exerted in standing jumps.

A Generalizable Methodology for Quantifying User Satisfaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Te-Yuan; Chen, Kuan-Ta; Huang, Polly; Lei, Chin-Laung

Quantifying user satisfaction is essential, because the results can help service providers deliver better services. In this work, we propose a generalizable methodology, based on survival analysis, to quantify user satisfaction in terms of session times, i. e., the length of time users stay with an application. Unlike subjective human surveys, our methodology is based solely on passive measurement, which is more cost-efficient and better able to capture subconscious reactions. Furthermore, by using session times, rather than a specific performance indicator, such as the level of distortion of voice signals, the effects of other factors like loudness and sidetone, can also be captured by the developed models. Like survival analysis, our methodology is characterized by low complexity and a simple model-developing process. The feasibility of our methodology is demonstrated through case studies of ShenZhou Online, a commercial MMORPG in Taiwan, and the most prevalent VoIP application in the world, namely Skype. Through the model development process, we can also identify the most significant performance factors and their impacts on user satisfaction and discuss how they can be exploited to improve user experience and optimize resource allocation.

On the Prony series representation of stretched exponential relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauro, John C.; Mauro, Yihong Z.

2018-09-01

Stretched exponential relaxation is a ubiquitous feature of homogeneous glasses. The stretched exponential decay function can be derived from the diffusion-trap model, which predicts certain critical values of the fractional stretching exponent, β. In practical implementations of glass relaxation models, it is computationally convenient to represent the stretched exponential function as a Prony series of simple exponentials. Here, we perform a comprehensive mathematical analysis of the Prony series approximation of the stretched exponential relaxation, including optimized coefficients for certain critical values of β. The fitting quality of the Prony series is analyzed as a function of the number of terms in the series. With a sufficient number of terms, the Prony series can accurately capture the time evolution of the stretched exponential function, including its "fat tail" at long times. However, it is unable to capture the divergence of the first-derivative of the stretched exponential function in the limit of zero time. We also present a frequency-domain analysis of the Prony series representation of the stretched exponential function and discuss its physical implications for the modeling of glass relaxation behavior.

Shocks near Jamming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, Leopoldo R.; Turner, Ari M.; van Hecke, Martin; Vitelli, Vincenzo

2012-02-01

Nonlinear sound is an extreme phenomenon typically observed in solids after violent explosions. But granular media are different. Right when they jam, these fragile and disordered solids exhibit a vanishing rigidity and sound speed, so that even tiny mechanical perturbations form supersonic shocks. Here, we perform simulations in which two-dimensional jammed granular packings are dynamically compressed and demonstrate that the elementary excitations are strongly nonlinear shocks, rather than ordinary phonons. We capture the full dependence of the shock speed on pressure and impact intensity by a surprisingly simple analytical model.

Multiple collision effects on the antiproton production by high energy proton (100 GeV - 1000 GeV)

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

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Powell, J.

Antiproton production rates which take into account multiple collision are calculated using a simple model. Methods to reduce capture of the produced antiprotons by the target are discussed, including geometry of target and the use of a high intensity laser. Antiproton production increases substantially above 150 GeV proton incident energy. The yield increases almost linearly with incident energy, alleviating space charge problems in the high current accelerator that produces large amounts of antiprotons.

Directed transport by surface chemical potential gradients for enhancing analyte collection in nanoscale sensors.

PubMed

Sitt, Amit; Hess, Henry

2015-05-13

Nanoscale detectors hold great promise for single molecule detection and the analysis of small volumes of dilute samples. However, the probability of an analyte reaching the nanosensor in a dilute solution is extremely low due to the sensor's small size. Here, we examine the use of a chemical potential gradient along a surface to accelerate analyte capture by nanoscale sensors. Utilizing a simple model for transport induced by surface binding energy gradients, we study the effect of the gradient on the efficiency of collecting nanoparticles and single and double stranded DNA. The results indicate that chemical potential gradients along a surface can lead to an acceleration of analyte capture by several orders of magnitude compared to direct collection from the solution. The improvement in collection is limited to a relatively narrow window of gradient slopes, and its extent strongly depends on the size of the gradient patch. Our model allows the optimization of gradient layouts and sheds light on the fundamental characteristics of chemical potential gradient induced transport.

Communication: Appearance of undershoots in start-up shear: Experimental findings captured by tumbling-snake dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephanou, Pavlos S.; Schweizer, Thomas; Kröger, Martin

2017-04-01

Our experimental data unambiguously show (i) a damping behavior (the appearance of an undershoot following the overshoot) in the transient shear viscosity of a concentrated polymeric solution, and (ii) the absence of a corresponding behavior in the transient normal stress coefficients. Both trends are shown to be quantitatively captured by the bead-link chain kinetic theory for concentrated polymer solutions and entangled polymer melts proposed by Curtiss and Bird, supplemented by a non-constant link tension coefficient that we relate to the nematic order parameter. The observed phenomena are attributed to the tumbling behavior of the links, triggered by rotational fluctuations, on top of reptation. Using model parameters deduced from stationary data, we calculate the transient behavior of the stress tensor for this "tumbling-snake" model after startup of shear flow efficiently via simple Brownian dynamics. The unaltered method is capable of handling arbitrary homogeneous flows and has the promising capacity to improve our understanding of the transient behavior of concentrated polymer solutions.

Classification framework for partially observed dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-04-01

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

Continuum Modeling of Inductor Hysteresis and Eddy Current Loss Effects in Resonant Circuits

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

Pries, Jason L.; Tang, Lixin; Burress, Timothy A.

This paper presents experimental validation of a high-fidelity toroid inductor modeling technique. The aim of this research is to accurately model the instantaneous magnetization state and core losses in ferromagnetic materials. Quasi–static hysteresis effects are captured using a Preisach model. Eddy currents are included by coupling the associated quasi-static Everett function to a simple finite element model representing the inductor cross sectional area. The modeling technique is validated against the nonlinear frequency response from two different series RLC resonant circuits using inductors made of electrical steel and soft ferrite. The method is shown to accurately model shifts in resonant frequencymore » and quality factor. The technique also successfully predicts a discontinuity in the frequency response of the ferrite inductor resonant circuit.« less

Nonequilibrium Interfacial Tension in Simple and Complex Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truzzolillo, Domenico; Mora, Serge; Dupas, Christelle; Cipelletti, Luca

2016-10-01

Interfacial tension between immiscible phases is a well-known phenomenon, which manifests itself in everyday life, from the shape of droplets and foam bubbles to the capillary rise of sap in plants or the locomotion of insects on a water surface. More than a century ago, Korteweg generalized this notion by arguing that stresses at the interface between two miscible fluids act transiently as an effective, nonequilibrium interfacial tension, before homogenization is eventually reached. In spite of its relevance in fields as diverse as geosciences, polymer physics, multiphase flows, and fluid removal, experiments and theoretical works on the interfacial tension of miscible systems are still scarce, and mostly restricted to molecular fluids. This leaves crucial questions unanswered, concerning the very existence of the effective interfacial tension, its stabilizing or destabilizing character, and its dependence on the fluid's composition and concentration gradients. We present an extensive set of measurements on miscible complex fluids that demonstrate the existence and the stabilizing character of the effective interfacial tension, unveil new regimes beyond Korteweg's predictions, and quantify its dependence on the nature of the fluids and the composition gradient at the interface. We introduce a simple yet general model that rationalizes nonequilibrium interfacial stresses to arbitrary mixtures, beyond Korteweg's small gradient regime, and show that the model captures remarkably well both our new measurements and literature data on molecular and polymer fluids. Finally, we briefly discuss the relevance of our model to a variety of interface-driven problems, from phase separation to fracture, which are not adequately captured by current approaches based on the assumption of small gradients.

Prediction of storm transfers and annual loads with data-based mechanistic models using high-frequency data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ockenden, Mary C.; Tych, Wlodek; Beven, Keith J.; Collins, Adrian L.; Evans, Robert; Falloon, Peter D.; Forber, Kirsty J.; Hiscock, Kevin M.; Hollaway, Michael J.; Kahana, Ron; Macleod, Christopher J. A.; Villamizar, Martha L.; Wearing, Catherine; Withers, Paul J. A.; Zhou, Jian G.; Benskin, Clare McW. H.; Burke, Sean; Cooper, Richard J.; Freer, Jim E.; Haygarth, Philip M.

2017-12-01

Excess nutrients in surface waters, such as phosphorus (P) from agriculture, result in poor water quality, with adverse effects on ecological health and costs for remediation. However, understanding and prediction of P transfers in catchments have been limited by inadequate data and over-parameterised models with high uncertainty. We show that, with high temporal resolution data, we are able to identify simple dynamic models that capture the P load dynamics in three contrasting agricultural catchments in the UK. For a flashy catchment, a linear, second-order (two pathways) model for discharge gave high simulation efficiencies for short-term storm sequences and was useful in highlighting uncertainties in out-of-bank flows. A model with non-linear rainfall input was appropriate for predicting seasonal or annual cumulative P loads where antecedent conditions affected the catchment response. For second-order models, the time constant for the fast pathway varied between 2 and 15 h for all three catchments and for both discharge and P, confirming that high temporal resolution data are necessary to capture the dynamic responses in small catchments (10-50 km2). The models led to a better understanding of the dominant nutrient transfer modes, which will be helpful in determining phosphorus transfers following changes in precipitation patterns in the future.

Using process algebra to develop predator-prey models of within-host parasite dynamics.

PubMed

McCaig, Chris; Fenton, Andy; Graham, Andrea; Shankland, Carron; Norman, Rachel

2013-07-21

As a first approximation of immune-mediated within-host parasite dynamics we can consider the immune response as a predator, with the parasite as its prey. In the ecological literature of predator-prey interactions there are a number of different functional responses used to describe how a predator reproduces in response to consuming prey. Until recently most of the models of the immune system that have taken a predator-prey approach have used simple mass action dynamics to capture the interaction between the immune response and the parasite. More recently Fenton and Perkins (2010) employed three of the most commonly used prey-dependent functional response terms from the ecological literature. In this paper we make use of a technique from computing science, process algebra, to develop mathematical models. The novelty of the process algebra approach is to allow stochastic models of the population (parasite and immune cells) to be developed from rules of individual cell behaviour. By using this approach in which individual cellular behaviour is captured we have derived a ratio-dependent response similar to that seen in the previous models of immune-mediated parasite dynamics, confirming that, whilst this type of term is controversial in ecological predator-prey models, it is appropriate for models of the immune system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple model for multiple-choice collective decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ching Hua; Lucas, Andrew

2014-11-01

We describe a simple model of heterogeneous, interacting agents making decisions between n ≥2 discrete choices. For a special class of interactions, our model is the mean field description of random field Potts-like models and is effectively solved by finding the extrema of the average energy E per agent. In these cases, by studying the propagation of decision changes via avalanches, we argue that macroscopic dynamics is well captured by a gradient flow along E . We focus on the permutation symmetric case, where all n choices are (on average) the same, and spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) arises purely from cooperative social interactions. As examples, we show that bimodal heterogeneity naturally provides a mechanism for the spontaneous formation of hierarchies between decisions and that SSB is a preferred instability to discontinuous phase transitions between two symmetric points. Beyond the mean field limit, exponentially many stable equilibria emerge when we place this model on a graph of finite mean degree. We conclude with speculation on decision making with persistent collective oscillations. Throughout the paper, we emphasize analogies between methods of solution to our model and common intuition from diverse areas of physics, including statistical physics and electromagnetism.

Validation of the Two-Layer Model for Correcting Clear Sky Reflectance Near Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wen, Guoyong; Marshak, Alexander; Evans, K. Frank; Vamal, Tamas

2014-01-01

A two-layer model was developed in our earlier studies to estimate the clear sky reflectance enhancement near clouds. This simple model accounts for the radiative interaction between boundary layer clouds and molecular layer above, the major contribution to the reflectance enhancement near clouds for short wavelengths. We use LES/SHDOM simulated 3D radiation fields to valid the two-layer model for reflectance enhancement at 0.47 micrometer. We find: (a) The simple model captures the viewing angle dependence of the reflectance enhancement near cloud, suggesting the physics of this model is correct; and (b) The magnitude of the 2-layer modeled enhancement agree reasonably well with the "truth" with some expected underestimation. We further extend our model to include cloud-surface interaction using the Poisson model for broken clouds. We found that including cloud-surface interaction improves the correction, though it can introduced some over corrections for large cloud albedo, large cloud optical depth, large cloud fraction, large cloud aspect ratio. This over correction can be reduced by excluding scenes (10 km x 10km) with large cloud fraction for which the Poisson model is not designed for. Further research is underway to account for the contribution of cloud-aerosol radiative interaction to the enhancement.

Simple, fast, and low-cost camera-based water content measurement with colorimetric fluorescent indicator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Seok-Jeong; Kim, Tae-Il; Kim, Youngmi; Nam, Hyoungsik

2018-05-01

Recently, a simple, sensitive, and low-cost fluorescent indicator has been proposed to determine water contents in organic solvents, drugs, and foodstuffs. The change of water content leads to the change of the indicator's fluorescence color under the ultra-violet (UV) light. Whereas the water content values could be estimated from the spectrum obtained by a bulky and expensive spectrometer in the previous research, this paper demonstrates a simple and low-cost camera-based water content measurement scheme with the same fluorescent water indicator. Water content is calculated over the range of 0-30% by quadratic polynomial regression models with color information extracted from the captured images of samples. Especially, several color spaces such as RGB, xyY, L∗a∗b∗, u‧v‧, HSV, and YCBCR have been investigated to establish the optimal color information features over both linear and nonlinear RGB data given by a camera before and after gamma correction. In the end, a 2nd order polynomial regression model along with HSV in a linear domain achieves the minimum mean square error of 1.06% for a 3-fold cross validation method. Additionally, the resultant water content estimation model is implemented and evaluated in an off-the-shelf Android-based smartphone.

Interpersonal distance modeling during fighting activities.

PubMed

Dietrich, Gilles; Bredin, Jonathan; Kerlirzin, Yves

2010-10-01

The aim of this article is to elaborate a general framework for modeling dual opposition activities, or more generally, dual interaction. The main hypothesis is that opposition behavior can be measured directly from a global variable and that the relative distance between the two subjects can be this parameter. Moreover, this parameter should be considered as multidimensional parameter depending not only on the dynamics of the subjects but also on the "internal" parameters of the subjects, such as sociological and/or emotional states. Standard and simple mechanical formalization will be used to model this multifactorial distance. To illustrate such a general modeling methodology, this model was compared with actual data from an opposition activity like Japanese fencing (kendo). This model captures not only coupled coordination, but more generally interaction in two-subject activities.

Mathematical models to characterize early epidemic growth: A Review

PubMed Central

Chowell, Gerardo; Sattenspiel, Lisa; Bansal, Shweta; Viboud, Cécile

2016-01-01

There is a long tradition of using mathematical models to generate insights into the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and assess the potential impact of different intervention strategies. The increasing use of mathematical models for epidemic forecasting has highlighted the importance of designing reliable models that capture the baseline transmission characteristics of specific pathogens and social contexts. More refined models are needed however, in particular to account for variation in the early growth dynamics of real epidemics and to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms at play. Here, we review recent progress on modeling and characterizing early epidemic growth patterns from infectious disease outbreak data, and survey the types of mathematical formulations that are most useful for capturing a diversity of early epidemic growth profiles, ranging from sub-exponential to exponential growth dynamics. Specifically, we review mathematical models that incorporate spatial details or realistic population mixing structures, including meta-population models, individual-based network models, and simple SIR-type models that incorporate the effects of reactive behavior changes or inhomogeneous mixing. In this process, we also analyze simulation data stemming from detailed large-scale agent-based models previously designed and calibrated to study how realistic social networks and disease transmission characteristics shape early epidemic growth patterns, general transmission dynamics, and control of international disease emergencies such as the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. PMID:27451336

Mathematical models to characterize early epidemic growth: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowell, Gerardo; Sattenspiel, Lisa; Bansal, Shweta; Viboud, Cécile

2016-09-01

There is a long tradition of using mathematical models to generate insights into the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and assess the potential impact of different intervention strategies. The increasing use of mathematical models for epidemic forecasting has highlighted the importance of designing reliable models that capture the baseline transmission characteristics of specific pathogens and social contexts. More refined models are needed however, in particular to account for variation in the early growth dynamics of real epidemics and to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms at play. Here, we review recent progress on modeling and characterizing early epidemic growth patterns from infectious disease outbreak data, and survey the types of mathematical formulations that are most useful for capturing a diversity of early epidemic growth profiles, ranging from sub-exponential to exponential growth dynamics. Specifically, we review mathematical models that incorporate spatial details or realistic population mixing structures, including meta-population models, individual-based network models, and simple SIR-type models that incorporate the effects of reactive behavior changes or inhomogeneous mixing. In this process, we also analyze simulation data stemming from detailed large-scale agent-based models previously designed and calibrated to study how realistic social networks and disease transmission characteristics shape early epidemic growth patterns, general transmission dynamics, and control of international disease emergencies such as the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

A new surface-process model for landscape evolution at a mountain belt scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, Sean D.; Braun, Jean; Herman, Frederic

2010-05-01

We present a new surface process model designed for modeling surface erosion and mass transport at an orogenic scale. Modeling surface processes at a large-scale is difficult because surface geomorphic processes are frequently described at the scale of a few meters, and such resolution cannot be represented in orogen-scale models operating over hundreds of square kilometers. We circumvent this problem by implementing a hybrid numerical -- analytical model. Like many previous models, the model is based on a numerical fluvial network represented by a series of nodes linked by model rivers in a descending network, with fluvial incision and sediment transport defined by laws operating on this network. However we only represent the largest rivers in the landscape by nodes in this model. Low-order rivers and water divides between large rivers are determined from analytical solutions assuming steady-state conditions with respect to the local river channel. The analytical solution includes the same fluvial incision law as the large rivers and a channel head with a specified size and mean slope. This permits a precise representation of the position of water divides between river basins. This is a key characteristic in landscape evolution as divide migration provides a positive feedback between river incision and a consequent increase in drainage area. The analytical solution also provides an explicit criterion for river capture, which occurs once a water divide migrates to its neighboring channel. This algorithm avoids the artificial network organization that often results from meshing and remeshing algorithms in numerical models. We demonstrate the use of this model with several simple examples including uniform uplift of a block, simultaneous uplift and shortening of a block, and a model involving strike slip faulting. We find a strong dependence on initial condition, but also a surprisingly strong dependence on channel head height parameters. Low channel heads, as expected, lead to more fluvial capture, but with low initial relief initial and a small channel-head height, runaway capture is common, with a few rivers capturing much of the available drainage area. With larger channel-head relief, lateral capture of rivers is less common, resulting in evenly spaced river basins. Basin spacing ratios matching those observed in nature are obtained for specific channel head parameters. These models thus demonstrate the mixed control on basin characteristics by antecedent river networks and channel-head parameters, which control the mobility of drainage basin water divides.

Image Search Reranking With Hierarchical Topic Awareness.

PubMed

Tian, Xinmei; Yang, Linjun; Lu, Yijuan; Tian, Qi; Tao, Dacheng

2015-10-01

With much attention from both academia and industrial communities, visual search reranking has recently been proposed to refine image search results obtained from text-based image search engines. Most of the traditional reranking methods cannot capture both relevance and diversity of the search results at the same time. Or they ignore the hierarchical topic structure of search result. Each topic is treated equally and independently. However, in real applications, images returned for certain queries are naturally in hierarchical organization, rather than simple parallel relation. In this paper, a new reranking method "topic-aware reranking (TARerank)" is proposed. TARerank describes the hierarchical topic structure of search results in one model, and seamlessly captures both relevance and diversity of the image search results simultaneously. Through a structured learning framework, relevance and diversity are modeled in TARerank by a set of carefully designed features, and then the model is learned from human-labeled training samples. The learned model is expected to predict reranking results with high relevance and diversity for testing queries. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we collect an image search dataset and conduct comparison experiments on it. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed TARerank outperforms the existing relevance-based and diversified reranking methods.

Coupling biochemistry and hydrodynamics captures hyperactivated sperm motility in a simple flagellar model

PubMed Central

Olson, Sarah D.; Suarez, Susan S.; Fauci, Lisa J.

2011-01-01

Hyperactivation in mammalian sperm is characterized by highly asymmetrical waveforms and an increase in the amplitude of flagellar bends. It is important for the sperm to be able to achieve hyperactivated motility in order to reach and fertilize the egg. Calcium (Ca2+) dynamics are known to play a large role in the initiation and maintenance of hyperactivated motility. Here we present an integrative model that couples the CatSper channel mediated Ca2+ dynamics of hyperactivation to a mechanical model of an idealized sperm flagellum in a 3-d viscous, incompressible fluid. The mechanical forces are due to passive stiffness properties and active bending moments that are a function of the local Ca2+ concentration along the length of the flagellum. By including an asymmetry in bending moments to reflect an asymmetry in the axoneme’s response to Ca2+, we capture the transition from activated motility to hyperactivated motility. We examine the effects of elastic properties of the flagellum and the Ca2+ dynamics on the overall swimming patterns. The swimming velocities of the model flagellum compare well with data for hyperactivated mouse sperm. PMID:21669209

Capturing tumor complexity in vitro: Comparative analysis of 2D and 3D tumor models for drug discovery.

PubMed

Stock, Kristin; Estrada, Marta F; Vidic, Suzana; Gjerde, Kjersti; Rudisch, Albin; Santo, Vítor E; Barbier, Michaël; Blom, Sami; Arundkar, Sharath C; Selvam, Irwin; Osswald, Annika; Stein, Yan; Gruenewald, Sylvia; Brito, Catarina; van Weerden, Wytske; Rotter, Varda; Boghaert, Erwin; Oren, Moshe; Sommergruber, Wolfgang; Chong, Yolanda; de Hoogt, Ronald; Graeser, Ralph

2016-07-01

Two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures growing on plastic do not recapitulate the three dimensional (3D) architecture and complexity of human tumors. More representative models are required for drug discovery and validation. Here, 2D culture and 3D mono- and stromal co-culture models of increasing complexity have been established and cross-comparisons made using three standard cell carcinoma lines: MCF7, LNCaP, NCI-H1437. Fluorescence-based growth curves, 3D image analysis, immunohistochemistry and treatment responses showed that end points differed according to cell type, stromal co-culture and culture format. The adaptable methodologies described here should guide the choice of appropriate simple and complex in vitro models.

Capturing tumor complexity in vitro: Comparative analysis of 2D and 3D tumor models for drug discovery

PubMed Central

Stock, Kristin; Estrada, Marta F.; Vidic, Suzana; Gjerde, Kjersti; Rudisch, Albin; Santo, Vítor E.; Barbier, Michaël; Blom, Sami; Arundkar, Sharath C.; Selvam, Irwin; Osswald, Annika; Stein, Yan; Gruenewald, Sylvia; Brito, Catarina; van Weerden, Wytske; Rotter, Varda; Boghaert, Erwin; Oren, Moshe; Sommergruber, Wolfgang; Chong, Yolanda; de Hoogt, Ronald; Graeser, Ralph

2016-01-01

Two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures growing on plastic do not recapitulate the three dimensional (3D) architecture and complexity of human tumors. More representative models are required for drug discovery and validation. Here, 2D culture and 3D mono- and stromal co-culture models of increasing complexity have been established and cross-comparisons made using three standard cell carcinoma lines: MCF7, LNCaP, NCI-H1437. Fluorescence-based growth curves, 3D image analysis, immunohistochemistry and treatment responses showed that end points differed according to cell type, stromal co-culture and culture format. The adaptable methodologies described here should guide the choice of appropriate simple and complex in vitro models. PMID:27364600

Modeling the electrophoretic separation of short biological molecules in nanofluidic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayad, Ghassan; Hadjiconstantinou, Nicolas

2010-11-01

Via comparisons with Brownian Dynamics simulations of the worm-like-chain and rigid-rod models, and the experimental results of Fu et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett., 97, 018103 (2006)], we demonstrate that, for the purposes of low-to-medium field electrophoretic separation in periodic nanofilter arrays, sufficiently short biomolecules can be modeled as point particles, with their orientational degrees of freedom accounted for using partition coefficients. This observation is used in the present work to build a particularly simple and efficient Brownian Dynamics simulation method. Particular attention is paid to the model's ability to quantitatively capture experimental results using realistic values of all physical parameters. A variance-reduction method is developed for efficiently simulating arbitrarily small forcing electric fields.

Vapor mediated droplet interactions - models and mechanisms (Part 2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benusiglio, Adrien; Cira, Nate; Prakash, Manu

2014-11-01

When deposited on clean glass a two-component binary mixture of propylene glycol and water is energetically inclined to spread, as both pure liquids do. Instead the mixture forms droplets stabilized by evaporation induced surface tension gradients, giving them unique properties such as negligible hysteresis. When two of these special droplets are deposited several radii apart they attract each other. The vapor from one droplet destabilizes the other, resulting in an attraction force which brings both droplets together. We present a flux-based model for droplet stabilization and a model which connects the vapor profile to net force. These simple models capture the static and dynamic experimental trends, and our fundamental understanding of these droplets and their interactions allowed us to build autonomous fluidic machines.

Self-Assembled Magnetic Surface Swimmers: Theoretical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranson, Igor; Belkin, Maxim; Snezhko, Alexey

2009-03-01

The mechanisms of self-propulsion of living microorganisms are a fascinating phenomenon attracting enormous attention in the physics community. A new type of self-assembled micro-swimmers, magnetic snakes, is an excellent tool to model locomotion in a simple table-top experiment. The snakes self-assemble from a dispersion of magnetic microparticles suspended on the liquid-air interface and subjected to an alternating magnetic field. Formation and dynamics of these swimmers are captured in the framework of theoretical model coupling paradigm equation for the amplitude of surface waves, conservation law for the density of particles, and the Navier-Stokes equation for hydrodynamic flows. The results of continuum modeling are supported by hybrid molecular dynamics simulations of magnetic particles floating on the surface of fluid.

Towards refactoring the Molecular Function Ontology with a UML profile for function modeling.

PubMed

Burek, Patryk; Loebe, Frank; Herre, Heinrich

2017-10-04

Gene Ontology (GO) is the largest resource for cataloging gene products. This resource grows steadily and, naturally, this growth raises issues regarding the structure of the ontology. Moreover, modeling and refactoring large ontologies such as GO is generally far from being simple, as a whole as well as when focusing on certain aspects or fragments. It seems that human-friendly graphical modeling languages such as the Unified Modeling Language (UML) could be helpful in connection with these tasks. We investigate the use of UML for making the structural organization of the Molecular Function Ontology (MFO), a sub-ontology of GO, more explicit. More precisely, we present a UML dialect, called the Function Modeling Language (FueL), which is suited for capturing functions in an ontologically founded way. FueL is equipped, among other features, with language elements that arise from studying patterns of subsumption between functions. We show how to use this UML dialect for capturing the structure of molecular functions. Furthermore, we propose and discuss some refactoring options concerning fragments of MFO. FueL enables the systematic, graphical representation of functions and their interrelations, including making information explicit that is currently either implicit in MFO or is mainly captured in textual descriptions. Moreover, the considered subsumption patterns lend themselves to the methodical analysis of refactoring options with respect to MFO. On this basis we argue that the approach can increase the comprehensibility of the structure of MFO for humans and can support communication, for example, during revision and further development.

Testing high resolution numerical models for analysis of contaminant storage and release from low permeability zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Steven W.; Parker, Beth L.; Sale, Tom C.; Doner, Lee Ann

2012-08-01

It is now widely recognized that contaminant release from low permeability zones can sustain plumes long after primary sources are depleted, particularly for chlorinated solvents where regulatory limits are orders of magnitude below source concentrations. This has led to efforts to appropriately characterize sites and apply models for prediction incorporating these effects. A primary challenge is that diffusion processes are controlled by small-scale concentration gradients and capturing mass distribution in low permeability zones requires much higher resolution than commonly practiced. This paper explores validity of using numerical models (HydroGeoSphere, FEFLOW, MODFLOW/MT3DMS) in high resolution mode to simulate scenarios involving diffusion into and out of low permeability zones: 1) a laboratory tank study involving a continuous sand body with suspended clay layers which was 'loaded' with bromide and fluorescein (for visualization) tracers followed by clean water flushing, and 2) the two-layer analytical solution of Sale et al. (2008) involving a relatively simple scenario with an aquifer and underlying low permeability layer. All three models are shown to provide close agreement when adequate spatial and temporal discretization are applied to represent problem geometry, resolve flow fields and capture advective transport in the sands and diffusive transfer with low permeability layers and minimize numerical dispersion. The challenge for application at field sites then becomes appropriate site characterization to inform the models, capturing the style of the low permeability zone geometry and incorporating reasonable hydrogeologic parameters and estimates of source history, for scenario testing and more accurate prediction of plume response, leading to better site decision making.

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

Honorio, J.; Goldstein, R.; Honorio, J.

We propose a simple, well grounded classification technique which is suited for group classification on brain fMRI data sets that have high dimensionality, small number of subjects, high noise level, high subject variability, imperfect registration and capture subtle cognitive effects. We propose threshold-split region as a new feature selection method and majority voteas the classification technique. Our method does not require a predefined set of regions of interest. We use average acros ssessions, only one feature perexperimental condition, feature independence assumption, and simple classifiers. The seeming counter-intuitive approach of using a simple design is supported by signal processing and statisticalmore » theory. Experimental results in two block design data sets that capture brain function under distinct monetary rewards for cocaine addicted and control subjects, show that our method exhibits increased generalization accuracy compared to commonly used feature selection and classification techniques.« less

Particle dynamics and deposition in true-scale pulmonary acinar models.

PubMed

Fishler, Rami; Hofemeier, Philipp; Etzion, Yael; Dubowski, Yael; Sznitman, Josué

2015-09-11

Particle transport phenomena in the deep alveolated airways of the lungs (i.e. pulmonary acinus) govern deposition outcomes following inhalation of hazardous or pharmaceutical aerosols. Yet, there is still a dearth of experimental tools for resolving acinar particle dynamics and validating numerical simulations. Here, we present a true-scale experimental model of acinar structures consisting of bifurcating alveolated ducts that capture breathing-like wall motion and ensuing respiratory acinar flows. We study experimentally captured trajectories of inhaled polydispersed smoke particles (0.2 to 1 μm in diameter), demonstrating how intrinsic particle motion, i.e. gravity and diffusion, is crucial in determining dispersion and deposition of aerosols through a streamline crossing mechanism, a phenomenon paramount during flow reversal and locally within alveolar cavities. A simple conceptual framework is constructed for predicting the fate of inhaled particles near an alveolus by identifying capture and escape zones and considering how streamline crossing may shift particles between them. In addition, we examine the effect of particle size on detailed deposition patterns of monodispersed microspheres between 0.1-2 μm. Our experiments underline local modifications in the deposition patterns due to gravity for particles ≥0.5 μm compared to smaller particles, and show good agreement with corresponding numerical simulations.

Particle dynamics and deposition in true-scale pulmonary acinar models

PubMed Central

Fishler, Rami; Hofemeier, Philipp; Etzion, Yael; Dubowski, Yael; Sznitman, Josué

2015-01-01

Particle transport phenomena in the deep alveolated airways of the lungs (i.e. pulmonary acinus) govern deposition outcomes following inhalation of hazardous or pharmaceutical aerosols. Yet, there is still a dearth of experimental tools for resolving acinar particle dynamics and validating numerical simulations. Here, we present a true-scale experimental model of acinar structures consisting of bifurcating alveolated ducts that capture breathing-like wall motion and ensuing respiratory acinar flows. We study experimentally captured trajectories of inhaled polydispersed smoke particles (0.2 to 1 μm in diameter), demonstrating how intrinsic particle motion, i.e. gravity and diffusion, is crucial in determining dispersion and deposition of aerosols through a streamline crossing mechanism, a phenomenon paramount during flow reversal and locally within alveolar cavities. A simple conceptual framework is constructed for predicting the fate of inhaled particles near an alveolus by identifying capture and escape zones and considering how streamline crossing may shift particles between them. In addition, we examine the effect of particle size on detailed deposition patterns of monodispersed microspheres between 0.1–2 μm. Our experiments underline local modifications in the deposition patterns due to gravity for particles ≥0.5 μm compared to smaller particles, and show good agreement with corresponding numerical simulations. PMID:26358580

Robust and Accurate Shock Capturing Method for High-Order Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkins, Harold L.; Pampell, Alyssa

2011-01-01

A simple yet robust and accurate approach for capturing shock waves using a high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method is presented. The method uses the physical viscous terms of the Navier-Stokes equations as suggested by others; however, the proposed formulation of the numerical viscosity is continuous and compact by construction, and does not require the solution of an auxiliary diffusion equation. This work also presents two analyses that guided the formulation of the numerical viscosity and certain aspects of the DG implementation. A local eigenvalue analysis of the DG discretization applied to a shock containing element is used to evaluate the robustness of several Riemann flux functions, and to evaluate algorithm choices that exist within the underlying DG discretization. A second analysis examines exact solutions to the DG discretization in a shock containing element, and identifies a "model" instability that will inevitably arise when solving the Euler equations using the DG method. This analysis identifies the minimum viscosity required for stability. The shock capturing method is demonstrated for high-speed flow over an inviscid cylinder and for an unsteady disturbance in a hypersonic boundary layer. Numerical tests are presented that evaluate several aspects of the shock detection terms. The sensitivity of the results to model parameters is examined with grid and order refinement studies.

A simple integrated assessment approach to global change simulation and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogutu, Keroboto; D'Andrea, Fabio; Ghil, Michael

2016-04-01

We formulate and study the Coupled Climate-Economy-Biosphere (CoCEB) model, which constitutes the basis of our idealized integrated assessment approach to simulating and evaluating global change. CoCEB is composed of a physical climate module, based on Earth's energy balance, and an economy module that uses endogenous economic growth with physical and human capital accumulation. A biosphere model is likewise under study and will be coupled to the existing two modules. We concentrate on the interactions between the two subsystems: the effect of climate on the economy, via damage functions, and the effect of the economy on climate, via a control of the greenhouse gas emissions. Simple functional forms of the relation between the two subsystems permit simple interpretations of the coupled effects. The CoCEB model is used to make hypotheses on the long-term effect of investment in emission abatement, and on the comparative efficacy of different approaches to abatement, in particular by investing in low carbon technology, in deforestation reduction or in carbon capture and storage (CCS). The CoCEB model is very flexible and transparent, and it allows one to easily formulate and compare different functional representations of climate change mitigation policies. Using different mitigation measures and their cost estimates, as found in the literature, one is able to compare these measures in a coherent way.

Boundary lubrication of heterogeneous surfaces and the onset of cavitation in frictional contacts

PubMed Central

Savio, Daniele; Pastewka, Lars; Gumbsch, Peter

2016-01-01

Surfaces can be slippery or sticky depending on surface chemistry and roughness. We demonstrate in atomistic simulations that regular and random slip patterns on a surface lead to pressure excursions within a lubricated contact that increase quadratically with decreasing contact separation. This is captured well by a simple hydrodynamic model including wall slip. We predict with this model that pressure changes for larger length scales and realistic frictional conditions can easily reach cavitation thresholds and significantly change the load-bearing capacity of a contact. Cavitation may therefore be the norm, not the exception, under boundary lubrication conditions. PMID:27051871

A simple nonlinear model for the return to isotropy in turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkar, Sutanu; Speziale, Charles G.

1989-01-01

A quadratic nonlinear generalization of the linear Rotta model for the slow pressure-strain correlation of turbulence is developed. The model is shown to satisfy realizability and to give rise to no stable non-trivial equilibrium solutions for the anisotropy tensor in the case of vanishing mean velocity gradients. The absence of stable non-trivial equilibrium solutions is a necessary condition to ensure that the model predicts a return to isotropy for all relaxational turbulent flows. Both the phase space dynamics and the temporal behavior of the model are examined and compared against experimental data for the return to isotropy problem. It is demonstrated that the quadratic model successfully captures the experimental trends which clearly exhibit nonlinear behavior. Direct comparisons are also made with the predictions of the Rotta model and the Lumley model.

Hydrogeomorphology explains acidification-driven variation in aquatic biological communities in the Neversink Basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harpold, Adrian A.; Burns, Douglas A.; Walter, M.T.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.

2013-01-01

Describing the distribution of aquatic habitats and the health of biological communities can be costly and time-consuming; therefore, simple, inexpensive methods to scale observations of aquatic biota to watersheds that lack data would be useful. In this study, we explored the potential of a simple “hydrogeomorphic” model to predict the effects of acid deposition on macroinvertebrate, fish, and diatom communities in 28 sub-watersheds of the 176-km2 Neversink River basin in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. The empirical model was originally developed to predict stream-water acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) using the watershed slope and drainage density. Because ANC is known to be strongly related to aquatic biological communities in the Neversink, we speculated that the model might correlate well with biotic indicators of ANC response. The hydrogeomorphic model was strongly correlated to several measures of macroinvertebrate and fish community richness and density, but less strongly correlated to diatom acid tolerance. The model was also strongly correlated to biological communities in 18 sub-watersheds independent of the model development, with the linear correlation capturing the strongly acidic nature of small upland watersheds (2). Overall, we demonstrated the applicability of geospatial data sets and a simple hydrogeomorphic model for estimating aquatic biological communities in areas with stream-water acidification, allowing estimates where no direct field observations are available. Similar modeling approaches have the potential to complement or refine expensive and time-consuming measurements of aquatic biota populations and to aid in regional assessments of aquatic health.

The Pathway for Oxygen: Tutorial Modelling on Oxygen Transport from Air to Mitochondrion: The Pathway for Oxygen.

PubMed

Bassingthwaighte, James B; Raymond, Gary M; Dash, Ranjan K; Beard, Daniel A; Nolan, Margaret

2016-01-01

The 'Pathway for Oxygen' is captured in a set of models describing quantitative relationships between fluxes and driving forces for the flux of oxygen from the external air source to the mitochondrial sink at cytochrome oxidase. The intervening processes involve convection, membrane permeation, diffusion of free and heme-bound O2 and enzymatic reactions. While this system's basic elements are simple: ventilation, alveolar gas exchange with blood, circulation of the blood, perfusion of an organ, uptake by tissue, and consumption by chemical reaction, integration of these pieces quickly becomes complex. This complexity led us to construct a tutorial on the ideas and principles; these first PathwayO2 models are simple but quantitative and cover: (1) a 'one-alveolus lung' with airway resistance, lung volume compliance, (2) bidirectional transport of solute gasses like O2 and CO2, (3) gas exchange between alveolar air and lung capillary blood, (4) gas solubility in blood, and circulation of blood through the capillary syncytium and back to the lung, and (5) blood-tissue gas exchange in capillaries. These open-source models are at Physiome.org and provide background for the many respiratory models there.

The Pathway for Oxygen: Tutorial Modelling on Oxygen Transport from Air to Mitochondrion

PubMed Central

Bassingthwaighte, James B.; Raymond, Gary M.; Dash, Ranjan K.; Beard, Daniel A.; Nolan, Margaret

2016-01-01

The ‘Pathway for Oxygen’ is captured in a set of models describing quantitative relationships between fluxes and driving forces for the flux of oxygen from the external air source to the mitochondrial sink at cytochrome oxidase. The intervening processes involve convection, membrane permeation, diffusion of free and heme-bound O2 and enzymatic reactions. While this system’s basic elements are simple: ventilation, alveolar gas exchange with blood, circulation of the blood, perfusion of an organ, uptake by tissue, and consumption by chemical reaction, integration of these pieces quickly becomes complex. This complexity led us to construct a tutorial on the ideas and principles; these first PathwayO2 models are simple but quantitative and cover: 1) a ‘one-alveolus lung’ with airway resistance, lung volume compliance, 2) bidirectional transport of solute gasses like O2 and CO2, 3) gas exchange between alveolar air and lung capillary blood, 4) gas solubility in blood, and circulation of blood through the capillary syncytium and back to the lung, and 5) blood-tissue gas exchange in capillaries. These open-source models are at Physiome.org and provide background for the many respiratory models there. PMID:26782201

Micromotors to capture and destroy anthrax simulant spores.

PubMed

Orozco, Jahir; Pan, Guoqing; Sattayasamitsathit, Sirilak; Galarnyk, Michael; Wang, Joseph

2015-03-07

Towards addressing the need for detecting and eliminating biothreats, we describe a micromotor-based approach for screening, capturing, isolating and destroying anthrax simulant spores in a simple and rapid manner with minimal sample processing. The B. globilli antibody-functionalized micromotors can recognize, capture and transport B. globigii spores in environmental matrices, while showing non-interactions with excess of non-target bacteria. Efficient destruction of the anthrax simulant spores is demonstrated via the micromotor-induced mixing of a mild oxidizing solution. The new micromotor-based approach paves a way to dynamic multifunctional systems that rapidly recognize, isolate, capture and destroy biological threats.

FUNGIBILITY AND CONSUMER CHOICE: EVIDENCE FROM COMMODITY PRICE SHOCKS.

PubMed

Hastings, Justine S; Shapiro, Jesse M

2013-11-01

We formulate a test of the fungibility of money based on parallel shifts in the prices of different quality grades of a commodity. We embed the test in a discrete-choice model of product quality choice and estimate the model using panel microdata on gasoline purchases. We find that when gasoline prices rise consumers substitute to lower octane gasoline, to an extent that cannot be explained by income effects. Across a wide range of specifications, we consistently reject the null hypothesis that households treat "gas money" as fungible with other income. We compare the empirical fit of three psychological models of decision-making. A simple model of category budgeting fits the data well, with models of loss aversion and salience both capturing important features of the time series.

Modeling and Control of Airport Queueing Dynamics under Severe Flow Restrictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carr, Francis; Evans, Antony; Clarke, John-Paul; Deron, Eric

2003-01-01

Based on field observations and interviews with controllers at BOS and EWR, we identify the closure of local departure fixes as the most severe class of airport departure restrictions. A set of simple queueing dynamics and traffic rules are developed to model departure traffic under such restrictions. The validity of the proposed model is tested via Monte Carlo simulation against 10 hours of actual operations data collected during a case-study at EWR on June 29,2000. In general, the model successfully reproduces the aggregate departure congestion. An analysis of the average error over 40 simulation runs indicates that flow-rate restrictions also significantly impact departure traffic; work is underway to capture these effects. Several applications and what-if scenarios are discussed for future evaluation using the calibrated model.

FUNGIBILITY AND CONSUMER CHOICE: EVIDENCE FROM COMMODITY PRICE SHOCKS*

PubMed Central

Hastings, Justine S.; Shapiro, Jesse M.

2015-01-01

We formulate a test of the fungibility of money based on parallel shifts in the prices of different quality grades of a commodity. We embed the test in a discrete-choice model of product quality choice and estimate the model using panel microdata on gasoline purchases. We find that when gasoline prices rise consumers substitute to lower octane gasoline, to an extent that cannot be explained by income effects. Across a wide range of specifications, we consistently reject the null hypothesis that households treat “gas money” as fungible with other income. We compare the empirical fit of three psychological models of decision-making. A simple model of category budgeting fits the data well, with models of loss aversion and salience both capturing important features of the time series. PMID:26937053

Understanding psychiatric disorder by capturing ecologically relevant features of learning and decision-making.

PubMed

Scholl, Jacqueline; Klein-Flügge, Miriam

2017-09-28

Recent research in cognitive neuroscience has begun to uncover the processes underlying increasingly complex voluntary behaviours, including learning and decision-making. Partly this success has been possible by progressing from simple experimental tasks to paradigms that incorporate more ecological features. More specifically, the premise is that to understand cognitions and brain functions relevant for real life, we need to introduce some of the ecological challenges that we have evolved to solve. This often entails an increase in task complexity, which can be managed by using computational models to help parse complex behaviours into specific component mechanisms. Here we propose that using computational models with tasks that capture ecologically relevant learning and decision-making processes may provide a critical advantage for capturing the mechanisms underlying symptoms of disorders in psychiatry. As a result, it may help develop mechanistic approaches towards diagnosis and treatment. We begin this review by mapping out the basic concepts and models of learning and decision-making. We then move on to consider specific challenges that emerge in realistic environments and describe how they can be captured by tasks. These include changes of context, uncertainty, reflexive/emotional biases, cost-benefit decision-making, and balancing exploration and exploitation. Where appropriate we highlight future or current links to psychiatry. We particularly draw examples from research on clinical depression, a disorder that greatly compromises motivated behaviours in real-life, but where simpler paradigms have yielded mixed results. Finally, we highlight several paradigms that could be used to help provide new insights into the mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interpreting lateral dynamic weight shifts using a simple inverted pendulum model.

PubMed

Kennedy, Michael W; Bretl, Timothy; Schmiedeler, James P

2014-01-01

Seventy-five young, healthy adults completed a lateral weight-shifting activity in which each shifted his/her center of pressure (CoP) to visually displayed target locations with the aid of visual CoP feedback. Each subject's CoP data were modeled using a single-link inverted pendulum system with a spring-damper at the joint. This extends the simple inverted pendulum model of static balance in the sagittal plane to lateral weight-shifting balance. The model controlled pendulum angle using PD control and a ramp setpoint trajectory, and weight-shifting was characterized by both shift speed and a non-minimum phase (NMP) behavior metric. This NMP behavior metric examines the force magnitude at shift initiation and provides weight-shifting balance performance information that parallels the examination of peak ground reaction forces in gait analysis. Control parameters were optimized on a subject-by-subject basis to match balance metrics for modeled results to metric values calculated from experimental data. Overall, the model matches experimental data well (average percent error of 0.35% for shifting speed and 0.05% for NMP behavior). These results suggest that the single-link inverted pendulum model can be used effectively to capture lateral weight-shifting balance, as it has been shown to model static balance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Filtration Isolation of Nucleic Acids: A Simple and Rapid DNA Extraction Method.

PubMed

McFall, Sally M; Neto, Mário F; Reed, Jennifer L; Wagner, Robin L

2016-08-06

FINA, filtration isolation of nucleic acids, is a novel extraction method which utilizes vertical filtration via a separation membrane and absorbent pad to extract cellular DNA from whole blood in less than 2 min. The blood specimen is treated with detergent, mixed briefly and applied by pipet to the separation membrane. The lysate wicks into the blotting pad due to capillary action, capturing the genomic DNA on the surface of the separation membrane. The extracted DNA is retained on the membrane during a simple wash step wherein PCR inhibitors are wicked into the absorbent blotting pad. The membrane containing the entrapped DNA is then added to the PCR reaction without further purification. This simple method does not require laboratory equipment and can be easily implemented with inexpensive laboratory supplies. Here we describe a protocol for highly sensitive detection and quantitation of HIV-1 proviral DNA from 100 µl whole blood as a model for early infant diagnosis of HIV that could readily be adapted to other genetic targets.

Groundwater protection of minimal water supply systems integrating simple hydrogeological information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigo-Ilarri, Javier; Rodrigo-Clavero, María Elena

2016-04-01

According to the current EU environmental legislation, groundwater protection is one of the key issues to be addressed when new industrial activities have to be authorised. This work shows a simple methodology that could be used by local and environmental authorities in order to analyse the potential risk caused by an industrial spill on a natural environment. The methodology leads to the determination of the protection area around an extraction well system using the information given by: i) a set of local piezometers, ii) the chemical nature of the industrial spill and iii) the hydrogeological parameters of the local aquifer. The exact location of the contaminant source is not needed for the analysis. The flow equation is afterwards solved using a finite-difference approximation scheme under stationary conditions. Finally, the capture zones for different times are computed by a simple upstream advective transport model. Results on the determination of the perimeter protection area definition of a water supply system in the municipality of L'Alcora (Castellón) in Spain are shown.

Capturing attention is not that simple: different mechanisms for stimulus-driven and contingent capture.

PubMed

Liao, Hsin-I; Yeh, Su-Ling

2013-11-01

Attentional orienting can be involuntarily directed to task-irrelevant stimuli, but it remains unsolved whether such attentional capture is contingent on top-down settings or could be purely stimulus-driven. We propose that attentional capture depends on the stimulus property because transient and static features are processed differently; thus, they might be modulated differently by top-down controls. To test this hybrid account, we adopted a spatial cuing paradigm in which a noninformative onset or color cue preceded an onset or color target with various stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). Results showed that the onset cue captured attention regardless of target type at short-but not long-SOAs. In contrast, the color cue captured attention at short and long SOAs, but only with a color target. The overall pattern of results corroborates our hypothesis, suggesting that different mechanisms are at work for stimulus-driven capture (by onset) and contingent capture (by color). Stimulus-driven capture elicits reflexive involuntary orienting, and contingent capture elicits voluntary feature-based enhancement.

Analysis and Modeling of the Arctic Oscillation Using a Simple Barotropic Model with Baroclinic Eddy Forcing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, H. L.

2003-06-01

In this study, a numerical simulation of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) is conducted using a simple barotropic model that considers the barotropic-baroclinic interactions as the external forcing. The model is referred to as a barotropic S model since the external forcing is obtained statistically from the long-term historical data, solving an inverse problem. The barotropic S model has been integrated for 51 years under a perpetual January condition and the dominant empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes in the model have been analyzed. The results are compared with the EOF analysis of the barotropic component of the real atmosphere based on the daily NCEP-NCAR reanalysis for 50 yr from 1950 to 1999.According to the result, the first EOF of the model atmosphere appears to be the AO similar to the observation. The annular structure of the AO and the two centers of action at Pacific and Atlantic are simulated nicely by the barotropic S model. Therefore, the atmospheric low-frequency variabilities have been captured satisfactorily even by the simple barotropic model.The EOF analysis is further conducted to the external forcing of the barotropic S model. The structure of the dominant forcing shows the characteristics of synoptic-scale disturbances of zonal wavenumber 6 along the Pacific storm track. The forcing is induced by the barotropic-baroclinic interactions associated with baroclinic instability.The result suggests that the AO can be understood as the natural variability of the barotropic component of the atmosphere induced by the inherent barotropic dynamics, which is forced by the barotropic-baroclinic interactions. The fluctuating upscale energy cascade from planetary waves and synoptic disturbances to the zonal motion plays the key role for the excitation of the AO.

Nonlinear modeling of wave-topography interactions, shear instabilities and shear induced wave breaking using vortex method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guha, Anirban

2017-11-01

Theoretical studies on linear shear instabilities as well as different kinds of wave interactions often use simple velocity and/or density profiles (e.g. constant, piecewise) for obtaining good qualitative and quantitative predictions of the initial disturbances. Moreover, such simple profiles provide a minimal model to obtain a mechanistic understanding of shear instabilities. Here we have extended this minimal paradigm into nonlinear domain using vortex method. Making use of unsteady Bernoulli's equation in presence of linear shear, and extending Birkhoff-Rott equation to multiple interfaces, we have numerically simulated the interaction between multiple fully nonlinear waves. This methodology is quite general, and has allowed us to simulate diverse problems that can be essentially reduced to the minimal system with interacting waves, e.g. spilling and plunging breakers, stratified shear instabilities (Holmboe, Taylor-Caulfield, stratified Rayleigh), jet flows, and even wave-topography interaction problem like Bragg resonance. We found that the minimal models capture key nonlinear features (e.g. wave breaking features like cusp formation and roll-ups) which are observed in experiments and/or extensive simulations with smooth, realistic profiles.

A simple model for research interest evolution patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Tao; Wang, Dashun; Szymanski, Boleslaw

Sir Isaac Newton supposedly remarked that in his scientific career he was like ``...a boy playing on the sea-shore ...finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary''. His remarkable modesty and famous understatement motivate us to seek regularities in how scientists shift their research focus as the career develops. Indeed, despite intensive investigations on how microscopic factors, such as incentives and risks, would influence a scientist's choice of research agenda, little is known on the macroscopic patterns in the research interest change undertaken by individual scientists throughout their careers. Here we make use of over 14,000 authors' publication records in physics. By quantifying statistical characteristics in the interest evolution, we model scientific research as a random walk, which reproduces patterns in individuals' careers observed empirically. Despite myriad of factors that shape and influence individual choices of research subjects, we identified regularities in this dynamical process that are well captured by a simple statistical model. The results advance our understanding of scientists' behaviors during their careers and open up avenues for future studies in the science of science.

Novel shortcut estimation method for regeneration energy of amine solvents in an absorption-based carbon capture process.

PubMed

Kim, Huiyong; Hwang, Sung June; Lee, Kwang Soon

2015-02-03

Among various CO2 capture processes, the aqueous amine-based absorption process is considered the most promising for near-term deployment. However, the performance evaluation of newly developed solvents still requires complex and time-consuming procedures, such as pilot plant tests or the development of a rigorous simulator. Absence of accurate and simple calculation methods for the energy performance at an early stage of process development has lengthened and increased expense of the development of economically feasible CO2 capture processes. In this paper, a novel but simple method to reliably calculate the regeneration energy in a standard amine-based carbon capture process is proposed. Careful examination of stripper behaviors and exploitation of energy balance equations around the stripper allowed for calculation of the regeneration energy using only vapor-liquid equilibrium and caloric data. Reliability of the proposed method was confirmed by comparing to rigorous simulations for two well-known solvents, monoethanolamine (MEA) and piperazine (PZ). The proposed method can predict the regeneration energy at various operating conditions with greater simplicity, greater speed, and higher accuracy than those proposed in previous studies. This enables faster and more precise screening of various solvents and faster optimization of process variables and can eventually accelerate the development of economically deployable CO2 capture processes.

A Simple Principled Approach for Modeling and Understanding Uniform Color Metrics

PubMed Central

Smet, Kevin A.G.; Webster, Michael A.; Whitehead, Lorne A.

2016-01-01

An important goal in characterizing human color vision is to order color percepts in a way that captures their similarities and differences. This has resulted in the continuing evolution of “uniform color spaces,” in which the distances within the space represent the perceptual differences between the stimuli. While these metrics are now very successful in predicting how color percepts are scaled, they do so in largely empirical, ad hoc ways, with limited reference to actual mechanisms of color vision. In this article our aim is to instead begin with general and plausible assumptions about color coding, and then develop a model of color appearance that explicitly incorporates them. We show that many of the features of empirically-defined color order systems (such as those of Munsell, Pantone, NCS, and others) as well as many of the basic phenomena of color perception, emerge naturally from fairly simple principles of color information encoding in the visual system and how it can be optimized for the spectral characteristics of the environment. PMID:26974939

Collective chemotaxis and segregation of active bacterial colonies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amar, M. Ben

2016-02-01

Still recently, bacterial fluid suspensions have motivated a lot of works, both experimental and theoretical, with the objective to understand their collective dynamics from universal and simple rules. Since some species are active, most of these works concern the strong interactions that these bacteria exert on a forced flow leading to instabilities, chaos and turbulence. Here, we investigate the self-organization of expanding bacterial colonies under chemotaxis, proliferation and eventually active-reaction. We propose a simple model to understand and quantify the physical properties of these living organisms which either give cohesion or on the contrary dispersion to the colony. Taking into account the diffusion and capture of morphogens complicates the model since it induces a bacterial density gradient coupled to bacterial density fluctuations and dynamics. Nevertheless under some specific conditions, it is possible to investigate the pattern formation as a usual viscous fingering instability. This explains the similarity and differences of patterns according to the physical bacterial suspension properties and explain the factors which favor compactness or branching.

Flavours and infra-red instability in holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundu, Arnab

2017-11-01

With a simple gravitational model in five dimensions, defined by Einstein-gravity with a negative cosmological constant, coupled to a Dirac-Born-Infeld and a Chern-Simons term, we explore the fate of BF-bound violation for a probe scalar field and a fluctuation mode of the corresponding geometry. We assume this simple model to capture the dynamics of a strongly coupled SU(N c ) gauge theory with N f fundamental matter, which in the limit O({N}_c)˜ O({N}_f) and with a non-vanishing matter density, is holographically described by an AdS2-geometry in the IR. We demonstrate that, superconductor/superfluid instabilities are facilitated and spontaneous breaking of translational invariance is inhibited with increasing values of ( N f /N c ). This is similar, in spirit, with known results in large N c Quantum Chromodynamics with N f quarks and a non-vanishing density, in which the chiral density wave phase becomes suppressed and superconducting instabilities become favoured as the number of quarks is increased.

Climatological temperature senstivity of soil carbon turnover: Observations, simple scaling models, and ESMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koven, C. D.; Hugelius, G.; Lawrence, D. M.; Wieder, W. R.

2016-12-01

The projected loss of soil carbon to the atmosphere resulting from climate change is a potentially large but highly uncertain feedback to warming. The magnitude of this feedback is poorly constrained by observations and theory, and is disparately represented in Earth system models. To assess the likely long-term response of soils to climate change, spatial gradients in soil carbon turnover times can identify broad-scale and long-term controls on the rate of carbon cycling as a function of climate and other factors. Here we show that the climatological temperature control on carbon turnover in the top meter of global soils is more sensitive in cold climates than in warm ones. We present a simplified model that explains the high cold-climate sensitivity using only the physical scaling of soil freeze-thaw state across climate gradients. Critically, current Earth system models (ESMs) fail to capture this pattern, however it emerges from an ESM that explicitly resolves vertical gradients in soil climate and turnover. The weak tropical temperature sensitivity emerges from a different model that explicitly resolves mineralogical control on decomposition. These results support projections of strong future carbon-climate feedbacks from northern soils and demonstrate a method for ESMs to capture this emergent behavior.

A biologically inspired two-species exclusion model: effects of RNA polymerase motor traffic on simultaneous DNA replication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Soumendu; Mishra, Bhavya; Patra, Shubhadeep; Schadschneider, Andreas; Chowdhury, Debashish

2018-04-01

We introduce a two-species exclusion model to describe the key features of the conflict between the RNA polymerase (RNAP) motor traffic, engaged in the transcription of a segment of DNA, concomitant with the progress of two DNA replication forks on the same DNA segment. One of the species of particles (P) represents RNAP motors while the other (R) represents the replication forks. Motivated by the biological phenomena that this model is intended to capture, a maximum of two R particles only are allowed to enter the lattice from two opposite ends whereas the unrestricted number of P particles constitutes a totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) in a segment in the middle of the lattice. The model captures three distinct pathways for resolving the co-directional as well as head-on collision between the P and R particles. Using Monte Carlo simulations and heuristic analytical arguments that combine exact results for the TASEP with mean-field approximations, we predict the possible outcomes of the conflict between the traffic of RNAP motors (P particles engaged in transcription) and the replication forks (R particles). In principle, the model can be adapted to experimental conditions to account for the data quantitatively.

The Manhattan Frame Model-Manhattan World Inference in the Space of Surface Normals.

PubMed

Straub, Julian; Freifeld, Oren; Rosman, Guy; Leonard, John J; Fisher, John W

2018-01-01

Objects and structures within man-made environments typically exhibit a high degree of organization in the form of orthogonal and parallel planes. Traditional approaches utilize these regularities via the restrictive, and rather local, Manhattan World (MW) assumption which posits that every plane is perpendicular to one of the axes of a single coordinate system. The aforementioned regularities are especially evident in the surface normal distribution of a scene where they manifest as orthogonally-coupled clusters. This motivates the introduction of the Manhattan-Frame (MF) model which captures the notion of an MW in the surface normals space, the unit sphere, and two probabilistic MF models over this space. First, for a single MF we propose novel real-time MAP inference algorithms, evaluate their performance and their use in drift-free rotation estimation. Second, to capture the complexity of real-world scenes at a global scale, we extend the MF model to a probabilistic mixture of Manhattan Frames (MMF). For MMF inference we propose a simple MAP inference algorithm and an adaptive Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo sampling algorithm with Metropolis-Hastings split/merge moves that let us infer the unknown number of mixture components. We demonstrate the versatility of the MMF model and inference algorithm across several scales of man-made environments.

In-well time-of-travel approach to evaluate optimal purge duration during low-flow sampling of monitoring wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harte, Philip T.

2017-01-01

A common assumption with groundwater sampling is that low (<0.5 L/min) pumping rates during well purging and sampling captures primarily lateral flow from the formation through the well-screened interval at a depth coincident with the pump intake. However, if the intake is adjacent to a low hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation, this scenario will induce vertical groundwater flow to the pump intake from parts of the screened interval with high hydraulic conductivity. Because less formation water will initially be captured during pumping, a substantial volume of water already in the well (preexisting screen water or screen storage) will be captured during this initial time until inflow from the high hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation can travel vertically in the well to the pump intake. Therefore, the length of the time needed for adequate purging prior to sample collection (called optimal purge duration) is controlled by the in-well, vertical travel times. A preliminary, simple analytical model was used to provide information on the relation between purge duration and capture of formation water for different gross levels of heterogeneity (contrast between low and high hydraulic conductivity layers). The model was then used to compare these time–volume relations to purge data (pumping rates and drawdown) collected at several representative monitoring wells from multiple sites. Results showed that computation of time-dependent capture of formation water (as opposed to capture of preexisting screen water), which were based on vertical travel times in the well, compares favorably with the time required to achieve field parameter stabilization. If field parameter stabilization is an indicator of arrival time of formation water, which has been postulated, then in-well, vertical flow may be an important factor at wells where low-flow sampling is the sample method of choice.

A quartz nanopillar hemocytometer for high-yield separation and counting of CD4+ T lymphocytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dong-Joo; Seol, Jin-Kyeong; Wu, Yu; Ji, Seungmuk; Kim, Gil-Sung; Hyung, Jung-Hwan; Lee, Seung-Yong; Lim, Hyuneui; Fan, Rong; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2012-03-01

We report the development of a novel quartz nanopillar (QNP) array cell separation system capable of selectively capturing and isolating a single cell population including primary CD4+ T lymphocytes from the whole pool of splenocytes. Integrated with a photolithographically patterned hemocytometer structure, the streptavidin (STR)-functionalized-QNP (STR-QNP) arrays allow for direct quantitation of captured cells using high content imaging. This technology exhibits an excellent separation yield (efficiency) of ~95.3 +/- 1.1% for the CD4+ T lymphocytes from the mouse splenocyte suspensions and good linear response for quantitating captured CD4+ T-lymphoblasts, which is comparable to flow cytometry and outperforms any non-nanostructured surface capture techniques, i.e. cell panning. This nanopillar hemocytometer represents a simple, yet efficient cell capture and counting technology and may find immediate applications for diagnosis and immune monitoring in the point-of-care setting.We report the development of a novel quartz nanopillar (QNP) array cell separation system capable of selectively capturing and isolating a single cell population including primary CD4+ T lymphocytes from the whole pool of splenocytes. Integrated with a photolithographically patterned hemocytometer structure, the streptavidin (STR)-functionalized-QNP (STR-QNP) arrays allow for direct quantitation of captured cells using high content imaging. This technology exhibits an excellent separation yield (efficiency) of ~95.3 +/- 1.1% for the CD4+ T lymphocytes from the mouse splenocyte suspensions and good linear response for quantitating captured CD4+ T-lymphoblasts, which is comparable to flow cytometry and outperforms any non-nanostructured surface capture techniques, i.e. cell panning. This nanopillar hemocytometer represents a simple, yet efficient cell capture and counting technology and may find immediate applications for diagnosis and immune monitoring in the point-of-care setting. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr11338d

Always chew your food: freshwater stingrays use mastication to process tough insect prey.

PubMed

Kolmann, Matthew A; Welch, Kenneth C; Summers, Adam P; Lovejoy, Nathan R

2016-09-14

Chewing, characterized by shearing jaw motions and high-crowned molar teeth, is considered an evolutionary innovation that spurred dietary diversification and evolutionary radiation of mammals. Complex prey-processing behaviours have been thought to be lacking in fishes and other vertebrates, despite the fact that many of these animals feed on tough prey, like insects or even grasses. We investigated prey capture and processing in the insect-feeding freshwater stingray Potamotrygon motoro using high-speed videography. We find that Potamotrygon motoro uses asymmetrical motion of the jaws, effectively chewing, to dismantle insect prey. However, CT scanning suggests that this species has simple teeth. These findings suggest that in contrast to mammalian chewing, asymmetrical jaw action is sufficient for mastication in other vertebrates. We also determined that prey capture in these rays occurs through rapid uplift of the pectoral fins, sucking prey beneath the ray's body, thereby dissociating the jaws from a prey capture role. We suggest that the decoupling of prey capture and processing facilitated the evolution of a highly kinetic feeding apparatus in batoid fishes, giving these animals an ability to consume a wide variety of prey, including molluscs, fishes, aquatic insect larvae and crustaceans. We propose Potamotrygon as a model system for understanding evolutionary convergence of prey processing and chewing in vertebrates. © 2016 The Author(s).

Always chew your food: freshwater stingrays use mastication to process tough insect prey

PubMed Central

Welch, Kenneth C.; Summers, Adam P.; Lovejoy, Nathan R.

2016-01-01

Chewing, characterized by shearing jaw motions and high-crowned molar teeth, is considered an evolutionary innovation that spurred dietary diversification and evolutionary radiation of mammals. Complex prey-processing behaviours have been thought to be lacking in fishes and other vertebrates, despite the fact that many of these animals feed on tough prey, like insects or even grasses. We investigated prey capture and processing in the insect-feeding freshwater stingray Potamotrygon motoro using high-speed videography. We find that Potamotrygon motoro uses asymmetrical motion of the jaws, effectively chewing, to dismantle insect prey. However, CT scanning suggests that this species has simple teeth. These findings suggest that in contrast to mammalian chewing, asymmetrical jaw action is sufficient for mastication in other vertebrates. We also determined that prey capture in these rays occurs through rapid uplift of the pectoral fins, sucking prey beneath the ray's body, thereby dissociating the jaws from a prey capture role. We suggest that the decoupling of prey capture and processing facilitated the evolution of a highly kinetic feeding apparatus in batoid fishes, giving these animals an ability to consume a wide variety of prey, including molluscs, fishes, aquatic insect larvae and crustaceans. We propose Potamotrygon as a model system for understanding evolutionary convergence of prey processing and chewing in vertebrates. PMID:27629029

Modeling RNA interference in mammalian cells

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background RNA interference (RNAi) is a regulatory cellular process that controls post-transcriptional gene silencing. During RNAi double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces sequence-specific degradation of homologous mRNA via the generation of smaller dsRNA oligomers of length between 21-23nt (siRNAs). siRNAs are then loaded onto the RNA-Induced Silencing multiprotein Complex (RISC), which uses the siRNA antisense strand to specifically recognize mRNA species which exhibit a complementary sequence. Once the siRNA loaded-RISC binds the target mRNA, the mRNA is cleaved and degraded, and the siRNA loaded-RISC can degrade additional mRNA molecules. Despite the widespread use of siRNAs for gene silencing, and the importance of dosage for its efficiency and to avoid off target effects, none of the numerous mathematical models proposed in literature was validated to quantitatively capture the effects of RNAi on the target mRNA degradation for different concentrations of siRNAs. Here, we address this pressing open problem performing in vitro experiments of RNAi in mammalian cells and testing and comparing different mathematical models fitting experimental data to in-silico generated data. We performed in vitro experiments in human and hamster cell lines constitutively expressing respectively EGFP protein or tTA protein, measuring both mRNA levels, by quantitative Real-Time PCR, and protein levels, by FACS analysis, for a large range of concentrations of siRNA oligomers. Results We tested and validated four different mathematical models of RNA interference by quantitatively fitting models' parameters to best capture the in vitro experimental data. We show that a simple Hill kinetic model is the most efficient way to model RNA interference. Our experimental and modeling findings clearly show that the RNAi-mediated degradation of mRNA is subject to saturation effects. Conclusions Our model has a simple mathematical form, amenable to analytical investigations and a small set of parameters with an intuitive physical meaning, that makes it a unique and reliable mathematical tool. The findings here presented will be a useful instrument for better understanding RNAi biology and as modelling tool in Systems and Synthetic Biology. PMID:21272352

State-space prediction model for chaotic time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alparslan, A. K.; Sayar, M.; Atilgan, A. R.

1998-08-01

A simple method for predicting the continuation of scalar chaotic time series ahead in time is proposed. The false nearest neighbors technique in connection with the time-delayed embedding is employed so as to reconstruct the state space. A local forecasting model based upon the time evolution of the topological neighboring in the reconstructed phase space is suggested. A moving root-mean-square error is utilized in order to monitor the error along the prediction horizon. The model is tested for the convection amplitude of the Lorenz model. The results indicate that for approximately 100 cycles of the training data, the prediction follows the actual continuation very closely about six cycles. The proposed model, like other state-space forecasting models, captures the long-term behavior of the system due to the use of spatial neighbors in the state space.

Nonlinear finite element analysis of liquid sloshing in complex vehicle motion scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolsen, Brynne; Wang, Liang; Shabana, Ahmed

2017-09-01

The objective of this investigation is to develop a new total Lagrangian continuum-based liquid sloshing model that can be systematically integrated with multibody system (MBS) algorithms in order to allow for studying complex motion scenarios. The new approach allows for accurately capturing the effect of the sloshing forces during curve negotiation, rapid lane change, and accelerating and braking scenarios. In these motion scenarios, the liquid experiences large displacements and significant changes in shape that can be captured effectively using the finite element (FE) absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). ANCF elements are used in this investigation to describe complex mesh geometries, to capture the change in inertia due to the change in the fluid shape, and to accurately calculate the centrifugal forces, which for flexible bodies do not take the simple form used in rigid body dynamics. A penalty formulation is used to define the contact between the rigid tank walls and the fluid. A fully nonlinear MBS truck model that includes a suspension system and Pacejka's brush tire model is developed. Specified motion trajectories are used to examine the vehicle dynamics in three different scenarios - deceleration during straight-line motion, rapid lane change, and curve negotiation. It is demonstrated that the liquid sloshing changes the contact forces between the tires and the ground - increasing the forces on certain wheels and decreasing the forces on other wheels. In cases of extreme sloshing, this dynamic behavior can negatively impact the vehicle stability by increasing the possibility of wheel lift and vehicle rollover.

Spray algorithm without interface construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Kadhem Majhool, Ahmed Abed; Watkins, A. P.

2012-05-01

This research is aimed to create a new and robust family of convective schemes to capture the interface between the dispersed and the carrier phases in a spray without the need to build up the interface boundary. The selection of the Weighted Average Flux (WAF) scheme is due to this scheme being designed to deal with random flux scheme which is second-order accurate in space and time. The convective flux in each cell face utilizes the WAF scheme blended with Switching Technique for Advection and Capturing of Surfaces (STACS) scheme for high resolution flux limiters. In the next step, the high resolution scheme is blended with the WAF scheme to provide the sharpness and boundedness of the interface by using switching strategy. In this work, the Eulerian-Eulerian framework of non-reactive turbulent spray is set in terms of theoretical proposed methodology namely spray moments of drop size distribution, presented by Beck and Watkins [1]. The computational spray model avoids the need to segregate the local droplet number distribution into parcels of identical droplets. The proposed scheme is tested on capturing the spray edges in modelling hollow cone sprays without need to reconstruct two-phase interface. A test is made on simple comparison between TVD scheme and WAF scheme using the same flux limiter on convective flow hollow cone spray. Results show the WAF scheme gives a better prediction than TVD scheme. The only way to check the accuracy of the presented models is by evaluating the spray sheet thickness.

Quantum break-time of de Sitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvali, Gia; Gómez, César; Zell, Sebastian

2017-06-01

The quantum break-time of a system is the time-scale after which its true quantum evolution departs from the classical mean field evolution. For capturing it, a quantum resolution of the classical background—e.g., in terms of a coherent state—is required. In this paper, we first consider a simple scalar model with anharmonic oscillations and derive its quantum break-time. Next, following [1], we apply these ideas to de Sitter space. We formulate a simple model of a spin-2 field, which for some time reproduces the de Sitter metric and simultaneously allows for its well-defined representation as quantum coherent state of gravitons. The mean occupation number N of background gravitons turns out to be equal to the de Sitter horizon area in Planck units, while their frequency is given by the de Sitter Hubble parameter. In the semi-classical limit, we show that the model reproduces all the known properties of de Sitter, such as the redshift of probe particles and thermal Gibbons-Hawking radiation, all in the language of quantum S-matrix scatterings and decays of coherent state gravitons. Most importantly, this framework allows to capture the 1/N-effects to which the usual semi-classical treatment is blind. They violate the de Sitter symmetry and lead to a finite quantum break-time of the de Sitter state equal to the de Sitter radius times N. We also point out that the quantum-break time is inversely proportional to the number of particle species in the theory. Thus, the quantum break-time imposes the following consistency condition: older and species-richer universes must have smaller cosmological constants. For the maximal, phenomenologically acceptable number of species, the observed cosmological constant would saturate this bound if our Universe were 10100 years old in its entire classical history.

Intelligent control of robotic arm/hand systems for the NASA EVA retriever using neural networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclauchlan, Robert A.

1989-01-01

Adaptive/general learning algorithms using varying neural network models are considered for the intelligent control of robotic arm plus dextrous hand/manipulator systems. Results are summarized and discussed for the use of the Barto/Sutton/Anderson neuronlike, unsupervised learning controller as applied to the stabilization of an inverted pendulum on a cart system. Recommendations are made for the application of the controller and a kinematic analysis for trajectory planning to simple object retrieval (chase/approach and capture/grasp) scenarios in two dimensions.

A Personalized Health Information Retrieval System

PubMed Central

Wang, Yunli; Liu, Zhenkai

2005-01-01

Consumers face barriers when seeking health information on the Internet. A Personalized Health Information Retrieval System (PHIRS) is proposed to recommend health information for consumers. The system consists of four modules: (1) User modeling module captures user’s preference and health interests; (2) Automatic quality filtering module identifies high quality health information; (3) Automatic text difficulty rating module classifies health information into professional or patient educational materials; and (4) User profile matching module tailors health information for individuals. The initial results show that PHIRS could assist consumers with simple search strategies. PMID:16779435

Recombination of H3(+) and D3(+) Ions in a Flowing Afterglow Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gougousi, T.; Johnsen, R.; Golde, M. F.

1995-01-01

The analysis of flowing afterglow plasmas containing H3(+) or D3(+) ions indicates that the de-ionization of such plasmas does not occur by simple dissociative recombination of ions with electrons. An alternative model of de-ionization is proposed in which electrons are captured into H3(**) auto-ionization Rydberg states that are stabilized by collisional mixing of the Rydberg molecules' angular momenta. The proposed mechanism would enable de-ionization to occur without the need for dissociative recombination by the mechanisms of potential-surface crossings.

Modeling individual effects in the Cormack-Jolly-Seber Model: A state-space formulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2008-01-01

In population and evolutionary biology, there exists considerable interest in individual heterogeneity in parameters of demographic models for open populations. However, flexible and practical solutions to the development of such models have proven to be elusive. In this article, I provide a state-space formulation of open population capture-recapture models with individual effects. The state-space formulation provides a generic and flexible framework for modeling and inference in models with individual effects, and it yields a practical means of estimation in these complex problems via contemporary methods of Markov chain Monte Carlo. A straightforward implementation can be achieved in the software package WinBUGS. I provide an analysis of a simple model with constant parameter detection and survival probability parameters. A second example is based on data from a 7-year study of European dippers, in which a model with year and individual effects is fitted.

Component model reduction via the projection and assembly method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernard, Douglas E.

1989-01-01

The problem of acquiring a simple but sufficiently accurate model of a dynamic system is made more difficult when the dynamic system of interest is a multibody system comprised of several components. A low order system model may be created by reducing the order of the component models and making use of various available multibody dynamics programs to assemble them into a system model. The difficulty is in choosing the reduced order component models to meet system level requirements. The projection and assembly method, proposed originally by Eke, solves this difficulty by forming the full order system model, performing model reduction at the the system level using system level requirements, and then projecting the desired modes onto the components for component level model reduction. The projection and assembly method is analyzed to show the conditions under which the desired modes are captured exactly; to the numerical precision of the algorithm.

Estimating Phenomenological Parameters in Multi-Assets Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raffaelli, Giacomo; Marsili, Matteo

Financial correlations exhibit a non-trivial dynamic behavior. This is reproduced by a simple phenomenological model of a multi-asset financial market, which takes into account the impact of portfolio investment on price dynamics. This captures the fact that correlations determine the optimal portfolio but are affected by investment based on it. Such a feedback on correlations gives rise to an instability when the volume of investment exceeds a critical value. Close to the critical point the model exhibits dynamical correlations very similar to those observed in real markets. We discuss how the model's parameter can be estimated in real market data with a maximum likelihood principle. This confirms the main conclusion that real markets operate close to a dynamically unstable point.

Global Dynamic Exposure and the OpenBuildingMap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schorlemmer, D.; Beutin, T.; Hirata, N.; Hao, K. X.; Wyss, M.; Cotton, F.; Prehn, K.

2015-12-01

Detailed understanding of local risk factors regarding natural catastrophes requires in-depth characterization of the local exposure. Current exposure capture techniques have to find the balance between resolution and coverage. We aim at bridging this gap by employing a crowd-sourced approach to exposure capturing focusing on risk related to earthquake hazard. OpenStreetMap (OSM), the rich and constantly growing geographical database, is an ideal foundation for us. More than 2.5 billion geographical nodes, more than 150 million building footprints (growing by ~100'000 per day), and a plethora of information about school, hospital, and other critical facility locations allow us to exploit this dataset for risk-related computations. We will harvest this dataset by collecting exposure and vulnerability indicators from explicitly provided data (e.g. hospital locations), implicitly provided data (e.g. building shapes and positions), and semantically derived data, i.e. interpretation applying expert knowledge. With this approach, we can increase the resolution of existing exposure models from fragility classes distribution via block-by-block specifications to building-by-building vulnerability. To increase coverage, we will provide a framework for collecting building data by any person or community. We will implement a double crowd-sourced approach to bring together the interest and enthusiasm of communities with the knowledge of earthquake and engineering experts. The first crowd-sourced approach aims at collecting building properties in a community by local people and activists. This will be supported by tailored building capture tools for mobile devices for simple and fast building property capturing. The second crowd-sourced approach involves local experts in estimating building vulnerability that will provide building classification rules that translate building properties into vulnerability and exposure indicators as defined in the Building Taxonomy 2.0 developed by the Global Earthquake Model (GEM). These indicators will then be combined with a hazard model using the GEM OpenQuake engine to compute a risk model. The free/open framework we will provide can be used on commodity hardware for local to regional exposure capturing and for communities to understand their earthquake risk.

Cocirculation of infectious diseases on networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Joel C.

2013-06-01

We consider multiple diseases spreading in a static configuration model network. We make standard assumptions that infection transmits from neighbor to neighbor at a disease-specific rate and infected individuals recover at a disease-specific rate. Infection by one disease confers immediate and permanent immunity to infection by any disease. Under these assumptions, we find a simple, low-dimensional ordinary differential equations model which captures the global dynamics of the infection. The dynamics depend strongly on initial conditions. Although we motivate this Rapid Communication with infectious disease, the model may be adapted to the spread of other infectious agents such as competing political beliefs, or adoption of new technologies if these are influenced by contacts. As an example, we demonstrate how to model an infectious disease which can be prevented by a behavior change.

An economic model of friendship and enmity for measuring social balance in networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyu-Min; Shin, Euncheol; You, Seungil

2017-12-01

We propose a dynamic economic model of networks where agents can be friends or enemies with one another. This is a decentralized relationship model in that agents decide whether to change their relationships so as to minimize their imbalanced triads. In this model, there is a single parameter, which we call social temperature, that captures the degree to which agents care about social balance in their relationships. We show that the global structure of relationship configuration converges to a unique stationary distribution. Using this stationary distribution, we characterize the maximum likelihood estimator of the social temperature parameter. Since the estimator is computationally challenging to calculate from real social network datasets, we provide a simple simulation algorithm and verify its performance with real social network datasets.

Secondary electron emission from textured surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta, C. E.; Patino, M. I.; Wirz, R. E.

2018-04-01

In this work, a Monte Carlo model is used to investigate electron induced secondary electron emission for varying effects of complex surfaces by using simple geometric constructs. Geometries used in the model include: vertical fibers for velvet-like surfaces, tapered pillars for carpet-like surfaces, and a cage-like configuration of interlaced horizontal and vertical fibers for nano-structured fuzz. The model accurately captures the secondary electron emission yield dependence on incidence angle. The model shows that unlike other structured surfaces previously studied, tungsten fuzz exhibits secondary electron emission yield that is independent of primary electron incidence angle, due to the prevalence of horizontally-oriented fibers in the fuzz geometry. This is confirmed with new data presented herein of the secondary electron emission yield of tungsten fuzz at incidence angles from 0-60°.

Ontology and modeling patterns for state-based behavior representation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castet, Jean-Francois; Rozek, Matthew L.; Ingham, Michel D.; Rouquette, Nicolas F.; Chung, Seung H.; Kerzhner, Aleksandr A.; Donahue, Kenneth M.; Jenkins, J. Steven; Wagner, David A.; Dvorak, Daniel L.;

PLEMT: A NOVEL PSEUDOLIKELIHOOD BASED EM TEST FOR HOMOGENEITY IN GENERALIZED EXPONENTIAL TILT MIXTURE MODELS.

PubMed

Hong, Chuan; Chen, Yong; Ning, Yang; Wang, Shuang; Wu, Hao; Carroll, Raymond J

2017-01-01

Motivated by analyses of DNA methylation data, we propose a semiparametric mixture model, namely the generalized exponential tilt mixture model, to account for heterogeneity between differentially methylated and non-differentially methylated subjects in the cancer group, and capture the differences in higher order moments (e.g. mean and variance) between subjects in cancer and normal groups. A pairwise pseudolikelihood is constructed to eliminate the unknown nuisance function. To circumvent boundary and non-identifiability problems as in parametric mixture models, we modify the pseudolikelihood by adding a penalty function. In addition, the test with simple asymptotic distribution has computational advantages compared with permutation-based test for high-dimensional genetic or epigenetic data. We propose a pseudolikelihood based expectation-maximization test, and show the proposed test follows a simple chi-squared limiting distribution. Simulation studies show that the proposed test controls Type I errors well and has better power compared to several current tests. In particular, the proposed test outperforms the commonly used tests under all simulation settings considered, especially when there are variance differences between two groups. The proposed test is applied to a real data set to identify differentially methylated sites between ovarian cancer subjects and normal subjects.

Expected Shannon Entropy and Shannon Differentiation between Subpopulations for Neutral Genes under the Finite Island Model.

PubMed

Chao, Anne; Jost, Lou; Hsieh, T C; Ma, K H; Sherwin, William B; Rollins, Lee Ann

2015-01-01

Shannon entropy H and related measures are increasingly used in molecular ecology and population genetics because (1) unlike measures based on heterozygosity or allele number, these measures weigh alleles in proportion to their population fraction, thus capturing a previously-ignored aspect of allele frequency distributions that may be important in many applications; (2) these measures connect directly to the rich predictive mathematics of information theory; (3) Shannon entropy is completely additive and has an explicitly hierarchical nature; and (4) Shannon entropy-based differentiation measures obey strong monotonicity properties that heterozygosity-based measures lack. We derive simple new expressions for the expected values of the Shannon entropy of the equilibrium allele distribution at a neutral locus in a single isolated population under two models of mutation: the infinite allele model and the stepwise mutation model. Surprisingly, this complex stochastic system for each model has an entropy expressable as a simple combination of well-known mathematical functions. Moreover, entropy- and heterozygosity-based measures for each model are linked by simple relationships that are shown by simulations to be approximately valid even far from equilibrium. We also identify a bridge between the two models of mutation. We apply our approach to subdivided populations which follow the finite island model, obtaining the Shannon entropy of the equilibrium allele distributions of the subpopulations and of the total population. We also derive the expected mutual information and normalized mutual information ("Shannon differentiation") between subpopulations at equilibrium, and identify the model parameters that determine them. We apply our measures to data from the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) in Australia. Our measures provide a test for neutrality that is robust to violations of equilibrium assumptions, as verified on real world data from starlings.

Theory and modelling of light-matter interactions in photonic crystal cavity systems coupled to quantum dot ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartar, William K.

Photonic crystal microcavity quantum dot lasers show promise as high quality-factor, low threshold lasers, that can be integrated on-chip, with tunable room temperature opera- tions. However, such semiconductor microcavity lasers are notoriously difficult to model in a self-consistent way and are primarily modelled by simplified rate equation approxima- tions, typically fit to experimental data, which limits investigations of their optimization and fundamental light-matter interaction processes. Moreover, simple cavity mode optical theory and rate equations have recently been shown to fail in explaining lasing threshold trends in triangular lattice photonic crystal cavities as a function of cavity size, and the potential impact of fabrication disorder is not well understood. In this thesis, we develop a simple but powerful numerical scheme for modelling the quantum dot active layer used for lasing in these photonic crystal cavity structures, as an ensemble of randomly posi- tioned artificial two-level atoms. Each two-level atom is defined by optical Bloch equations solved by a quantum master equation that includes phenomenological pure dephasing and an incoherent pump rate that effectively models a multi-level gain system. Light-matter in- teractions of both passive and lasing structures are analyzed using simulation defined tools and post-simulation Green function techniques. We implement an active layer ensemble of up to 24,000 statistically unique quantum dots in photonic crystal cavity simulations, using a self-consistent finite-difference time-domain method. This method has the distinct advantage of capturing effects such as dipole-dipole coupling and radiative decay, without the need for any phenomenological terms, since the time-domain solution self-consistently captures these effects. Our analysis demonstrates a powerful ability to connect with recent experimental trends, while remaining completely general in its set-up; for example, we do not invoke common approximations such as the rotating-wave or slowly-varying envelope approximations, and solve dynamics with zero a priori knowledge.

Topic segmentation via community detection in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Arruda, Henrique F.; Costa, Luciano da F.; Amancio, Diego R.

2016-06-01

Many real systems have been modeled in terms of network concepts, and written texts are a particular example of information networks. In recent years, the use of network methods to analyze language has allowed the discovery of several interesting effects, including the proposition of novel models to explain the emergence of fundamental universal patterns. While syntactical networks, one of the most prevalent networked models of written texts, display both scale-free and small-world properties, such a representation fails in capturing other textual features, such as the organization in topics or subjects. We propose a novel network representation whose main purpose is to capture the semantical relationships of words in a simple way. To do so, we link all words co-occurring in the same semantic context, which is defined in a threefold way. We show that the proposed representations favor the emergence of communities of semantically related words, and this feature may be used to identify relevant topics. The proposed methodology to detect topics was applied to segment selected Wikipedia articles. We found that, in general, our methods outperform traditional bag-of-words representations, which suggests that a high-level textual representation may be useful to study the semantical features of texts.

Topic segmentation via community detection in complex networks.

PubMed

de Arruda, Henrique F; Costa, Luciano da F; Amancio, Diego R

2016-06-01

Many real systems have been modeled in terms of network concepts, and written texts are a particular example of information networks. In recent years, the use of network methods to analyze language has allowed the discovery of several interesting effects, including the proposition of novel models to explain the emergence of fundamental universal patterns. While syntactical networks, one of the most prevalent networked models of written texts, display both scale-free and small-world properties, such a representation fails in capturing other textual features, such as the organization in topics or subjects. We propose a novel network representation whose main purpose is to capture the semantical relationships of words in a simple way. To do so, we link all words co-occurring in the same semantic context, which is defined in a threefold way. We show that the proposed representations favor the emergence of communities of semantically related words, and this feature may be used to identify relevant topics. The proposed methodology to detect topics was applied to segment selected Wikipedia articles. We found that, in general, our methods outperform traditional bag-of-words representations, which suggests that a high-level textual representation may be useful to study the semantical features of texts.

Mobile Motion Capture--MiMiC.

PubMed

Harbert, Simeon D; Jaiswal, Tushar; Harley, Linda R; Vaughn, Tyler W; Baranak, Andrew S

2013-01-01

The low cost, simple, robust, mobile, and easy to use Mobile Motion Capture (MiMiC) system is presented and the constraints which guided the design of MiMiC are discussed. The MiMiC Android application allows motion data to be captured from kinematic modules such as Shimmer 2r sensors over Bluetooth. MiMiC is cost effective and can be used for an entire day in a person's daily routine without being intrusive. MiMiC is a flexible motion capture system which can be used for many applications including fall detection, detection of fatigue in industry workers, and analysis of individuals' work patterns in various environments.

Longitudinal train dynamics model for a rail transit simulation system

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jinghui; Rakha, Hesham A.

2018-01-01

The paper develops a longitudinal train dynamics model in support of microscopic railway transportation simulation. The model can be calibrated without any mechanical data making it ideal for implementation in transportation simulators. The calibration and validation work is based on data collected from the Portland light rail train fleet. The calibration procedure is mathematically formulated as a constrained non-linear optimization problem. The validity of the model is assessed by comparing instantaneous model predictions against field observations, and also evaluated in the domains of acceleration/deceleration versus speed and acceleration/deceleration versus distance. A test is conducted to investigate the adequacy of themore » model in simulation implementation. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can adequately capture instantaneous train dynamics, and provides good performance in the simulation test. Thus, the model provides a simple theoretical foundation for microscopic simulators and will significantly support the planning, management and control of railway transportation systems.« less

Longitudinal train dynamics model for a rail transit simulation system

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

Wang, Jinghui; Rakha, Hesham A.

The paper develops a longitudinal train dynamics model in support of microscopic railway transportation simulation. The model can be calibrated without any mechanical data making it ideal for implementation in transportation simulators. The calibration and validation work is based on data collected from the Portland light rail train fleet. The calibration procedure is mathematically formulated as a constrained non-linear optimization problem. The validity of the model is assessed by comparing instantaneous model predictions against field observations, and also evaluated in the domains of acceleration/deceleration versus speed and acceleration/deceleration versus distance. A test is conducted to investigate the adequacy of themore » model in simulation implementation. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can adequately capture instantaneous train dynamics, and provides good performance in the simulation test. Thus, the model provides a simple theoretical foundation for microscopic simulators and will significantly support the planning, management and control of railway transportation systems.« less

Seismic waves and earthquakes in a global monolithic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roubíček, Tomáš

2018-03-01

The philosophy that a single "monolithic" model can "asymptotically" replace and couple in a simple elegant way several specialized models relevant on various Earth layers is presented and, in special situations, also rigorously justified. In particular, global seismicity and tectonics is coupled to capture, e.g., (here by a simplified model) ruptures of lithospheric faults generating seismic waves which then propagate through the solid-like mantle and inner core both as shear (S) or pressure (P) waves, while S-waves are suppressed in the fluidic outer core and also in the oceans. The "monolithic-type" models have the capacity to describe all the mentioned features globally in a unified way together with corresponding interfacial conditions implicitly involved, only when scaling its parameters appropriately in different Earth's layers. Coupling of seismic waves with seismic sources due to tectonic events is thus an automatic side effect. The global ansatz is here based, rather for an illustration, only on a relatively simple Jeffreys' viscoelastic damageable material at small strains whose various scaling (limits) can lead to Boger's viscoelastic fluid or even to purely elastic (inviscid) fluid. Self-induced gravity field, Coriolis, centrifugal, and tidal forces are counted in our global model, as well. The rigorous mathematical analysis as far as the existence of solutions, convergence of the mentioned scalings, and energy conservation is briefly presented.

Liquid part of the phase diagram and percolation line for two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz water.

PubMed

Urbic, T

2017-09-01

Monte Carlo simulations and Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) are used to predict the phase diagram and percolation curve for the simple two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz (MB) model of water. The MB model of water is quite popular for explaining water properties, but the phase diagram has not been reported till now. In the MB model, water molecules are modeled as two-dimensional Lennard-Jones disks, with three orientation-dependent hydrogen-bonding arms, arranged as in the MB logo. The liquid part of the phase space is explored using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and two versions of Wertheim's TPT for associative fluids, which have been used before to predict the properties of the simple MB model. We find that the theory reproduces well the physical properties of hot water but is less successful at capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. In addition to reporting the phase diagram and percolation curve of the model, it is shown that the improved TPT predicts the phase diagram rather well, while the standard one predicts a phase transition at lower temperatures. For the percolation line, both versions have problems predicting the correct position of the line at high temperatures.

Distinguishing among potential mechanisms of singleton suppression.

PubMed

Gaspelin, Nicholas; Luck, Steven J

2018-04-01

Previous research has revealed that people can suppress salient stimuli that might otherwise capture visual attention. The present study tests between 3 possible mechanisms of visual suppression. According to first-order feature suppression models , items are suppressed on the basis of simple feature values. According to second-order feature suppression models , items are suppressed on the basis of local discontinuities within a given feature dimension. According to global-salience suppression models , items are suppressed on the basis of their dimension-independent salience levels. The current study distinguished among these models by varying the predictability of the singleton color value. If items are suppressed by virtue of salience alone, then it should not matter whether the singleton color is predictable. However, evidence from probe processing and eye movements indicated that suppression is possible only when the color values are predictable. Moreover, the ability to suppress salient items developed gradually as participants gained experience with the feature that defined the salient distractor. These results are consistent with first-order feature suppression models, and are inconsistent with the other models of suppression. In other words, people primarily suppress salient distractors on the basis of their simple features and not on the basis of salience per se. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Liquid part of the phase diagram and percolation line for two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbic, T.

2017-09-01

Monte Carlo simulations and Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory (TPT) are used to predict the phase diagram and percolation curve for the simple two-dimensional Mercedes-Benz (MB) model of water. The MB model of water is quite popular for explaining water properties, but the phase diagram has not been reported till now. In the MB model, water molecules are modeled as two-dimensional Lennard-Jones disks, with three orientation-dependent hydrogen-bonding arms, arranged as in the MB logo. The liquid part of the phase space is explored using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and two versions of Wertheim's TPT for associative fluids, which have been used before to predict the properties of the simple MB model. We find that the theory reproduces well the physical properties of hot water but is less successful at capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. In addition to reporting the phase diagram and percolation curve of the model, it is shown that the improved TPT predicts the phase diagram rather well, while the standard one predicts a phase transition at lower temperatures. For the percolation line, both versions have problems predicting the correct position of the line at high temperatures.

Colloid transport in saturated porous media: Elimination of attachment efficiency in a new colloid transport model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landkamer, Lee L.; Harvey, Ronald W.; Scheibe, Timothy D.; Ryan, Joseph N.

2013-01-01

A colloid transport model is introduced that is conceptually simple yet captures the essential features of colloid transport and retention in saturated porous media when colloid retention is dominated by the secondary minimum because an electrostatic barrier inhibits substantial deposition in the primary minimum. This model is based on conventional colloid filtration theory (CFT) but eliminates the empirical concept of attachment efficiency. The colloid deposition rate is computed directly from CFT by assuming all predicted interceptions of colloids by collectors result in at least temporary deposition in the secondary minimum. Also, a new paradigm for colloid re-entrainment based on colloid population heterogeneity is introduced. To accomplish this, the initial colloid population is divided into two fractions. One fraction, by virtue of physiochemical characteristics (e.g., size and charge), will always be re-entrained after capture in a secondary minimum. The remaining fraction of colloids, again as a result of physiochemical characteristics, will be retained “irreversibly” when captured by a secondary minimum. Assuming the dispersion coefficient can be estimated from tracer behavior, this model has only two fitting parameters: (1) the fraction of the initial colloid population that will be retained “irreversibly” upon interception by a secondary minimum, and (2) the rate at which reversibly retained colloids leave the secondary minimum. These two parameters were correlated to the depth of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) secondary energy minimum and pore-water velocity, two physical forces that influence colloid transport. Given this correlation, the model serves as a heuristic tool for exploring the influence of physical parameters such as surface potential and fluid velocity on colloid transport.

Testing high resolution numerical models for analysis of contaminant storage and release from low permeability zones.

PubMed

Chapman, Steven W; Parker, Beth L; Sale, Tom C; Doner, Lee Ann

2012-08-01

It is now widely recognized that contaminant release from low permeability zones can sustain plumes long after primary sources are depleted, particularly for chlorinated solvents where regulatory limits are orders of magnitude below source concentrations. This has led to efforts to appropriately characterize sites and apply models for prediction incorporating these effects. A primary challenge is that diffusion processes are controlled by small-scale concentration gradients and capturing mass distribution in low permeability zones requires much higher resolution than commonly practiced. This paper explores validity of using numerical models (HydroGeoSphere, FEFLOW, MODFLOW/MT3DMS) in high resolution mode to simulate scenarios involving diffusion into and out of low permeability zones: 1) a laboratory tank study involving a continuous sand body with suspended clay layers which was 'loaded' with bromide and fluorescein (for visualization) tracers followed by clean water flushing, and 2) the two-layer analytical solution of Sale et al. (2008) involving a relatively simple scenario with an aquifer and underlying low permeability layer. All three models are shown to provide close agreement when adequate spatial and temporal discretization are applied to represent problem geometry, resolve flow fields and capture advective transport in the sands and diffusive transfer with low permeability layers and minimize numerical dispersion. The challenge for application at field sites then becomes appropriate site characterization to inform the models, capturing the style of the low permeability zone geometry and incorporating reasonable hydrogeologic parameters and estimates of source history, for scenario testing and more accurate prediction of plume response, leading to better site decision making. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial-temporal modeling of malware propagation in networks.

PubMed

Chen, Zesheng; Ji, Chuanyi

2005-09-01

Network security is an important task of network management. One threat to network security is malware (malicious software) propagation. One type of malware is called topological scanning that spreads based on topology information. The focus of this work is on modeling the spread of topological malwares, which is important for understanding their potential damages, and for developing countermeasures to protect the network infrastructure. Our model is motivated by probabilistic graphs, which have been widely investigated in machine learning. We first use a graphical representation to abstract the propagation of malwares that employ different scanning methods. We then use a spatial-temporal random process to describe the statistical dependence of malware propagation in arbitrary topologies. As the spatial dependence is particularly difficult to characterize, the problem becomes how to use simple (i.e., biased) models to approximate the spatially dependent process. In particular, we propose the independent model and the Markov model as simple approximations. We conduct both theoretical analysis and extensive simulations on large networks using both real measurements and synthesized topologies to test the performance of the proposed models. Our results show that the independent model can capture temporal dependence and detailed topology information and, thus, outperforms the previous models, whereas the Markov model incorporates a certain spatial dependence and, thus, achieves a greater accuracy in characterizing both transient and equilibrium behaviors of malware propagation.

Stochastic dynamics of intermittent pore-scale particle motion in three-dimensional porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, V. L.; Dentz, M.; Willmann, M.; Holzner, M.

2017-12-01

A proper understanding of velocity dynamics is key for making transport predictions through porous media at any scale. We study the velocity evolution process from particle dynamics at the pore-scale with particular interest in preasymptotic (non-Fickian) behavior. Experimental measurements from 3-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry are used to obtain Lagrangian velocity statistics for three different types of media heterogeneity. Particle velocities are found to be intermittent in nature, log-normally distributed and non-stationary. We show that these velocity characteristics can be captured with a correlated Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process for a random walk in space that is parameterized from velocity distributions. Our simple model is rigorously tested for accurate reproduction of velocity variability in magnitude and frequency. We further show that it captures exceptionally well the preasymptotic mean and mean squared displacement in the ballistic and superdiffusive regimes, and can be extended to determine if and when Fickian behavior will be reached. Our approach reproduces both preasymptotic and asymptotic transport behavior with a single transport model, demonstrating correct description of the fundamental controls of anomalous transport.

Caught Ya! A School-Based Practical Activity to Evaluate the Capture-Mark-Release-Recapture Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingsnorth, Crawford; Cruickshank, Chae; Paterson, David; Diston, Stephen

2017-01-01

The capture-mark-release-recapture method provides a simple way to estimate population size. However, when used as part of ecological sampling, this method does not easily allow an opportunity to evaluate the accuracy of the calculation because the actual population size is unknown. Here, we describe a method that can be used to measure the…

A Simple Correlation for Neutron Capture Rates from Nuclear Masses

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

Couture, Aaron Joseph

Recent studies of neutron capture performed at LANL have revealed a previously unrecognized connection between nuclear masses and the average neutron capture cross section. A team of three scientists from Los Alamos (P-27), Yale Univ., and Istanbul Univ. (Turkey) recently discovered this connection and have published their results as a Rapid Communication in Physical Review C. Neutron capture is a reaction in which a free neutron is absorbed by the nucleus, keeping the element unchanged, but changing isotopes. This reaction is typically exothermic. As a result, the reaction can proceed even when many other reaction channels are closed. In anmore » astrophysical environment, this means that neutron capture is the primary mechanism by which all of the elements with atomic number greater than nickel are produced is neutron capture.« less

Seamless presentation capture, indexing, and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilbert, David M.; Cooper, Matthew; Denoue, Laurent; Adcock, John; Billsus, Daniel

2005-10-01

Technology abounds for capturing presentations. However, no simple solution exists that is completely automatic. ProjectorBox is a "zero user interaction" appliance that automatically captures, indexes, and manages presentation multimedia. It operates continuously to record the RGB information sent from presentation devices, such as a presenter's laptop, to display devices, such as a projector. It seamlessly captures high-resolution slide images, text and audio. It requires no operator, specialized software, or changes to current presentation practice. Automatic media analysis is used to detect presentation content and segment presentations. The analysis substantially enhances the web-based user interface for browsing, searching, and exporting captured presentations. ProjectorBox has been in use for over a year in our corporate conference room, and has been deployed in two universities. Our goal is to develop automatic capture services that address both corporate and educational needs.

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

Lappi, T.; Schenke, B.; Schlichting, S.

Here we examine the origins of azimuthal correlations observed in high energy proton-nucleus collisions by considering the simple example of the scattering of uncorrelated partons off color fields in a large nucleus. We demonstrate how the physics of fluctuating color fields in the color glass condensate (CGC) effective theory generates these azimuthal multiparticle correlations and compute the corresponding Fourier coefficients v n within different CGC approximation schemes. We discuss in detail the qualitative and quantitative differences between the different schemes. Lastly, we will show how a recently introduced color field domain model that captures key features of the observed azimuthalmore » correlations can be understood in the CGC effective theory as a model of non-Gaussian correlations in the target nucleus.« less

Algorithms for the prediction of retinopathy of prematurity based on postnatal weight gain.

PubMed

Binenbaum, Gil

2013-06-01

Current ROP screening guidelines represent a simple risk model with two dichotomized factors, birth weight and gestational age at birth. Pioneering work has shown that tracking postnatal weight gain, a surrogate for low insulin-like growth factor 1, may capture the influence of many other ROP risk factors and improve risk prediction. Models including weight gain, such as WINROP, ROPScore, and CHOP ROP, have demonstrated accurate ROP risk assessment and a potentially large reduction in ROP examinations, compared to current guidelines. However, there is a need for larger studies, and generalizability is limited in countries with developing neonatal care systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Persistence-Driven Durotaxis: Generic, Directed Motility in Rigidity Gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novikova, Elizaveta A.; Raab, Matthew; Discher, Dennis E.; Storm, Cornelis

2017-02-01

Cells move differently on substrates with different rigidities: the persistence time of their motion is higher on stiffer substrates. We show that this behavior—in and of itself—results in a net flux of cells directed up a soft-to-stiff gradient. Using simple random walk models with varying persistence and stochastic simulations, we characterize the propensity to move in terms of the durotactic index also measured in experiments. A one-dimensional model captures the essential features and highlights the competition between diffusive spreading and linear, wavelike propagation. Persistence-driven durokinesis is generic and may be of use in the design of instructive environments for cells and other motile, mechanosensitive objects.

Modelling temporal networks of human face-to-face contacts with public activity and individual reachability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yi-Qing; Cui, Jing; Zhang, Shu-Min; Zhang, Qi; Li, Xiang

2016-02-01

Modelling temporal networks of human face-to-face contacts is vital both for understanding the spread of airborne pathogens and word-of-mouth spreading of information. Although many efforts have been devoted to model these temporal networks, there are still two important social features, public activity and individual reachability, have been ignored in these models. Here we present a simple model that captures these two features and other typical properties of empirical face-to-face contact networks. The model describes agents which are characterized by an attractiveness to slow down the motion of nearby people, have event-triggered active probability and perform an activity-dependent biased random walk in a square box with periodic boundary. The model quantitatively reproduces two empirical temporal networks of human face-to-face contacts which are testified by their network properties and the epidemic spread dynamics on them.

A Coarse-Grained Protein Model in a Water-like Solvent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sumit; Kumar, Sanat K.; Buldyrev, Sergey V.; Debenedetti, Pablo G.; Rossky, Peter J.; Stanley, H. Eugene

2013-05-01

Simulations employing an explicit atom description of proteins in solvent can be computationally expensive. On the other hand, coarse-grained protein models in implicit solvent miss essential features of the hydrophobic effect, especially its temperature dependence, and have limited ability to capture the kinetics of protein folding. We propose a free space two-letter protein (``H-P'') model in a simple, but qualitatively accurate description for water, the Jagla model, which coarse-grains water into an isotropically interacting sphere. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we design protein-like sequences that can undergo a collapse, exposing the ``Jagla-philic'' monomers to the solvent, while maintaining a ``hydrophobic'' core. This protein-like model manifests heat and cold denaturation in a manner that is reminiscent of proteins. While this protein-like model lacks the details that would introduce secondary structure formation, we believe that these ideas represent a first step in developing a useful, but computationally expedient, means of modeling proteins.

Extending Primitive Spatial Data Models to Include Semantics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitsma, F.; Batcheller, J.

2009-04-01

Our traditional geospatial data model involves associating some measurable quality, such as temperature, or observable feature, such as a tree, with a point or region in space and time. When capturing data we implicitly subscribe to some kind of conceptualisation. If we can make this explicit in an ontology and associate it with the captured data, we can leverage formal semantics to reason with the concepts represented in our spatial data sets. To do so, we extend our fundamental representation of geospatial data in a data model by including a URI in our basic data model that links it to our ontology defining our conceptualisation, We thus extend Goodchild et al's geo-atom [1] with the addition of a URI: (x, Z, z(x), URI) . This provides us with pixel or feature level knowledge and the ability to create layers of data from a set of pixels or features that might be drawn from a database based on their semantics. Using open source tools, we present a prototype that involves simple reasoning as a proof of concept. References [1] M.F. Goodchild, M. Yuan, and T.J. Cova. Towards a general theory of geographic representation in gis. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 21(3):239-260, 2007.

General features of the dissociative recombination of polyatomic molecules

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

Pratt, S. T.; Jungen, Ch.; Schneider, I. F.

We discuss some aspects of a simple expression for the low-energy dissociative recombination cross section that applies when the recombination process is dominated by the indirect mechanism. In most previous applications, this expression has been applied to capture into vibrationally excited Rydberg states with the assumption that capture is always followed by prompt dissociation. Here we consider the dissociative recombination of larger polyatomic ions and electrons. More specifically, we consider capture into electronically core-excited Rydberg states, and begin to assess its potential importance for larger systems.

General features of the dissociative recombination of polyatomic molecules

DOE PAGES

Pratt, S. T.; Jungen, Ch.; Schneider, I. F.; ...

2015-01-29

We discuss some aspects of a simple expression for the low-energy dissociative recombination cross section that applies when the recombination process is dominated by the indirect mechanism. In most previous applications, this expression has been applied to capture into vibrationally excited Rydberg states with the assumption that capture is always followed by prompt dissociation. Here we consider the dissociative recombination of larger polyatomic ions and electrons. More specifically, we consider capture into electronically core-excited Rydberg states, and begin to assess its potential importance for larger systems.

A numerical study on the limitations of modal Iwan models for impulsive excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacayo, Robert M.; Deaner, Brandon J.; Allen, Matthew S.

2017-03-01

Structures with mechanical joints are difficult to model accurately. Even if the natural frequencies of the system remain essentially constant, the damping introduced by the joints is often observed to change dramatically with amplitude. Although models for individual joints have been employed with some success, accurately modeling a structure with many joints remains a significant obstacle. To this end, Segalman proposed a modal Iwan model, which simplifies the analysis by modeling a system with a linear superposition of weakly-nonlinear, uncoupled single degree-of-freedom systems or modes. Given a simulation model with discrete joints, one can identify the model for each mode by selectively exciting each mode one at a time and observing how the transient response decays. However, in the environment of interest several modes may be excited simultaneously, such as in an experiment when an impulse is applied at a discrete point. In this work, the modal Iwan model framework is assessed numerically to understand how well it captures the dynamic response of typical structures with joints when they are excited with impulsive forces applied at point locations. This is done by comparing the effective natural frequency and modal damping of the uncoupled modal models with those of truth models that include nonlinear modal coupling. These concepts are explored for two structures, a simple spring-mass system and a finite element model of a beam, both of which contain physical Iwan elements to model joint nonlinearity. The results show that modal Iwan models can effectively capture the variations in frequency and damping with amplitude, which, for damping, can increase by as much as two orders of magnitude in the microslip regime. However, even in the microslip regime the accuracy of a modal Iwan model is found to depend on whether the mode in question is dominant in the response; in some cases the effective damping that the uncoupled model predicts is found to be in error by tens of percent. Nonetheless, the modal model captures the response qualitatively and is still far superior to a linear model.

Query-seeded iterative sequence similarity searching improves selectivity 5–20-fold

PubMed Central

Li, Weizhong; Lopez, Rodrigo

2017-01-01

Abstract Iterative similarity search programs, like psiblast, jackhmmer, and psisearch, are much more sensitive than pairwise similarity search methods like blast and ssearch because they build a position specific scoring model (a PSSM or HMM) that captures the pattern of sequence conservation characteristic to a protein family. But models are subject to contamination; once an unrelated sequence has been added to the model, homologs of the unrelated sequence will also produce high scores, and the model can diverge from the original protein family. Examination of alignment errors during psiblast PSSM contamination suggested a simple strategy for dramatically reducing PSSM contamination. psiblast PSSMs are built from the query-based multiple sequence alignment (MSA) implied by the pairwise alignments between the query model (PSSM, HMM) and the subject sequences in the library. When the original query sequence residues are inserted into gapped positions in the aligned subject sequence, the resulting PSSM rarely produces alignment over-extensions or alignments to unrelated sequences. This simple step, which tends to anchor the PSSM to the original query sequence and slightly increase target percent identity, can reduce the frequency of false-positive alignments more than 20-fold compared with psiblast and jackhmmer, with little loss in search sensitivity. PMID:27923999

Accounting for inherent variability of growth in microbial risk assessment.

PubMed

Marks, H M; Coleman, M E

2005-04-15

Risk assessments of pathogens need to account for the growth of small number of cells under varying conditions. In order to determine the possible risks that occur when there are small numbers of cells, stochastic models of growth are needed that would capture the distribution of the number of cells over replicate trials of the same scenario or environmental conditions. This paper provides a simple stochastic growth model, accounting only for inherent cell-growth variability, assuming constant growth kinetic parameters, for an initial, small, numbers of cells assumed to be transforming from a stationary to an exponential phase. Two, basic, microbial sets of assumptions are considered: serial, where it is assume that cells transform through a lag phase before entering the exponential phase of growth; and parallel, where it is assumed that lag and exponential phases develop in parallel. The model is based on, first determining the distribution of the time when growth commences, and then modelling the conditional distribution of the number of cells. For the latter distribution, it is found that a Weibull distribution provides a simple approximation to the conditional distribution of the relative growth, so that the model developed in this paper can be easily implemented in risk assessments using commercial software packages.

A simple physical model for deep moonquake occurrence times

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weber, R.C.; Bills, B.G.; Johnson, C.L.

2010-01-01

The physical process that results in moonquakes is not yet fully understood. The periodic occurrence times of events from individual clusters are clearly related to tidal stress, but also exhibit departures from the temporal regularity this relationship would seem to imply. Even simplified models that capture some of the relevant physics require a large number of variables. However, a single, easily accessible variable - the time interval I(n) between events - can be used to reveal behavior not readily observed using typical periodicity analyses (e.g., Fourier analyses). The delay-coordinate (DC) map, a particularly revealing way to display data from a time series, is a map of successive intervals: I(n+. 1) plotted vs. I(n). We use a DC approach to characterize the dynamics of moonquake occurrence. Moonquake-like DC maps can be reproduced by combining sequences of synthetic events that occur with variable probability at tidal periods. Though this model gives a good description of what happens, it has little physical content, thus providing only little insight into why moonquakes occur. We investigate a more mechanistic model. In this study, we present a series of simple models of deep moonquake occurrence, with consideration of both tidal stress and stress drop during events. We first examine the behavior of inter-event times in a delay-coordinate context, and then examine the output, in that context, of a sequence of simple models of tidal forcing and stress relief. We find, as might be expected, that the stress relieved by moonquakes influences their occurrence times. Our models may also provide an explanation for the opposite-polarity events observed at some clusters. ?? 2010.

Plasma Model V&V of Collisionless Electrostatic Shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Robert; Le, Hai; Bilyeu, David; Gildea, Stephen

2014-10-01

A simple 1D electrostatic collisionless shock was selected as an initial validation and verification test case for a new plasma modeling framework under development at the Air Force Research Laboratory's In-Space Propulsion branch (AFRL/RQRS). Cross verification between PIC, Vlasov, and Fluid plasma models within the framework along with expected theoretical results will be shown. The non-equilibrium velocity distributions (VDF) captured by PIC and Vlasov will be compared to each other and the assumed VDF of the fluid model at selected points. Validation against experimental data from the University of California, Los Angeles double-plasma device will also be presented along with current work in progress at AFRL/RQRS towards reproducing the experimental results using higher fidelity diagnostics to help elucidate differences between model results and between the models and original experiment. DISTRIBUTION A: Approved for public release; unlimited distribution; PA (Public Affairs) Clearance Number 14332.

A charge-based model of Junction Barrier Schottky rectifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latorre-Rey, Alvaro D.; Mudholkar, Mihir; Quddus, Mohammed T.; Salih, Ali

2018-06-01

A new charge-based model of the electric field distribution for Junction Barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes is presented, based on the description of the charge-sharing effect between the vertical Schottky junction and the lateral pn-junctions that constitute the active cell of the device. In our model, the inherently 2-D problem is transformed into a simple but accurate 1-D problem which has a closed analytical solution that captures the reshaping and reduction of the electric field profile responsible for the improved electrical performance of these devices, while preserving physically meaningful expressions that depend on relevant device parameters. The validation of the model is performed by comparing calculated electric field profiles with drift-diffusion simulations of a JBS device showing good agreement. Even though other fully 2-D models already available provide higher accuracy, they lack physical insight making the proposed model an useful tool for device design.

Testing an H-mode Pedestal Model Using DIII-D Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kritz, A. H.; Onjun, T.; Bateman, G.; Guzdar, P. N.; Mahajan, S. M.; Osborne, T.

2004-11-01

Tests against experimental data are carried out for a model of the pedestal at the edge of H-mode plasmas based on double-Beltrami solutions of the two-fluid Hall-MHD equations for the interaction of the magnetic and velocity fields.(S.M. Mahajan and Z. Yoshida, PRL 81 (1998) 4863, Phys. Plasmas 7 (2000) 635.) The width and height of the pedestal predicted by the model are tested against experimental data from the DIII-D tokamak. The model for the pedestal width, which has a particularly simple form, namely, inversely proportional to the square root of the density, does not appear to capture the parameter dependence of the experimental data. When the model for the pedestal temperature is rescaled to optimize agreement with data, the RMS error is found to be comparable with the RMS error found using other pedestal models.(T. Onjun, G. Bateman, A.H. Kritz, G. Hammett, Phys. Plasmas 9 (2002) 5018.)

Boulder Capture System Design Options for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission Alternate Approach Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belbin, Scott P.; Merrill, Raymond G.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a boulder acquisition and asteroid surface interaction electromechanical concept developed for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) option to capture a free standing boulder on the surface of a 100 m or larger Near Earth Asteroid (NEA). It details the down select process and ranking of potential boulder capture methods, the evolution of a simple yet elegant articulating spaceframe, and ongoing risk reduction and concept refinement efforts. The capture system configuration leverages the spaceframe, heritage manipulators, and a new microspine technology to enable the ARRM boulder capture. While at the NEA it enables attenuation of terminal descent velocity, ascent to escape velocity, boulder collection and restraint. After departure from the NEA it enables, robotic inspection, sample caching, and crew Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA).

Reducing Cascading Failure Risk by Increasing Infrastructure Network Interdependence

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

Korkali, Mert; Veneman, Jason G.; Tivnan, Brian F.

Increased coupling between critical infrastructure networks, such as power and communication systems, has important implications for the reliability and security of these systems. To understand the effects of power-communication coupling, several researchers have studied models of interdependent networks and reported that increased coupling can increase vulnerability. However, these conclusions come largely from models that have substantially different mechanisms of cascading failure, relative to those found in actual power and communication networks, and that do not capture the benefits of connecting systems with complementary capabilities. In order to understand the importance of these details, this paper compares network vulnerability in simplemore » topological models and in models that more accurately capture the dynamics of cascading in power systems. First, we compare a simple model of topological contagion to a model of cascading in power systems and find that the power grid model shows a higher level of vulnerability, relative to the contagion model. Second, we compare a percolation model of topological cascading in coupled networks to three different models of power networks coupled to communication systems. Again, the more accurate models suggest very different conclusions than the percolation model. In all but the most extreme case, the physics-based power grid models indicate that increased power-communication coupling decreases vulnerability. This is opposite from what one would conclude from the percolation model, in which zero coupling is optimal. Only in an extreme case, in which communication failures immediately cause grid failures, did we find that increased coupling can be harmful. Together, these results suggest design strategies for reducing the risk of cascades in interdependent infrastructure systems.« less

Reducing Cascading Failure Risk by Increasing Infrastructure Network Interdependence

DOE PAGES

Korkali, Mert; Veneman, Jason G.; Tivnan, Brian F.; ...

2017-03-20

Increased coupling between critical infrastructure networks, such as power and communication systems, has important implications for the reliability and security of these systems. To understand the effects of power-communication coupling, several researchers have studied models of interdependent networks and reported that increased coupling can increase vulnerability. However, these conclusions come largely from models that have substantially different mechanisms of cascading failure, relative to those found in actual power and communication networks, and that do not capture the benefits of connecting systems with complementary capabilities. In order to understand the importance of these details, this paper compares network vulnerability in simplemore » topological models and in models that more accurately capture the dynamics of cascading in power systems. First, we compare a simple model of topological contagion to a model of cascading in power systems and find that the power grid model shows a higher level of vulnerability, relative to the contagion model. Second, we compare a percolation model of topological cascading in coupled networks to three different models of power networks coupled to communication systems. Again, the more accurate models suggest very different conclusions than the percolation model. In all but the most extreme case, the physics-based power grid models indicate that increased power-communication coupling decreases vulnerability. This is opposite from what one would conclude from the percolation model, in which zero coupling is optimal. Only in an extreme case, in which communication failures immediately cause grid failures, did we find that increased coupling can be harmful. Together, these results suggest design strategies for reducing the risk of cascades in interdependent infrastructure systems.« less

Application of a receptor-binding-capture qRTPCR assay to concentrate human norovirus from sewage and to study the distribution and stability of the virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are major agents of gastroenteritis and water is an important route of transmission. Using magnetic beads conjugated with blood group-like antigens previously reported as receptors for HuNoV, we developed a simple and rapid receptor-binding capture and magnetic sequestra...

Density estimation using the trapping web design: A geometric analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Link, W.A.; Barker, R.J.

1994-01-01

Population densities for small mammal and arthropod populations can be estimated using capture frequencies for a web of traps. A conceptually simple geometric analysis that avoid the need to estimate a point on a density function is proposed. This analysis incorporates data from the outermost rings of traps, explaining large capture frequencies in these rings rather than truncating them from the analysis.

A combined theoretical and in vitro modeling approach for predicting the magnetic capture and retention of magnetic nanoparticles in vivo

PubMed Central

David, Allan E.; Cole, Adam J.; Chertok, Beata; Park, Yoon Shin; Yang, Victor C.

2011-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) continue to draw considerable attention as potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the fight against cancer. Although many interacting forces present themselves during magnetic targeting of MNP to tumors, most theoretical considerations of this process ignore all except for the magnetic and drag forces. Our validation of a simple in vitro model against in vivo data, and subsequent reproduction of the in vitro results with a theoretical model indicated that these two forces do indeed dominate the magnetic capture of MNP. However, because nanoparticles can be subject to aggregation, and large MNP experience an increased magnetic force, the effects of surface forces on MNP stability cannot be ignored. We accounted for the aggregating surface forces simply by measuring the size of MNP retained from flow by magnetic fields, and utilized this size in the mathematical model. This presumably accounted for all particle-particle interactions, including those between magnetic dipoles. Thus, our “corrected” mathematical model provided a reasonable estimate of not only fractional MNP retention, but also predicted the regions of accumulation in a simulated capillary. Furthermore, the model was also utilized to calculate the effects of MNP size and spatial location, relative to the magnet, on targeting of MNPs to tumors. This combination of an in vitro model with a theoretical model could potentially assist with parametric evaluations of magnetic targeting, and enable rapid enhancement and optimization of magnetic targeting methodologies. PMID:21295085

Assessment of potential for small hydro/solar power integration in a mountainous, data sparse region: the role of hydrological prediction accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borga, Marco; Francois, Baptiste; Creutin, Jean-Dominique; Hingray, Benoit; Zoccatelli, Davide; Tardivo, Gianmarco

2015-04-01

In many parts of the world, integration of small hydropower and solar/wind energy sources along river systems is examined as a way to meet pressing renewable energy targets. Depending on the space and time scales considered, hydrometeorological variability may synchronize or desynchronize solar/wind, runoff and the demand opening the possibility to use their complementarity to smooth the intermittency of each individual energy source. Rivers also provide important ecosystem services, including the provision of high quality downstream water supply and the maintenance of in-stream habitats. With future supply and demand of water resources both impacted by environmental change, a good understanding of the potential for the integration among hydropower and solar/wind energy sources in often sparsely gauged catchments is important. In such cases, where complex data-demanding models may be inappropriate, there is a need for simple conceptual modelling approaches that can still capture the main features of runoff generation and artificial regulation processes. In this work we focus on run-of-the-river and solar-power interaction assessment. In order to catch the three key cycles of the load fluctuation - daily, weekly and seasonal, the time step used in the study is the hourly resolution. We examine the performance of a conceptual hydrological model which includes facilities to model dam regulation and diversions and hydrological modules to account for the effect of glaciarised catchments. The model is applied to catchments of the heavily regulated Upper Adige river system (6900 km2), Eastern Italian Alps, which has a long history of hydropower generation. The model is used to characterize and predict the natural flow regime, assess the regulation impacts, and simulate co-fluctuations between run-of- the-river and solar power. The results demonstrates that the simple, conceptual modelling approach developed here can capture the main hydrological and regulation processes well at the three key cycles of the load fluctuations. A specific focus is dedicated on how the results can be communicated to stakeholders in order to provide a basis for discussing the development of new adaptive management strategies.

Magnetic bead-quantum dot assay for detection of a biomarker for traumatic brain injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chloe; Searson, Peter C.

2015-10-01

Current diagnostic methods for traumatic brain injury (TBI), which accounts for 15% of all emergency room visits, are limited to neuroimaging modalities. The challenges of accurate diagnosis and monitoring of TBI have created the need for a simple and sensitive blood test to detect brain-specific biomarkers. Here we report on an assay for detection of S100B, a putative biomarker for TBI, using antibody-conjugated magnetic beads for capture of the protein, and antibody-conjugated quantum dots for optical detection. From Western Blot, we show efficient antigen capture and concentration by the magnetic beads. Using magnetic bead capture and quantum dot detection in serum samples, we show a wide detection range and detection limit below the clinical cut-off level.Current diagnostic methods for traumatic brain injury (TBI), which accounts for 15% of all emergency room visits, are limited to neuroimaging modalities. The challenges of accurate diagnosis and monitoring of TBI have created the need for a simple and sensitive blood test to detect brain-specific biomarkers. Here we report on an assay for detection of S100B, a putative biomarker for TBI, using antibody-conjugated magnetic beads for capture of the protein, and antibody-conjugated quantum dots for optical detection. From Western Blot, we show efficient antigen capture and concentration by the magnetic beads. Using magnetic bead capture and quantum dot detection in serum samples, we show a wide detection range and detection limit below the clinical cut-off level. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05608j

Inference of epistatic effects in a key mitochondrial protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Erik D.; Grishin, Nick V.

2018-06-01

We use Potts model inference to predict pair epistatic effects in a key mitochondrial protein—cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2—for ray-finned fishes. We examine the effect of phylogenetic correlations on our predictions using a simple exact fitness model, and we find that, although epistatic effects are underpredicted, they maintain a roughly linear relationship to their true (model) values. After accounting for this correction, epistatic effects in the protein are still relatively weak, leading to fitness valleys of depth 2 N s ≃-5 in compensatory double mutants. Interestingly, positive epistasis is more pronounced than negative epistasis, and the strongest positive effects capture nearly all sites subject to positive selection in fishes, similar to virus proteins evolving under selection pressure in the context of drug therapy.

Vehicle track segmentation using higher order random fields

DOE PAGES

Quach, Tu -Thach

2017-01-09

Here, we present an approach to segment vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times. The approach uses multiscale higher order random field models to capture track statistics, such as curvatures and their parallel nature, that are not currently utilized in existing methods. These statistics are encoded as 3-by-3 patterns at different scales. The model can complete disconnected tracks often caused by sensor noise and various environmental effects. Coupling the model with a simple classifier, our approach is effective at segmenting salient tracks. We improve the F-measure onmore » a standard vehicle track data set to 0.963, up from 0.897 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Vehicle track segmentation using higher order random fields

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

Quach, Tu -Thach

Here, we present an approach to segment vehicle tracks in coherent change detection images, a product of combining two synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times. The approach uses multiscale higher order random field models to capture track statistics, such as curvatures and their parallel nature, that are not currently utilized in existing methods. These statistics are encoded as 3-by-3 patterns at different scales. The model can complete disconnected tracks often caused by sensor noise and various environmental effects. Coupling the model with a simple classifier, our approach is effective at segmenting salient tracks. We improve the F-measure onmore » a standard vehicle track data set to 0.963, up from 0.897 obtained by the current state-of-the-art method.« less

Interaction with a field: a simple integrable model with backreaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouchet, Amaury

2008-09-01

The classical model of an oscillator linearly coupled to a string captures, for a low price in technique, many general features of more realistic models for describing a particle interacting with a field or an atom in an electromagnetic cavity. The scattering matrix and the asymptotic in and out-waves on the string can be computed exactly and the phenomenon of resonant scattering can be introduced in the simplest way. The dissipation induced by the coupling of the oscillator to the string can be studied completely. In the case of a d'Alembert string, the backreaction leads to an Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac-like equation. In the case of a Klein-Gordon string, one can see explicitly how radiation governs the (meta)stability of the (quasi)bounded mode.

Measuring black-hole parameters and testing general relativity using gravitational-wave data from space-based interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poisson, Eric

1996-11-01

Among the expected sources of gravitational waves for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is the capture of solar-mass compact stars by massive black holes residing in galactic centers. We construct a simple model for such a capture, in which the compact star moves freely on a circular orbit in the equatorial plane of the massive black hole. We consider the gravitational waves emitted during the late stages of orbital evolution, shortly before the orbiting mass reaches the innermost stable circular orbit. We construct a simple model for the gravitational-wave signal, in which the phasing of the waves plays the dominant role. The signal's behavior depends on a number of parameters, including μ, the mass of the orbiting star, M, the mass of the central black hole, and J, the black hole's angular momentum. We calculate, using our simplified model, and in the limit of large signal-to-noise ratio, the accuracy with which these quantities can be estimated during a gravitational-wave measurement. For concreteness we consider a typical system consisting of a 10Msolar black hole orbiting a nonrotating black hole of mass 106Msolar, whose gravitational waves are monitored during an entire year before the orbiting mass reaches the innermost stable circular orbit. Defining χ≡cJ/GM2 and η≡μ/M, we find Δχ~=5×10-2/ρ, Δη/η~=6×10-2/ρ, and ΔM/M~=2×10-3/ρ. Here, ρ denotes the signal-to-noise ratio associated with the signal and its measurement. That these uncertainties are all much smaller than 1/ρ, the signal-to-noise ratio level, is due to the large number of wave cycles received by the detector in the course of one year. These are the main results of this paper. Our simplified model also suggests a method for experimentally testing the strong-field predictions of general relativity.

A Biologically Constrained, Mathematical Model of Cortical Wave Propagation Preceding Seizure Termination

PubMed Central

González-Ramírez, Laura R.; Ahmed, Omar J.; Cash, Sydney S.; Wayne, C. Eugene; Kramer, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Epilepsy—the condition of recurrent, unprovoked seizures—manifests in brain voltage activity with characteristic spatiotemporal patterns. These patterns include stereotyped semi-rhythmic activity produced by aggregate neuronal populations, and organized spatiotemporal phenomena, including waves. To assess these spatiotemporal patterns, we develop a mathematical model consistent with the observed neuronal population activity and determine analytically the parameter configurations that support traveling wave solutions. We then utilize high-density local field potential data recorded in vivo from human cortex preceding seizure termination from three patients to constrain the model parameters, and propose basic mechanisms that contribute to the observed traveling waves. We conclude that a relatively simple and abstract mathematical model consisting of localized interactions between excitatory cells with slow adaptation captures the quantitative features of wave propagation observed in the human local field potential preceding seizure termination. PMID:25689136

Modeling winter precipitation over the Juneau Icefield, Alaska, using a linear model of orographic precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Aurora; Hock, Regine; Schuler, Thomas V.; Bieniek, Peter A.; Pelto, Mauri; Aschwanden, Andy

2018-03-01

Assessing and modeling precipitation in mountainous areas remains a major challenge in glacier mass balance modeling. Observations are typically scarce and reanalysis data and similar climate products are too coarse to accurately capture orographic effects. Here we use the linear theory of orographic precipitation model (LT model) to downscale winter precipitation from a regional climate model over the Juneau Icefield, one of the largest ice masses in North America (>4000 km2), for the period 1979-2013. The LT model is physically-based yet computationally efficient, combining airflow dynamics and simple cloud microphysics. The resulting 1 km resolution precipitation fields show substantially reduced precipitation on the northeastern portion of the icefield compared to the southwestern side, a pattern that is not well captured in the coarse resolution (20 km) WRF data. Net snow accumulation derived from the LT model precipitation agrees well with point observations across the icefield. To investigate the robustness of the LT model results, we perform a series of sensitivity experiments varying hydrometeor fall speeds, the horizontal resolution of the underlying grid, and the source of the meteorological forcing data. The resulting normalized spatial precipitation pattern is similar for all sensitivity experiments, but local precipitation amounts vary strongly, with greatest sensitivity to variations in snow fall speed. Results indicate that the LT model has great potential to provide improved spatial patterns of winter precipitation for glacier mass balance modeling purposes in complex terrain, but ground observations are necessary to constrain model parameters to match total amounts.

A minimal model of predator–swarm interactions

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuxin; Kolokolnikov, Theodore

2014-01-01

We propose a minimal model of predator–swarm interactions which captures many of the essential dynamics observed in nature. Different outcomes are observed depending on the predator strength. For a ‘weak’ predator, the swarm is able to escape the predator completely. As the strength is increased, the predator is able to catch up with the swarm as a whole, but the individual prey is able to escape by ‘confusing’ the predator: the prey forms a ring with the predator at the centre. For higher predator strength, complex chasing dynamics are observed which can become chaotic. For even higher strength, the predator is able to successfully capture the prey. Our model is simple enough to be amenable to a full mathematical analysis, which is used to predict the shape of the swarm as well as the resulting predator–prey dynamics as a function of model parameters. We show that, as the predator strength is increased, there is a transition (owing to a Hopf bifurcation) from confusion state to chasing dynamics, and we compute the threshold analytically. Our analysis indicates that the swarming behaviour is not helpful in avoiding the predator, suggesting that there are other reasons why the species may swarm. The complex shape of the swarm in our model during the chasing dynamics is similar to the shape of a flock of sheep avoiding a shepherd. PMID:24598204

A minimal model of predator-swarm interactions.

PubMed

Chen, Yuxin; Kolokolnikov, Theodore

2014-05-06

We propose a minimal model of predator-swarm interactions which captures many of the essential dynamics observed in nature. Different outcomes are observed depending on the predator strength. For a 'weak' predator, the swarm is able to escape the predator completely. As the strength is increased, the predator is able to catch up with the swarm as a whole, but the individual prey is able to escape by 'confusing' the predator: the prey forms a ring with the predator at the centre. For higher predator strength, complex chasing dynamics are observed which can become chaotic. For even higher strength, the predator is able to successfully capture the prey. Our model is simple enough to be amenable to a full mathematical analysis, which is used to predict the shape of the swarm as well as the resulting predator-prey dynamics as a function of model parameters. We show that, as the predator strength is increased, there is a transition (owing to a Hopf bifurcation) from confusion state to chasing dynamics, and we compute the threshold analytically. Our analysis indicates that the swarming behaviour is not helpful in avoiding the predator, suggesting that there are other reasons why the species may swarm. The complex shape of the swarm in our model during the chasing dynamics is similar to the shape of a flock of sheep avoiding a shepherd.

A model to estimate the size of nanoparticle agglomerates in gas-solid fluidized beds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Martín, Lilian; van Ommen, J. Ruud

2013-11-01

The estimation of nanoparticle agglomerates' size in fluidized beds remains an open challenge, mainly due to the difficulty of characterizing the inter-agglomerate van der Waals force. The current approach is to describe micron-sized nanoparticle agglomerates as micron-sized particles with 0.1-0.2-μm asperities. This simplification does not capture the influence of the particle size on the van der Waals attraction between agglomerates. In this paper, we propose a new description where the agglomerates are micron-sized particles with nanoparticles on the surface, acting as asperities. As opposed to previous models, here the van der Waals force between agglomerates decreases with an increase in the particle size. We have also included an additional force due to the hydrogen bond formation between the surfaces of hydrophilic and dry nanoparticles. The average size of the fluidized agglomerates has been estimated equating the attractive force obtained from this method to the weight of the individual agglomerates. The results have been compared to 54 experimental values, most of them collected from the literature. Our model approximates without a systematic error the size of most of the nanopowders, both in conventional and centrifugal fluidized beds, outperforming current models. Although simple, the model is able to capture the influence of the nanoparticle size, particle density, and Hamaker coefficient on the inter-agglomerate forces.

Crises and Collective Socio-Economic Phenomena: Simple Models and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchaud, Jean-Philippe

2013-05-01

Financial and economic history is strewn with bubbles and crashes, booms and busts, crises and upheavals of all sorts. Understanding the origin of these events is arguably one of the most important problems in economic theory. In this paper, we review recent efforts to include heterogeneities and interactions in models of decision. We argue that the so-called Random Field Ising model ( rfim) provides a unifying framework to account for many collective socio-economic phenomena that lead to sudden ruptures and crises. We discuss different models that can capture potentially destabilizing self-referential feedback loops, induced either by herding, i.e. reference to peers, or trending, i.e. reference to the past, and that account for some of the phenomenology missing in the standard models. We discuss some empirically testable predictions of these models, for example robust signatures of rfim-like herding effects, or the logarithmic decay of spatial correlations of voting patterns. One of the most striking result, inspired by statistical physics methods, is that Adam Smith's invisible hand can fail badly at solving simple coordination problems. We also insist on the issue of time-scales, that can be extremely long in some cases, and prevent socially optimal equilibria from being reached. As a theoretical challenge, the study of so-called "detailed-balance" violating decision rules is needed to decide whether conclusions based on current models (that all assume detailed-balance) are indeed robust and generic.

Scripting MODFLOW model development using Python and FloPy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bakker, Mark; Post, Vincent E. A.; Langevin, Christian D.; Hughes, Joseph D.; White, Jeremy; Starn, Jeffrey; Fienen, Michael N.

2016-01-01

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are commonly used to construct and postprocess numerical groundwater flow and transport models. Scripting model development with the programming language Python is presented here as an alternative approach. One advantage of Python is that there are many packages available to facilitate the model development process, including packages for plotting, array manipulation, optimization, and data analysis. For MODFLOW-based models, the FloPy package was developed by the authors to construct model input files, run the model, and read and plot simulation results. Use of Python with the available scientific packages and FloPy facilitates data exploration, alternative model evaluations, and model analyses that can be difficult to perform with GUIs. Furthermore, Python scripts are a complete, transparent, and repeatable record of the modeling process. The approach is introduced with a simple FloPy example to create and postprocess a MODFLOW model. A more complicated capture-fraction analysis with a real-world model is presented to demonstrate the types of analyses that can be performed using Python and FloPy.

Control of ITBs in Fusion Self-Heated Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panta, Soma; Newman, David; Terry, Paul; Sanchez, Raul

2015-11-01

Simple dynamical models have been able to capture a remarkable amount of the dynamics of the transport barriers found in many devices, including the often disconnected nature of the electron thermal transport channel sometimes observed in the presence of a standard (``ion channel'') barrier. By including in this rich though simple dynamic transport model an evolution equation for electron fluctuations we have previously investigated the interaction between the formation of the standard ion channel barrier and the somewhat less common electron channel barrier. The electron channel formation and evolution is even more sensitive to the alignment of the various gradients making up the sheared radial electric field then the ion barrier is. Because of this sensitivity and coupling of the barrier dynamics, the dynamic evolution of the fusion self-heating profile can have a significant impact on the barrier location and dynamics. To investigate this, self-heating has been added this model and the impact of the self-heating on the formation and controllability of the various barriers is explored. It has been found that the evolution of the heating profiles can suppress or collapse the electron channel barrier. NBI and RF schemes will be investigated for profile/barrier control.

Lifetime of Bubble Rafts: Cooperativity and Avalanches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritacco, Hernán; Kiefer, Flavien; Langevin, Dominique

2007-06-01

We have studied the collapse of pseudo-bi-dimensional foams. These foams are made of uniformly sized soap bubbles packed in an hexagonal lattice sitting at the top of a liquid surface. The collapse process follows the sequence: (1) rupture of a first bubble, driven by thermal fluctuations and (2) a cascade of bursting bubbles. We present a simple numerical model which captures the main characteristics of the dynamics of foam collapse. We show that in a certain range of viscosities of the foaming solutions, the size distribution of the avalanches follows power laws as in self-organized criticality processes.

Lifetime of bubble rafts: cooperativity and avalanches.

PubMed

Ritacco, Hernán; Kiefer, Flavien; Langevin, Dominique

2007-06-15

We have studied the collapse of pseudo-bi-dimensional foams. These foams are made of uniformly sized soap bubbles packed in an hexagonal lattice sitting at the top of a liquid surface. The collapse process follows the sequence: (1) rupture of a first bubble, driven by thermal fluctuations and (2) a cascade of bursting bubbles. We present a simple numerical model which captures the main characteristics of the dynamics of foam collapse. We show that in a certain range of viscosities of the foaming solutions, the size distribution of the avalanches follows power laws as in self-organized criticality processes.

Communication: Fragment-based Hamiltonian model of electronic charge-excitation gaps and gap closure

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

Valone, S. M.; Pilania, G.; Liu, X. Y.

2015-11-14

Capturing key electronic properties such as charge excitation gaps within models at or above the atomic scale presents an ongoing challenge to understanding molecular, nanoscale, and condensed phase systems. One strategy is to describe the system in terms of properties of interacting material fragments, but it is unclear how to accomplish this for charge-excitation and charge-transfer phenomena. Hamiltonian models such as the Hubbard model provide formal frameworks for analyzing gap properties but are couched purely in terms of states of electrons, rather than the states of the fragments at the scale of interest. The recently introduced Fragment Hamiltonian (FH) modelmore » uses fragments in different charge states as its building blocks, enabling a uniform, quantum-mechanical treatment that captures the charge-excitation gap. These gaps are preserved in terms of inter-fragment charge-transfer hopping integrals T and on-fragment parameters U{sup (FH)}. The FH model generalizes the standard Hubbard model (a single intra-band hopping integral t and on-site repulsion U) from quantum states for electrons to quantum states for fragments. We demonstrate that even for simple two-fragment and multi-fragment systems, gap closure is enabled once T exceeds the threshold set by U{sup (FH)}, thus providing new insight into the nature of metal-insulator transitions. This result is in contrast to the standard Hubbard model for 1d rings, for which Lieb and Wu proved that gap closure was impossible, regardless of the choices for t and U.« less

A Markov model of the Indus script

PubMed Central

Rao, Rajesh P. N.; Yadav, Nisha; Vahia, Mayank N.; Joglekar, Hrishikesh; Adhikari, R.; Mahadevan, Iravatham

2009-01-01

Although no historical information exists about the Indus civilization (flourished ca. 2600–1900 B.C.), archaeologists have uncovered about 3,800 short samples of a script that was used throughout the civilization. The script remains undeciphered, despite a large number of attempts and claimed decipherments over the past 80 years. Here, we propose the use of probabilistic models to analyze the structure of the Indus script. The goal is to reveal, through probabilistic analysis, syntactic patterns that could point the way to eventual decipherment. We illustrate the approach using a simple Markov chain model to capture sequential dependencies between signs in the Indus script. The trained model allows new sample texts to be generated, revealing recurring patterns of signs that could potentially form functional subunits of a possible underlying language. The model also provides a quantitative way of testing whether a particular string belongs to the putative language as captured by the Markov model. Application of this test to Indus seals found in Mesopotamia and other sites in West Asia reveals that the script may have been used to express different content in these regions. Finally, we show how missing, ambiguous, or unreadable signs on damaged objects can be filled in with most likely predictions from the model. Taken together, our results indicate that the Indus script exhibits rich synactic structure and the ability to represent diverse content. both of which are suggestive of a linguistic writing system rather than a nonlinguistic symbol system. PMID:19666571

Statistical Emulation of Climate Model Projections Based on Precomputed GCM Runs*

DOE PAGES

Castruccio, Stefano; McInerney, David J.; Stein, Michael L.; ...

2014-02-24

The authors describe a new approach for emulating the output of a fully coupled climate model under arbitrary forcing scenarios that is based on a small set of precomputed runs from the model. Temperature and precipitation are expressed as simple functions of the past trajectory of atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, and a statistical model is fit using a limited set of training runs. The approach is demonstrated to be a useful and computationally efficient alternative to pattern scaling and captures the nonlinear evolution of spatial patterns of climate anomalies inherent in transient climates. The approach does as well as patternmore » scaling in all circumstances and substantially better in many; it is not computationally demanding; and, once the statistical model is fit, it produces emulated climate output effectively instantaneously. In conclusion, it may therefore find wide application in climate impacts assessments and other policy analyses requiring rapid climate projections.« less

Magnetic domain wall creep and depinning: A scalar field model approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caballero, Nirvana B.; Ferrero, Ezequiel E.; Kolton, Alejandro B.; Curiale, Javier; Jeudy, Vincent; Bustingorry, Sebastian

2018-06-01

Magnetic domain wall motion is at the heart of new magnetoelectronic technologies and hence the need for a deeper understanding of domain wall dynamics in magnetic systems. In this context, numerical simulations using simple models can capture the main ingredients responsible for the complex observed domain wall behavior. We present a scalar field model for the magnetization dynamics of quasi-two-dimensional systems with a perpendicular easy axis of magnetization which allows a direct comparison with typical experimental protocols, used in polar magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy experiments. We show that the thermally activated creep and depinning regimes of domain wall motion can be reached and the effect of different quenched disorder implementations can be assessed with the model. In particular, we show that the depinning field increases with the mean grain size of a Voronoi tessellation model for the disorder.

Nonlinear Thermoelastic Model for SMAs and SMA Hybrid Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Travis L.

2004-01-01

A constitutive mathematical model has been developed that predicts the nonlinear thermomechanical behaviors of shape-memory-alloys (SMAs) and of shape-memory-alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) structures, which are composite-material structures that contain embedded SMA actuators. SMAHC structures have been investigated for their potential utility in a variety of applications in which there are requirements for static or dynamic control of the shapes of structures, control of the thermoelastic responses of structures, or control of noise and vibrations. The present model overcomes deficiencies of prior, overly simplistic or qualitative models that have proven ineffective or intractable for engineering of SMAHC structures. The model is sophisticated enough to capture the essential features of the mechanics of SMAHC structures yet simple enough to accommodate input from fundamental engineering measurements and is in a form that is amenable to implementation in general-purpose structural analysis environments.

A Catchment-Based Approach to Modeling Land Surface Processes in a GCM. Part 2; Parameter Estimation and Model Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ducharne, Agnes; Koster, Randal D.; Suarez, Max J.; Stieglitz, Marc; Kumar, Praveen

2000-01-01

The viability of a new catchment-based land surface model (LSM) developed for use with general circulation models is demonstrated. First, simple empirical functions -- tractable enough for operational use in the LSM -- are established that faithfully capture the control of topography on the subgrid variability of soil moisture and the surface water budget, as predicted by theory. Next, the full LSM is evaluated offline. Using forcing and validation datasets developed for PILPS Phase 2c, the minimally calibrated model is shown to reproduce observed evaporation and runoff fluxes successfully in the Red-Arkansas River Basin. A complementary idealized study that employs the range of topographic variability seen over North America demonstrates that the simulated surface water budget does vary strongly with topography, which can, by itself, induce variations in annual evaporation as high as 20%.

Doping Polypyrrole Films with 4-N-Pentylphenylboronic Acid to Enhance Affinity towards Bacteria and Dopamine

PubMed Central

Padiolleau, Laurence; Chen, Xi; Jafari, Mohammad Javad; Sheikhzadeh, Elham; Turner, Anthony P. F.; Jager, Edwin W. H.; Beni, Valerio

2016-01-01

Here we demonstrate the use of a functional dopant as a fast and simple way to tune the chemical affinity and selectivity of polypyrrole films. More specifically, a boronic-functionalised dopant, 4-N-Pentylphenylboronic Acid (PBA), was used to provide to polypyrrole films with enhanced affinity towards diols. In order to prove the proposed concept, two model systems were explored: (i) the capture and the electrochemical detection of dopamine and (ii) the adhesion of bacteria onto surfaces. The chemisensor, based on overoxidised polypyrrole boronic doped film, was shown to have the ability to capture and retain dopamine, thus improving its detection; furthermore the chemisensor showed better sensitivity in comparison with overoxidised perchlorate doped films. The adhesion of bacteria, Deinococcus proteolyticus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Klebsiella pneumoniae, onto the boric doped polypyrrole film was also tested. The presence of the boronic group in the polypyrrole film was shown to favour the adhesion of sugar-rich bacterial cells when compared with a control film (Dodecyl benzenesulfonate (DBS) doped film) with similar morphological and physical properties. The presented single step synthesis approach is simple and fast, does not require the development and synthesis of functional monomers, and can be easily expanded to the electrochemical, and possibly chemical, fabrication of novel functional surfaces and interfaces with inherent pre-defined sensing and chemical properties. PMID:27875555

A non-ideal portal frame energy harvester controlled using a pendulum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iliuk, I.; Balthazar, J. M.; Tusset, A. M.; Piqueira, J. R. C.; Rodrigues de Pontes, B.; Felix, J. L. P.; Bueno, Á. M.

2013-09-01

A model of energy harvester based on a simple portal frame structure is presented. The system is considered to be non-ideal system (NIS) due to interaction with the energy source, a DC motor with limited power supply and the system structure. The nonlinearities present in the piezoelectric material are considered in the piezoelectric coupling mathematical model. The system is a bi-stable Duffing oscillator presenting a chaotic behavior. Analyzing the average power variation, and bifurcation diagrams, the value of the control variable that optimizes power or average value that stabilizes the chaotic system in the periodic orbit is determined. The control sensitivity is determined to parametric errors in the damping and stiffness parameters of the portal frame. The proposed passive control technique uses a simple pendulum to tuned to the vibration of the structure to improve the energy harvesting. The results show that with the implementation of the control strategy it is possible to eliminate the need for active or semi active control, usually more complex. The control also provides a way to regulate the energy captured to a desired operating frequency.

Fuzzy logic-based flight control system design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nho, Kyungmoon

The application of fuzzy logic to aircraft motion control is studied in this dissertation. The self-tuning fuzzy techniques are developed by changing input scaling factors to obtain a robust fuzzy controller over a wide range of operating conditions and nonlinearities for a nonlinear aircraft model. It is demonstrated that the properly adjusted input scaling factors can meet the required performance and robustness in a fuzzy controller. For a simple demonstration of the easy design and control capability of a fuzzy controller, a proportional-derivative (PD) fuzzy control system is compared to the conventional controller for a simple dynamical system. This thesis also describes the design principles and stability analysis of fuzzy control systems by considering the key features of a fuzzy control system including the fuzzification, rule-base and defuzzification. The wing-rock motion of slender delta wings, a linear aircraft model and the six degree of freedom nonlinear aircraft dynamics are considered to illustrate several self-tuning methods employing change in input scaling factors. Finally, this dissertation is concluded with numerical simulation of glide-slope capture in windshear demonstrating the robustness of the fuzzy logic based flight control system.

An adsorption of carbon dioxide on activated carbon controlled by temperature swing adsorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomas, Korinek; Karel, Frana

2017-09-01

This work deals with a method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) in indoor air. Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA) on solid adsorbent was chosen for CO2 capture. Commercial activated carbon (AC) in form of extruded pellets was used as a solid adsorbent. There was constructed a simple device to testing effectiveness of CO2 capture in a fixed bed with AC. The TSA cycle was also simulated using the open-source software OpenFOAM. There was a good agreement between results obtained from numerical simulations and experimental data for adsorption process.

Novel regenerable sorbent for mercury capture from flue gases of coal-fired power plant.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Kelly, David J A; Yang, Hongqun; Lin, Christopher C H; Kuznicki, Steve M; Xu, Zhenghe

2008-08-15

A natural chabazite-based silver nanocomposite (AgMC) was synthesized to capture mercury from flue gases of coal-fired power plants. Silver nanoparticles were engineered on zeolite through ion-exchange of sodium ions with silver ions, followed by thermal annealing. Mercury sorption test using AgMC was performed at various temperatures by exposing it to either pulse injection of mercury or continuous mercury flow. A complete capture of mercury by AgMC was achieved up to a capture temperature of 250 degrees C. Nano silver particles were shown to be the main active component for mercury capture by amalgamation mechanism. Compared with activated carbon-based sorbents, the sorbent prepared in this study showed a much higher mercury capture capacity and upper temperature limit for mercury capture. More importantly, the mercury captured by the spent AgMC could be easily released for safe disposal and the sorbent regenerated by simple heating at 400 degrees C. Mercury capture tests performed in real flue gas environment showed a much higher level of mercury capture by AgMC than by other potential mercury sorbents tested. In our mercury capture tests, the AgMC exposed to real flue gases showed an increased mercury capture efficiency than the fresh AgMC.

A Trap For Capturing Arthropods Crawling up Tree Boles

Treesearch

James L. Hanula; Kirsten C.P. New

1996-01-01

A simple trap is described that captures arthropods as they crawl up tree boles. Constructed from metal funnels, plastic sandwich containers, and specimen cups, the traps can be assembled by one person at a rate of 5 to 6 per hour and installed in 2 to 3 minutes. Specimen collection required 15 to 20 seconds per trap. In 1993, three traps were placed on each tree. In...

Validity and reliability of simple measurement device to assess the velocity of the barbell during squats.

PubMed

Lorenzetti, Silvio; Lamparter, Thomas; Lüthy, Fabian

2017-12-06

The velocity of a barbell can provide important insights on the performance of athletes during strength training. The aim of this work was to assess the validity and reliably of four simple measurement devices that were compared to 3D motion capture measurements during squatting. Nine participants were assessed when performing 2 × 5 traditional squats with a weight of 70% of the 1 repetition maximum and ballistic squats with a weight of 25 kg. Simultaneously, data was recorded from three linear position transducers (T-FORCE, Tendo Power and GymAware), an accelerometer based system (Myotest) and a 3D motion capture system (Vicon) as the Gold Standard. Correlations between the simple measurement devices and 3D motion capture of the mean and the maximal velocity of the barbell, as well as the time to maximal velocity, were calculated. The correlations during traditional squats were significant and very high (r = 0.932, 0.990, p < 0.01) and significant and moderate to high (r = 0.552, 0.860, p < 0.01). The Myotest could only be used during the ballistic squats and was less accurate. All the linear position transducers were able to assess squat performance, particularly during traditional squats and especially in terms of mean velocity and time to maximal velocity.

Gestalt Perceptual Organization of Visual Stimuli Captures Attention Automatically: Electrophysiological Evidence

PubMed Central

Marini, Francesco; Marzi, Carlo A.

2016-01-01

The visual system leverages organizational regularities of perceptual elements to create meaningful representations of the world. One clear example of such function, which has been formalized in the Gestalt psychology principles, is the perceptual grouping of simple visual elements (e.g., lines and arcs) into unitary objects (e.g., forms and shapes). The present study sought to characterize automatic attentional capture and related cognitive processing of Gestalt-like visual stimuli at the psychophysiological level by using event-related potentials (ERPs). We measured ERPs during a simple visual reaction time task with bilateral presentations of physically matched elements with or without a Gestalt organization. Results showed that Gestalt (vs. non-Gestalt) stimuli are characterized by a larger N2pc together with enhanced ERP amplitudes of non-lateralized components (N1, N2, P3) starting around 150 ms post-stimulus onset. Thus, we conclude that Gestalt stimuli capture attention automatically and entail characteristic psychophysiological signatures at both early and late processing stages. Highlights We studied the neural signatures of the automatic processes of visual attention elicited by Gestalt stimuli. We found that a reliable early correlate of attentional capture turned out to be the N2pc component. Perceptual and cognitive processing of Gestalt stimuli is associated with larger N1, N2, and P3 PMID:27630555

Game-Theoretic Models of Information Overload in Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgs, Christian; Chayes, Jennifer; Karrer, Brian; Meeder, Brendan; Ravi, R.; Reagans, Ray; Sayedi, Amin

We study the effect of information overload on user engagement in an asymmetric social network like Twitter. We introduce simple game-theoretic models that capture rate competition between celebrities producing updates in such networks where users non-strategically choose a subset of celebrities to follow based on the utility derived from high quality updates as well as disutility derived from having to wade through too many updates. Our two variants model the two behaviors of users dropping some potential connections (followership model) or leaving the network altogether (engagement model). We show that under a simple formulation of celebrity rate competition, there is no pure strategy Nash equilibrium under the first model. We then identify special cases in both models when pure rate equilibria exist for the celebrities: For the followership model, we show existence of a pure rate equilibrium when there is a global ranking of the celebrities in terms of the quality of their updates to users. This result also generalizes to the case when there is a partial order consistent with all the linear orders of the celebrities based on their qualities to the users. Furthermore, these equilibria can be computed in polynomial time. For the engagement model, pure rate equilibria exist when all users are interested in the same number of celebrities, or when they are interested in at most two. Finally, we also give a finite though inefficient procedure to determine if pure equilibria exist in the general case of the followership model.

Connecting Provenance with Semantic Descriptions in the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Votava, P.; Michaelis, A.; Nemani, R. R.

2012-12-01

NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) is a data, modeling and knowledge collaboratory that houses NASA satellite data, climate data and ancillary data where a focused community may come together to share modeling and analysis codes, scientific results, knowledge and expertise on a centralized platform. Some of the main goals of NEX are transparency and repeatability and to that extent we have been adding components that enable tracking of provenance of both scientific processes and datasets produced by these processes. As scientific processes become more complex, they are often developed collaboratively and it becomes increasingly important for the research team to be able to track the development of the process and the datasets that are produced along the way. Additionally, we want to be able to link the processes and the datasets developed on NEX to an existing information and knowledge, so that the users can query and compare the provenance of any dataset or process with regard to the component-specific attributes such as data quality, geographic location, related publications, user comments and annotations etc. We have developed several ontologies that describe datasets and workflow components available on NEX using the OWL ontology language as well as a simple ontology that provides linking mechanism to the collected provenance information. The provenance is captured in two ways - we utilize existing provenance infrastructure of VisTrails, which is used as a workflow engine on NEX, and we extend the captured provenance using the PROV data model expressed through the PROV-O ontology. We do this in order to link and query the provenance easier in the context of the existing NEX information and knowledge. The captured provenance graph is processed and stored using RDFlib with MySQL backend that can be queried using either RDFLib or SPARQL. As a concrete example, we show how this information is captured during anomaly detection process in large satellite datasets.

An improved thermodynamic perturbation theory for Mercedes-Benz water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbic, T.; Vlachy, V.; Kalyuzhnyi, Yu. V.; Dill, K. A.

2007-11-01

We previously applied Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory for associative fluids to the simple Mercedes-Benz model of water. We found that the theory reproduced well the physical properties of hot water, but was less successful in capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. Here, we propose an improved version of the thermodynamic perturbation theory in which the effective density of the reference system is calculated self-consistently. The new theory is a significant improvement, giving good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations of the model, and predicting key anomalies of cold water, such as minima in the molar volume and large heat capacity, in addition to giving good agreement with the isothermal compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient.

Tracing the origin of azimuthal gluon correlations in the color glass condensate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lappi, T.; Schenke, B.; Schlichting, S.; Venugopalan, R.

2016-01-01

We examine the origins of azimuthal correlations observed in high energy proton-nucleus collisions by considering the simple example of the scattering of uncorrelated partons off color fields in a large nucleus. We demonstrate how the physics of fluctuating color fields in the color glass condensate (CGC) effective theory generates these azimuthal multiparticle correlations and compute the corresponding Fourier coefficients v n within different CGC approximation schemes. We discuss in detail the qualitative and quantitative differences between the different schemes. We will show how a recently introduced color field domain model that captures key features of the observed azimuthal correlations can be understood in the CGC effective theory as a model of non-Gaussian correlations in the target nucleus.

An improved thermodynamic perturbation theory for Mercedes-Benz water.

PubMed

Urbic, T; Vlachy, V; Kalyuzhnyi, Yu V; Dill, K A

2007-11-07

We previously applied Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory for associative fluids to the simple Mercedes-Benz model of water. We found that the theory reproduced well the physical properties of hot water, but was less successful in capturing the more structured hydrogen bonding that occurs in cold water. Here, we propose an improved version of the thermodynamic perturbation theory in which the effective density of the reference system is calculated self-consistently. The new theory is a significant improvement, giving good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations of the model, and predicting key anomalies of cold water, such as minima in the molar volume and large heat capacity, in addition to giving good agreement with the isothermal compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient.

Phase-space analysis of the Schwinger effect in inhomogeneous electromagnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohlfürst, Christian

2018-05-01

Schwinger pair production in spatially and temporally inhomogeneous electric and magnetic fields is studied. The focus is on the particle phase-space distribution within a high-intensity few-cycle pulse. Accurate numerical solutions of a quantum kinetic theory (DHW formalism) are presented in momentum space and, with the aid of coarse-graining techniques, in a mixed spatial-momentum representation. Additionally, signatures of the carrier-envelope phase as well as spin-field interactions are discussed on the basis of a trajectory-based model taking into account instantaneous pair production and relativistic single-particle dynamics. Although our simple semi-classical single-particle model cannot describe every aspect of the particle production process (quantum interferences), essential features such as spin-field interactions are captured.

Silica-Silver Nanocomposites as Regenerable Sorbents for Hg0 Removal from Flue Gases.

PubMed

Cao, Tiantian; Li, Zhen; Xiong, Yong; Yang, Yue; Xu, Shengming; Bisson, Teresa; Gupta, Rajender; Xu, Zhenghe

2017-10-17

Silica-silver nanocomposites (Ag-SBA-15) are a novel class of multifunctional materials with potential applications as sorbents, catalysts, sensors, and disinfectants. In this work, an innovative yet simple and robust method of depositing silver nanoparticles on a mesoporous silica (SBA-15) was developed. The synthesized Ag-SBA-15 was found to achieve a complete capture of Hg 0 at temperatures up to 200 °C. Silver nanoparticles on the SBA-15 were shown to be the critical active sites for the capture of Hg 0 by the Ag-Hg 0 amalgamation mechanism. An Hg 0 capture capacity as high as 13.2 mg·g -1 was achieved by Ag(10)-SBA-15, which is much higher than that achievable by existing Ag-based sorbents and comparable with that achieved by commercial activated carbon. Even after exposure to more complex simulated flue gas flow for 1 h, the Ag(10)-SBA-15 could still achieve an Hg 0 removal efficiency as high as 91.6% with a Hg 0 capture capacity of 457.3 μg·g -1 . More importantly, the spent sorbent could be effectively regenerated and reused without noticeable performance degradation over five cycles. The excellent Hg 0 removal efficiency combined with a simple synthesis procedure, strong tolerance to complex flue gas environment, great thermal stability, and outstanding regeneration capability make the Ag-SBA-15 a promising sorbent for practical applications to Hg 0 capture from coal-fired flue gases.

On the modelling of gyroplane flight dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houston, Stewart; Thomson, Douglas

2017-01-01

The study of the gyroplane, with a few exceptions, is largely neglected in the literature which is indicative of a niche configuration limited to the sport and recreational market where resources are limited. However the contemporary needs of an informed population of owners and constructors, as well as the possibility of a wider application of such low-cost rotorcraft in other roles, suggests that an examination of the mathematical modelling requirements for the study of gyroplane flight mechanics is timely. Rotorcraft mathematical modelling has become stratified in three levels, each one defining the inclusion of various layers of complexity added to embrace specific modelling features as well as an attempt to improve fidelity. This paper examines the modelling of gyroplane flight mechanics in the context of this complexity, and shows that relatively simple formulations are adequate for capturing most aspects of gyroplane trim, stability and control characteristics. In particular the conventional 6 degree-of-freedom model structure is suitable for the synthesis of models from flight test data as well as being the framework for reducing the order of the higher levels of modelling. However, a high level of modelling can be required to mimic some aspects of behaviour observed in data gathered from flight experiments and even then can fail to capture other details. These limitations are addressed in the paper. It is concluded that the mathematical modelling of gyroplanes for the simulation and analysis of trim, stability and control presents no special difficulty and the conventional techniques, methods and formulations familiar to the rotary-wing community are directly applicable.

First-principles modeling of resonant Raman scattering for the understanding of phonons and electrons in nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Liangbo; Meunier, Vincent; Yan, Jia-An; Sumpter, Bobby

Raman spectroscopy is a popular tool that can probe both phonons and electrons of the materials. First-principles modeling is important in aiding the understanding of experimental data. Raman modeling is typically based on the classical Placzek approximation and limited to the non-resonant condition, and thus the laser energy dependence of Raman intensities could not be captured. Here we showed that resonant Raman scattering could be captured by upgrading the classical approach, i.e., by calculating the dynamic dielectric tensor at the laser energy instead of the commonly used static value at zero energy. Our method was successfully applied to recently synthesized atomically precise graphene nanoribbons, and revealed the photon-energy-dependent Raman intensity of the radial breathing like mode (RBLM), which explained experimental observations that RBLM can be only observed in certain laser energies. Additionally, we also explored anisotropic 2D material, ReS2, and found that the angle-resolved Raman polarization dependence of its Raman modes is sensitive to the laser energy, as confirmed by recent experiments. The intricate electron-phonon coupling could lead to no simple rule for using Raman polarization dependence to determine the crystalline orientation. LL is supported by Eugene P. Wigner Fellowship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and CNMS (a DOE Office of Science User Facility).

Weak annihilation cusp inside the dark matter spike about a black hole.

PubMed

Shapiro, Stuart L; Shelton, Jessie

2016-06-15

We reinvestigate the effect of annihilations on the distribution of collisionless dark matter (DM) in a spherical density spike around a massive black hole. We first construct a very simple, pedagogic, analytic model for an isotropic phase space distribution function that accounts for annihilation and reproduces the "weak cusp" found by Vasiliev for DM deep within the spike and away from its boundaries. The DM density in the cusp varies as r -1/2 for s -wave annihilation, where r is the distance from the central black hole, and is not a flat "plateau" profile. We then extend this model by incorporating a loss cone that accounts for the capture of DM particles by the hole. The loss cone is implemented by a boundary condition that removes capture orbits, resulting in an anisotropic distribution function. Finally, we evolve an initial spike distribution function by integrating the Boltzmann equation to show how the weak cusp grows and its density decreases with time. We treat two cases, one for s -wave and the other for p -wave DM annihilation, adopting parameters characteristic of the Milky Way nuclear core and typical WIMP models for DM. The cusp density profile for p -wave annihilation is weaker, varying like ~ r -0.34 , but is still not a flat plateau.

A simple non-Markovian computational model of the statistics of soccer leagues: Emergence and scaling effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Roberto; Vainstein, Mendeli H.; Lamb, Luis C.; Prado, Sandra D.

2013-03-01

We propose a novel probabilistic model that outputs the final standings of a soccer league, based on a simple dynamics that mimics a soccer tournament. In our model, a team is created with a defined potential (ability) which is updated during the tournament according to the results of previous games. The updated potential modifies a team future winning/losing probabilities. We show that this evolutionary game is able to reproduce the statistical properties of final standings of actual editions of the Brazilian tournament (Brasileirão) if the starting potential is the same for all teams. Other leagues such as the Italian (Calcio) and the Spanish (La Liga) tournaments have notoriously non-Gaussian traces and cannot be straightforwardly reproduced by this evolutionary non-Markovian model with simple initial conditions. However, we show that by setting the initial abilities based on data from previous tournaments, our model is able to capture the stylized statistical features of double round robin system (DRRS) tournaments in general. A complete understanding of these phenomena deserves much more attention, but we suggest a simple explanation based on data collected in Brazil: here several teams have been crowned champion in previous editions corroborating that the champion typically emerges from random fluctuations that partly preserve the Gaussian traces during the tournament. On the other hand, in the Italian and Spanish cases, only a few teams in recent history have won their league tournaments. These leagues are based on more robust and hierarchical structures established even before the beginning of the tournament. For the sake of completeness, we also elaborate a totally Gaussian model (which equalizes the winning, drawing, and losing probabilities) and we show that the scores of the Brazilian tournament “Brasileirão” cannot be reproduced. This shows that the evolutionary aspects are not superfluous and play an important role which must be considered in other alternative models. Finally, we analyze the distortions of our model in situations where a large number of teams is considered, showing the existence of a transition from a single to a double peaked histogram of the final classification scores. An interesting scaling is presented for different sized tournaments.

Surface Transient Binding-Based Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (STB-FCS), a Simple and Easy-to-Implement Method to Extend the Upper Limit of the Time Window to Seconds.

PubMed

Peng, Sijia; Wang, Wenjuan; Chen, Chunlai

2018-05-10

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is a powerful single-molecule tool that is able to capture kinetic processes occurring at the nanosecond time scale. However, the upper limit of its time window is restricted by the dwell time of the molecule of interest in the confocal detection volume, which is usually around submilliseconds for a freely diffusing biomolecule. Here, we present a simple and easy-to-implement method, named surface transient binding-based fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (STB-FCS), which extends the upper limit of the time window to seconds. We further demonstrated that STB-FCS enables capture of both intramolecular and intermolecular kinetic processes whose time scales cross several orders of magnitude.

Responses to atmospheric CO2 concentrations in crop simulation models: a review of current simple and semicomplex representations and options for model development.

PubMed

Vanuytrecht, Eline; Thorburn, Peter J

2017-05-01

Elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations ([CO 2 ]) cause direct changes in crop physiological processes (e.g. photosynthesis and stomatal conductance). To represent these CO 2 responses, commonly used crop simulation models have been amended, using simple and semicomplex representations of the processes involved. Yet, there is no standard approach to and often poor documentation of these developments. This study used a bottom-up approach (starting with the APSIM framework as case study) to evaluate modelled responses in a consortium of commonly used crop models and illuminate whether variation in responses reflects true uncertainty in our understanding compared to arbitrary choices of model developers. Diversity in simulated CO 2 responses and limited validation were common among models, both within the APSIM framework and more generally. Whereas production responses show some consistency up to moderately high [CO 2 ] (around 700 ppm), transpiration and stomatal responses vary more widely in nature and magnitude (e.g. a decrease in stomatal conductance varying between 35% and 90% among models was found for [CO 2 ] doubling to 700 ppm). Most notably, nitrogen responses were found to be included in few crop models despite being commonly observed and critical for the simulation of photosynthetic acclimation, crop nutritional quality and carbon allocation. We suggest harmonization and consideration of more mechanistic concepts in particular subroutines, for example, for the simulation of N dynamics, as a way to improve our predictive understanding of CO 2 responses and capture secondary processes. Intercomparison studies could assist in this aim, provided that they go beyond simple output comparison and explicitly identify the representations and assumptions that are causal for intermodel differences. Additionally, validation and proper documentation of the representation of CO 2 responses within models should be prioritized. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

From Provenance Standards and Tools to Queries and Actionable Provenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludaescher, B.

2017-12-01

The W3C PROV standard provides a minimal core for sharing retrospective provenance information for scientific workflows and scripts. PROV extensions such as DataONE's ProvONE model are necessary for linking runtime observables in retrospective provenance records with conceptual-level prospective provenance information, i.e., workflow (or dataflow) graphs. Runtime provenance recorders, such as DataONE's RunManager for R, or noWorkflow for Python capture retrospective provenance automatically. YesWorkflow (YW) is a toolkit that allows researchers to declare high-level prospective provenance models of scripts via simple inline comments (YW-annotations), revealing the computational modules and dataflow dependencies in the script. By combining and linking both forms of provenance, important queries and use cases can be supported that neither provenance model can afford on its own. We present existing and emerging provenance tools developed for the DataONE and SKOPE (Synthesizing Knowledge of Past Environments) projects. We show how the different tools can be used individually and in combination to model, capture, share, query, and visualize provenance information. We also present challenges and opportunities for making provenance information more immediately actionable for the researchers who create it in the first place. We argue that such a shift towards "provenance-for-self" is necessary to accelerate the creation, sharing, and use of provenance in support of transparent, reproducible computational and data science.

Improved test time evaluation in an expansion tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Christopher M.; Cullen, Timothy G.; Wei, Han; Lewis, Steven W.; Gu, Sangdi; Morgan, Richard G.; McIntyre, Timothy J.

2018-05-01

Traditionally, expansion tube test times have been experimentally evaluated using test section mounted impact pressure probes. This paper proposes two new methods which can be performed using a high-speed camera and a simple circular cylinder test model. The first is the use of a narrow bandpass optical filter to allow time-resolved radiative emission from an important species to be captured, and the second is using edge detection to track how the model shock standoff changes with time. Experimental results are presented for two test conditions using an air test gas and an optical filter aimed at capturing emission from the 777 nm atomic oxygen triplet. It is found that the oxygen emission is the most reliable experimental method, because it is shown to exhibit significant changes at the end of the test time. It is also proposed that, because the camera footage is spatially resolved, the radiative emission method can be used to examine the `effective' test time in multiple regions of the flow. For one of the test conditions, it is found that the effective test time away from the stagnation region for the cylindrical test model is at most 45% of the total test time. For the other test condition, it is found that the effective test time of a 54° wedge test model is at most a third of the total test time.

Performance Metrics, Error Modeling, and Uncertainty Quantification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Yudong; Nearing, Grey S.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Harrison, Kenneth W.; Tang, Ling

2016-01-01

A common set of statistical metrics has been used to summarize the performance of models or measurements-­ the most widely used ones being bias, mean square error, and linear correlation coefficient. They assume linear, additive, Gaussian errors, and they are interdependent, incomplete, and incapable of directly quantifying un­certainty. The authors demonstrate that these metrics can be directly derived from the parameters of the simple linear error model. Since a correct error model captures the full error information, it is argued that the specification of a parametric error model should be an alternative to the metrics-based approach. The error-modeling meth­odology is applicable to both linear and nonlinear errors, while the metrics are only meaningful for linear errors. In addition, the error model expresses the error structure more naturally, and directly quantifies uncertainty. This argument is further explained by highlighting the intrinsic connections between the performance metrics, the error model, and the joint distribution between the data and the reference.

New Mechanistic Models of Long Term Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nickel Based Alloys

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

Kruzic, Jamie J.; Evans, T. Matthew; Greaney, P. Alex

The report describes the development of a discrete element method (DEM) based modeling approach to quantitatively predict deformation and failure of typical nickel based superalloys. A series of experimental data, including microstructure and mechanical property characterization at 600°C, was collected for a relatively simple, model solid solution Ni-20Cr alloy (Nimonic 75) to determine inputs for the model and provide data for model validation. Nimonic 75 was considered ideal for this study because it is a certified tensile and creep reference material. A series of new DEM modeling approaches were developed to capture the complexity of metal deformation, including cubic elasticmore » anisotropy and plastic deformation both with and without strain hardening. Our model approaches were implemented into a commercially available DEM code, PFC3D, that is commonly used by engineers. It is envisioned that once further developed, this new DEM modeling approach can be adapted to a wide range of engineering applications.« less

Decision theory with resource-bounded agents.

PubMed

Halpern, Joseph Y; Pass, Rafael; Seeman, Lior

2014-04-01

There have been two major lines of research aimed at capturing resource-bounded players in game theory. The first, initiated by Rubinstein (), charges an agent for doing costly computation; the second, initiated by Neyman (), does not charge for computation, but limits the computation that agents can do, typically by modeling agents as finite automata. We review recent work on applying both approaches in the context of decision theory. For the first approach, we take the objects of choice in a decision problem to be Turing machines, and charge players for the "complexity" of the Turing machine chosen (e.g., its running time). This approach can be used to explain well-known phenomena like first-impression-matters biases (i.e., people tend to put more weight on evidence they hear early on) and belief polarization (two people with different prior beliefs, hearing the same evidence, can end up with diametrically opposed conclusions) as the outcomes of quite rational decisions. For the second approach, we model people as finite automata, and provide a simple algorithm that, on a problem that captures a number of settings of interest, provably performs optimally as the number of states in the automaton increases. Copyright © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A compressible multiphase framework for simulating supersonic atomization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regele, Jonathan D.; Garrick, Daniel P.; Hosseinzadeh-Nik, Zahra; Aslani, Mohamad; Owkes, Mark

2016-11-01

The study of atomization in supersonic combustors is critical in designing efficient and high performance scramjets. Numerical methods incorporating surface tension effects have largely focused on the incompressible regime as most atomization applications occur at low Mach numbers. Simulating surface tension effects in high speed compressible flow requires robust numerical methods that can handle discontinuities caused by both material interfaces and shocks. A shock capturing/diffused interface method is developed to simulate high-speed compressible gas-liquid flows with surface tension effects using the five-equation model. This includes developments that account for the interfacial pressure jump that occurs in the presence of surface tension. A simple and efficient method for computing local interface curvature is developed and an acoustic non-dimensional scaling for the surface tension force is proposed. The method successfully captures a variety of droplet breakup modes over a range of Weber numbers and demonstrates the impact of surface tension in countering droplet deformation in both subsonic and supersonic cross flows.

Preliminary skyshine calculations for the Poloidal Diverter Tokamak Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigg, D. W.; Wheeler, F. J.

1981-01-01

A calculational model is presented to estimate the radiation dose, due to the skyshine effect, in the control room and at the site boundary of the Poloidal Diverter Experiment (PDX) facility at Princeton University which requires substantial radiation shielding. The required composition and thickness of a water-filled roof shield that would reduce this effect to an acceptable level is computed, using an efficient one-dimensional model with an Sn calculation in slab geometry. The actual neutron skyshine dose is computed using a Monte Carlo model with the neutron source at the roof surface obtained from the slab Sn calculation, and the capture gamma dose is computed using a simple point-kernel single-scatter method. It is maintained that the slab model provides the exact probability of leakage out the top surface of the roof and that it is nearly as accurate as and much less costly than multi-dimensional techniques.

Preliminary skyshine calculations for the Poloidal Diverter Tokamak Experiment

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

Nigg, D.W.; Wheeler, F.J.

1981-01-01

A calculational model is presented to estimate the radiation dose, due to the skyshine effect, in the control room and at the site boundary of the Poloidal Diverter Experiment (PDX) facility at Princeton University which requires substantial radiation shielding. The required composition and thickness of a water-filled roof shield that would reduce this effect to an acceptable level is computed, using an efficient one-dimensional model with an Sn calculation in slab geometry. The actual neutron skyshine dose is computed using a Monte Carlo model with the neutron source at the roof surface obtained from the slab Sn calculation, and themore » capture gamma dose is computed using a simple point-kernel single-scatter method. It is maintained that the slab model provides the exact probability of leakage out the top surface of the roof and that it is nearly as accurate as and much less costly than multi-dimensional techniques.« less

Compact modeling of nanoscale triple-gate junctionless transistors covering drift-diffusion to quasi-ballistic carrier transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oproglidis, T. A.; Karatsori, T. A.; Barraud, S.; Ghibaudo, G.; Dimitriadis, C. A.

2018-04-01

In this work, we extend our analytical compact model for nanoscale junctionless triple-gate (JL TG) MOSFETs, capturing carrier transport from drift-diffusion to quasi-ballistic regime. This is based on a simple formulation of the low-field mobility extracted from experimental data using the Y-function method, taking into account the ballistic carrier motion and an increased carrier scattering in process-induced defects near the source/drain regions. The case of a Schottky junction in non-ideal ohmic contact at the drain side was also taken into account by modifying the threshold voltage and ideality factor of the JL transistor. The model is validated with experimental data for n-channel JL TG MOSFETs with channel length varying from 95 down to 25 nm. It can be easily implemented as a compact model for use in Spice circuit simulators.

Biology as population dynamics: heuristics for transmission risk.

PubMed

Keebler, Daniel; Walwyn, David; Welte, Alex

2013-02-01

Population-type models, accounting for phenomena such as population lifetimes, mixing patterns, recruitment patterns, genetic evolution and environmental conditions, can be usefully applied to the biology of HIV infection and viral replication. A simple dynamic model can explore the effect of a vaccine-like stimulus on the mortality and infectiousness, which formally looks like fertility, of invading virions; the mortality of freshly infected cells; and the availability of target cells, all of which impact on the probability of infection. Variations on this model could capture the importance of the timing and duration of different key events in viral transmission, and hence be applied to questions of mucosal immunology. The dynamical insights and assumptions of such models are compatible with the continuum of between- and within-individual risks in sexual violence and may be helpful in making sense of the sparse data available on the association between HIV transmission and sexual violence. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

A simple polymeric model describes cell nuclear mechanical response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banigan, Edward; Stephens, Andrew; Marko, John

The cell nucleus must continually resist inter- and intracellular mechanical forces, and proper mechanical response is essential to basic cell biological functions as diverse as migration, differentiation, and gene regulation. Experiments probing nuclear mechanics reveal that the nucleus stiffens under strain, leading to two characteristic regimes of force response. This behavior depends sensitively on the intermediate filament protein lamin A, which comprises the outer layer of the nucleus, and the properties of the chromatin interior. To understand these mechanics, we study a simulation model of a polymeric shell encapsulating a semiflexible polymer. This minimalistic model qualitatively captures the typical experimental nuclear force-extension relation and observed nuclear morphologies. Using a Flory-like theory, we explain the simulation results and mathematically estimate the force-extension relation. The model and experiments suggest that chromatin organization is a dominant contributor to nuclear mechanics, while the lamina protects cell nuclei from large deformations.

Translucent Radiosity: Efficiently Combining Diffuse Inter-Reflection and Subsurface Scattering.

PubMed

Sheng, Yu; Shi, Yulong; Wang, Lili; Narasimhan, Srinivasa G

2014-07-01

It is hard to efficiently model the light transport in scenes with translucent objects for interactive applications. The inter-reflection between objects and their environments and the subsurface scattering through the materials intertwine to produce visual effects like color bleeding, light glows, and soft shading. Monte-Carlo based approaches have demonstrated impressive results but are computationally expensive, and faster approaches model either only inter-reflection or only subsurface scattering. In this paper, we present a simple analytic model that combines diffuse inter-reflection and isotropic subsurface scattering. Our approach extends the classical work in radiosity by including a subsurface scattering matrix that operates in conjunction with the traditional form factor matrix. This subsurface scattering matrix can be constructed using analytic, measurement-based or simulation-based models and can capture both homogeneous and heterogeneous translucencies. Using a fast iterative solution to radiosity, we demonstrate scene relighting and dynamically varying object translucencies at near interactive rates.

Benchmarking polarizable molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous sodium hydroxide by diffraction measurements.

PubMed

Vácha, Robert; Megyes, Tunde; Bakó, Imre; Pusztai, László; Jungwirth, Pavel

2009-04-23

Results from molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous hydroxide of varying concentrations have been compared with experimental structural data. First, the polarizable POL3 model was verified against neutron scattering using a reverse Monte Carlo fitting procedure. It was found to be competitive with other simple water models and well suited for combining with hydroxide ions. Second, a set of four polarizable models of OH- were developed by fitting against accurate ab initio calculations for small hydroxide-water clusters. All of these models were found to provide similar results that robustly agree with structural data from X-ray scattering. The present force field thus represents a significant improvement over previously tested nonpolarizable potentials. Although it cannot in principle capture proton hopping and can only approximately describe the charge delocalization within the immediate solvent shell around OH-, it provides structural data that are almost entirely consistent with data obtained from scattering experiments.

Charge carrier coherence and Hall effect in organic semiconductors.

PubMed

Yi, H T; Gartstein, Y N; Podzorov, V

2016-03-30

Hall effect measurements are important for elucidating the fundamental charge transport mechanisms and intrinsic mobility in organic semiconductors. However, Hall effect studies frequently reveal an unconventional behavior that cannot be readily explained with the simple band-semiconductor Hall effect model. Here, we develop an analytical model of Hall effect in organic field-effect transistors in a regime of coexisting band and hopping carriers. The model, which is supported by the experiments, is based on a partial Hall voltage compensation effect, occurring because hopping carriers respond to the transverse Hall electric field and drift in the direction opposite to the Lorentz force acting on band carriers. We show that this can lead in particular to an underdeveloped Hall effect observed in organic semiconductors with substantial off-diagonal thermal disorder. Our model captures the main features of Hall effect in a variety of organic semiconductors and provides an analytical description of Hall mobility, carrier density and carrier coherence factor.

Chill Down Process of Hydrogen Transport Pipelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mei, Renwei; Klausner, James

2006-01-01

A pseudo-steady model has been developed to predict the chilldown history of pipe wall temperature in the horizontal transport pipeline for cryogenic fluids. A new film boiling heat transfer model is developed by incorporating the stratified flow structure for cryogenic chilldown. A modified nucleate boiling heat transfer correlation for cryogenic chilldown process inside a horizontal pipe is proposed. The efficacy of the correlations is assessed by comparing the model predictions with measured values of wall temperature in several azimuthal positions in a well controlled experiment by Chung et al. (2004). The computed pipe wall temperature histories match well with the measured results. The present model captures important features of thermal interaction between the pipe wall and the cryogenic fluid, provides a simple and robust platform for predicting pipe wall chilldown history in long horizontal pipe at relatively low computational cost, and builds a foundation to incorporate the two-phase hydrodynamic interaction in the chilldown process.

Simulations of Xe and U diffusion in UO2

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

Andersson, Anders D.; Vyas, Shyam; Tonks, Michael R.

2012-09-10

Diffusion of xenon (Xe) and uranium (U) in UO{sub 2} is controlled by vacancy mechanisms and under irradiation the formation of mobile vacancy clusters is important. Based on the vacancy and cluster diffusion mechanisms established from density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we derive continuum thermodynamic and diffusion models for Xe and U in UO{sub 2}. In order to capture the effects of irradiation, vacancies (Va) are explicitly coupled to the Xe and U dynamics. Segregation of defects to grain boundaries in UO{sub 2} is described by combining the bulk diffusion model with models of the interaction between Xe atoms andmore » vacancies with grain boundaries, which were derived from atomistic calculations. The diffusion and segregation models were implemented in the MOOSE-Bison-Marmot (MBM) finite element (FEM) framework and the Xe/U redistribution was simulated for a few simple microstructures.« less

3D Documentation and BIM Modeling of Cultural Heritage Structures Using UAVs: The Case of the Foinikaria Church

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Themistocleous, K.; Agapiou, A.; Hadjimitsis, D.

2016-10-01

The documentation of architectural cultural heritage sites has traditionally been expensive and labor-intensive. New innovative technologies, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), provide an affordable, reliable and straightforward method of capturing cultural heritage sites, thereby providing a more efficient and sustainable approach to documentation of cultural heritage structures. In this study, hundreds of images of the Panagia Chryseleousa church in Foinikaria, Cyprus were taken using a UAV with an attached high resolution camera. The images were processed to generate an accurate digital 3D model by using Structure in Motion techniques. Building Information Model (BIM) was then used to generate drawings of the church. The methodology described in the paper provides an accurate, simple and cost-effective method of documenting cultural heritage sites and generating digital 3D models using novel techniques and innovative methods.

International trade network: fractal properties and globalization puzzle.

PubMed

Karpiarz, Mariusz; Fronczak, Piotr; Fronczak, Agata

2014-12-12

Globalization is one of the central concepts of our age. The common perception of the process is that, due to declining communication and transport costs, distance becomes less and less important. However, the distance coefficient in the gravity model of trade, which grows in time, indicates that the role of distance increases rather than decreases. This, in essence, captures the notion of the globalization puzzle. Here, we show that the fractality of the international trade system (ITS) provides a simple solution for the puzzle. We argue that the distance coefficient corresponds to the fractal dimension of ITS. We provide two independent methods, the box counting method and spatial choice model, which confirm this statement. Our results allow us to conclude that the previous approaches to solving the puzzle misinterpreted the meaning of the distance coefficient in the gravity model of trade.

Formation of complex bacterial colonies via self-generated vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czirók, András; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Cohen, Inon; Vicsek, Tamás

1996-08-01

Depending on the environmental conditions bacterial colonies growing on agar surfaces can exhibit complex colony formation and various types of collective motion. Experimental results are presented concerning the hydrodynamics (vortices, migration of bacteria in clusters) and colony formation of a morphotype of Bacillus subtilis. Some of these features are not specific to this morphotype but also have been observed in several other bacterial strains, suggesting the presence of universal effects. A simple model of self-propelled particles is proposed, which is capable of describing the hydrodynamics on the intermediate level, including the experimentally observed rotating disks of bacteria. The colony formation is captured by a complex generic model taking into account nutrient diffusion, reproduction, and sporulation of bacteria, extracellular slime deposition, chemoregulation, and inhomogeneous population. Our model also sheds light on some possible biological benefits of this ``multicellular behavior.''

International Trade Network: Fractal Properties and Globalization Puzzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpiarz, Mariusz; Fronczak, Piotr; Fronczak, Agata

2014-12-01

Globalization is one of the central concepts of our age. The common perception of the process is that, due to declining communication and transport costs, distance becomes less and less important. However, the distance coefficient in the gravity model of trade, which grows in time, indicates that the role of distance increases rather than decreases. This, in essence, captures the notion of the globalization puzzle. Here, we show that the fractality of the international trade system (ITS) provides a simple solution for the puzzle. We argue that the distance coefficient corresponds to the fractal dimension of ITS. We provide two independent methods, the box counting method and spatial choice model, which confirm this statement. Our results allow us to conclude that the previous approaches to solving the puzzle misinterpreted the meaning of the distance coefficient in the gravity model of trade.

Ensemble downscaling in coupled solar wind-magnetosphere modeling for space weather forecasting.

PubMed

Owens, M J; Horbury, T S; Wicks, R T; McGregor, S L; Savani, N P; Xiong, M

2014-06-01

Advanced forecasting of space weather requires simulation of the whole Sun-to-Earth system, which necessitates driving magnetospheric models with the outputs from solar wind models. This presents a fundamental difficulty, as the magnetosphere is sensitive to both large-scale solar wind structures, which can be captured by solar wind models, and small-scale solar wind "noise," which is far below typical solar wind model resolution and results primarily from stochastic processes. Following similar approaches in terrestrial climate modeling, we propose statistical "downscaling" of solar wind model results prior to their use as input to a magnetospheric model. As magnetospheric response can be highly nonlinear, this is preferable to downscaling the results of magnetospheric modeling. To demonstrate the benefit of this approach, we first approximate solar wind model output by smoothing solar wind observations with an 8 h filter, then add small-scale structure back in through the addition of random noise with the observed spectral characteristics. Here we use a very simple parameterization of noise based upon the observed probability distribution functions of solar wind parameters, but more sophisticated methods will be developed in the future. An ensemble of results from the simple downscaling scheme are tested using a model-independent method and shown to add value to the magnetospheric forecast, both improving the best estimate and quantifying the uncertainty. We suggest a number of features desirable in an operational solar wind downscaling scheme. Solar wind models must be downscaled in order to drive magnetospheric models Ensemble downscaling is more effective than deterministic downscaling The magnetosphere responds nonlinearly to small-scale solar wind fluctuations.

A systematic review of models used in cost-effectiveness analyses of preventing osteoporotic fractures.

PubMed

Si, L; Winzenberg, T M; Palmer, A J

2014-01-01

This review was aimed at the evolution of health economic models used in evaluations of clinical approaches aimed at preventing osteoporotic fractures. Models have improved, with medical continuance becoming increasingly recognized as a contributor to health and economic outcomes, as well as advancements in epidemiological data. Model-based health economic evaluation studies are increasingly used to investigate the cost-effectiveness of osteoporotic fracture preventions and treatments. The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the evolution of health economic models used in the evaluation of osteoporotic fracture preventions. Electronic searches within MEDLINE and EMBASE were carried out using a predefined search strategy. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to select relevant studies. References listed of included studies were searched to identify any potential study that was not captured in our electronic search. Data on country, interventions, type of fracture prevention, evaluation perspective, type of model, time horizon, fracture sites, expressed costs, types of costs included, and effectiveness measurement were extracted. Seventy-four models were described in 104 publications, of which 69% were European. Earlier models focused mainly on hip, vertebral, and wrist fracture, but later models included multiple fracture sites (humerus, pelvis, tibia, and other fractures). Modeling techniques have evolved from simple decision trees, through deterministic Markov processes to individual patient simulation models accounting for uncertainty in multiple parameters. Treatment continuance has been increasingly taken into account in the models in the last decade. Models have evolved in their complexity and emphasis, with medical continuance becoming increasingly recognized as a contributor to health and economic outcomes. This evolution may be driven in part by the desire to capture all the important differentiating characteristics of medications under scrutiny, as well as the advancement in epidemiological data relevant to osteoporosis fractures.

Nonlinear friction modelling and compensation control of hysteresis phenomena for a pair of tendon-sheath actuated surgical robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, T. N.; Tjahjowidodo, T.; Lau, M. W. S.; Phee, S. J.

2015-08-01

Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) is a special method that allows surgical operations via natural orifices like mouth, anus, and vagina, without leaving visible scars. The use of flexible tendon-sheath mechanism (TSM) is common in these systems because of its light weight in structure, flexibility, and easy transmission of power. However, nonlinear friction and backlash hysteresis pose many challenges to control of such systems; in addition, they do not provide haptic feedback to assist the surgeon in the operation of the systems. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic friction model and backlash hysteresis nonlinearity for a pair of TSM to deal with these problems. The proposed friction model, unlike current approaches in the literature, is smooth and able to capture the force at near zero velocity when the system is stationary or operates at small motion. This model can be used to estimate the friction force for haptic feedback purpose. To improve the system tracking performances, a backlash hysteresis model will be introduced, which can be used in a feedforward controller scheme. The controller involves a simple computation of the inverse hysteresis model. The proposed models are configuration independent and able to capture the nonlinearities for arbitrary tendon-sheath shapes. A representative experimental setup is used to validate the proposed models and to demonstrate the improvement in position tracking accuracy and the possibility of providing desired force information at the distal end of a pair of TSM slave manipulator for haptic feedback to the surgeons.

Informational Entropy and Bridge Scour Estimation under Complex Hydraulic Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizarro, Alonso; Link, Oscar; Fiorentino, Mauro; Samela, Caterina; Manfreda, Salvatore

2017-04-01

Bridges are important for society because they allow social, cultural and economic connectivity. Flood events can compromise the safety of bridge piers up to the complete collapse. The Bridge Scour phenomena has been described by empirical formulae deduced from hydraulic laboratory experiments. The range of applicability of such models is restricted by the specific hydraulic conditions or flume geometry used for their derivation (e.g., water depth, mean flow velocity, pier diameter and sediment properties). We seek to identify a general formulation able to capture the main dynamic of the process in order to cover a wide range of hydraulic and geometric configuration, allowing to extend our analysis in different contexts. Therefore, exploiting the Principle of Maximum Entropy (POME) and applying it on the recently proposed dimensionless Effective flow work, W*, we derived a simple model characterized by only one parameter. The proposed Bridge Scour Entropic (BRISENT) model shows good performances under complex hydraulic conditions as well as under steady-state flow. Moreover, the model was able to capture the evolution of scour in several hydraulic configurations even if the model contains only one parameter. Furthermore, results show that the model parameter is controlled by the geometric configurations of the experiment. This offers a possible strategy to obtain a priori model parameter calibration. The BRISENT model represents a good candidate for estimating the time-dependent scour depth under complex hydraulic scenarios. The authors are keen to apply this idea for describing the scour behavior during a real flood event. Keywords: Informational entropy, Sediment transport, Bridge pier scour, Effective flow work.

Broad-search algorithms for finding triple-and quadruple-satellite-aided captures at Jupiter from 2020 to 2080

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynam, Alfred E.

2015-04-01

Multiple-satellite-aided capture is a -efficient technique for capturing a spacecraft into orbit at Jupiter. However, finding the times when the Galilean moons of Jupiter align such that three or four of them can be encountered in a single pass is difficult using standard astrodynamics algorithms such as Lambert's problem. In this paper, we present simple but powerful techniques that simplify the dynamics and geometry of the Galilean satellites so that many of these triple- and quadruple-satellite-aided capture sequences can be found quickly over an extended 60-year time period from 2020 to 2080. The techniques find many low-fidelity trajectories that could be used as initial guesses for future high-fidelity optimization. Results indicate the existence of approximately 3,100 unique triple-satellite-aided capture trajectories and 6 unique quadruple-satellite-aided capture trajectories during the 60-year time period. The entire search takes less than one minute of computational time.

Correlation of recent fission product release data

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

Kress, T.S.; Lorenz, R.A.; Nakamura, T.

For the calculation of source terms associated with severe accidents, it is necessary to model the release of fission products from fuel as it heats and melts. Perhaps the most definitive model for fission product release is that of the FASTGRASS computer code developed at Argonne National Laboratory. There is persuasive evidence that these processes, as well as additional chemical and gas phase mass transport processes, are important in the release of fission products from fuel. Nevertheless, it has been found convenient to have simplified fission product release correlations that may not be as definitive as models like FASTGRASS butmore » which attempt in some simple way to capture the essence of the mechanisms. One of the most widely used such correlation is called CORSOR-M which is the present fission product/aerosol release model used in the NRC Source Term Code Package. CORSOR has been criticized as having too much uncertainty in the calculated releases and as not accurately reproducing some experimental data. It is currently believed that these discrepancies between CORSOR and the more recent data have resulted because of the better time resolution of the more recent data compared to the data base that went into the CORSOR correlation. This document discusses a simple correlational model for use in connection with NUREG risk uncertainty exercises. 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

A thermodynamically consistent model for granular-fluid mixtures considering pore pressure evolution and hypoplastic behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Julian; Wang, Yongqi

2016-11-01

A new mixture model for granular-fluid flows, which is thermodynamically consistent with the entropy principle, is presented. The extra pore pressure described by a pressure diffusion equation and the hypoplastic material behavior obeying a transport equation are taken into account. The model is applied to granular-fluid flows, using a closing assumption in conjunction with the dynamic fluid pressure to describe the pressure-like residual unknowns, hereby overcoming previous uncertainties in the modeling process. Besides the thermodynamically consistent modeling, numerical simulations are carried out and demonstrate physically reasonable results, including simple shear flow in order to investigate the vertical distribution of the physical quantities, and a mixture flow down an inclined plane by means of the depth-integrated model. Results presented give insight in the ability of the deduced model to capture the key characteristics of granular-fluid flows. We acknowledge the support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for this work within the Project Number WA 2610/3-1.

Porous multi-component material for the capture and separation of species of interest

DOEpatents

Addleman, Raymond S.; Chouyyok, Wilaiwan; Li, Xiaohong S.; Cinson, Anthony D.; Gerasimenko, Aleksandr A

2016-06-21

A method and porous multi-component material for the capture, separation or chemical reaction of a species of interest is disclosed. The porous multi-component material includes a substrate and a composite thin film. The composite thin film is formed by combining a porous polymer with a nanostructured material. The nanostructured material may include a surface chemistry for the capture of chemicals or particles. The composite thin film is coupled to the support or device surface. The method and material provides a simple, fast, and chemically and physically benign way to integrate nanostructured materials into devices while preserving their chemical activity.

Do different attention capture paradigms measure different types of capture?

PubMed

Roque, Nelson A; Wright, Timothy J; Boot, Walter R

2016-10-01

When something captures our attention, why does it do so? This topic has been hotly debated, with some arguing that attention is captured only by salient stimuli (bottom-up view) and others arguing capture is always due to a match between a stimulus and our goals (top-down view). Many different paradigms have provided evidence for 1 view or the other. If either of these strong views are correct, then capture represents a unitary phenomenon, and there should be a high correlation between capture in these paradigms. But if there are different types of capture (top-down, bottom-up), then some attention capture effects should be correlated and some should not. In 2 studies, we collected data from several paradigms used in support of claims of top-down and bottom-up capture in relatively large samples of participants. Contrary to either prediction, measures of capture were not strongly correlated. Results suggest that capture may in fact be strongly determined by idiosyncratic task demands and strategies. Relevant to this lack of relations among tasks, we observed that classic measures of attention capture demonstrated low reliability, especially among measures used to support bottom-up capture. Implications for the low reliability of capture measures are discussed. We also observed that the proportion of participants demonstrating a pattern of responses consistent with capture varied widely among classic measures of capture. Overall, results demonstrate that, even for relatively simple laboratory measures of attention, there are still important gaps in knowledge regarding what these paradigms measure and how they are related.

Quantum break-time of de Sitter

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

Dvali, Gia; Gómez, César; Zell, Sebastian, E-mail: georgi.dvali@physik.uni-muenchen.de, E-mail: cesar.gomez@uam.es, E-mail: sebastian.zell@campus.lmu.de

The quantum break-time of a system is the time-scale after which its true quantum evolution departs from the classical mean field evolution. For capturing it, a quantum resolution of the classical background—e.g., in terms of a coherent state—is required. In this paper, we first consider a simple scalar model with anharmonic oscillations and derive its quantum break-time. Next, following [1], we apply these ideas to de Sitter space. We formulate a simple model of a spin-2 field, which for some time reproduces the de Sitter metric and simultaneously allows for its well-defined representation as quantum coherent state of gravitons. Themore » mean occupation number N of background gravitons turns out to be equal to the de Sitter horizon area in Planck units, while their frequency is given by the de Sitter Hubble parameter. In the semi-classical limit, we show that the model reproduces all the known properties of de Sitter, such as the redshift of probe particles and thermal Gibbons-Hawking radiation, all in the language of quantum S -matrix scatterings and decays of coherent state gravitons. Most importantly, this framework allows to capture the 1/ N -effects to which the usual semi-classical treatment is blind. They violate the de Sitter symmetry and lead to a finite quantum break-time of the de Sitter state equal to the de Sitter radius times N . We also point out that the quantum-break time is inversely proportional to the number of particle species in the theory. Thus, the quantum break-time imposes the following consistency condition: older and species-richer universes must have smaller cosmological constants. For the maximal, phenomenologically acceptable number of species, the observed cosmological constant would saturate this bound if our Universe were 10{sup 100} years old in its entire classical history.« less

Estimating abundance in the presence of species uncertainty

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambert, Thierry A.; Hossack, Blake R.; Fishback, LeeAnn; Davenport, Jon M.

2016-01-01

1.N-mixture models have become a popular method for estimating abundance of free-ranging animals that are not marked or identified individually. These models have been used on count data for single species that can be identified with certainty. However, co-occurring species often look similar during one or more life stages, making it difficult to assign species for all recorded captures. This uncertainty creates problems for estimating species-specific abundance and it can often limit life stages to which we can make inference. 2.We present a new extension of N-mixture models that accounts for species uncertainty. In addition to estimating site-specific abundances and detection probabilities, this model allows estimating probability of correct assignment of species identity. We implement this hierarchical model in a Bayesian framework and provide all code for running the model in BUGS-language programs. 3.We present an application of the model on count data from two sympatric freshwater fishes, the brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) and the ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius), ad illustrate implementation of covariate effects (habitat characteristics). In addition, we used a simulation study to validate the model and illustrate potential sample size issues. We also compared, for both real and simulated data, estimates provided by our model to those obtained by a simple N-mixture model when captures of unknown species identification were discarded. In the latter case, abundance estimates appeared highly biased and very imprecise, while our new model provided unbiased estimates with higher precision. 4.This extension of the N-mixture model should be useful for a wide variety of studies and taxa, as species uncertainty is a common issue. It should notably help improve investigation of abundance and vital rate characteristics of organisms’ early life stages, which are sometimes more difficult to identify than adults.

Modeling reactive transport processes in fractured rock using the time domain random walk approach within a dual-porosity framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roubinet, D.; Russian, A.; Dentz, M.; Gouze, P.

2017-12-01

Characterizing and modeling hydrodynamic reactive transport in fractured rock are critical challenges for various research fields and applications including environmental remediation, geological storage, and energy production. To this end, we consider a recently developed time domain random walk (TDRW) approach, which is adapted to reproduce anomalous transport behaviors and capture heterogeneous structural and physical properties. This method is also very well suited to optimize numerical simulations by memory-shared massive parallelization and provide numerical results at various scales. So far, the TDRW approach has been applied for modeling advective-diffusive transport with mass transfer between mobile and immobile regions and simple (theoretical) reactions in heterogeneous porous media represented as single continuum domains. We extend this approach to dual-continuum representations considering a highly permeable fracture network embedded into a poorly permeable rock matrix with heterogeneous geochemical reactions occurring in both geological structures. The resulting numerical model enables us to extend the range of the modeled heterogeneity scales with an accurate representation of solute transport processes and no assumption on the Fickianity of these processes. The proposed model is compared to existing particle-based methods that are usually used to model reactive transport in fractured rocks assuming a homogeneous surrounding matrix, and is used to evaluate the impact of the matrix heterogeneity on the apparent reaction rates for different 2D and 3D simple-to-complex fracture network configurations.

Evaluation of bias associated with capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nadler, Cara; Allander, Kip K.; Pohll, Greg; Morway, Eric D.; Naranjo, Ramon C.; Huntington, Justin

2018-01-01

The impact of groundwater withdrawal on surface water is a concern of water users and water managers, particularly in the arid western United States. Capture maps are useful tools to spatially assess the impact of groundwater pumping on water sources (e.g., streamflow depletion) and are being used more frequently for conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater. Capture maps have been derived using linear groundwater flow models and rely on the principle of superposition to demonstrate the effects of pumping in various locations on resources of interest. However, nonlinear models are often necessary to simulate head-dependent boundary conditions and unconfined aquifers. Capture maps developed using nonlinear models with the principle of superposition may over- or underestimate capture magnitude and spatial extent. This paper presents new methods for generating capture difference maps, which assess spatial effects of model nonlinearity on capture fraction sensitivity to pumping rate, and for calculating the bias associated with capture maps. The sensitivity of capture map bias to selected parameters related to model design and conceptualization for the arid western United States is explored. This study finds that the simulation of stream continuity, pumping rates, stream incision, well proximity to capture sources, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and groundwater evapotranspiration extinction depth substantially affect capture map bias. Capture difference maps demonstrate that regions with large capture fraction differences are indicative of greater potential capture map bias. Understanding both spatial and temporal bias in capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models improves their utility and defensibility as conjunctive-use management tools.

Human iris three-dimensional imaging at micron resolution by a micro-plenoptic camera

PubMed Central

Chen, Hao; Woodward, Maria A.; Burke, David T.; Jeganathan, V. Swetha E.; Demirci, Hakan; Sick, Volker

2017-01-01

A micro-plenoptic system was designed to capture the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the anterior iris surface by simple single-shot imaging. Within a depth-of-field of 2.4 mm, depth resolution of 10 µm can be achieved with accuracy (systematic errors) and precision (random errors) below 20%. We demonstrated the application of our micro-plenoptic imaging system on two healthy irides, an iris with naevi, and an iris with melanoma. The ridges and folds, with height differences of 10~80 µm, on the healthy irides can be effectively captured. The front surface on the iris naevi was flat, and the iris melanoma was 50 ± 10 µm higher than the surrounding iris. The micro-plenoptic imaging system has great potential to be utilized for iris disease diagnosis and continuing, simple monitoring. PMID:29082081

Human iris three-dimensional imaging at micron resolution by a micro-plenoptic camera.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Woodward, Maria A; Burke, David T; Jeganathan, V Swetha E; Demirci, Hakan; Sick, Volker

2017-10-01

A micro-plenoptic system was designed to capture the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the anterior iris surface by simple single-shot imaging. Within a depth-of-field of 2.4 mm, depth resolution of 10 µm can be achieved with accuracy (systematic errors) and precision (random errors) below 20%. We demonstrated the application of our micro-plenoptic imaging system on two healthy irides, an iris with naevi, and an iris with melanoma. The ridges and folds, with height differences of 10~80 µm, on the healthy irides can be effectively captured. The front surface on the iris naevi was flat, and the iris melanoma was 50 ± 10 µm higher than the surrounding iris. The micro-plenoptic imaging system has great potential to be utilized for iris disease diagnosis and continuing, simple monitoring.

OGUMI—A new mobile application to conduct common-pool resource experiments in continuous time

PubMed Central

Nissen, Dennis

2017-01-01

OGUMI is an Android-based open source mobile application for conducting Common-Pool Resource Experiments, Choice Experiments, and Questionnaires in the field, in the laboratory, and online. A main feature of OGUMI is its capacity to capture real-time changes in human behaviour in response to a dynamically varying resource. OGUMI is simple (for example, likewise other existing software, it does not require expertise in behavioural game theory), stable, and extremely flexible with respect to the user-resource model running in the background. Here we present the motivation for the development of OGUMI and we discuss its main features with an example application. PMID:28582457

OGUMI-A new mobile application to conduct common-pool resource experiments in continuous time.

PubMed

Brandt, Gunnar; Kulesz, Micaela M; Nissen, Dennis; Merico, Agostino

2017-01-01

OGUMI is an Android-based open source mobile application for conducting Common-Pool Resource Experiments, Choice Experiments, and Questionnaires in the field, in the laboratory, and online. A main feature of OGUMI is its capacity to capture real-time changes in human behaviour in response to a dynamically varying resource. OGUMI is simple (for example, likewise other existing software, it does not require expertise in behavioural game theory), stable, and extremely flexible with respect to the user-resource model running in the background. Here we present the motivation for the development of OGUMI and we discuss its main features with an example application.

Destruction of Peptides and Nucleosides in Reactions with Low-Energy Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muftakhov, M. V.; Shchukin, P. V.

2018-05-01

Mass-spectrometry of negative ions is used to study dissociative electron capture by molecules of several nucleosides, simplest di- and tripeptides, and modified dipeptides. Energy domains and efficiencies of dissociative capture are determined for the objects under study, and threshold energies of several fragmentation processes are estimated. It is shown that cytidine and peptides are stable against fragmentation due to simple bond breaking at electron energies ranging from 0 to 1 eV.

Communication: Fragment-based Hamiltonian model of electronic charge-excitation gaps and gap closure

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

Valone, Steven Michael; Pilania, Ghanshyam; Liu, Xiang-Yang

Capturing key electronic properties such as charge excitation gaps within models at or above the atomic scale presents an ongoing challenge to understanding molecular, nanoscale, and condensed phase systems. One strategy is to describe the system in terms of properties of interacting material fragments, but it is unclear how to accomplish this for charge-excitation and charge-transfer phenomena. Hamiltonian models such as the Hubbard model provide formal frameworks for analyzing gap properties but are couched purely in terms of states of electrons, rather than the states of the fragments at the scale of interest. The recently introduced Fragment Hamiltonian (FH) modelmore » uses fragments in different charge states as its building blocks, enabling a uniform, quantum-mechanical treatment that captures the charge-excitation gap. These gaps are preserved in terms of inter-fragment charge-transferhopping integrals T and on-fragment parameters U (FH). The FH model generalizes the standard Hubbard model (a single intra-band hopping integral t and on-site repulsion U) from quantum states for electrons to quantum states for fragments. In this paper, we demonstrate that even for simple two-fragment and multi-fragment systems, gap closure is enabled once T exceeds the threshold set by U (FH), thus providing new insight into the nature of metal-insulator transitions. Finally, this result is in contrast to the standard Hubbard model for 1d rings, for which Lieb and Wu proved that gap closure was impossible, regardless of the choices for t and U.« less

Communication: Fragment-based Hamiltonian model of electronic charge-excitation gaps and gap closure

DOE PAGES

Valone, Steven Michael; Pilania, Ghanshyam; Liu, Xiang-Yang; ...

2015-11-13

Capturing key electronic properties such as charge excitation gaps within models at or above the atomic scale presents an ongoing challenge to understanding molecular, nanoscale, and condensed phase systems. One strategy is to describe the system in terms of properties of interacting material fragments, but it is unclear how to accomplish this for charge-excitation and charge-transfer phenomena. Hamiltonian models such as the Hubbard model provide formal frameworks for analyzing gap properties but are couched purely in terms of states of electrons, rather than the states of the fragments at the scale of interest. The recently introduced Fragment Hamiltonian (FH) modelmore » uses fragments in different charge states as its building blocks, enabling a uniform, quantum-mechanical treatment that captures the charge-excitation gap. These gaps are preserved in terms of inter-fragment charge-transferhopping integrals T and on-fragment parameters U (FH). The FH model generalizes the standard Hubbard model (a single intra-band hopping integral t and on-site repulsion U) from quantum states for electrons to quantum states for fragments. In this paper, we demonstrate that even for simple two-fragment and multi-fragment systems, gap closure is enabled once T exceeds the threshold set by U (FH), thus providing new insight into the nature of metal-insulator transitions. Finally, this result is in contrast to the standard Hubbard model for 1d rings, for which Lieb and Wu proved that gap closure was impossible, regardless of the choices for t and U.« less

A nonaffine network model for elastomers undergoing finite deformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Jacob D.; Goulbourne, N. C.

2013-08-01

In this work, we construct a new physics-based model of rubber elasticity to capture the strain softening, strain hardening, and deformation-state dependent response of rubber materials undergoing finite deformations. This model is unique in its ability to capture large-stretch mechanical behavior with parameters that are connected to the polymer chemistry and can also be easily identified with the important characteristics of the macroscopic stress-stretch response. The microscopic picture consists of two components: a crosslinked network of Langevin chains and an entangled network with chains confined to a nonaffine tube. These represent, respectively, changes in entropy due to thermally averaged chain conformations and changes in entropy due to the magnitude of these conformational fluctuations. A simple analytical form for the strain energy density is obtained using Rubinstein and Panyukov's single-chain description of network behavior. The model only depends on three parameters that together define the initial modulus, extent of strain softening, and the onset of strain hardening. Fits to large stretch data for natural rubber, silicone rubber, VHB 4905 (polyacrylate rubber), and b186 rubber (a carbon black-filled rubber) are presented, and a comparison is made with other similar constitutive models of large-stretch rubber elasticity. We demonstrate that the proposed model provides a complete description of elastomers undergoing large deformations for different applied loading configurations. Moreover, since the strain energy is obtained using a clear set of physical assumptions, this model may be tested and used to interpret the results of computer simulation and experiments on polymers of known microscopic structure.

Exploring the Influence of Smallholders' Perceptions Regarding Water Availability on Crop Choice and Water Allocation Through Socio-Hydrological Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuil, L.; Evans, T.; McCord, P. F.; Salinas, J. L.; Blöschl, G.

2018-04-01

While it is known that farmers adopt different decision-making behaviors to cope with stresses, it remains challenging to capture this diversity in formal model frameworks that are used to advance theory and inform policy. Guided by cognitive theory and the theory of bounded rationality, this research develops a novel, socio-hydrological model framework that can explore how a farmer's perception of water availability impacts crop choice and water allocation. The model is informed by a rich empirical data set at the household level collected during 2013 in Kenya's Upper Ewaso Ng'iro basin that shows that the crop type cultivated is correlated with water availability. The model is able to simulate this pattern and shows that near-optimal or "satisficing" crop patterns can emerge also when farmers were to make use of simple decision rules and have diverse perceptions on water availability. By focusing on farmer decision making it also captures the rebound effect, i.e., as additional water becomes available through the improvement of crop efficiencies it will be reallocated on the farm instead of flowing downstream, as a farmer will adjust his (her) water allocation and crop pattern to the new water conditions. This study is valuable as it is consistent with the theory of bounded rationality, and thus offers an alternative, descriptive model in addition to normative models. The framework can be used to understand the potential impact of climate change on the socio-hydrological system, to simulate and test various assumptions regarding farmer behavior and to evaluate policy interventions.

GIS Data Collection for Pedestrian Facilities and Furniture Using Mapinr for Android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naharudin, N.; Ahamad, M. S. S.; Sadullah, A. F. M.

2016-09-01

Mobile GIS is introduced to reduce the time taken in completing the field data collection procedure. With the expansion of technology today, mobile GIS is not far behind. It can be integrated with the high-end innovation tools like smartphones. Spatial data capture which deemed to be the toughest stage of a GIS project is made simple with this method. Many studies had demonstrated the usage of mobile GIS in collecting spatial data and this paper discusses how it can be applied in capturing the GPS location of pedestrian furniture and facilities. Although some of the spatial data are available from local agencies, still a more detailed data is needed to create a better data model for this study. This study uses a free android application, MAPinr, which is available on the Google PlayStore to collect spatial data on site. It adopted the GNSS and cellular network positioning to locate the position of the required data. As the application allows the captured data to be exported to a GIS platform, the geometric error of the data was improved. In the end, an authenticated spatial dataset comprising pedestrian facilities and furniture in point and line form will be produced and later be used in a pedestrian network analysis study.

Simplified model to describe the dissociative recombination of linear polyatomic ions of astrophysical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douguet, N.; Fonseca dos Santos, S.; Kokoouline, V.; Orel, A. E.

2015-01-01

We present results of a theoretical study on dissociative recombination of the HCNH+, HCO+ and N2H+ linear polyatomic ions at low energies using a simple theoretical model. In the present study, the indirect mechanism for recombination proceeds through the capture of the incoming electron in excited vibrational Rydberg states attached to the degenerate transverse modes of the linear ions. The strength of the non-adiabatic coupling responsible for dissociative recombination is determined directly from the near-threshold scattering matrix obtained numerically using the complex Kohn variational method. The final cross sections for the process are compared with available experimental data. It is demonstrated that at low collision energies, the major contribution to the dissociative recombination cross section is due to the indirect mechanism.

Models of Protocellular Structure, Function and Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

New, Michael H.; Pohorille, Andrew; Szostak, Jack W.; Keefe, Tony; Lanyi, Janos K.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In the absence of any record of protocells, the most direct way to test our understanding, of the origin of cellular life is to construct laboratory models that capture important features of protocellular systems. Such efforts are currently underway in a collaborative project between NASA-Ames, Harvard Medical School and University of California. They are accompanied by computational studies aimed at explaining self-organization of simple molecules into ordered structures. The centerpiece of this project is a method for the in vitro evolution of protein enzymes toward arbitrary catalytic targets. A similar approach has already been developed for nucleic acids in which a small number of functional molecules are selected from a large, random population of candidates. The selected molecules are next vastly multiplied using the polymerase chain reaction.

Effective holographic theory of charge density waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amoretti, Andrea; Areán, Daniel; Goutéraux, Blaise; Musso, Daniele

2018-04-01

We use gauge/gravity duality to write down an effective low energy holographic theory of charge density waves. We consider a simple gravity model which breaks translations spontaneously in the dual field theory in a homogeneous manner, capturing the low energy dynamics of phonons coupled to conserved currents. We first focus on the leading two-derivative action, which leads to excited states with nonzero strain. We show that including subleading quartic derivative terms leads to dynamical instabilities of AdS2 translation invariant states and to stable phases breaking translations spontaneously. We compute analytically the real part of the electric conductivity. The model allows to construct Lifshitz-like hyperscaling violating quantum critical ground states breaking translations spontaneously. At these critical points, the real part of the dc conductivity can be metallic or insulating.

Tracing the origin of azimuthal gluon correlations in the color glass condensate

DOE PAGES

Lappi, T.; Schenke, B.; Schlichting, S.; ...

2016-01-11

Here we examine the origins of azimuthal correlations observed in high energy proton-nucleus collisions by considering the simple example of the scattering of uncorrelated partons off color fields in a large nucleus. We demonstrate how the physics of fluctuating color fields in the color glass condensate (CGC) effective theory generates these azimuthal multiparticle correlations and compute the corresponding Fourier coefficients v n within different CGC approximation schemes. We discuss in detail the qualitative and quantitative differences between the different schemes. Lastly, we will show how a recently introduced color field domain model that captures key features of the observed azimuthalmore » correlations can be understood in the CGC effective theory as a model of non-Gaussian correlations in the target nucleus.« less

A simple novel device for air sampling by electrokinetic capture

DOE PAGES

Gordon, Julian; Gandhi, Prasanthi; Shekhawat, Gajendra; ...

2015-12-27

A variety of different sampling devices are currently available to acquire air samples for the study of the microbiome of the air. All have a degree of technical complexity that limits deployment. Here, we evaluate the use of a novel device, which has no technical complexity and is easily deployable. An air-cleaning device powered by electrokinetic propulsion has been adapted to provide a universal method for collecting samples of the aerobiome. Plasma-induced charge in aerosol particles causes propulsion to and capture on a counter-electrode. The flow of ions creates net bulk airflow, with no moving parts. A device and electrodemore » assembly have been re-designed from air-cleaning technology to provide an average air flow of 120 lpm. This compares favorably with current air sampling devices based on physical air pumping. Capture efficiency was determined by comparison with a 0.4 μm polycarbonate reference filter, using fluorescent latex particles in a controlled environment chamber. Performance was compared with the same reference filter method in field studies in three different environments. For 23 common fungal species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), there was 100 % sensitivity and apparent specificity of 87%, with the reference filter taken as “gold standard.” Further, bacterial analysis of 16S RNA by amplicon sequencing showed equivalent community structure captured by the electrokinetic device and the reference filter. Unlike other current air sampling methods, capture of particles is determined by charge and so is not controlled by particle mass. We analyzed particle sizes captured from air, without regard to specific analyte by atomic force microscopy: particles at least as low as 100 nM could be captured from ambient air. This work introduces a very simple plug-and-play device that can sample air at a high-volume flow rate with no moving parts and collect particles down to the sub-micron range. In conclusion, the performance of the device is substantially equivalent to capture by pumping through a filter for microbiome analysis by quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing.« less

A simple novel device for air sampling by electrokinetic capture

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

Gordon, Julian; Gandhi, Prasanthi; Shekhawat, Gajendra

A variety of different sampling devices are currently available to acquire air samples for the study of the microbiome of the air. All have a degree of technical complexity that limits deployment. Here, we evaluate the use of a novel device, which has no technical complexity and is easily deployable. An air-cleaning device powered by electrokinetic propulsion has been adapted to provide a universal method for collecting samples of the aerobiome. Plasma-induced charge in aerosol particles causes propulsion to and capture on a counter-electrode. The flow of ions creates net bulk airflow, with no moving parts. A device and electrodemore » assembly have been re-designed from air-cleaning technology to provide an average air flow of 120 lpm. This compares favorably with current air sampling devices based on physical air pumping. Capture efficiency was determined by comparison with a 0.4 μm polycarbonate reference filter, using fluorescent latex particles in a controlled environment chamber. Performance was compared with the same reference filter method in field studies in three different environments. For 23 common fungal species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), there was 100 % sensitivity and apparent specificity of 87%, with the reference filter taken as “gold standard.” Further, bacterial analysis of 16S RNA by amplicon sequencing showed equivalent community structure captured by the electrokinetic device and the reference filter. Unlike other current air sampling methods, capture of particles is determined by charge and so is not controlled by particle mass. We analyzed particle sizes captured from air, without regard to specific analyte by atomic force microscopy: particles at least as low as 100 nM could be captured from ambient air. This work introduces a very simple plug-and-play device that can sample air at a high-volume flow rate with no moving parts and collect particles down to the sub-micron range. In conclusion, the performance of the device is substantially equivalent to capture by pumping through a filter for microbiome analysis by quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing.« less

A simple novel device for air sampling by electrokinetic capture.

PubMed

Gordon, Julian; Gandhi, Prasanthi; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Frazier, Angel; Hampton-Marcell, Jarrad; Gilbert, Jack A

2015-12-27

A variety of different sampling devices are currently available to acquire air samples for the study of the microbiome of the air. All have a degree of technical complexity that limits deployment. Here, we evaluate the use of a novel device, which has no technical complexity and is easily deployable. An air-cleaning device powered by electrokinetic propulsion has been adapted to provide a universal method for collecting samples of the aerobiome. Plasma-induced charge in aerosol particles causes propulsion to and capture on a counter-electrode. The flow of ions creates net bulk airflow, with no moving parts. A device and electrode assembly have been re-designed from air-cleaning technology to provide an average air flow of 120 lpm. This compares favorably with current air sampling devices based on physical air pumping. Capture efficiency was determined by comparison with a 0.4 μm polycarbonate reference filter, using fluorescent latex particles in a controlled environment chamber. Performance was compared with the same reference filter method in field studies in three different environments. For 23 common fungal species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), there was 100 % sensitivity and apparent specificity of 87 %, with the reference filter taken as "gold standard." Further, bacterial analysis of 16S RNA by amplicon sequencing showed equivalent community structure captured by the electrokinetic device and the reference filter. Unlike other current air sampling methods, capture of particles is determined by charge and so is not controlled by particle mass. We analyzed particle sizes captured from air, without regard to specific analyte by atomic force microscopy: particles at least as low as 100 nM could be captured from ambient air. This work introduces a very simple plug-and-play device that can sample air at a high-volume flow rate with no moving parts and collect particles down to the sub-micron range. The performance of the device is substantially equivalent to capture by pumping through a filter for microbiome analysis by quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing.

On measuring community participation in research.

PubMed

Khodyakov, Dmitry; Stockdale, Susan; Jones, Andrea; Mango, Joseph; Jones, Felica; Lizaola, Elizabeth

2013-06-01

Active participation of community partners in research aspects of community-academic partnered projects is often assumed to have a positive impact on the outcomes of such projects. The value of community engagement in research, however, cannot be empirically determined without good measures of the level of community participation in research activities. Based on our recent evaluation of community-academic partnered projects centered around behavioral health issues, this article uses semistructured interview and survey data to outline two complementary approaches to measuring the level of community participation in research-a "three-model" approach that differentiates between the levels of community participation and a Community Engagement in Research Index (CERI) that offers a multidimensional view of community engagement in the research process. The primary goal of this article is to present and compare these approaches, discuss their strengths and limitations, summarize the lessons learned, and offer directions for future research. We find that whereas the three-model approach is a simple measure of the perception of community participation in research activities, CERI allows for a more nuanced understanding by capturing multiple aspects of such participation. Although additional research is needed to validate these measures, our study makes a significant contribution by illustrating the complexity of measuring community participation in research and the lack of reliability in simple scores offered by the three-model approach.

Direct identification of predator-prey dynamics in gyrokinetic simulations

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

Kobayashi, Sumire, E-mail: sumire.kobayashi@lpp.polytechnique.fr; Gürcan, Özgür D; Diamond, Patrick H.

2015-09-15

The interaction between spontaneously formed zonal flows and small-scale turbulence in nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations is explored in a shearless closed field line geometry. It is found that when clear limit cycle oscillations prevail, the observed turbulent dynamics can be quantitatively captured by a simple Lotka-Volterra type predator-prey model. Fitting the time traces of full gyrokinetic simulations by such a reduced model allows extraction of the model coefficients. Scanning physical plasma parameters, such as collisionality and density gradient, it was observed that the effective growth rates of turbulence (i.e., the prey) remain roughly constant, in spite of the higher and varyingmore » level of primary mode linear growth rates. The effective growth rate that was extracted corresponds roughly to the zonal-flow-modified primary mode growth rate. It was also observed that the effective damping of zonal flows (i.e., the predator) in the parameter range, where clear predator-prey dynamics is observed, (i.e., near marginal stability) agrees with the collisional damping expected in these simulations. This implies that the Kelvin-Helmholtz-like instability may be negligible in this range. The results imply that when the tertiary instability plays a role, the dynamics becomes more complex than a simple Lotka-Volterra predator prey.« less

Radiation dose reduction in computed tomography perfusion using spatial-temporal Bayesian methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Ruogu; Raj, Ashish; Chen, Tsuhan; Sanelli, Pina C.

2012-03-01

In current computed tomography (CT) examinations, the associated X-ray radiation dose is of significant concern to patients and operators, especially CT perfusion (CTP) imaging that has higher radiation dose due to its cine scanning technique. A simple and cost-effective means to perform the examinations is to lower the milliampere-seconds (mAs) parameter as low as reasonably achievable in data acquisition. However, lowering the mAs parameter will unavoidably increase data noise and degrade CT perfusion maps greatly if no adequate noise control is applied during image reconstruction. To capture the essential dynamics of CT perfusion, a simple spatial-temporal Bayesian method that uses a piecewise parametric model of the residual function is used, and then the model parameters are estimated from a Bayesian formulation of prior smoothness constraints on perfusion parameters. From the fitted residual function, reliable CTP parameter maps are obtained from low dose CT data. The merit of this scheme exists in the combination of analytical piecewise residual function with Bayesian framework using a simpler prior spatial constrain for CT perfusion application. On a dataset of 22 patients, this dynamic spatial-temporal Bayesian model yielded an increase in signal-tonoise-ratio (SNR) of 78% and a decrease in mean-square-error (MSE) of 40% at low dose radiation of 43mA.

Re-using biological devices: a model-aided analysis of interconnected transcriptional cascades designed from the bottom-up.

PubMed

Pasotti, Lorenzo; Bellato, Massimo; Casanova, Michela; Zucca, Susanna; Cusella De Angelis, Maria Gabriella; Magni, Paolo

2017-01-01

The study of simplified, ad-hoc constructed model systems can help to elucidate if quantitatively characterized biological parts can be effectively re-used in composite circuits to yield predictable functions. Synthetic systems designed from the bottom-up can enable the building of complex interconnected devices via rational approach, supported by mathematical modelling. However, such process is affected by different, usually non-modelled, unpredictability sources, like cell burden. Here, we analyzed a set of synthetic transcriptional cascades in Escherichia coli . We aimed to test the predictive power of a simple Hill function activation/repression model (no-burden model, NBM) and of a recently proposed model, including Hill functions and the modulation of proteins expression by cell load (burden model, BM). To test the bottom-up approach, the circuit collection was divided into training and test sets, used to learn individual component functions and test the predicted output of interconnected circuits, respectively. Among the constructed configurations, two test set circuits showed unexpected logic behaviour. Both NBM and BM were able to predict the quantitative output of interconnected devices with expected behaviour, but only the BM was also able to predict the output of one circuit with unexpected behaviour. Moreover, considering training and test set data together, the BM captures circuits output with higher accuracy than the NBM, which is unable to capture the experimental output exhibited by some of the circuits even qualitatively. Finally, resource usage parameters, estimated via BM, guided the successful construction of new corrected variants of the two circuits showing unexpected behaviour. Superior descriptive and predictive capabilities were achieved considering resource limitation modelling, but further efforts are needed to improve the accuracy of models for biological engineering.

Point process models for localization and interdependence of punctate cellular structures.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Majarian, Timothy D; Naik, Armaghan W; Johnson, Gregory R; Murphy, Robert F

2016-07-01

Accurate representations of cellular organization for multiple eukaryotic cell types are required for creating predictive models of dynamic cellular function. To this end, we have previously developed the CellOrganizer platform, an open source system for generative modeling of cellular components from microscopy images. CellOrganizer models capture the inherent heterogeneity in the spatial distribution, size, and quantity of different components among a cell population. Furthermore, CellOrganizer can generate quantitatively realistic synthetic images that reflect the underlying cell population. A current focus of the project is to model the complex, interdependent nature of organelle localization. We built upon previous work on developing multiple non-parametric models of organelles or structures that show punctate patterns. The previous models described the relationships between the subcellular localization of puncta and the positions of cell and nuclear membranes and microtubules. We extend these models to consider the relationship to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and to consider the relationship between the positions of different puncta of the same type. Our results do not suggest that the punctate patterns we examined are dependent on ER position or inter- and intra-class proximity. With these results, we built classifiers to update previous assignments of proteins to one of 11 patterns in three distinct cell lines. Our generative models demonstrate the ability to construct statistically accurate representations of puncta localization from simple cellular markers in distinct cell types, capturing the complex phenomena of cellular structure interaction with little human input. This protocol represents a novel approach to vesicular protein annotation, a field that is often neglected in high-throughput microscopy. These results suggest that spatial point process models provide useful insight with respect to the spatial dependence between cellular structures. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Electronic data capture for registries and clinical trials in orthopaedic surgery: open source versus commercial systems.

PubMed

Shah, Jatin; Rajgor, Dimple; Pradhan, Shreyasee; McCready, Mariana; Zaveri, Amrapali; Pietrobon, Ricardo

2010-10-01

Collection and analysis of clinical data can help orthopaedic surgeons to practice evidence based medicine. Spreadsheets and offline relational databases are prevalent, but not flexible, secure, workflow friendly and do not support the generation of standardized and interoperable data. Additionally these data collection applications usually do not follow a structured and planned approach which may result in failure to achieve the intended goal. Our purposes are (1) to provide a brief overview of EDC systems, their types, and related pros and cons as well as to describe commonly used EDC platforms and their features; and (2) describe simple steps involved in designing a registry/clinical study in DADOS P, an open source EDC system. WHERE ARE WE NOW?: Electronic data capture systems aimed at addressing these issues are widely being adopted at an institutional/national/international level but are lacking at an individual level. A wide array of features, relative pros and cons and different business models cause confusion and indecision among orthopaedic surgeons interested in implementing EDC systems. WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO?: To answer clinical questions and actively participate in clinical studies, orthopaedic surgeons should collect data in parallel to their clinical activities. Adopting a simple, user-friendly, and robust EDC system can facilitate the data collection process. HOW DO WE GET THERE?: Conducting a balanced evaluation of available options and comparing them with intended goals and requirements can help orthopaedic surgeons to make an informed choice.

Scripting MODFLOW Model Development Using Python and FloPy.

PubMed

Bakker, M; Post, V; Langevin, C D; Hughes, J D; White, J T; Starn, J J; Fienen, M N

2016-09-01

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are commonly used to construct and postprocess numerical groundwater flow and transport models. Scripting model development with the programming language Python is presented here as an alternative approach. One advantage of Python is that there are many packages available to facilitate the model development process, including packages for plotting, array manipulation, optimization, and data analysis. For MODFLOW-based models, the FloPy package was developed by the authors to construct model input files, run the model, and read and plot simulation results. Use of Python with the available scientific packages and FloPy facilitates data exploration, alternative model evaluations, and model analyses that can be difficult to perform with GUIs. Furthermore, Python scripts are a complete, transparent, and repeatable record of the modeling process. The approach is introduced with a simple FloPy example to create and postprocess a MODFLOW model. A more complicated capture-fraction analysis with a real-world model is presented to demonstrate the types of analyses that can be performed using Python and FloPy. © 2016, National Ground Water Association.

Description and application of capture zone delineation for a wellfield at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landmeyer, J.E.

1994-01-01

Ground-water capture zone boundaries for individual pumped wells in a confined aquffer were delineated by using groundwater models. Both analytical and numerical (semi-analytical) models that more accurately represent the $round-water-flow system were used. All models delineated 2-dimensional boundaries (capture zones) that represent the areal extent of groundwater contribution to a pumped well. The resultant capture zones were evaluated on the basis of the ability of each model to realistically rapresent the part of the ground-water-flow system that contributed water to the pumped wells. Analytical models used were based on a fixed radius approach, and induded; an arbitrary radius model, a calculated fixed radius model based on the volumetric-flow equation with a time-of-travel criterion, and a calculated fixed radius model derived from modification of the Theis model with a drawdown criterion. Numerical models used induded the 2-dimensional, finite-difference models RESSQC and MWCAP. The arbitrary radius and Theis analytical models delineated capture zone boundaries that compared least favorably with capture zones delineated using the volumetric-flow analytical model and both numerical models. The numerical models produced more hydrologically reasonable capture zones (that were oriented parallel to the regional flow direction) than the volumetric-flow equation. The RESSQC numerical model computed more hydrologically realistic capture zones than the MWCAP numerical model by accounting for changes in the shape of capture zones caused by multiple-well interference. The capture zone boundaries generated by using both analytical and numerical models indicated that the curnmtly used 100-foot radius of protection around a wellhead in South Carolina is an underestimate of the extent of ground-water capture for pumped wetis in this particular wellfield in the Upper Floridan aquifer. The arbitrary fixed radius of 100 feet was shown to underestimate the upgradient contribution of ground-water flow to a pumped well.

Closed flume inlet efficiency : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

The storm drain is an inconspicuous but critical : part of the roadway, especially in Florida. Drains : look deceptively simple, but they must capture : water as efficiently as possible. To help assure : the performance of storm drains, the Florida :...

Thunder and Lightning: A Lecture-Demonstration for All Ages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Colin

1999-01-01

Describes a series of simple but spectacular chemistry demonstrations designed to capture children's imaginations. The demonstrations take the minimum amount of time to prepare, are relatively safe to dispose of, and reliable. (Author/WRM)

Incorporating inductances in tissue-scale models of cardiac electrophysiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Simone; Griffith, Boyce E.

2017-09-01

In standard models of cardiac electrophysiology, including the bidomain and monodomain models, local perturbations can propagate at infinite speed. We address this unrealistic property by developing a hyperbolic bidomain model that is based on a generalization of Ohm's law with a Cattaneo-type model for the fluxes. Further, we obtain a hyperbolic monodomain model in the case that the intracellular and extracellular conductivity tensors have the same anisotropy ratio. In one spatial dimension, the hyperbolic monodomain model is equivalent to a cable model that includes axial inductances, and the relaxation times of the Cattaneo fluxes are strictly related to these inductances. A purely linear analysis shows that the inductances are negligible, but models of cardiac electrophysiology are highly nonlinear, and linear predictions may not capture the fully nonlinear dynamics. In fact, contrary to the linear analysis, we show that for simple nonlinear ionic models, an increase in conduction velocity is obtained for small and moderate values of the relaxation time. A similar behavior is also demonstrated with biophysically detailed ionic models. Using the Fenton-Karma model along with a low-order finite element spatial discretization, we numerically analyze differences between the standard monodomain model and the hyperbolic monodomain model. In a simple benchmark test, we show that the propagation of the action potential is strongly influenced by the alignment of the fibers with respect to the mesh in both the parabolic and hyperbolic models when using relatively coarse spatial discretizations. Accurate predictions of the conduction velocity require computational mesh spacings on the order of a single cardiac cell. We also compare the two formulations in the case of spiral break up and atrial fibrillation in an anatomically detailed model of the left atrium, and we examine the effect of intracellular and extracellular inductances on the virtual electrode phenomenon.

Discretization limits of multi-component lattice-Boltzmann methods and implications on the real porous media simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herring, A. L.; Li, Z.; Middleton, J.; Varslot, T.; McClure, J. E.; Sheppard, A.

2017-12-01

Multicomponent lattice-Boltzmann (LB) modeling is widely applied to study two-phase flow in various porous media. However, the impact on LB modeling of the fundamental trade-off between image resolution and field of view has received relatively little attention. This is important since 3D images of geological samples rarely have both sufficient resolution to capture fine structure and sufficient field of view to capture a full representative elementary volume of the medium. To optimize the simulations, it is important to know the minimum number of grid points that LB methods require to deliver physically meaningful results, and allow for the sources of measurement uncertainty to be appropriately balanced. In this work, we study the behavior of the Shan-Chen (SC) and Rothman-Keller (RK) models when the phase interfacial radius of curvature and the feature size of the medium approach the discrete unit size of the computational grid. Both simple, small-scale test geometries and real porous media are considered. Models' behavior in the extreme discrete limit is classified ranging from gradual loss of accuracy to catastrophic numerical breakdown. Based on this study, we provide guidance for experimental data collection and how to apply the LBM to accurately resolve physics of interest for two-fluid flow in porous media. Resolution effects are particularly relevant to the study of low-porosity systems, including fractured materials, when the typical pore width may only be a few voxels across.Overall, we find that the shortcoming of the SC model predominantly arises from the strongly pressure-dependent miscibility of the fluid components, where small droplets with high interfacial curvature have an exaggerated tendency to dissolve into the surrounding fluid. For the RK model, the most significant shortcoming is unphysical flow of non-wetting phase through narrow channels and crevices (2 voxels across or smaller), which we observed both in simple capillary tube and realistic porous medium. This process generates unphysical non-wetting phase ganglia that are hard to distinguish from ganglia of physical origin (e.g. arising from snap-off). While both methods have advantages and shortcomings, the RK model with modern enhancements seems to exhibit fewer instabilities, and is more suitable for system of low miscibility.

Collective decision making in cohesive flocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, K.; Vicsek, Tamás

2010-09-01

Most of us must have been fascinated by the eye-catching displays of collectively moving animals. Schools of fish can move in a rather orderly fashion and then change direction amazingly abruptly. There are a large number of further examples both from the living and the non-living world for phenomena during which the many interacting, permanently moving units seem to arrive at a common behavioural pattern taking place in a short time. As a paradigm of this type of phenomena we consider the problem of how birds arrive at a decision resulting in their synchronized landing. We introduce a simple model to interpret this process. Collective motion prior to landing is modelled using a simple self-propelled particle (SPP) system with a new kind of boundary condition, while the tendency and the sudden propagation of the intention of landing are introduced through rules analogous to the random field Ising model in an external field. We show that our approach is capable of capturing the most relevant features of collective decision making in a system of units with variance of individual intentions and being under an increasing level of pressure to switch states. We find that as a function of the few parameters of our model the collective switching from the flying to the landing state is indeed much sharper than the distribution of individual landing intentions. The transition is accompanied by a number of interesting features discussed in this paper.

Real versus Artificial Variation in the Thermal Sensitivity of Biological Traits.

PubMed

Pawar, Samraat; Dell, Anthony I; Savage, Van M; Knies, Jennifer L

2016-02-01

Whether the thermal sensitivity of an organism's traits follows the simple Boltzmann-Arrhenius model remains a contentious issue that centers around consideration of its operational temperature range and whether the sensitivity corresponds to one or a few underlying rate-limiting enzymes. Resolving this issue is crucial, because mechanistic models for temperature dependence of traits are required to predict the biological effects of climate change. Here, by combining theory with data on 1,085 thermal responses from a wide range of traits and organisms, we show that substantial variation in thermal sensitivity (activation energy) estimates can arise simply because of variation in the range of measured temperatures. Furthermore, when thermal responses deviate systematically from the Boltzmann-Arrhenius model, variation in measured temperature ranges across studies can bias estimated activation energy distributions toward higher mean, median, variance, and skewness. Remarkably, this bias alone can yield activation energies that encompass the range expected from biochemical reactions (from ~0.2 to 1.2 eV), making it difficult to establish whether a single activation energy appropriately captures thermal sensitivity. We provide guidelines and a simple equation for partially correcting for such artifacts. Our results have important implications for understanding the mechanistic basis of thermal responses of biological traits and for accurately modeling effects of variation in thermal sensitivity on responses of individuals, populations, and ecological communities to changing climatic temperatures.

Effect of quantum nuclear motion on hydrogen bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, Ross H.; Bekker, Christiaan; Athokpam, Bijyalaxmi; Ramesh, Sai G.

2014-05-01

This work considers how the properties of hydrogen bonded complexes, X-H⋯Y, are modified by the quantum motion of the shared proton. Using a simple two-diabatic state model Hamiltonian, the analysis of the symmetric case, where the donor (X) and acceptor (Y) have the same proton affinity, is carried out. For quantitative comparisons, a parametrization specific to the O-H⋯O complexes is used. The vibrational energy levels of the one-dimensional ground state adiabatic potential of the model are used to make quantitative comparisons with a vast body of condensed phase data, spanning a donor-acceptor separation (R) range of about 2.4 - 3.0 Å, i.e., from strong to weak hydrogen bonds. The position of the proton (which determines the X-H bond length) and its longitudinal vibrational frequency, along with the isotope effects in both are described quantitatively. An analysis of the secondary geometric isotope effect, using a simple extension of the two-state model, yields an improved agreement of the predicted variation with R of frequency isotope effects. The role of bending modes is also considered: their quantum effects compete with those of the stretching mode for weak to moderate H-bond strengths. In spite of the economy in the parametrization of the model used, it offers key insights into the defining features of H-bonds, and semi-quantitatively captures several trends.

Surfing on Protein Waves: Proteophoresis as a Mechanism for Bacterial Genome Partitioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.-C.; Dorignac, J.; Lorman, V.; Rech, J.; Bouet, J.-Y.; Nollmann, M.; Palmeri, J.; Parmeggiani, A.; Geniet, F.

2017-07-01

Efficient bacterial chromosome segregation typically requires the coordinated action of a three-component machinery, fueled by adenosine triphosphate, called the partition complex. We present a phenomenological model accounting for the dynamic activity of this system that is also relevant for the physics of catalytic particles in active environments. The model is obtained by coupling simple linear reaction-diffusion equations with a proteophoresis, or "volumetric" chemophoresis, force field that arises from protein-protein interactions and provides a physically viable mechanism for complex translocation. This minimal description captures most known experimental observations: dynamic oscillations of complex components, complex separation, and subsequent symmetrical positioning. The predictions of our model are in phenomenological agreement with and provide substantial insight into recent experiments. From a nonlinear physics view point, this system explores the active separation of matter at micrometric scales with a dynamical instability between static positioning and traveling wave regimes triggered by the dynamical spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry.

Belowground Controls on the Dynamics of Plant Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivandran, G.

2013-12-01

Arid regions are characterized by high variability in the arrival of rainfall, and species found in these areas have adapted mechanisms to ensure the capture of this scarce resource. In particular, the rooting strategies employed by vegetation can be critical to their survival. These rooting strategies also dictate the competitive outcomes within plant communities. A dynamic rooting scheme was incorporated into tRIBS+VEGGIE (a physically-based, distributed ecohydrologic model). The dynamic rooting scheme allows vegetation the freedom to alter its rooting profile in response to changes in rainfall and soil conditions, in a way that more closely mimics observed phenotypic plasticity. A simple competition-colonization model was combined with the new dynamic root scheme to explore the role of root adaptability in plant competition and landscape evolution in semi-arid environments. The influence of model representation of rooting strategy on the long term plant community composition

Persistence in the WFC3 IR Detector: An Area Dependent Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Knox S.; Baggett, Sylvia M.

2018-05-01

When the IR detector on WFC3 is exposed to a bright source or sources, the sources not only appear in the original exposure, but can appear as afterimages in later exposures, a phenomenon known as persistence. The magnitude and duration of persistence for a fixed stimulus varies somewhat across the face of the detector. Our previous attempts to characterize this variation were limited to a correction that captures only the variation in the magnitude. Here we describe a simple model which allows for variations both in the magnitude and the duration of the persistence, and then evaluate quantitatively how much improvement this model provides. We conclude that while this was a useful experiment, it does not result in a marked improvement in our ability to predict persistence in the WFC3/IR array. We discuss why this was the case, and possible paths forward.

Genetic mixed linear models for twin survival data.

PubMed

Ha, Il Do; Lee, Youngjo; Pawitan, Yudi

2007-07-01

Twin studies are useful for assessing the relative importance of genetic or heritable component from the environmental component. In this paper we develop a methodology to study the heritability of age-at-onset or lifespan traits, with application to analysis of twin survival data. Due to limited period of observation, the data can be left truncated and right censored (LTRC). Under the LTRC setting we propose a genetic mixed linear model, which allows general fixed predictors and random components to capture genetic and environmental effects. Inferences are based upon the hierarchical-likelihood (h-likelihood), which provides a statistically efficient and unified framework for various mixed-effect models. We also propose a simple and fast computation method for dealing with large data sets. The method is illustrated by the survival data from the Swedish Twin Registry. Finally, a simulation study is carried out to evaluate its performance.

Retrieval of Methane Source Strengths in Europe Using a Simple Modeling Approach to Assess the Potential of Spaceborne Lidar Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, C.; Kiemle, C.; Kawa, S. R.; Aalto, T.; Necki, J.; Steinbacher, M.; Arduini, J.; Apadula, F.; Berkhout, H.; Hatakka, J.

2014-01-01

We investigate the sensitivity of future spaceborne lidar measurements to changes in surface methane emissions. We use surface methane observations from nine European ground stations and a Lagrangian transport model to infer surface methane emissions for 2010. Our inversion shows the strongest emissions from the Netherlands, the coal mines in Upper Silesia, Poland, and wetlands in southern Finland. The simulated methane surface concentrations capture at least half of the daily variability in the observations, suggesting that the transport model is correctly simulating the regional transport pathways over Europe. With this tool we can test whether proposed methane lidar instruments will be sensitive to changes in surface emissions. We show that future lidar instruments should be able to detect a 50% reduction in methane emissions from the Netherlands and Germany, at least during summer.

Emergent dynamics of laboratory insect swarms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Douglas H.; Ouellette, Nicholas T.

2013-01-01

Collective animal behaviour occurs at nearly every biological size scale, from single-celled organisms to the largest animals on earth. It has long been known that models with simple interaction rules can reproduce qualitative features of this complex behaviour. But determining whether these models accurately capture the biology requires data from real animals, which has historically been difficult to obtain. Here, we report three-dimensional, time-resolved measurements of the positions, velocities, and accelerations of individual insects in laboratory swarms of the midge Chironomus riparius. Even though the swarms do not show an overall polarisation, we find statistical evidence for local clusters of correlated motion. We also show that the swarms display an effective large-scale potential that keeps individuals bound together, and we characterize the shape of this potential. Our results provide quantitative data against which the emergent characteristics of animal aggregation models can be benchmarked.

Markerless video analysis for movement quantification in pediatric epilepsy monitoring.

PubMed

Lu, Haiping; Eng, How-Lung; Mandal, Bappaditya; Chan, Derrick W S; Ng, Yen-Ling

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a markerless video analytic system for quantifying body part movements in pediatric epilepsy monitoring. The system utilizes colored pajamas worn by a patient in bed to extract body part movement trajectories, from which various features can be obtained for seizure detection and analysis. Hence, it is non-intrusive and it requires no sensor/marker to be attached to the patient's body. It takes raw video sequences as input and a simple user-initialization indicates the body parts to be examined. In background/foreground modeling, Gaussian mixture models are employed in conjunction with HSV-based modeling. Body part detection follows a coarse-to-fine paradigm with graph-cut-based segmentation. Finally, body part parameters are estimated with domain knowledge guidance. Experimental studies are reported on sequences captured in an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at a local hospital. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system in pediatric epilepsy monitoring and seizure detection.

Director gliding in a nematic liquid crystal layer: Quantitative comparison with experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mema, E.; Kondic, L.; Cummings, L. J.

2018-03-01

The interaction between nematic liquid crystals and polymer-coated substrates may lead to slow reorientation of the easy axis (so-called "director gliding") when a prolonged external field is applied. We consider the experimental evidence of zenithal gliding observed by Joly et al. [Phys. Rev. E 70, 050701 (2004), 10.1103/PhysRevE.70.050701] and Buluy et al. [J. Soc. Inf. Disp. 14, 603 (2006), 10.1889/1.2235686] as well as azimuthal gliding observed by S. Faetti and P. Marianelli [Liq. Cryst. 33, 327 (2006), 10.1080/02678290500512227], and we present a simple, physically motivated model that captures the slow dynamics of gliding, both in the presence of an electric field and after the electric field is turned off. We make a quantitative comparison of our model results and the experimental data and conclude that our model explains the gliding evolution very well.

Timing in a Variable Interval Procedure: Evidence for a Memory Singularity

PubMed Central

Matell, Matthew S.; Kim, Jung S.; Hartshorne, Loryn

2013-01-01

Rats were trained in either a 30s peak-interval procedure, or a 15–45s variable interval peak procedure with a uniform distribution (Exp 1) or a ramping probability distribution (Exp 2). Rats in all groups showed peak shaped response functions centered around 30s, with the uniform group having an earlier and broader peak response function and rats in the ramping group having a later peak function as compared to the single duration group. The changes in these mean functions, as well as the statistics from single trial analyses, can be better captured by a model of timing in which memory is represented by a single, average, delay to reinforcement compared to one in which all durations are stored as a distribution, such as the complete memory model of Scalar Expectancy Theory or a simple associative model. PMID:24012783

Mouse epileptic seizure detection with multiple EEG features and simple thresholding technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tieng, Quang M.; Anbazhagan, Ashwin; Chen, Min; Reutens, David C.

2017-12-01

Objective. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The search for new treatments for seizures and epilepsy relies upon studies in animal models of epilepsy. To capture data on seizures, many applications require prolonged electroencephalography (EEG) with recordings that generate voluminous data. The desire for efficient evaluation of these recordings motivates the development of automated seizure detection algorithms. Approach. A new seizure detection method is proposed, based on multiple features and a simple thresholding technique. The features are derived from chaos theory, information theory and the power spectrum of EEG recordings and optimally exploit both linear and nonlinear characteristics of EEG data. Main result. The proposed method was tested with real EEG data from an experimental mouse model of epilepsy and distinguished seizures from other patterns with high sensitivity and specificity. Significance. The proposed approach introduces two new features: negative logarithm of adaptive correlation integral and power spectral coherence ratio. The combination of these new features with two previously described features, entropy and phase coherence, improved seizure detection accuracy significantly. Negative logarithm of adaptive correlation integral can also be used to compute the duration of automatically detected seizures.

A Survey of XOR as a Digital Obfuscation Technique in a Corpus of Real Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-17

changing nine byte key [30]. Even advanced malware, such as Stuxnet, Duqu , Flame, and Red October, were observed to use XOR as the basis of a simple...obfuscation algorithm to hide data that they were stealing [37]. Stuxnet uses a 31-byte key with XOR [15]. Duqu XORs data from its keylogger and sends it...back to its server [37]. Similar to Duqu , Flame employs XOR obfuscation techniques on captured data, but contains extensive data-capturing features

Applied research of embedded WiFi technology in the motion capture system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Haixia

2012-04-01

Embedded wireless WiFi technology is one of the current wireless hot spots in network applications. This paper firstly introduces the definition and characteristics of WiFi. With the advantages of WiFi such as using no wiring, simple operation and stable transmission, this paper then gives a system design for the application of embedded wireless WiFi technology in the motion capture system. Also, it verifies the effectiveness of design in the WiFi-based wireless sensor hardware and software program.

Graphene-based porous silica sheets impregnated with polyethyleneimine for superior CO2 capture.

PubMed

Yang, Shubin; Zhan, Liang; Xu, Xiaoyue; Wang, Yanli; Ling, Licheng; Feng, Xinliang

2013-04-18

It is demonstrated that graphene-based porous silica sheets can serve as an efficient carrier support for PEI via a simple nanocasting technology. The resulting materials possess thin nature, high PEI loading content and high thermal-conductivity. Such features are favorable for the efficient diffusion and adsorption of CO2 as well as the rapid thermal transfer during the CO2 capture process. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anion-activated, thermoreversible gelation system for the capture, release, and visual monitoring of CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Lee, Songyi; Liu, Yifan; Lee, Minji; Yin, Jun; Sessler, Jonathan L.; Yoon, Juyoung

2014-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important green house gas. This is providing an incentive to develop new strategies to detect and capture CO2. Achieving both functions within a single molecular system represents an unmet challenge in terms of molecular design and could translate into enhanced ease of use. Here, we report an anion-activated chemosensor system, NAP-chol 1, that permits dissolved CO2 to be detected in organic media via simple color changes or through ratiometric differences in fluorescence intensity. NAP-chol 1 also acts as a super gelator for DMSO. The resulting gel is transformed into a homogeneous solution upon exposure to fluoride anions. Bubbling with CO2 regenerates the gel. Subsequent flushing with N2 or heating serves to release the CO2 and reform the sol form. This series of transformations is reversible and can be followed by easy-to-discern color changes. Thus, NAP-chol 1 allows for the capture and release of CO2 gas while acting as a three mode sensing system. In particular, it permits CO2 to be detected through reversible sol-gel transitions, simple changes in color, or ratiometric monitoring of the differences in the fluorescence features.

Increasing the realism of a laparoscopic box trainer: a simple, inexpensive method.

PubMed

Hull, Louise; Kassab, Eva; Arora, Sonal; Kneebone, Roger

2010-01-01

Simulation-based training in medical education is increasing. Realism is an integral element of creating an engaging, effective training environment. Although physical trainers offer a low-cost alternative to expensive virtual reality (VR) simulators, many lack in realism. The aim of this research was to enhance the realism of a laparoscopic box trainer by using a simple, inexpensive method. Digital images of the abdominal cavity were captured from a VR simulator. The images were printed onto a laminated card that lined the bottom and sides of the box-trainer cavity. The standard black neoprene material that encloses the abdominal cavity was replaced with a skin-colored silicon model. The realism of the modified box trainer was assessed by surgeons, using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Results suggest that the modified box trainer was more realistic than a standard box trainer alone. Incorporating this technique in the training of laparoscopic skills is an inexpensive means of emulating surgical reality that may enhance the engagement of the learner in simulation.

Fracture spacing in tensile brittle layers adhering to a rigid substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarus, Véronique

2017-01-01

A natural question arising when observing crack networks in brittle layers such as, e.g., paints, muds, skins, pottery glazes, coatings, ceramics, is what determines the distance between cracks. This apparently simple question received a wealth of more or less complex and appropriate answers, but no consensus has emerged. Here, we show that the cracks interact mutually as soon as the spacing between them is smaller than ten times the thickness of the layer. Then, a simple Griffith-type balance between the elastic deformation energy and the fracture bulk and debonding costs captures a broad number of observations, going from the square-root or linear increase of the spacing with the thickness, to its decrease with loading until saturation. The adhesion strength is identified as playing a key role in these behaviour changes. As illustration, we show how the model can be applied to study the influence of the layer thickness on crack patterns. We believe that the versatility of the approach should permit wide applicability, from geosciences to engineering.

Simple Microfluidic Device For Studying Chemotaxis In Response To Dual Gradients

PubMed Central

Moussavi-Haramic, S. F.; Pezzi, H. M.; Huttenlocher, A.; Beebe, D. J.

2016-01-01

Chemotaxis is a fundamental biological process where complex chemotactic gradients are integrated and prioritized to guide cell migration toward specific locations. To understand the mechanisms of gradient dependent cell migration, it is important to develop in vitro models that recapitulate key attributes of the chemotactic cues present in vivo. Current in vitro tools for studying cell migration are not amenable to easily study the response of neutrophils to dual gradients. Many of these systems require external pumps and complex setups to establish and maintain the gradients. Here we report a simple yet innovative microfluidic device for studying cell migration in the presence of dual chemotactic gradients through a 3-dimensional substrate. The device is tested and validated by studying the migration of the neutrophil-like cell line PLB-985 to gradients of fMLP. Furthermore, the device is expanded and used with heparinised whole blood, whereupon neutrophils were observed to migrate from whole blood towards gradients of fMLP eliminating the need for any neutrophil purification or capture steps. PMID:25893484

An interatomic pair potential for cadmium selenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabani, Eran

2002-01-01

We have developed a set of interatomic pair potentials for cadmium selenide based on a form similar to the Born-Mayer model. We show that this simple form of the pair potential, which has been used to describe the properties of alkali halides in the sixfold-coordinate structure, provides a realistic description of the properties of cadmium selenide in all three crystal structures: wurtzite, zinc blende, and rocksalt. Using the new pair potential we have studied the pressure-induced phase transition from the fourfold-coordinate wurtzite structure to the sixfold-coordinate rocksalt structure. The pressure transformation and the equation of state are in good agreement with experimental observations. Using the dispersion term in our pair potential we have also calculated the Hamaker constant for cadmium selenide within the framework of the original microscopic approach due to Hamaker. The results indicate that for ionic materials many-body terms that are included in the Lifshitz theory are well captured by the simple pair potential.

Role of temperature-dependent O-p-Fe-d hybridization parameter in the metal-insulator transition of Fe3O4: a theoretical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fauzi, A. D.; Majidi, M. A.; Rusydi, A.

2017-04-01

We propose a simple tight-binding based model for Fe3O4 that captures the preference of ferrimagnetic over ferromagnetic spin configuration of the system. Our model is consistent with previous theoretical and experimental studies suggesting that the system is half metallic, in which spin polarized electrons hop only among the Fe B sites. To address the metal-insulator transition (MIT) we propose that the strong correlation among electrons, which may also be influenced by the electron-phonon interactions, manifest as the temperature-dependence of the O-p-Fe-d hybridization parameter, particularly Fe-d belonging to one of the Fe B sites (denoted as {t}{{FeB}-{{O}}}(2)). By proposing that this parameter increases as the temperature decreases, our density-of-states calculation successfully captures a gap opening at the Fermi level, transforming the system from half metal to insulator. Within this model along with the corresponding choice of parameters and a certain profile of the temperature dependence of {t}{{FeB}-{{O}}}(2), we calculate the resistivity of the system as a function of temperature. Our calculation result reveals the drastic uprising trend of the resistivity profile as the temperature decreases, with the MIT transition temperature located around 100 K, which is in agreement with experimental data.

Highly Coarse-Grained Representations of Transmembrane Proteins

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Numerous biomolecules and biomolecular complexes, including transmembrane proteins (TMPs), are symmetric or at least have approximate symmetries. Highly coarse-grained models of such biomolecules, aiming at capturing the essential structural and dynamical properties on resolution levels coarser than the residue scale, must preserve the underlying symmetry. However, making these models obey the correct physics is in general not straightforward, especially at the highly coarse-grained resolution where multiple (∼3–30 in the current study) amino acid residues are represented by a single coarse-grained site. In this paper, we propose a simple and fast method of coarse-graining TMPs obeying this condition. The procedure involves partitioning transmembrane domains into contiguous segments of equal length along the primary sequence. For the coarsest (lowest-resolution) mappings, it turns out to be most important to satisfy the symmetry in a coarse-grained model. As the resolution is increased to capture more detail, however, it becomes gradually more important to match modular repeats in the secondary structure (such as helix-loop repeats) instead. A set of eight TMPs of various complexity, functionality, structural topology, and internal symmetry, representing different classes of TMPs (ion channels, transporters, receptors, adhesion, and invasion proteins), has been examined. The present approach can be generalized to other systems possessing exact or approximate symmetry, allowing for reliable and fast creation of multiscale, highly coarse-grained mappings of large biomolecular assemblies. PMID:28043122

Effective capture and release of circulating tumor cells using core-shell Fe3O4@MnO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Liang; He, Zhao-Bo; Cai, Bo; Rao, Lang; Cheng, Long; Liu, Wei; Guo, Shi-Shang; Zhao, Xing-Zhong

2017-01-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been believed to hold significant insights for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Here, we developed a simple and effective method to capture and release viable CTCs using core-shell Fe3O4@MnO2 nanoparticles. Fe3O4@MnO2 nanoparticles bioconjugated with anti-EpCAM antibody have characteristics of specific recognition, magnetic-driven cell isolation and oxalic acid-assisted cell release. The capture and release efficiency of target cancer cells were ∼83% and ∼55%, respectively. And ∼70% of released cells kept good viability, which could facilitate the subsequent cellular analysis.

An alternative way to evaluate chemistry-transport model variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menut, Laurent; Mailler, Sylvain; Bessagnet, Bertrand; Siour, Guillaume; Colette, Augustin; Couvidat, Florian; Meleux, Frédérik

2017-03-01

A simple and complementary model evaluation technique for regional chemistry transport is discussed. The methodology is based on the concept that we can learn about model performance by comparing the simulation results with observational data available for time periods other than the period originally targeted. First, the statistical indicators selected in this study (spatial and temporal correlations) are computed for a given time period, using colocated observation and simulation data in time and space. Second, the same indicators are used to calculate scores for several other years while conserving the spatial locations and Julian days of the year. The difference between the results provides useful insights on the model capability to reproduce the observed day-to-day and spatial variability. In order to synthesize the large amount of results, a new indicator is proposed, designed to compare several error statistics between all the years of validation and to quantify whether the period and area being studied were well captured by the model for the correct reasons.

Experimental Evaluation of a Planning Language Suitable for Formal Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Rick W.; Munoz, Cesar A.; Siminiceanu, Radu I.

2008-01-01

The marriage of model checking and planning faces two seemingly diverging alternatives: the need for a planning language expressive enough to capture the complexity of real-life applications, as opposed to a language simple, yet robust enough to be amenable to exhaustive verification and validation techniques. In an attempt to reconcile these differences, we have designed an abstract plan description language, ANMLite, inspired from the Action Notation Modeling Language (ANML) [17]. We present the basic concepts of the ANMLite language as well as an automatic translator from ANMLite to the model checker SAL (Symbolic Analysis Laboratory) [7]. We discuss various aspects of specifying a plan in terms of constraints and explore the implications of choosing a robust logic behind the specification of constraints, rather than simply propose a new planning language. Additionally, we provide an initial assessment of the efficiency of model checking to search for solutions of planning problems. To this end, we design a basic test benchmark and study the scalability of the generated SAL models in terms of plan complexity.

A pairwise maximum entropy model accurately describes resting-state human brain networks

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Takamitsu; Hirose, Satoshi; Wada, Hiroyuki; Imai, Yoshio; Machida, Toru; Shirouzu, Ichiro; Konishi, Seiki; Miyashita, Yasushi; Masuda, Naoki

2013-01-01

The resting-state human brain networks underlie fundamental cognitive functions and consist of complex interactions among brain regions. However, the level of complexity of the resting-state networks has not been quantified, which has prevented comprehensive descriptions of the brain activity as an integrative system. Here, we address this issue by demonstrating that a pairwise maximum entropy model, which takes into account region-specific activity rates and pairwise interactions, can be robustly and accurately fitted to resting-state human brain activities obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, to validate the approximation of the resting-state networks by the pairwise maximum entropy model, we show that the functional interactions estimated by the pairwise maximum entropy model reflect anatomical connexions more accurately than the conventional functional connectivity method. These findings indicate that a relatively simple statistical model not only captures the structure of the resting-state networks but also provides a possible method to derive physiological information about various large-scale brain networks. PMID:23340410

Statistical mechanical model of gas adsorption in porous crystals with dynamic moieties

PubMed Central

Braun, Efrem; Carraro, Carlo; Smit, Berend

2017-01-01

Some nanoporous, crystalline materials possess dynamic constituents, for example, rotatable moieties. These moieties can undergo a conformation change in response to the adsorption of guest molecules, which qualitatively impacts adsorption behavior. We pose and solve a statistical mechanical model of gas adsorption in a porous crystal whose cages share a common ligand that can adopt two distinct rotational conformations. Guest molecules incentivize the ligands to adopt a different rotational configuration than maintained in the empty host. Our model captures inflections, steps, and hysteresis that can arise in the adsorption isotherm as a signature of the rotating ligands. The insights disclosed by our simple model contribute a more intimate understanding of the response and consequence of rotating ligands integrated into porous materials to harness them for gas storage and separations, chemical sensing, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanoscale devices. Particularly, our model reveals design strategies to exploit these moving constituents and engineer improved adsorbents with intrinsic thermal management for pressure-swing adsorption processes. PMID:28049851

Statistical mechanical model of gas adsorption in porous crystals with dynamic moieties.

PubMed

Simon, Cory M; Braun, Efrem; Carraro, Carlo; Smit, Berend

2017-01-17

Some nanoporous, crystalline materials possess dynamic constituents, for example, rotatable moieties. These moieties can undergo a conformation change in response to the adsorption of guest molecules, which qualitatively impacts adsorption behavior. We pose and solve a statistical mechanical model of gas adsorption in a porous crystal whose cages share a common ligand that can adopt two distinct rotational conformations. Guest molecules incentivize the ligands to adopt a different rotational configuration than maintained in the empty host. Our model captures inflections, steps, and hysteresis that can arise in the adsorption isotherm as a signature of the rotating ligands. The insights disclosed by our simple model contribute a more intimate understanding of the response and consequence of rotating ligands integrated into porous materials to harness them for gas storage and separations, chemical sensing, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanoscale devices. Particularly, our model reveals design strategies to exploit these moving constituents and engineer improved adsorbents with intrinsic thermal management for pressure-swing adsorption processes.

A constrained maximization formulation to analyze deformation of fiber reinforced elastomeric actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Gaurav; Krishnan, Girish

2017-06-01

Fiber reinforced elastomeric enclosures (FREEs) are soft and smart pneumatic actuators that deform in a predetermined fashion upon inflation. This paper analyzes the deformation behavior of FREEs by formulating a simple calculus of variations problem that involves constrained maximization of the enclosed volume. The model accurately captures the deformed shape for FREEs with any general fiber angle orientation, and its relation with actuation pressure, material properties and applied load. First, the accuracy of the model is verified with existing literature and experiments for the popular McKibben pneumatic artificial muscle actuator with two equal and opposite families of helically wrapped fibers. Then, the model is used to predict and experimentally validate the deformation behavior of novel rotating-contracting FREEs, for which no prior literature exist. The generality of the model enables conceptualization of novel FREEs whose fiber orientations vary arbitrarily along the geometry. Furthermore, the model is deemed to be useful in the design synthesis of fiber reinforced elastomeric actuators for general axisymmetric desired motion and output force requirement.

A Comparison of Grizzly Bear Demographic Parameters Estimated from Non-Spatial and Spatial Open Population Capture-Recapture Models.

PubMed

Whittington, Jesse; Sawaya, Michael A

2015-01-01

Capture-recapture studies are frequently used to monitor the status and trends of wildlife populations. Detection histories from individual animals are used to estimate probability of detection and abundance or density. The accuracy of abundance and density estimates depends on the ability to model factors affecting detection probability. Non-spatial capture-recapture models have recently evolved into spatial capture-recapture models that directly include the effect of distances between an animal's home range centre and trap locations on detection probability. Most studies comparing non-spatial and spatial capture-recapture biases focussed on single year models and no studies have compared the accuracy of demographic parameter estimates from open population models. We applied open population non-spatial and spatial capture-recapture models to three years of grizzly bear DNA-based data from Banff National Park and simulated data sets. The two models produced similar estimates of grizzly bear apparent survival, per capita recruitment, and population growth rates but the spatial capture-recapture models had better fit. Simulations showed that spatial capture-recapture models produced more accurate parameter estimates with better credible interval coverage than non-spatial capture-recapture models. Non-spatial capture-recapture models produced negatively biased estimates of apparent survival and positively biased estimates of per capita recruitment. The spatial capture-recapture grizzly bear population growth rates and 95% highest posterior density averaged across the three years were 0.925 (0.786-1.071) for females, 0.844 (0.703-0.975) for males, and 0.882 (0.779-0.981) for females and males combined. The non-spatial capture-recapture population growth rates were 0.894 (0.758-1.024) for females, 0.825 (0.700-0.948) for males, and 0.863 (0.771-0.957) for both sexes. The combination of low densities, low reproductive rates, and predominantly negative population growth rates suggest that Banff National Park's population of grizzly bears requires continued conservation-oriented management actions.

Common EEG features for behavioral estimation in disparate, real-world tasks.

PubMed

Touryan, Jon; Lance, Brent J; Kerick, Scott E; Ries, Anthony J; McDowell, Kaleb

2016-02-01

In this study we explored the potential for capturing the behavioral dynamics observed in real-world tasks from concurrent measures of EEG. In doing so, we sought to develop models of behavior that would enable the identification of common cross-participant and cross-task EEG features. To accomplish this we had participants perform both simulated driving and guard duty tasks while we recorded their EEG. For each participant we developed models to estimate their behavioral performance during both tasks. Sequential forward floating selection was used to identify the montage of independent components for each model. Linear regression was then used on the combined power spectra from these independent components to generate a continuous estimate of behavior. Our results show that oscillatory processes, evidenced in EEG, can be used to successfully capture slow fluctuations in behavior in complex, multi-faceted tasks. The average correlation coefficients between the actual and estimated behavior was 0.548 ± 0.117 and 0.701 ± 0.154 for the driving and guard duty tasks respectively. Interestingly, through a simple clustering approach we were able to identify a number of common components, both neural and eye-movement related, across participants and tasks. We used these component clusters to quantify the relative influence of common versus participant-specific features in the models of behavior. These findings illustrate the potential for estimating complex behavioral dynamics from concurrent measures from EEG using a finite library of universal features. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Learning in settings with partial feedback and the wavy recency effect of rare events.

PubMed

Plonsky, Ori; Erev, Ido

2017-03-01

Analyses of human learning reveal a discrepancy between the long- and the short-term effects of outcomes on subsequent choice. The long-term effect is simple: favorable outcomes increase the choice rate of an alternative whereas unfavorable outcomes decrease it. The short-term effects are more complex. Favorable outcomes can decrease the choice rate of the best option. This pattern violates the positive recency assumption that underlies the popular models of learning. The current research tries to clarify the implications of these results. Analysis of wide sets of learning experiments shows that rare positive outcomes have a wavy recency effect. The probability of risky choice after a successful outcome from risk-taking at trial t is initially (at t+1) relatively high, falls to a minimum at t+2, then increases for about 15 trials, and then decreases again. Rare negative outcomes trigger a wavy reaction when the feedback is complete, but not under partial feedback. The difference between the effects of rare positive and rare negative outcomes and between full and partial feedback settings can be described as a reflection of an interaction of an effort to discover patterns with two other features of human learning: surprise-triggers-change and the hot stove effect. A similarity-based descriptive model is shown to capture well all these interacting phenomena. In addition, the model outperforms the leading models in capturing the outcomes of data used in the 2010 Technion Prediction Tournament. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ensemble downscaling in coupled solar wind-magnetosphere modeling for space weather forecasting

PubMed Central

Owens, M J; Horbury, T S; Wicks, R T; McGregor, S L; Savani, N P; Xiong, M

2014-01-01

Advanced forecasting of space weather requires simulation of the whole Sun-to-Earth system, which necessitates driving magnetospheric models with the outputs from solar wind models. This presents a fundamental difficulty, as the magnetosphere is sensitive to both large-scale solar wind structures, which can be captured by solar wind models, and small-scale solar wind “noise,” which is far below typical solar wind model resolution and results primarily from stochastic processes. Following similar approaches in terrestrial climate modeling, we propose statistical “downscaling” of solar wind model results prior to their use as input to a magnetospheric model. As magnetospheric response can be highly nonlinear, this is preferable to downscaling the results of magnetospheric modeling. To demonstrate the benefit of this approach, we first approximate solar wind model output by smoothing solar wind observations with an 8 h filter, then add small-scale structure back in through the addition of random noise with the observed spectral characteristics. Here we use a very simple parameterization of noise based upon the observed probability distribution functions of solar wind parameters, but more sophisticated methods will be developed in the future. An ensemble of results from the simple downscaling scheme are tested using a model-independent method and shown to add value to the magnetospheric forecast, both improving the best estimate and quantifying the uncertainty. We suggest a number of features desirable in an operational solar wind downscaling scheme. Key Points Solar wind models must be downscaled in order to drive magnetospheric models Ensemble downscaling is more effective than deterministic downscaling The magnetosphere responds nonlinearly to small-scale solar wind fluctuations PMID:26213518

Age-related decline in lateralised prey capture success in Garnett's bushbaby (Otolemur garnettii).

PubMed

Hanbury, David B; Edens, Kyle D; Legg, Claire E; Harrell, Shane P; Greer, Tammy F; Watson, Sheree L

2012-01-01

We examined differences in prey capture success when reaching for moving prey with the preferred and non-preferred hand (as determined previously using stationary food items) in 12 Garnett's bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii). Hand preference was determined by a test of simple reaching for stationary food items. We assessed both the frequency of hand use and success rates for each hand in capturing live mealworms. We also examined the effect of age on overall prey capture success. Subjects were individually presented with live mealworms in a cup partially filled with a cornmeal medium. The preferred hand was used significantly more often than the non-preferred hand to obtain the moving prey; however, no differences were found in the frequency of usage of the left vs the right hand. Furthermore, there were no differences in the success rates of the left vs the right hand, nor the preferred vs the non-preferred hand. There was a significant negative correlation between age and prey capture success. These data suggest that age, rather than preferred hand, may be the most relevant factor in the bushbabies' prey capture success.

Bidirectional reflectance modeling of non-homogeneous plant canopies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, John M.

1986-01-01

The objective of this research is to develop a 3-dimensional radiative transfer model for predicting the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) for heterogeneous vegetation canopies. Leaf bidirectional reflectance and transmittance distribution functions were measured for corn and soybean leaves. The measurements clearly show that leaves are complex scatterers and considerable specular reflectance is possible. Because of the character of leaf reflectance, true leaf reflectance is larger than the nadir reflectances that are normally used to represent leaves. A 3-dimensional reflectance model, named BIGAR (Bidirectional General Array Model), was developed and compared with measurements from corn and soybean. The model is based on the concept that heterogeneous canopies can be described by a combination of many subcanopies, which contain all the foliage, and these subcanopy envelopes can be characterized by ellipsoids of various sizes and shapes. The model/measurement comparison results indicate that this relatively simple model captures the essential character of row crop BRDF's. Finally, two soil BDRF models were developed: one represents soil particles as rectangular blocks and the other represents soil particles as spheres. The sphere model was found to be superior.

Assessment of Wind Resource in the Palk Strait using Different Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, T.; Khan, F.; Baidya Roy, S.; Miller, L.

2017-12-01

The Government of India has proposed a target of 60 GW in grid power from the wind by the year 2022. The Palk Strait is one of the potential offshore wind power generation sites in India. It is a 65-135 km wide and 135 km long channel lying between the south eastern tip of India and northern Sri Lanka. The complex terrain bounding the two sides of the strait leads to enhanced wind speed and reduced variability in the wind direction. Here, we compare 3 distinct methodologies for estimating the generation rates for a hypothetical offshore wind farm array located in the strait. The methodologies include: 1) traditional wind power density model that ignores the effect of turbine interactions on generation rates; 2) the PARK wake model; and 3) a high resolution weather model (WRF) with a wind turbine parameterization. Using the WRF model as our baseline, we find that the simple model overestimates generation by an order-of-magnitude, while the wake model underestimates generation rates by about 5%. The reason for these differences relates to the influence of wind turbines on the atmospheric flow, wherein, the WRF model is able to capture the effect of both the complex terrain and wind turbine atmospheric boundary layer interactions. Lastly, a model evaluation is conducted which shows that 10m wind speeds and directions from WRF are comparable with the satellite data. Hence, we conclude from the study that each of these methodologies may have merit, but should a wind farm is deployed in such a complex terrain, we expect the WRF method to give better estimates of wind resource assessment capturing the physical processes emerging due to the interactions between offshore wind farm and the surrounding terrain.

Modeling complexity in pathologist workload measurement: the Automatable Activity-Based Approach to Complexity Unit Scoring (AABACUS).

PubMed

Cheung, Carol C; Torlakovic, Emina E; Chow, Hung; Snover, Dale C; Asa, Sylvia L

2015-03-01

Pathologists provide diagnoses relevant to the disease state of the patient and identify specific tissue characteristics relevant to response to therapy and prognosis. As personalized medicine evolves, there is a trend for increased demand of tissue-derived parameters. Pathologists perform increasingly complex analyses on the same 'cases'. Traditional methods of workload assessment and reimbursement, based on number of cases sometimes with a modifier (eg, the relative value unit (RVU) system used in the United States), often grossly underestimate the amount of work needed for complex cases and may overvalue simple, small biopsy cases. We describe a new approach to pathologist workload measurement that aligns with this new practice paradigm. Our multisite institution with geographically diverse partner institutions has developed the Automatable Activity-Based Approach to Complexity Unit Scoring (AABACUS) model that captures pathologists' clinical activities from parameters documented in departmental laboratory information systems (LISs). The model's algorithm includes: 'capture', 'export', 'identify', 'count', 'score', 'attribute', 'filter', and 'assess filtered results'. Captured data include specimen acquisition, handling, analysis, and reporting activities. Activities were counted and complexity units (CUs) generated using a complexity factor for each activity. CUs were compared between institutions, practice groups, and practice types and evaluated over a 5-year period (2008-2012). The annual load of a clinical service pathologist, irrespective of subspecialty, was ∼40,000 CUs using relative benchmarking. The model detected changing practice patterns and was appropriate for monitoring clinical workload for anatomical pathology, neuropathology, and hematopathology in academic and community settings, and encompassing subspecialty and generalist practices. AABACUS is objective, can be integrated with an LIS and automated, is reproducible, backwards compatible, and future adaptable. It can be applied as a robust decision support tool for the assessment of overall and targeted staffing needs as well as utilization analyses for resource allocation.

CO 2 Capture from Ambient Air by Crystallization with a Guanidine Sorbent

DOE PAGES

Seipp, Charles A.; Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX; Williams, Neil J.; ...

2016-12-21

Carbon capture and storage is an important strategy for stabilizing the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO 2 and the global temperature. A possible approach toward reversing this trend and decreasing the atmospheric CO 2 concentration is to remove the CO 2 directly from air (direct air capture). In this paper, we report a simple aqueous guanidine sorbent that captures CO 2 from ambient air and binds it as a crystalline carbonate salt by guanidinium hydrogen bonding. The resulting solid has very low aqueous solubility (K sp=1.0(4)×10 -8), which facilitates its separation from solution by filtration. The bound CO 2 canmore » be released by relatively mild heating of the crystals at 80–120 °C, which regenerates the guanidine sorbent quantitatively. Finally and thus, this crystallization-based approach to CO 2 separation from air requires minimal energy and chemical input, and offers the prospect for low-cost direct air capture technologies.« less

Spatiotemporal modelling of viral infection dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beauchemin, Catherine

Viral kinetics have been studied extensively in the past through the use of ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the diseased state in a spatially well-mixed medium. However, emerging spatial structures such as localized populations of dead cells might affect the spread of infection, similar to the manner in which a counter-fire can stop a forest fire from spreading. In the first phase of the project, a simple two-dimensional cellular automaton model of viral infections was developed. It was validated against clinical immunological data for uncomplicated influenza A infections and shown to be accurate enough to adequately model them. In the second phase of the project, the simple two-dimensional cellular automaton model was used to investigate the effects of relaxing the well-mixed assumption on viral infection dynamics. It was shown that grouping the initially infected cells into patches rather than distributing them uniformly on the grid reduced the infection rate as only cells on the perimeter of the patch have healthy neighbours to infect. Use of a local epithelial cell regeneration rule where dead cells are replaced by healthy cells when an immediate neighbour divides was found to result in more extensive damage of the epithelium and yielded a better fit to experimental influenza A infection data than a global regeneration rule based on division rate of healthy cell. Finally, the addition of immune cell at the site of infection was found to be a better strategy at low infection levels, while addition at random locations on the grid was the better strategy at high infection level. In the last project, the movement of T cells within lymph nodes in the absence of antigen, was investigated. Based on individual T cell track data captured by two-photon microscopy experiments in vivo, a simple model was proposed for the motion of T cells. This is the first step towards the implementation of a more realistic spatiotemporal model of HIV than those proposed thus far.

Computing local edge probability in natural scenes from a population of oriented simple cells

PubMed Central

Ramachandra, Chaithanya A.; Mel, Bartlett W.

2013-01-01

A key computation in visual cortex is the extraction of object contours, where the first stage of processing is commonly attributed to V1 simple cells. The standard model of a simple cell—an oriented linear filter followed by a divisive normalization—fits a wide variety of physiological data, but is a poor performing local edge detector when applied to natural images. The brain's ability to finely discriminate edges from nonedges therefore likely depends on information encoded by local simple cell populations. To gain insight into the corresponding decoding problem, we used Bayes's rule to calculate edge probability at a given location/orientation in an image based on a surrounding filter population. Beginning with a set of ∼ 100 filters, we culled out a subset that were maximally informative about edges, and minimally correlated to allow factorization of the joint on- and off-edge likelihood functions. Key features of our approach include a new, efficient method for ground-truth edge labeling, an emphasis on achieving filter independence, including a focus on filters in the region orthogonal rather than tangential to an edge, and the use of a customized parametric model to represent the individual filter likelihood functions. The resulting population-based edge detector has zero parameters, calculates edge probability based on a sum of surrounding filter influences, is much more sharply tuned than the underlying linear filters, and effectively captures fine-scale edge structure in natural scenes. Our findings predict nonmonotonic interactions between cells in visual cortex, wherein a cell may for certain stimuli excite and for other stimuli inhibit the same neighboring cell, depending on the two cells' relative offsets in position and orientation, and their relative activation levels. PMID:24381295

Simple neck pain questions used in surveys, evaluated in relation to health outcomes: a cohort study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The high prevalence of pain reported in many epidemiological studies, and the degree to which this prevalence reflects severe pain is under discussion in the literature. The aim of the present study was to evaluate use of the simple neck pain questions commonly included in large epidemiological survey studies with respect to aspects of health. We investigated if and how an increase in number of days with pain is associated with reduction in health outcomes. Methods A cohort of university students (baseline age 19–25 years) were recruited in 2002 and followed annually for 4 years. The baseline response rate was 69% which resulted in 1200 respondents (627 women, 573 men). Participants were asked about present and past pain and perceptions of their general health, sleep disturbance, stress and energy levels, and general performance. The data were analyzed using a mixed model for repeated measurements and a random intercept logistic model. Results When reporting present pain, participants also reported lower prevalence of very good health, higher stress and sleep disturbance scores and lower energy score. Among those with current neck pain, additional questions characterizing the pain such as duration (categorized), additional pain sites and decreased general performance were associated with lower probability of very good health and higher amounts of sleep disturbance. Knowing about the presence or not of pain explains more of the variation in health between individuals, than within individuals. Conclusion This study of young university students has demonstrated that simple neck pain survey questions capture features of pain that affect aspects of health such as perceived general health, sleep disturbance, mood in terms of stress and energy. Simple pain questions are more useful for group descriptions than for describing or following pain in an individual. PMID:23102060

Simple neck pain questions used in surveys, evaluated in relation to health outcomes: a cohort study.

PubMed

Grimby-Ekman, Anna; Hagberg, Mats

2012-10-26

The high prevalence of pain reported in many epidemiological studies, and the degree to which this prevalence reflects severe pain is under discussion in the literature. The aim of the present study was to evaluate use of the simple neck pain questions commonly included in large epidemiological survey studies with respect to aspects of health. We investigated if and how an increase in number of days with pain is associated with reduction in health outcomes. A cohort of university students (baseline age 19-25 years) were recruited in 2002 and followed annually for 4 years. The baseline response rate was 69% which resulted in 1200 respondents (627 women, 573 men). Participants were asked about present and past pain and perceptions of their general health, sleep disturbance, stress and energy levels, and general performance. The data were analyzed using a mixed model for repeated measurements and a random intercept logistic model. When reporting present pain, participants also reported lower prevalence of very good health, higher stress and sleep disturbance scores and lower energy score. Among those with current neck pain, additional questions characterizing the pain such as duration (categorized), additional pain sites and decreased general performance were associated with lower probability of very good health and higher amounts of sleep disturbance. Knowing about the presence or not of pain explains more of the variation in health between individuals, than within individuals. This study of young university students has demonstrated that simple neck pain survey questions capture features of pain that affect aspects of health such as perceived general health, sleep disturbance, mood in terms of stress and energy. Simple pain questions are more useful for group descriptions than for describing or following pain in an individual.

Behaviourally-inhibited temperament and female sex, two vulnerability factors for anxiety disorders, facilitate conditioned avoidance (also) in humans

PubMed Central

Sheynin, Jony; Beck, Kevin D.; Pang, Kevin C.H.; Servatius, Richard J.; Shikari, Saima; Ostovich, Jacqueline; Myers, Catherine E.

2014-01-01

Acquisition and maintenance of avoidance behaviour is a key feature of all human anxiety disorders. Animal models have been useful in understanding how anxiety vulnerability could translate into avoidance learning. For example, behaviourally-inhibited temperament and female sex, two vulnerability factors for clinical anxiety, are associated with faster acquisition of avoidance responses in rodents. However, to date, the translation of such empirical data to human populations has been limited since many features of animal avoidance paradigms are not typically captured in human research. Here, using a computer-based task that captures many features of rodent escape-avoidance learning paradigms, we investigated whether avoidance learning would be faster in humans with inhibited temperament and/or female sex and, if so, whether this facilitation would take the same form. Results showed that, as in rats, both vulnerability factors were associated with facilitated acquisition of avoidance behaviour in humans. Specifically, inhibited temperament was specifically associated with higher rate of avoidance responding, while female sex was associated with longer avoidance duration. These findings strengthen the direct link between animal avoidance work and human anxiety vulnerability, further motivating the study of animal models while also providing a simple testbed for a direct human testing. PMID:24412263

Progress in characterizing submonolayer island growth: Capture-zone distributions, growth exponents, & hot precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einstein, Theodore L.; Pimpinelli, Alberto; González, Diego Luis; Morales-Cifuentes, Josue R.

2015-09-01

In studies of epitaxial growth, analysis of the distribution of the areas of capture zones (i.e. proximity polygons or Voronoi tessellations with respect to island centers) is often the best way to extract the critical nucleus size i. For non-random nucleation the normalized areas s of these Voronoi cells are well described by the generalized Wigner distribution (GWD) Pβ(s) = asβ exp(-bs2), particularly in the central region 0.5 < s < 2 where data are least noisy. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations reveal inadequacies of our earlier mean field analysis, suggesting β = i + 2 for diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA). Since simulations generate orders of magnitude more data than experiments, they permit close examination of the tails of the distribution, which differ from the simple GWD form. One refinement is based on a fragmentation model. We also compare island-size distributions. We compare analysis by island-size distribution and by scaling of island density with flux. Modifications appear for attach-limited aggregation (ALA). We focus on the experimental system para-hexaphenyl on amorphous mica, comparing the results of the three analysis techniques and reconciling their results via a novel model of hot precursors based on rate equations, pointing out the existence of intermediate scaling regimes between DLA and ALA.

A numerical and experimental study of temperature effects on deformation behavior of carbon steels at high strain rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pouya, M.; Winter, S.; Fritsch, S.; F-X Wagner, M.

2017-03-01

Both in research and in the light of industrial applications, there is a growing interest in methods to characterize the mechanical behavior of materials at high strain rates. This is particularly true for steels (the most important structural materials), where often the strain rate-dependent material behavior also needs to be characterized in a wide temperature range. In this study, we use the Finite Element Method (FEM), first, to model the compressive deformation behavior of carbon steels under quasi-static loading conditions. The results are then compared to experimental data (for a simple C75 steel) at room temperature, and up to testing temperatures of 1000 °C. Second, an explicit FEM model that captures wave propagation phenomena during dynamic loading is developed to closely reflect the complex loading conditions in a Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) - an experimental setup that allows loading of compression samples with strain rates up to 104 s-1 The dynamic simulations provide a useful basis for an accurate analysis of dynamically measured experimental data, which considers reflected elastic waves. By combining numerical and experimental investigations, we derive material parameters that capture the strain rate- and temperature-dependent behavior of the C75 steel from room temperature to 1000 °C, and from quasi-static to dynamic loading.

Energy transduction inside vesicles, photocatalysis by titanium dioxide and formation of NADH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, David; Noveron, Juan; Rodoni, David; Basa, Ranor

A number of theories on the origin and early evolution of life have focused on the role of lipid bilayer membrane structures (vesicles). These vesicles are similar to modern cellular membranes , and have been postulated to have been abiotically formed and spontaneously assemble on the prebiotic Earth to provide compartments for early cellular life. They can contain water-soluble species, concentrate species, and have the potential to catalyze reactions. The origin of the use of photochemical energy to drive metabolism (ie. energy transduction) is also one of the central issues in our attempts to understand the origin and evolution of life. When did energy transduction and photosynthesis begin? What was the original system for capturing photochemical energy? How simple can such a system be? It has been postulated that vesicle structures developed the ability to capture and transduce light, providing energy for reactions. It has been shown that pH gradients can be photo-chemically created, but it has been found difficult to couple these to drive chemical reactions. Minerals can introduce a number of properties to a vesicle system. The incorporation of clay particles into vesicles can provide catalytic activity that mediates both vesicle assembly and RNA oligomerization. It is known that colloidal semiconducting mineral particles can act as photocatalysts and drive redox chemistry. We show that encapsulation of these particles has the potential to provide a source of energy transduction inside vesicles, and thereby drive protocellular chemistry and represent a model system for early photosynthesis. TiO2 particles can be incorporated into vesicles and retain their photoactivity through the dehydration/rehydration cycles that have been shown to be able concentrate species inside a vesicle. It is shown that these can be used to produce biochemical species such as enzymatically active NADH in such structures. This system demonstrates a simple energy source inside vesicles/protocells suitable either for simple prebiotic systems and/or for more complex "protobiochemical" systems. It could act as a precursor to metabolic systems and provide a model of how metabolism could have developed prebiotically in a vesicle based "protocell origin of life". It can provide a source of prebiotic compounds inside vesicles, an environment considered to be of great importance for the origin of life. An energy transduction system that is simple enough to have formed at an early stage of the origin of life (even before the formation of enzymatic or ribozymal activity) makes an autotrophic origin of life easier to envision.

Large-scale measurement and modeling of backbone Internet traffic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roughan, Matthew; Gottlieb, Joel

2002-07-01

There is a brewing controversy in the traffic modeling community concerning how to model backbone traffic. The fundamental work on self-similarity in data traffic appears to be contradicted by recent findings that suggest that backbone traffic is smooth. The traffic analysis work to date has focused on high-quality but limited-scope packet trace measurements; this limits its applicability to high-speed backbone traffic. This paper uses more than one year's worth of SNMP traffic data covering an entire Tier 1 ISP backbone to address the question of how backbone network traffic should be modeled. Although the limitations of SNMP measurements do not permit us to comment on the fine timescale behavior of the traffic, careful analysis of the data suggests that irrespective of the variation at fine timescales, we can construct a simple traffic model that captures key features of the observed traffic. Furthermore, the model's parameters are measurable using existing network infrastructure, making this model practical in a present-day operational network. In addition to its practicality, the model verifies basic statistical multiplexing results, and thus sheds deep insight into how smooth backbone traffic really is.

A simplified building airflow model for agent concentration prediction.

PubMed

Jacques, David R; Smith, David A

2010-11-01

A simplified building airflow model is presented that can be used to predict the spread of a contaminant agent from a chemical or biological attack. If the dominant means of agent transport throughout the building is an air-handling system operating at steady-state, a linear time-invariant (LTI) model can be constructed to predict the concentration in any room of the building as a result of either an internal or external release. While the model does not capture weather-driven and other temperature-driven effects, it is suitable for concentration predictions under average daily conditions. The model is easily constructed using information that should be accessible to a building manager, supplemented with assumptions based on building codes and standard air-handling system design practices. The results of the model are compared with a popular multi-zone model for a simple building and are demonstrated for building examples containing one or more air-handling systems. The model can be used for rapid concentration prediction to support low-cost placement strategies for chemical and biological detection sensors.

Unravelling InSAR observed Antarctic ice-shelf flexure using 2-D elastic and viscoelastic modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Christian T.; Marsh, Oliver J.; Rack, Wolfgang

2018-04-01

Ice-shelf grounding zones link the Antarctic ice-sheets to the ocean. Differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) is commonly used to monitor grounding-line locations, but also contains information on grounding-zone ice thickness, ice properties and tidal conditions beneath the ice shelf. Here, we combine in-situ data with numerical modelling of ice-shelf flexure to investigate 2-D controls on the tidal bending pattern on the Southern McMurdo Ice Shelf. We validate our results with 9 double-differential TerraSAR-X interferograms. It is necessary to make adjustments to the tidal forcing to directly compare observations with model output and we find that when these adjustments are small (< 1.5 cm) a viscoelastic model matches better, while an elastic model is more robust overall. Within landward embayments, where lateral stresses from surrounding protrusions damp the flexural response, a 2-D model captures behaviour that is missed in simple 1-D models. We conclude that improvements in current tide models are required to allow for the full exploitation of DInSAR in grounding-zone glaciology.

The Projectile Inside the Loop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varieschi, Gabriele U.

2006-01-01

The loop-the-loop demonstration can be easily adapted to study the kinematics of projectile motion, when the moving body falls inside the apparatus. Video capturing software can be used to reveal peculiar geometrical effects of this simple but educational experiment.

Simple Smartphone-Based Guiding System for Visually Impaired People

PubMed Central

Lin, Bor-Shing; Lee, Cheng-Che; Chiang, Pei-Ying

2017-01-01

Visually impaired people are often unaware of dangers in front of them, even in familiar environments. Furthermore, in unfamiliar environments, such people require guidance to reduce the risk of colliding with obstacles. This study proposes a simple smartphone-based guiding system for solving the navigation problems for visually impaired people and achieving obstacle avoidance to enable visually impaired people to travel smoothly from a beginning point to a destination with greater awareness of their surroundings. In this study, a computer image recognition system and smartphone application were integrated to form a simple assisted guiding system. Two operating modes, online mode and offline mode, can be chosen depending on network availability. When the system begins to operate, the smartphone captures the scene in front of the user and sends the captured images to the backend server to be processed. The backend server uses the faster region convolutional neural network algorithm or the you only look once algorithm to recognize multiple obstacles in every image, and it subsequently sends the results back to the smartphone. The results of obstacle recognition in this study reached 60%, which is sufficient for assisting visually impaired people in realizing the types and locations of obstacles around them. PMID:28608811

Simple Smartphone-Based Guiding System for Visually Impaired People.

PubMed

Lin, Bor-Shing; Lee, Cheng-Che; Chiang, Pei-Ying

2017-06-13

Visually impaired people are often unaware of dangers in front of them, even in familiar environments. Furthermore, in unfamiliar environments, such people require guidance to reduce the risk of colliding with obstacles. This study proposes a simple smartphone-based guiding system for solving the navigation problems for visually impaired people and achieving obstacle avoidance to enable visually impaired people to travel smoothly from a beginning point to a destination with greater awareness of their surroundings. In this study, a computer image recognition system and smartphone application were integrated to form a simple assisted guiding system. Two operating modes, online mode and offline mode, can be chosen depending on network availability. When the system begins to operate, the smartphone captures the scene in front of the user and sends the captured images to the backend server to be processed. The backend server uses the faster region convolutional neural network algorithm or the you only look once algorithm to recognize multiple obstacles in every image, and it subsequently sends the results back to the smartphone. The results of obstacle recognition in this study reached 60%, which is sufficient for assisting visually impaired people in realizing the types and locations of obstacles around them.

An Aeroelastic Analysis of a Thin Flexible Membrane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, Robert C.; Bartels, Robert E.; Kandil, Osama A.

2007-01-01

Studies have shown that significant vehicle mass and cost savings are possible with the use of ballutes for aero-capture. Through NASA's In-Space Propulsion program, a preliminary examination of ballute sensitivity to geometry and Reynolds number was conducted, and a single-pass coupling between an aero code and a finite element solver was used to assess the static aeroelastic effects. There remain, however, a variety of open questions regarding the dynamic aeroelastic stability of membrane structures for aero-capture, with the primary challenge being the prediction of the membrane flutter onset. The purpose of this paper is to describe and begin addressing these issues. The paper includes a review of the literature associated with the structural analysis of membranes and membrane utter. Flow/structure analysis coupling and hypersonic flow solver options are also discussed. An approach is proposed for tackling this problem that starts with a relatively simple geometry and develops and evaluates analysis methods and procedures. This preliminary study considers a computationally manageable 2-dimensional problem. The membrane structural models used in the paper include a nonlinear finite-difference model for static and dynamic analysis and a NASTRAN finite element membrane model for nonlinear static and linear normal modes analysis. Both structural models are coupled with a structured compressible flow solver for static aeroelastic analysis. For dynamic aeroelastic analyses, the NASTRAN normal modes are used in the structured compressible flow solver and 3rd order piston theories were used with the finite difference membrane model to simulate utter onset. Results from the various static and dynamic aeroelastic analyses are compared.

BDA special care case mix model.

PubMed

Bateman, P; Arnold, C; Brown, R; Foster, L V; Greening, S; Monaghan, N; Zoitopoulos, L

2010-04-10

Routine dental care provided in special care dentistry is complicated by patient specific factors which increase the time taken and costs of treatment. The BDA have developed and conducted a field trial of a case mix tool to measure this complexity. For each episode of care the case mix tool assesses the following on a four point scale: 'ability to communicate', 'ability to cooperate', 'medical status', 'oral risk factors', 'access to oral care' and 'legal and ethical barriers to care'. The tool is reported to be easy to use and captures sufficient detail to discriminate between types of service and special care dentistry provided. It offers potential as a simple to use and clinically relevant source of performance management and commissioning data. This paper describes the model, demonstrates how it is currently being used, and considers future developments in its use.

Experimental study of complex mixed-mode oscillations generated in a Bonhoeffer-van der Pol oscillator under weak periodic perturbation

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

Shimizu, Kuniyasu, E-mail: kuniyasu.shimizu@it-chiba.ac.jp; Sekikawa, Munehisa; Inaba, Naohiko

2015-02-15

Bifurcations of complex mixed-mode oscillations denoted as mixed-mode oscillation-incrementing bifurcations (MMOIBs) have frequently been observed in chemical experiments. In a previous study [K. Shimizu et al., Physica D 241, 1518 (2012)], we discovered an extremely simple dynamical circuit that exhibits MMOIBs. Our model was represented by a slow/fast Bonhoeffer-van der Pol circuit under weak periodic perturbation near a subcritical Andronov-Hopf bifurcation point. In this study, we experimentally and numerically verify that our dynamical circuit captures the essence of the underlying mechanism causing MMOIBs, and we observe MMOIBs and chaos with distinctive waveforms in real circuit experiments.

Solar thermophotovoltaic system using nanostructures.

PubMed

Ungaro, Craig; Gray, Stephen K; Gupta, Mool C

2015-09-21

This paper presents results on a highly efficient experimental solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) system using simulated solar energy. An overall power conversion efficiency of 6.2% was recorded under solar simulation. This was matched with a thermodynamic model, and the losses within the system, as well as a path forward to mitigate these losses, have been investigated. The system consists of a planar, tungsten absorbing/emitting structure with an anti-reflection layer coated laser-microtextured absorbing surface and single-layer dielectric coated emitting surface. A GaSb PV cell was used to capture the emitted radiation and convert it into electrical energy. This simple structure is both easy to fabricate and temperature stable, and contains no moving parts or heat exchange fluids.

Optimal mapping of terrestrial gamma dose rates using geological parent material and aerogeophysical survey data.

PubMed

Rawlins, B G; Scheib, C; Tyler, A N; Beamish, D

2012-12-01

Regulatory authorities need ways to estimate natural terrestrial gamma radiation dose rates (nGy h⁻¹) across the landscape accurately, to assess its potential deleterious health effects. The primary method for estimating outdoor dose rate is to use an in situ detector supported 1 m above the ground, but such measurements are costly and cannot capture the landscape-scale variation in dose rates which are associated with changes in soil and parent material mineralogy. We investigate the potential for improving estimates of terrestrial gamma dose rates across Northern Ireland (13,542 km²) using measurements from 168 sites and two sources of ancillary data: (i) a map based on a simplified classification of soil parent material, and (ii) dose estimates from a national-scale, airborne radiometric survey. We used the linear mixed modelling framework in which the two ancillary variables were included in separate models as fixed effects, plus a correlation structure which captures the spatially correlated variance component. We used a cross-validation procedure to determine the magnitude of the prediction errors for the different models. We removed a random subset of 10 terrestrial measurements and formed the model from the remainder (n = 158), and then used the model to predict values at the other 10 sites. We repeated this procedure 50 times. The measurements of terrestrial dose vary between 1 and 103 (nGy h⁻¹). The median absolute model prediction errors (nGy h⁻¹) for the three models declined in the following order: no ancillary data (10.8) > simple geological classification (8.3) > airborne radiometric dose (5.4) as a single fixed effect. Estimates of airborne radiometric gamma dose rate can significantly improve the spatial prediction of terrestrial dose rate.

Generalizing the dynamic field theory of spatial cognition across real and developmental time scales

PubMed Central

Simmering, Vanessa R.; Spencer, John P.; Schutte, Anne R.

2008-01-01

Within cognitive neuroscience, computational models are designed to provide insights into the organization of behavior while adhering to neural principles. These models should provide sufficient specificity to generate novel predictions while maintaining the generality needed to capture behavior across tasks and/or time scales. This paper presents one such model, the Dynamic Field Theory (DFT) of spatial cognition, showing new simulations that provide a demonstration proof that the theory generalizes across developmental changes in performance in four tasks—the Piagetian A-not-B task, a sandbox version of the A-not-B task, a canonical spatial recall task, and a position discrimination task. Model simulations demonstrate that the DFT can accomplish both specificity—generating novel, testable predictions—and generality—spanning multiple tasks across development with a relatively simple developmental hypothesis. Critically, the DFT achieves generality across tasks and time scales with no modification to its basic structure and with a strong commitment to neural principles. The only change necessary to capture development in the model was an increase in the precision of the tuning of receptive fields as well as an increase in the precision of local excitatory interactions among neurons in the model. These small quantitative changes were sufficient to move the model through a set of quantitative and qualitative behavioral changes that span the age range from 8 months to 6 years and into adulthood. We conclude by considering how the DFT is positioned in the literature, the challenges on the horizon for our framework, and how a dynamic field approach can yield new insights into development from a computational cognitive neuroscience perspective. PMID:17716632

Development of a universal measure of quadrupedal forelimb-hindlimb coordination using digital motion capture and computerised analysis.

PubMed

Hamilton, Lindsay; Franklin, Robin J M; Jeffery, Nick D

2007-09-18

Clinical spinal cord injury in domestic dogs provides a model population in which to test the efficacy of putative therapeutic interventions for human spinal cord injury. To achieve this potential a robust method of functional analysis is required so that statistical comparison of numerical data derived from treated and control animals can be achieved. In this study we describe the use of digital motion capture equipment combined with mathematical analysis to derive a simple quantitative parameter - 'the mean diagonal coupling interval' - to describe coordination between forelimb and hindlimb movement. In normal dogs this parameter is independent of size, conformation, speed of walking or gait pattern. We show here that mean diagonal coupling interval is highly sensitive to alterations in forelimb-hindlimb coordination in dogs that have suffered spinal cord injury, and can be accurately quantified, but is unaffected by orthopaedic perturbations of gait. Mean diagonal coupling interval is an easily derived, highly robust measurement that provides an ideal method to compare the functional effect of therapeutic interventions after spinal cord injury in quadrupeds.

Viscous dipping, application to the capture of fluids in living organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lechantre, Amandine; Michez, Denis; Damman, Pascal

Some insects, birds and mammals use flower nectar as their energy resources. For this purpose, they developed specific skills to ingest viscous fluids. Depending on the sugar content, i.e., the viscosity, different strategies are observed in vivo. Indeed, butterflies use simple suction for low viscosity nectars; hummingbirds have a tongue made from two thin flexible sheets that bend to form a tube when immersed in a fluid; other animals exhibit in contrast complex papillary structures. We focus on this last method generally used for very viscous nectars. More specifically, bees and bats possess a tongue decorated with microstructures that, according to biologists, would be optimized for fluid capture by viscous dipping. In this talk, we will discuss this assumption by comparing physical models of viscous dipping to in vivo measurements. To mimic the tongue morphology, we used various rod shapes obtained by 3D printing. The influence of the type and size of lateral microstructures was then investigated and used to build a global framework describing viscous dipping for structured rods/tongues.

Test of the MarsSedEx Settling Tube Photometer during the 2nd Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhn, Nikolaus J.; Kuhn, Brigitte; Rüegg, Hans-Rudolf; Zimmermann, Lukas

2017-04-01

Gravity affects flow hydraulics and thus limits the application of simple models for sediment transport developed for Earth on Mars. The significance of the differences in sediment settling has been demonstrated for sand-sized particles by measuring settling velocities using video-imaging during parabolic flights. This approach does not work for finer particles because they cannot be distinguished individually on a video. Tracking of fine sediment clouds is also difficult using videos because changes in density are not captured. Photometers, on the other hand, are able to capture differences in turbidity and offer the potential to measure the settling behaviour of clouds of fine and differently-sized sediment particles. In this study, the feasibility of using a settling-tube photometer used for the rapid assessment of settling velocities developed by the University of Basel during a parabolic flight with reduced gravity is presented. In addition, the potential of the results generated in this Martian-analogue environment to support the identification sediments containing traces of life on Mars is discussed.

An air-liquid contactor for large-scale capture of CO2 from air.

PubMed

Holmes, Geoffrey; Keith, David W

2012-09-13

We present a conceptually simple method for optimizing the design of a gas-liquid contactor for capture of carbon dioxide from ambient air, or 'air capture'. We apply the method to a slab geometry contactor that uses components, design and fabrication methods derived from cooling towers. We use mass transfer data appropriate for capture using a strong NaOH solution, combined with engineering and cost data derived from engineering studies performed by Carbon Engineering Ltd, and find that the total costs for air contacting alone-no regeneration-can be of the order of $60 per tonne CO(2). We analyse the reasons why our cost estimate diverges from that of other recent reports and conclude that the divergence arises from fundamental design choices rather than from differences in costing methodology. Finally, we review the technology risks and conclude that they can be readily addressed by prototype testing.

A Comparison of Grizzly Bear Demographic Parameters Estimated from Non-Spatial and Spatial Open Population Capture-Recapture Models

PubMed Central

Whittington, Jesse; Sawaya, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Capture-recapture studies are frequently used to monitor the status and trends of wildlife populations. Detection histories from individual animals are used to estimate probability of detection and abundance or density. The accuracy of abundance and density estimates depends on the ability to model factors affecting detection probability. Non-spatial capture-recapture models have recently evolved into spatial capture-recapture models that directly include the effect of distances between an animal’s home range centre and trap locations on detection probability. Most studies comparing non-spatial and spatial capture-recapture biases focussed on single year models and no studies have compared the accuracy of demographic parameter estimates from open population models. We applied open population non-spatial and spatial capture-recapture models to three years of grizzly bear DNA-based data from Banff National Park and simulated data sets. The two models produced similar estimates of grizzly bear apparent survival, per capita recruitment, and population growth rates but the spatial capture-recapture models had better fit. Simulations showed that spatial capture-recapture models produced more accurate parameter estimates with better credible interval coverage than non-spatial capture-recapture models. Non-spatial capture-recapture models produced negatively biased estimates of apparent survival and positively biased estimates of per capita recruitment. The spatial capture-recapture grizzly bear population growth rates and 95% highest posterior density averaged across the three years were 0.925 (0.786–1.071) for females, 0.844 (0.703–0.975) for males, and 0.882 (0.779–0.981) for females and males combined. The non-spatial capture-recapture population growth rates were 0.894 (0.758–1.024) for females, 0.825 (0.700–0.948) for males, and 0.863 (0.771–0.957) for both sexes. The combination of low densities, low reproductive rates, and predominantly negative population growth rates suggest that Banff National Park’s population of grizzly bears requires continued conservation-oriented management actions. PMID:26230262

Chroma key without color restrictions based on asynchronous amplitude modulation of background illumination on retroreflective screens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal, Borja; Lafuente, Juan A.

2016-03-01

A simple technique to avoid color limitations in image capture systems based on chroma key video composition using retroreflective screens and light-emitting diodes (LED) rings is proposed and demonstrated. The combination of an asynchronous temporal modulation onto the background illumination and simple image processing removes the usual restrictions on foreground colors in the scene. The technique removes technical constraints in stage composition, allowing its design to be purely based on artistic grounds. Since it only requires adding a very simple electronic circuit to widely used chroma keying hardware based on retroreflective screens, the technique is easily applicable to TV and filming studios.

A forecasting model for dengue incidence in the District of Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Withanage, Gayan P; Viswakula, Sameera D; Nilmini Silva Gunawardena, Y I; Hapugoda, Menaka D

2018-04-24

Dengue is one of the major health problems in Sri Lanka causing an enormous social and economic burden to the country. An accurate early warning system can enhance the efficiency of preventive measures. The aim of the study was to develop and validate a simple accurate forecasting model for the District of Gampaha, Sri Lanka. Three time-series regression models were developed using monthly rainfall, rainy days, temperature, humidity, wind speed and retrospective dengue incidences over the period January 2012 to November 2015 for the District of Gampaha, Sri Lanka. Various lag times were analyzed to identify optimum forecasting periods including interactions of multiple lags. The models were validated using epidemiological data from December 2015 to November 2017. Prepared models were compared based on Akaike's information criterion, Bayesian information criterion and residual analysis. The selected model forecasted correctly with mean absolute errors of 0.07 and 0.22, and root mean squared errors of 0.09 and 0.28, for training and validation periods, respectively. There were no dengue epidemics observed in the district during the training period and nine outbreaks occurred during the forecasting period. The proposed model captured five outbreaks and correctly rejected 14 within the testing period of 24 months. The Pierce skill score of the model was 0.49, with a receiver operating characteristic of 86% and 92% sensitivity. The developed weather based forecasting model allows warnings of impending dengue outbreaks and epidemics in advance of one month with high accuracy. Depending upon climatic factors, the previous month's dengue cases had a significant effect on the dengue incidences of the current month. The simple, precise and understandable forecasting model developed could be used to manage limited public health resources effectively for patient management, vector surveillance and intervention programmes in the district.

Constitutive modeling and control of 1D smart composite structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, Jonathan P.; Ostrowski, James P.; Ponte-Castaneda, Pedro

1998-07-01

Homogenization techniques for determining effective properties of composite materials may provide advantages for control of stiffness and strain in systems using hysteretic smart actuators embedded in a soft matrix. In this paper, a homogenized model of a 1D composite structure comprised of shape memory alloys and a rubber-like matrix is presented. With proportional and proportional/integral feedback, using current as the input state and global strain as an error state, implementation scenarios include the use of tractions on the boundaries and a nonlinear constitutive law for the matrix. The result is a simple model which captures the nonlinear behavior of the smart composite material system and is amenable to experiments with various control paradigms. The success of this approach in the context of the 1D model suggests that the homogenization method may prove useful in investigating control of more general smart structures. Applications of such materials could include active rehabilitation aids, e.g. wrist braces, as well as swimming/undulating robots, or adaptive molds for manufacturing processes.

Charge carrier coherence and Hall effect in organic semiconductors

DOE PAGES

Yi, H. T.; Gartstein, Y. N.; Podzorov, V.

2016-03-30

Hall effect measurements are important for elucidating the fundamental charge transport mechanisms and intrinsic mobility in organic semiconductors. However, Hall effect studies frequently reveal an unconventional behavior that cannot be readily explained with the simple band-semiconductor Hall effect model. Here, we develop an analytical model of Hall effect in organic field-effect transistors in a regime of coexisting band and hopping carriers. The model, which is supported by the experiments, is based on a partial Hall voltage compensation effect, occurring because hopping carriers respond to the transverse Hall electric field and drift in the direction opposite to the Lorentz force actingmore » on band carriers. We show that this can lead in particular to an underdeveloped Hall effect observed in organic semiconductors with substantial off-diagonal thermal disorder. Lastly, our model captures the main features of Hall effect in a variety of organic semiconductors and provides an analytical description of Hall mobility, carrier density and carrier coherence factor.« less

Illiquidity premium and expected stock returns in the UK: A new approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiaqi; Sherif, Mohamed

2016-09-01

This study examines the relative importance of liquidity risk for the time-series and cross-section of stock returns in the UK. We propose a simple way to capture the multidimensionality of illiquidity. Our analysis indicates that existing illiquidity measures have considerable asset specific components, which justifies our new approach. Further, we use an alternative test of the Amihud (2002) measure and parametric and non-parametric methods to investigate whether liquidity risk is priced in the UK. We find that the inclusion of the illiquidity factor in the capital asset pricing model plays a significant role in explaining the cross-sectional variation in stock returns, in particular with the Fama-French three-factor model. Further, using Hansen-Jagannathan non-parametric bounds, we find that the illiquidity-augmented capital asset pricing models yield a small distance error, other non-liquidity based models fail to yield economically plausible distance values. Our findings have important implications for managing the liquidity risk of equity portfolios.

A nonlinear cochlear model with the outer hair cell piezoelectric activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xiaoai; Grosh, Karl

2003-10-01

In this paper we present a simple cochlear model which captures the most important aspect of nonlinearity in the cochlea-the nonlinearity caused by the piezoelectric-like activity of outer hair cells and the variable conductance of the outer hair cell stereocilia. A one-dimensional long-wave model is built to simulate the dynamic response of the fluid-loaded basilar membrane. The basilar membrane is simulated as isolated linear oscillators along the cochlear length, and its motion is coupled with the fluid pressure and the nonlinear force produced by the outer hair cells. As the basilar membrane moves, the fluid shears stereocilia, and the resulting ion flow changes the transmembrane potential of the outer hair cells and subsequently their length, leading to further movement of the basilar membrane. The piezoelectric-like activity of the outer hair cell is simulated by a current source, and stereocilia motion is modeled as a varying conductance that changes as the basilar membrane moves. A solution in the time domain will be presented. [Work supported by NIH.

The role of fractional calculus in modeling biological phenomena: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionescu, C.; Lopes, A.; Copot, D.; Machado, J. A. T.; Bates, J. H. T.

2017-10-01

This review provides the latest developments and trends in the application of fractional calculus (FC) in biomedicine and biology. Nature has often showed to follow rather simple rules that lead to the emergence of complex phenomena as a result. Of these, the paper addresses the properties in respiratory lung tissue, whose natural solutions arise from the midst of FC in the form of non-integer differ-integral solutions and non-integer parametric models. Diffusion of substances in human body, e.g. drug diffusion, is also a phenomena well known to be captured with such mathematical models. FC has been employed in neuroscience to characterize the generation of action potentials and spiking patters but also in characterizing bio-systems (e.g. vegetable tissues). Despite the natural complexity, biological systems belong as well to this class of systems, where FC has offered parsimonious yet accurate models. This review paper is a collection of results and literature reports who are essential to any versed engineer with multidisciplinary applications and bio-medical in particular.

Charge carrier coherence and Hall effect in organic semiconductors

PubMed Central

Yi, H. T.; Gartstein, Y. N.; Podzorov, V.

2016-01-01

Hall effect measurements are important for elucidating the fundamental charge transport mechanisms and intrinsic mobility in organic semiconductors. However, Hall effect studies frequently reveal an unconventional behavior that cannot be readily explained with the simple band-semiconductor Hall effect model. Here, we develop an analytical model of Hall effect in organic field-effect transistors in a regime of coexisting band and hopping carriers. The model, which is supported by the experiments, is based on a partial Hall voltage compensation effect, occurring because hopping carriers respond to the transverse Hall electric field and drift in the direction opposite to the Lorentz force acting on band carriers. We show that this can lead in particular to an underdeveloped Hall effect observed in organic semiconductors with substantial off-diagonal thermal disorder. Our model captures the main features of Hall effect in a variety of organic semiconductors and provides an analytical description of Hall mobility, carrier density and carrier coherence factor. PMID:27025354

Shear-lag analysis about an internally-dropped ply

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

Vizzini, A.J.

1995-12-31

The region around a terminated ply is modeled as several elastic layers separated by shear regions. A shear-lag analysis is then performed allowing for the thickness of the elastic and shear layers to vary. Boundary conditions, away for the ply drop, are based on the deflections determined by a finite element model. The interlaminar stresses are compared against those generated by the finite element model for tapered laminates under pure extension, pure bending, and extension-bending coupling. The shear-lag analysis predicts the interlaminar shear at and near the ply drop for pure extension and in cases involving bending if the deflectionsmore » due to bending are removed. The interlaminar shear stress and force equilibrium are used to determine the interlaminar normal stress. The trends in the interlaminar normal stress shown by the finite element model are partially captured by the shear-lag analysis. This simple analysis indicates that the mechanism for load transfer about a ply drop is primarily due to shear transfer through the resin rich areas.« less

Multivariate neural biomarkers of emotional states are categorically distinct

PubMed Central

Kragel, Philip A.

2015-01-01

Understanding how emotions are represented neurally is a central aim of affective neuroscience. Despite decades of neuroimaging efforts addressing this question, it remains unclear whether emotions are represented as distinct entities, as predicted by categorical theories, or are constructed from a smaller set of underlying factors, as predicted by dimensional accounts. Here, we capitalize on multivariate statistical approaches and computational modeling to directly evaluate these theoretical perspectives. We elicited discrete emotional states using music and films during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Distinct patterns of neural activation predicted the emotion category of stimuli and tracked subjective experience. Bayesian model comparison revealed that combining dimensional and categorical models of emotion best characterized the information content of activation patterns. Surprisingly, categorical and dimensional aspects of emotion experience captured unique and opposing sources of neural information. These results indicate that diverse emotional states are poorly differentiated by simple models of valence and arousal, and that activity within separable neural systems can be mapped to unique emotion categories. PMID:25813790

Computer retina that models the primate retina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Samir; Levine, Martin D.

1994-06-01

At the retinal level, the strategies utilized by biological visual systems allow them to outperform machine vision systems, serving to motivate the design of electronic or `smart' sensors based on similar principles. Design of such sensors in silicon first requires a model of retinal information processing which captures the essential features exhibited by biological retinas. In this paper, a simple retinal model is presented, which qualitatively accounts for the achromatic information processing in the primate cone system. The model exhibits many of the properties found in biological retina such as data reduction through nonuniform sampling, adaptation to a large dynamic range of illumination levels, variation of visual acuity with illumination level, and enhancement of spatio temporal contrast information. The model is validated by replicating experiments commonly performed by electrophysiologists on biological retinas and comparing the response of the computer retina to data from experiments in monkeys. In addition, the response of the model to synthetic images is shown. The experiments demonstrate that the model behaves in a manner qualitatively similar to biological retinas and thus may serve as a basis for the development of an `artificial retina.'

Flotation Immunoassay: Masking the Signal from Free Reporters in Sandwich Immunoassays

PubMed Central

Chen, Hui; Hagström, Anna E. V.; Kim, Jinsu; Garvey, Gavin; Paterson, Andrew; Ruiz-Ruiz, Federico; Raja, Balakrishnan; Strych, Ulrich; Rito-Palomares, Marco; Kourentzi, Katerina; Conrad, Jacinta C.; Atmar, Robert L.; Willson, Richard C.

2016-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate that signal-masking reagents together with appropriate capture antibody carriers can eliminate the washing steps in sandwich immunoassays. A flotation immunoassay (FI) platform was developed with horseradish peroxidase chemiluminescence as the reporter system, the dye Brilliant Blue FCF as the signal-masking reagent, and buoyant silica micro-bubbles as the capture antibody carriers. Only reporters captured on micro-bubbles float above the dye and become visible in an analyte-dependent manner. These FIs are capable of detecting proteins down to attomole levels and as few as 106 virus particles. This signal-masking strategy represents a novel approach to simple, sensitive and quantitative immunoassays in both laboratory and point-of-care settings. PMID:27075635

NATIONAL STORMWATER CALCULATOR USER'S GUIDE ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Stormwater Calculator is a simple to use tool for computing small site hydrology for any location within the US. It estimates the amount of stormwater runoff generated from a site under different development and control scenarios over a long term period of historical rainfall. The analysis takes into account local soil conditions, slope, land cover and meteorology. Different types of low impact development (LID) practices (also known as green infrastructure) can be employed to help capture and retain rainfall on-site. Future climate change scenarios taken from internationally recognized climate change projections can also be considered. The calculator provides planning level estimates of capital and maintenance costs which will allow planners and managers to evaluate and compare effectiveness and costs of LID controls.The calculator’s primary focus is informing site developers and property owners on how well they can meet a desired stormwater retention target. It can be used to answer such questions as:• What is the largest daily rainfall amount that can be captured by a site in either its pre-development, current, or post-development condition?• To what degree will storms of different magnitudes be captured on site?• What mix of LID controls can be deployed to meet a given stormwater retention target?• How well will LID controls perform under future meteorological projections made by global climate change models?• What are the relativ

Root length densities of UK wheat and oilseed rape crops with implications for water capture and yield

PubMed Central

White, Charlotte A.; Sylvester-Bradley, Roger; Berry, Peter M.

2015-01-01

Root length density (RLD) was measured to 1 m depth for 17 commercial crops of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and 40 crops of winter oilseed rape [Brassica napus; oilseed rape (OSR)] grown in the UK between 2004 and 2013. Taking the critical RLD (cRLD) for water capture as 1cm cm–3, RLDs appeared inadequate for full water capture on average below a depth of 0.32 m for winter wheat and below 0.45 m for OSR. These depths compare unfavourably (for wheat) with average depths of ‘full capture’ of 0.86 m and 0.48 m, respectively, determined for three wheat crops and one OSR crop studied in the 1970s and 1980s, and treated as references here. A simple model of water uptake and yield indicated that these shortfalls in wheat and OSR rooting compared with the reference data might be associated with shortfalls of up to 3.5 t ha–1 and 1.2 t ha–1, respectively, in grain yields under water-limited conditions, as increasingly occur through climate change. Coupled with decreased summer rainfall, poor rooting of modern arable crops could explain much of the yield stagnation that has been observed on UK farms since the 1990s. Methods of monitoring and improving rooting under commercial conditions are reviewed and discussed. PMID:25750427

A simple procedure for retrieval of a cement-retained implant-supported crown: a case report.

PubMed

Buzayan, Muaiyed Mahmoud; Mahmood, Wan Adida; Yunus, Norsiah Binti

2014-02-01

Retrieval of cement-retained implant prostheses can be more demanding than retrieval of screw-retained prostheses. This case report describes a simple and predictable procedure to locate the abutment screw access openings of cementretained implant-supported crowns in cases of fractured ceramic veneer. A conventional periapical radiography image was captured using a digital camera, transferred to a computer, and manipulated using Microsoft Word document software to estimate the location of the abutment screw access.

Innovations in dynamic test restraint systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuld, Christopher J.

1990-01-01

Recent launch system development programs have led to a new generation of large scale dynamic tests. The variety of test scenarios share one common requirement: restrain and capture massive high velocity flight hardware with no structural damage. The Space Systems Lab of McDonnell Douglas developed a remarkably simple and cost effective approach to such testing using ripstitch energy absorbers adapted from the sport of technical rockclimbing. The proven system reliability of the capture system concept has led to a wide variety of applications in test system design and in aerospace hardware design.

Pros and cons of estimating the reproduction number from early epidemic growth rate of influenza A (H1N1) 2009.

PubMed

Nishiura, Hiroshi; Chowell, Gerardo; Safan, Muntaser; Castillo-Chavez, Carlos

2010-01-07

In many parts of the world, the exponential growth rate of infections during the initial epidemic phase has been used to make statistical inferences on the reproduction number, R, a summary measure of the transmission potential for the novel influenza A (H1N1) 2009. The growth rate at the initial stage of the epidemic in Japan led to estimates for R in the range 2.0 to 2.6, capturing the intensity of the initial outbreak among school-age children in May 2009. An updated estimate of R that takes into account the epidemic data from 29 May to 14 July is provided. An age-structured renewal process is employed to capture the age-dependent transmission dynamics, jointly estimating the reproduction number, the age-dependent susceptibility and the relative contribution of imported cases to secondary transmission. Pitfalls in estimating epidemic growth rates are identified and used for scrutinizing and re-assessing the results of our earlier estimate of R. Maximum likelihood estimates of R using the data from 29 May to 14 July ranged from 1.21 to 1.35. The next-generation matrix, based on our age-structured model, predicts that only 17.5% of the population will experience infection by the end of the first pandemic wave. Our earlier estimate of R did not fully capture the population-wide epidemic in quantifying the next-generation matrix from the estimated growth rate during the initial stage of the pandemic in Japan. In order to quantify R from the growth rate of cases, it is essential that the selected model captures the underlying transmission dynamics embedded in the data. Exploring additional epidemiological information will be useful for assessing the temporal dynamics. Although the simple concept of R is more easily grasped by the general public than that of the next-generation matrix, the matrix incorporating detailed information (e.g., age-specificity) is essential for reducing the levels of uncertainty in predictions and for assisting public health policymaking. Model-based prediction and policymaking are best described by sharing fundamental notions of heterogeneous risks of infection and death with non-experts to avoid potential confusion and/or possible misuse of modelling results.

A simple, single-substrate model to interpret intra-annual stable isotope signals in tree-ring cellulose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogée, J.; Barbour, M. M.; Wingate, L.; Bert, D.; Bosc, A.; Stievenard, M.; Lambrot, C.; Pierre, M.; Bariac, T.; Dewar, R. C.

2009-04-01

High-resolution intra-annual measurements of the carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition of cellulose in annual tree rings (δ13Ccellulose and δ18Ocellulose, respectively) reveal well-defined seasonal patterns that could contain valuable records of past climate and tree function. Interpreting these signals is nonetheless complex because they not only record the signature of current assimilates, but also depend on carbon allocation dynamics within the trees. Here, we present a simple, single-substrate model for wood growth containing only 12 main parameters. The model is used to interpret an isotopic intra-annual chronology collected in an even-aged maritime pine plantation growing in the South-West of France, where climate, soil and flux variables were also monitored. The empirical δ13Ccellulose and δ18Ocellulose exhibit dynamic seasonal patterns, with clear differences between years and individuals, that are mostly captured by the model. In particular, the amplitude of both signals is reproduced satisfactorily as well as the sharp 18O enrichment at the beginning of 1997 and the less pronounced 13C and 18O depletion observed at the end of the latewood. Our results suggest that the single-substrate hypothesis is a good approximation for tree ring studies on Pinus pinaster, at least for the environmental conditions covered by this study. A sensitivity analysis revealed that, in the early wood, the model was particularly sensitive to the date when cell wall thickening begins (twt). We therefore propose to use the model to reconstruct time series of twt and explore how climate influences this key parameter of xylogenesis.

An elasto-viscoplastic interface model for investigating the constitutive behavior of nacre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, H.; Barthelat, F.; Espinosa, H. D.

2007-07-01

In order to better understand the strengthening mechanism observed in nacre, we have developed an interface computational model to simulate the behavior of the organic present at the interface between aragonite tablets. In the model, the single polymer-chain behavior is characterized by the worm-like-chain (WLC) model, which is in turn incorporated into the eight-chain cell model developed by Arruda and Boyce [Arruda, E.M., Boyce, M.C., 1993a. A three-dimensional constitutive model for the large stretches, with application to polymeric glasses. Int. J. Solids Struct. 40, 389-412] to achieve a continuum interface constitutive description. The interface model is formulated within a finite-deformation framework. A fully implicit time-integration algorithm is used for solving the discretized governing equations. Finite element simulations were performed on a representative volume element (RVE) to investigate the tensile response of nacre. The staggered arrangement of tablets and interface waviness obtained experimentally by Barthelat et al. [Barthelat, F., Tang, H., Zavattieri, P.D., Li, C.-M., Espinosa, H.D., 2007. On the mechanics of mother-of-pearl: a key feature in the material hierarchical structure. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 55 (2), 306-337] was included in the RVE simulations. The simulations showed that both the rate-dependence of the tensile response and hysteresis loops during loading, unloading and reloading cycles were captured by the model. Through a parametric study, the effect of the polymer constitutive response during tablet-climbing and its relation to interface hardening was investigated. It is shown that stiffening of the organic material is not required to achieve the experimentally observed strain hardening of nacre during tension. In fact, when ratios of contour length/persistent length experimentally identified are employed in the simulations, the predicted stress-strain behavior exhibits a deformation hardening consistent with the one measured experimentally and also captured by the phenomenological cohesive model used in the study carried out by Barthelat et al. [Barthelat, F., Tang, H., Zavattieri, P.D., Li, C.-M., Espinosa, H.D., 2007. On the mechanics of mother-of-pearl: a key feature in the material hierarchical structure. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 55 (2), 306-337]. The simulation results also reveal that the bulk modulus of the polymer controls the rate of hardening, feature not captured by more simple cohesive laws.

Modeling association among demographic parameters in analysis of open population capture-recapture data.

PubMed

Link, William A; Barker, Richard J

2005-03-01

We present a hierarchical extension of the Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) model for open population capture-recapture data. In addition to recaptures of marked animals, we model first captures of animals and losses on capture. The parameter set includes capture probabilities, survival rates, and birth rates. The survival rates and birth rates are treated as a random sample from a bivariate distribution, thus the model explicitly incorporates correlation in these demographic rates. A key feature of the model is that the likelihood function, which includes a CJS model factor, is expressed entirely in terms of identifiable parameters; losses on capture can be factored out of the model. Since the computational complexity of classical likelihood methods is prohibitive, we use Markov chain Monte Carlo in a Bayesian analysis. We describe an efficient candidate-generation scheme for Metropolis-Hastings sampling of CJS models and extensions. The procedure is illustrated using mark-recapture data for the moth Gonodontis bidentata.

Smooth muscle length adaptation and actin filament length: a network model of the cytoskeletal dysregulation.

PubMed

Silveira, Paulo S P; Fredberg, Jeffrey J

2005-10-01

Length adaptation of the airway smooth muscle cell is attributable to cytoskeletal remodeling. It has been proposed that dysregulated actin filaments may become longer in asthma, and that such elongation would prevent a parallel-to-series transition of contractile units, thus precluding the well-known beneficial effects of deep inspirations and tidal breathing. To test the potential effect that actin filament elongation could have in overall muscle mechanics, we present an extremely simple model. The cytoskeleton is represented as a 2-D network of links (contractile filaments) connecting nodes (adhesion plaques). Such a network evolves in discrete time steps by forming and dissolving links in a stochastic fashion. Links are formed by idealized contractile units whose properties are either those from normal or elongated actin filaments. Oscillations were then imposed on the network to evaluate both the effects of breathing and length adaptation. In response to length oscillation, a network with longer actin filaments showed smaller decreases of force, smaller increases in compliance, and higher shortening velocities. Taken together, these changes correspond to a network that is refractory to the effects of breathing and therefore approximates an asthmatic scenario. Thus, an extremely simple model seems to capture some relatively complex mechanics of airway smooth muscle, supporting the idea that dysregulation of actin filament length may contribute to excessive airway narrowing.

Entanglement transitions induced by large deviations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhosale, Udaysinh T.

2017-12-01

The probability of large deviations of the smallest Schmidt eigenvalue for random pure states of bipartite systems, denoted as A and B , is computed analytically using a Coulomb gas method. It is shown that this probability, for large N , goes as exp[-β N2Φ (ζ ) ] , where the parameter β is the Dyson index of the ensemble, ζ is the large deviation parameter, while the rate function Φ (ζ ) is calculated exactly. Corresponding equilibrium Coulomb charge density is derived for its large deviations. Effects of the large deviations of the extreme (largest and smallest) Schmidt eigenvalues on the bipartite entanglement are studied using the von Neumann entropy. Effect of these deviations is also studied on the entanglement between subsystems 1 and 2, obtained by further partitioning the subsystem A , using the properties of the density matrix's partial transpose ρ12Γ. The density of states of ρ12Γ is found to be close to the Wigner's semicircle law with these large deviations. The entanglement properties are captured very well by a simple random matrix model for the partial transpose. The model predicts the entanglement transition across a critical large deviation parameter ζ . Log negativity is used to quantify the entanglement between subsystems 1 and 2. Analytical formulas for it are derived using the simple model. Numerical simulations are in excellent agreement with the analytical results.

Entanglement transitions induced by large deviations.

PubMed

Bhosale, Udaysinh T

2017-12-01

The probability of large deviations of the smallest Schmidt eigenvalue for random pure states of bipartite systems, denoted as A and B, is computed analytically using a Coulomb gas method. It is shown that this probability, for large N, goes as exp[-βN^{2}Φ(ζ)], where the parameter β is the Dyson index of the ensemble, ζ is the large deviation parameter, while the rate function Φ(ζ) is calculated exactly. Corresponding equilibrium Coulomb charge density is derived for its large deviations. Effects of the large deviations of the extreme (largest and smallest) Schmidt eigenvalues on the bipartite entanglement are studied using the von Neumann entropy. Effect of these deviations is also studied on the entanglement between subsystems 1 and 2, obtained by further partitioning the subsystem A, using the properties of the density matrix's partial transpose ρ_{12}^{Γ}. The density of states of ρ_{12}^{Γ} is found to be close to the Wigner's semicircle law with these large deviations. The entanglement properties are captured very well by a simple random matrix model for the partial transpose. The model predicts the entanglement transition across a critical large deviation parameter ζ. Log negativity is used to quantify the entanglement between subsystems 1 and 2. Analytical formulas for it are derived using the simple model. Numerical simulations are in excellent agreement with the analytical results.

Transient shear viscosity of weakly aggregating polystyrene latex dispersions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Rooij, R.; Potanin, A. A.; van den Ende, D.; Mellema, J.

1994-04-01

The transient behavior of the viscosity (stress growth) of a weakly aggregating polystyrene latex dispersion after a step from a high shear rate to a lower shear rate has been measured and modeled. Single particles cluster together into spherical fractal aggregates. The steady state size of these aggregates is determined by the shear stresses exerted on the latter by the flow field. The restructuring process taking place when going from a starting situation with monodisperse spherical aggregates to larger monodisperse spherical aggregates is described by the capture of primary fractal aggregates by growing aggregates until a new steady state is reached. It is assumed that the aggregation mechanism is diffusion limited. The model is valid if the radii of primary aggregates Rprim are much smaller than the radii of the growing aggregates. Fitting the model to experimental data at two volume fractions and a number of step sizes in shear rate yielded physically reasonable values of Rprim at fractal dimensions 2.1≤df≤2.2. The latter range is in good agreement with the range 2.0≤df≤2.3 obtained from steady shear results. The experimental data have also been fitted to a numerical solution of the diffusion equation for primary aggregates for a cell model with moving boundary, also yielding 2.1≤df≤2.2. The range for df found from both approaches agrees well with the range df≊2.1-2.2 determined from computer simulations on diffusion-limited aggregation including restructuring or thermal breakup after formation of bonds. Thus a simple model has been put forward which may capture the basic features of the aggregating model dispersion on a microstructural level and leads to physically acceptable parameter values.

A model of clearance rate regulation in mussels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fréchette, Marcel

2012-10-01

Clearance rate regulation has been modelled as an instantaneous response to food availability, independent of the internal state of the animals. This view is incompatible with latent effects during ontogeny and phenotypic flexibility in clearance rate. Internal-state regulation of clearance rate is required to account for these patterns. Here I develop a model of internal-state based regulation of clearance rate. External factors such as suspended sediments are included in the model. To assess the relative merits of instantaneous regulation and internal-state regulation, I modelled blue mussel clearance rate and growth using a DEB model. In the usual standard feeding module, feeding is governed by a Holling's Type II response to food concentration. In the internal-state feeding module, gill ciliary activity and thus clearance rate are driven by internal reserve level. Factors such as suspended sediments were not included in the simulations. The two feeding modules were compared on the basis of their ability to capture the impact of latent effects, of environmental heterogeneity in food abundance and of physiological flexibility on clearance rate and individual growth. The Holling feeding module was unable to capture the effect of any of these sources of variability. In contrast, the internal-state feeding module did so without any modification or ad hoc calibration. Latent effects, however, appeared transient. With simple annual variability in temperature and food concentration, the relationship between clearance rate and food availability predicted by the internal-state feeding module was quite similar to that observed in Norwegian fjords. I conclude that in contrast with the usual Holling feeding module, internal-state regulation of clearance rate is consistent with well-documented growth and clearance rate patterns.

Anisotropic diffusion and capture on surfaces: Time dependent modeling and visualization in 2 dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Pu

Since the application of nanowires may lead to a new generation of electronic, optoelectronic and magnetic devices, there is much research on understanding the growth mechanism of various "self assembled" nanowires on semiconductor surfaces. The motivation of the present work is to use theoretical modeling to study the conditions required to form and grow elongated islands and nanowires. In this work, a modeling method is developed to study the time-dependent anisotropic diffusion and growth in two dimensions for an array of rectangular islands. This method uses discrete Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) to solve the time-dependent diffusion equation on the surface. The ad-particles are captured and incorporated to the island edge to simulate island growth. Implemented in MATLABRTM programs, this model produces expected faceted shapes; the calculation runs very fast on a common personal computer. Time-dependent island growth and the evolving diffusion field have been visualized using simple MATLABRTM functions and can be made into MATLABRTM movies. This modeling method is applied to simulate elongated island and nanowire growth by incorporating anisotropic bonding at the island edge. When there is a full sink in one direction and partial sink in the other direction at the island edge, the model results in the growth of an elongated island with an aspect ratio that stabilizes after it reaches a certain value. This result agrees with experimental data on "endotaxial" nanowire growth. For the island edge with a full sink in one direction and no sink in the other direction, the island grows in length with constant width, which is comparable to experimental data on Bi nanoline and rare-earth metal nanowire growth.

Simulating Mass Removal of Groundwater Contaminant Plumes with Complex and Simple Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, J.; Guo, Z.; Fogg, G. E.

2016-12-01

Chlorinated solvents used in industrial, commercial, and other applications continue to pose significant threats to human health through contamination of groundwater resources. A recent National Research Council report concludes that it is unlikely that remediation of these complex sites will be achieved in a time frame of 50-100 years under current methods and standards (NRC, 2013). Pump and treat has been a common strategy at many sites to contain and treat groundwater contamination. In these sites, extensive retention of contaminant mass in low-permeability materials (tailing) has been observed after years or decades of pumping. Although transport models can be built that contain enough of the complex, 3D heterogeneity to simulate the tailing and long cleanup times, this is seldom done because of the large data and computational burdens. Hence, useful, reliable models to simulate various cleanup strategies are rare. The purpose of this study is to explore other potential ways to simulate the mass-removal processes with shorter time and less cost but still produce robust results by capturing effects of the heterogeneity and long-term retention of mass. A site containing a trichloroethylene groundwater plume was selected as the study area. The plume is located within alluvial sediments in the Tucson Basin. A fully heterogeneous domain is generated first and MODFLOW is used to simulate the flow field. Contaminant transport is simulated using both MT3D and RWHet for the fully heterogeneous model. Other approaches, including dual-domain mass transfer and heterogeneous chemical reactions, are manipulated to simulate the mass removal in a less heterogeneous, or homogeneous, domain and results are compared to the results obtained from complex models. The capability of these simpler models to simulate remediation processes, especially capture the late-time tailing, are examined.

An Information Infrastructure for Coastal Models and Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardin, D.; Keiser, K.; Conover, H.; Graves, S.

2007-12-01

Advances in semantics and visualization have given rise to new capabilities for the location, manipulation, integration, management and display of data and information in and across domains. An example of these capabilities is illustrated by a coastal restoration project that utilizes satellite, in-situ data and hydrodynamic model output to address seagrass habitat restoration in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In this project a standard stressor conceptual model was implemented as an ontology in addition to the typical CMAP diagram. The ontology captures the elements of the seagrass conceptual model as well as the relationships between them. Noesis, developed by the University of Alabama in Huntsville, is an application that provides a simple but powerful way to search and organize data and information represented by ontologies. Noesis uses domain ontologies to help scope search queries to ensure that search results are both accurate and complete. Semantics are captured by refining the query terms to cover synonyms, specializations, generalizations and related concepts. As a resource aggregator Noesis categorizes search results returned from multiple, concurrent search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com. Search results are further directed by accessing domain specific catalogs that include outputs from hydrodynamic and other models. Embedded within the search results are links that invoke applications such as web map displays, animation tools and virtual globe applications such as Google Earth. In the seagrass prioritization project Noesis is used to locate information that is vital to understanding the impact of stressors on the habitat. This presentation will show how the intelligent search capabilities of Noesis are coupled with visualization tools and model output to investigate the restoration of seagrass habitat.