Program Helps To Determine Chemical-Reaction Mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bittker, D. A.; Radhakrishnan, K.

1995-01-01

General Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis (LSENS) computer code developed for use in solving complex, homogeneous, gas-phase, chemical-kinetics problems. Provides for efficient and accurate chemical-kinetics computations and provides for sensitivity analysis for variety of problems, including problems involving honisothermal conditions. Incorporates mathematical models for static system, steady one-dimensional inviscid flow, reaction behind incident shock wave (with boundary-layer correction), and perfectly stirred reactor. Computations of equilibrium properties performed for following assigned states: enthalpy and pressure, temperature and pressure, internal energy and volume, and temperature and volume. Written in FORTRAN 77 with exception of NAMELIST extensions used for input.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization

PubMed Central

Blanc, X.; Le Bris, C.; Legoll, F.

2016-01-01

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. PMID:27002065

Nonlinear Boltzmann equation for the homogeneous isotropic case: Some improvements to deterministic methods and applications to relaxation towards local equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asinari, P.

2011-03-01

Boltzmann equation is one the most powerful paradigms for explaining transport phenomena in fluids. Since early fifties, it received a lot of attention due to aerodynamic requirements for high altitude vehicles, vacuum technology requirements and nowadays, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMs). Because of the intrinsic mathematical complexity of the problem, Boltzmann himself started his work by considering first the case when the distribution function does not depend on space (homogeneous case), but only on time and the magnitude of the molecular velocity (isotropic collisional integral). The interest with regards to the homogeneous isotropic Boltzmann equation goes beyond simple dilute gases. In the so-called econophysics, a Boltzmann type model is sometimes introduced for studying the distribution of wealth in a simple market. Another recent application of the homogeneous isotropic Boltzmann equation is given by opinion formation modeling in quantitative sociology, also called socio-dynamics or sociophysics. The present work [1] aims to improve the deterministic method for solving homogenous isotropic Boltzmann equation proposed by Aristov [2] by two ideas: (a) the homogeneous isotropic problem is reformulated first in terms of particle kinetic energy (this allows one to ensure exact particle number and energy conservation during microscopic collisions) and (b) a DVM-like correction (where DVM stands for Discrete Velocity Model) is adopted for improving the relaxation rates (this allows one to satisfy exactly the conservation laws at macroscopic level, which is particularly important for describing the late dynamics in the relaxation towards the equilibrium).

A non-asymptotic homogenization theory for periodic electromagnetic structures.

PubMed

Tsukerman, Igor; Markel, Vadim A

2014-08-08

Homogenization of electromagnetic periodic composites is treated as a two-scale problem and solved by approximating the fields on both scales with eigenmodes that satisfy Maxwell's equations and boundary conditions as accurately as possible. Built into this homogenization methodology is an error indicator whose value characterizes the accuracy of homogenization. The proposed theory allows one to define not only bulk, but also position-dependent material parameters (e.g. in proximity to a physical boundary) and to quantify the trade-off between the accuracy of homogenization and its range of applicability to various illumination conditions.

Multiscale global identification of porous structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatłas, Marcin; Beluch, Witold

2018-01-01

The paper is devoted to the evolutionary identification of the material constants of porous structures based on measurements conducted on a macro scale. Numerical homogenization with the RVE concept is used to determine the equivalent properties of a macroscopically homogeneous material. Finite element method software is applied to solve the boundary-value problem in both scales. Global optimization methods in form of evolutionary algorithm are employed to solve the identification task. Modal analysis is performed to collect the data necessary for the identification. A numerical example presenting the effectiveness of proposed attitude is attached.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization.

PubMed

Blanc, X; Le Bris, C; Legoll, F

2016-04-28

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. © 2016 The Author(s).

LSENS: A General Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code for homogeneous gas-phase reactions. Part 3: Illustrative test problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bittker, David A.; Radhakrishnan, Krishnan

1994-01-01

LSENS, the Lewis General Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code, has been developed for solving complex, homogeneous, gas-phase chemical kinetics problems and contains sensitivity analysis for a variety of problems, including nonisothermal situations. This report is part 3 of a series of three reference publications that describe LSENS, provide a detailed guide to its usage, and present many example problems. Part 3 explains the kinetics and kinetics-plus-sensitivity analysis problems supplied with LSENS and presents sample results. These problems illustrate the various capabilities of, and reaction models that can be solved by, the code and may provide a convenient starting point for the user to construct the problem data file required to execute LSENS. LSENS is a flexible, convenient, accurate, and efficient solver for chemical reaction problems such as static system; steady, one-dimensional, inviscid flow; reaction behind incident shock wave, including boundary layer correction; and perfectly stirred (highly backmixed) reactor. In addition, the chemical equilibrium state can be computed for the following assigned states: temperature and pressure, enthalpy and pressure, temperature and volume, and internal energy and volume. For static problems the code computes the sensitivity coefficients of the dependent variables and their temporal derivatives with respect to the initial values of the dependent variables and/or the three rate coefficient parameters of the chemical reactions.

A non-asymptotic homogenization theory for periodic electromagnetic structures

PubMed Central

Tsukerman, Igor; Markel, Vadim A.

2014-01-01

Homogenization of electromagnetic periodic composites is treated as a two-scale problem and solved by approximating the fields on both scales with eigenmodes that satisfy Maxwell's equations and boundary conditions as accurately as possible. Built into this homogenization methodology is an error indicator whose value characterizes the accuracy of homogenization. The proposed theory allows one to define not only bulk, but also position-dependent material parameters (e.g. in proximity to a physical boundary) and to quantify the trade-off between the accuracy of homogenization and its range of applicability to various illumination conditions. PMID:25104912

Boundary-layer effects in composite laminates: Free-edge stress singularities, part 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanag, S. S.; Choi, I.

1981-01-01

A rigorous mathematical model was obtained for the boundary-layer free-edge stress singularity in angleplied and crossplied fiber composite laminates. The solution was obtained using a method consisting of complex-variable stress function potentials and eigenfunction expansions. The required order of the boundary-layer stress singularity is determined by solving the transcendental characteristic equation obtained from the homogeneous solution of the partial differential equations. Numerical results obtained show that the boundary-layer stress singularity depends only upon material elastic constants and fiber orientation of the adjacent plies. For angleplied and crossplied laminates the order of the singularity is weak in general.

Phantom Preparation and Optical Property Determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Di; He, Jie; Mao, Heng

2018-12-01

Tissue-like optical phantoms are important in testing new imaging algorithms. Homogeneous optical phantoms with determined optical properties are the first step of making a proper heterogeneous phantom for multi-modality imaging. Typical recipes for such phantoms consist of epoxy resin, hardener, India ink and titanium oxide. By altering the concentration of India ink and titanium oxide, we are able to get multiple homogeneous phantoms with different absorption and scattering coefficients by carefully mixing all the ingredients. After fabricating the phantoms, we need to find their individual optical properties including the absorption and scattering coefficients. This is achieved by solving diffusion equation of each phantom as a homogeneous slab under canonical illumination. We solve the diffusion equation of homogeneous slab in frequency domain and get the formula for theoretical measurements. Under our steady-state diffused optical tomography (DOT) imaging system, we are able to obtain the real distribution of the incident light produced by a laser. With this source distribution we got and the formula we derived, numerical experiments show how measurements change while varying the value of absorption and scattering coefficients. Then we notice that the measurements alone will not be enough for us to get unique optical properties for steady-state DOT problem. Thus in order to determine the optical properties of a homogeneous slab we want to fix one of the coefficients first and use optimization methods to find another one. Then by assemble multiple homogeneous slab phantoms with different optical properties, we are able to obtain a heterogeneous phantom suitable for testing multi-modality imaging algorithms. In this paper, we describe how to make phantoms, derive a formula to solve the diffusion equation, demonstrate the non-uniqueness of steady-state DOT problem by analysing some numerical results of our formula, and finally propose a possible way to determine optical properties for homogeneous slab for our future work.

Simple Köhler homogenizers for image-forming solar concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weiya; Winston, Roland

2010-08-01

By adding simple Köhler homogenizers in the form of aspheric lenses generated with an optimization approach, we solve the problems of non-uniform irradiance distribution and non-square irradiance pattern existing in some image-forming solar concentrators. The homogenizers do not require optical bonding to the solar cells or total internal reflection surface. Two examples are shown including a Fresnel lens based concentrator and a two-mirror aplanatic system.

A new multigroup method for cross-sections that vary rapidly in energy

DOE PAGES

Haut, Terry Scot; Ahrens, Cory D.; Jonko, Alexandra; ...

2016-11-04

Here, we present a numerical method for solving the time-independent thermal radiative transfer (TRT) equation or the neutron transport (NT) equation when the opacity (cross-section) varies rapidly in frequency (energy) on the microscale ε; ε corresponds to the characteristic spacing between absorption lines or resonances, and is much smaller than the macroscopic frequency (energy) variation of interest. The approach is based on a rigorous homogenization of the TRT/NT equation in the frequency (energy) variable. Discretization of the homogenized TRT/NT equation results in a multigroup-type system, and can therefore be solved by standard methods.

Non-periodic homogenization of 3-D elastic media for the seismic wave equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cupillard, Paul; Capdeville, Yann

2018-05-01

Because seismic waves have a limited frequency spectrum, the velocity structure of the Earth that can be extracted from seismic records has a limited resolution. As a consequence, one obtains smooth images from waveform inversion, although the Earth holds discontinuities and small scales of various natures. Within the last decade, the non-periodic homogenization method shed light on how seismic waves interact with small geological heterogeneities and `see' upscaled properties. This theory enables us to compute long-wave equivalent density and elastic coefficients of any media, with no constraint on the size, the shape and the contrast of the heterogeneities. In particular, the homogenization leads to the apparent, structure-induced anisotropy. In this paper, we implement this method in 3-D and show 3-D tests for the very first time. The non-periodic homogenization relies on an asymptotic expansion of the displacement and the stress involved in the elastic wave equation. Limiting ourselves to the order 0, we show that the practical computation of an upscaled elastic tensor basically requires (i) to solve an elastostatic problem and (ii) to low-pass filter the strain and the stress associated with the obtained solution. The elastostatic problem consists in finding the displacements due to local unit strains acting in all directions within the medium to upscale. This is solved using a parallel, highly optimized finite-element code. As for the filtering, we rely on the finite-element quadrature to perform the convolution in the space domain. We end up with an efficient numerical tool that we apply on various 3-D models to test the accuracy and the benefit of the homogenization. In the case of a finely layered model, our method agrees with results derived from Backus. In a more challenging model composed by a million of small cubes, waveforms computed in the homogenized medium fit reference waveforms very well. Both direct phases and complex diffracted waves are accurately retrieved in the upscaled model, although it is smooth. Finally, our upscaling method is applied to a realistic geological model. The obtained homogenized medium holds structure-induced anisotropy. Moreover, full seismic wavefields in this medium can be simulated with a coarse mesh (no matter what the numerical solver is), which significantly reduces computation costs usually associated with discontinuities and small heterogeneities. These three tests show that the non-periodic homogenization is both accurate and tractable in large 3-D cases, which opens the path to the correct account of the effect of small-scale features on seismic wave propagation for various applications and to a deeper understanding of the apparent anisotropy.

Properties of lotus seed starch-glycerin monostearin complexes formed by high pressure homogenization.

PubMed

Chen, Bingyan; Zeng, Shaoxiao; Zeng, Hongliang; Guo, Zebin; Zhang, Yi; Zheng, Baodong

2017-07-01

Starch-lipid complexes were prepared using lotus seed starch (LS) and glycerin monostearate (GMS) via a high pressure homogenization (HPH) process, and the effect of HPH on the physicochemical properties of LS-GMS complexes was investigated. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and complex index analysis showed that LS-GMS complexes were formed at 40MPa by HPH and the complex index increased with the increase of homogenization pressure. Scanning electron microscopy displayed LS-GMS complexes present more nest-shape structure with increasing homogenization pressure. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that V-type crystalline polymorph was formed between LS and GMS, with higher homogenization pressure producing an increasingly stable complex. LS-GMS complex inhibited starch granules swelling, solubility and pasting development, which further reduced peak and breakdown viscosity. During storage, LS-GMS complexes prepared by 70-100MPa had higher Avrami exponent values and lower recrystallization rates compared with native starch, which suggested a lower retrogradation trendency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual Perception-Based Statistical Modeling of Complex Grain Image for Product Quality Monitoring and Supervision on Assembly Production Line

PubMed Central

Chen, Qing; Xu, Pengfei; Liu, Wenzhong

2016-01-01

Computer vision as a fast, low-cost, noncontact, and online monitoring technology has been an important tool to inspect product quality, particularly on a large-scale assembly production line. However, the current industrial vision system is far from satisfactory in the intelligent perception of complex grain images, comprising a large number of local homogeneous fragmentations or patches without distinct foreground and background. We attempt to solve this problem based on the statistical modeling of spatial structures of grain images. We present a physical explanation in advance to indicate that the spatial structures of the complex grain images are subject to a representative Weibull distribution according to the theory of sequential fragmentation, which is well known in the continued comminution of ore grinding. To delineate the spatial structure of the grain image, we present a method of multiscale and omnidirectional Gaussian derivative filtering. Then, a product quality classifier based on sparse multikernel–least squares support vector machine is proposed to solve the low-confidence classification problem of imbalanced data distribution. The proposed method is applied on the assembly line of a food-processing enterprise to classify (or identify) automatically the production quality of rice. The experiments on the real application case, compared with the commonly used methods, illustrate the validity of our method. PMID:26986726

Diffraction of a Gaussian beam in a three-dimensional smoothly inhomogeneous medium: an eikonal-based complex geometrical-optics approach.

PubMed

Berczynski, Pawel; Bliokh, Konstantin Yu; Kravtsov, Yuri A; Stateczny, Andrzej

2006-06-01

We present an ab initio account of the paraxial complex geometrical optics (CGO) in application to scalar Gaussian beam propagation and diffraction in a 3D smoothly inhomogeneous medium. The paraxial CGO deals with quadratic expansion of the complex eikonal and reduces the wave problem to the solution of ordinary differential equations of the Riccati type. This substantially simplifies the description of Gaussian beam diffraction as compared with full-wave or parabolic (quasi-optics) equations. For a Gaussian beam propagating in a homogeneous medium or along the symmetry axis in a lenslike medium, the CGO equations possess analytical solutions; otherwise, they can be readily solved numerically. As a nontrivial example we consider Gaussian beam propagation and diffraction along a helical ray in an axially symmetric waveguide medium. It is shown that the major axis of the beam's elliptical cross section grows unboundedly; it is oriented predominantly in the azimuthal (binormal) direction and does not obey the parallel-transport law.

Homogeneity of Moral Judgment? Apprentices Solving Business Conflicts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Klaus; Heinrichs, Karin; Minnameier, Gerhard; Parche-Kawik, Kirsten

In an ongoing longitudinal study that started in 1994, the moral development of business apprentices is being studied. The focal point of this project is a critical analysis of L. Kohlberg's thesis of homogeneity, according to which people should judge every moral issue from the point of view of their "modal" stage (the most frequently…

Layout optimization using the homogenization method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suzuki, Katsuyuki; Kikuchi, Noboru

1993-01-01

A generalized layout problem involving sizing, shape, and topology optimization is solved by using the homogenization method for three-dimensional linearly elastic shell structures in order to seek a possibility of establishment of an integrated design system of automotive car bodies, as an extension of the previous work by Bendsoe and Kikuchi. A formulation of a three-dimensional homogenized shell, a solution algorithm, and several examples of computing the optimum layout are presented in this first part of the two articles.

Homogeneous cosmological models and new inflation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Michael S.; Widrow, Lawrence M.

1986-01-01

The promise of the inflationary-universe scenario is to free the present state of the universe from extreme dependence upon initial data. Paradoxically, inflation is usually analyzed in the context of the homogeneous and isotropic Robertson-Walker cosmological models. It is shown that all but a small subset of the homogeneous models undergo inflation. Any initial anisotropy is so strongly damped that if sufficient inflation occurs to solve the flatness and horizon problems, the universe today would still be very isotropic.

How do Polar Stratospheric Clouds Form?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drdla, Katja; Gandrud, Bruce; Baumgardner, Darrel; Herman, Robert; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

SOLVE measurements have been compared with results from a microphysical model to understand the composition and formation of the polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) observed during SOLVE. Evidence that the majority of the particles remain liquid throughout the winter will be presented. However, a small fraction of the particles do freeze, and the presence of these frozen particles can not be explained by current theories, in which the only freezing mechanism is homogeneous freezing to ice below the ice frost point. Alternative formation mechanisms, in particular homogeneous freezing above the ice frost point and heterogeneous freezing, have been explored using the microphysical model. Both nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) and nitric acid dihydrate (NAD) have been considered as possible compositions for the solid-phase nitric acid aerosols. Comparisons between the model results and the SOLVE measurements will be used to constrain the possible formation mechanisms. Other effects of these frozen particles will also be discussed, in particular denitrification.

Homotopy perturbation method with Laplace Transform (LT-HPM) for solving Lane-Emden type differential equations (LETDEs).

PubMed

Tripathi, Rajnee; Mishra, Hradyesh Kumar

2016-01-01

In this communication, we describe the Homotopy Perturbation Method with Laplace Transform (LT-HPM), which is used to solve the Lane-Emden type differential equations. It's very difficult to solve numerically the Lane-Emden types of the differential equation. Here we implemented this method for two linear homogeneous, two linear nonhomogeneous, and four nonlinear homogeneous Lane-Emden type differential equations and use their appropriate comparisons with exact solutions. In the current study, some examples are better than other existing methods with their nearer results in the form of power series. The Laplace transform used to accelerate the convergence of power series and the results are shown in the tables and graphs which have good agreement with the other existing method in the literature. The results show that LT-HPM is very effective and easy to implement.

Boundary value problems for multi-term fractional differential equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daftardar-Gejji, Varsha; Bhalekar, Sachin

2008-09-01

Multi-term fractional diffusion-wave equation along with the homogeneous/non-homogeneous boundary conditions has been solved using the method of separation of variables. It is observed that, unlike in the one term case, solution of multi-term fractional diffusion-wave equation is not necessarily non-negative, and hence does not represent anomalous diffusion of any kind.

Numerical Computation of Homogeneous Slope Stability

PubMed Central

Xiao, Shuangshuang; Li, Kemin; Ding, Xiaohua; Liu, Tong

2015-01-01

To simplify the computational process of homogeneous slope stability, improve computational accuracy, and find multiple potential slip surfaces of a complex geometric slope, this study utilized the limit equilibrium method to derive expression equations of overall and partial factors of safety. This study transformed the solution of the minimum factor of safety (FOS) to solving of a constrained nonlinear programming problem and applied an exhaustive method (EM) and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) to this problem. In simple slope examples, the computational results using an EM and PSO were close to those obtained using other methods. Compared to the EM, the PSO had a small computation error and a significantly shorter computation time. As a result, the PSO could precisely calculate the slope FOS with high efficiency. The example of the multistage slope analysis indicated that this slope had two potential slip surfaces. The factors of safety were 1.1182 and 1.1560, respectively. The differences between these and the minimum FOS (1.0759) were small, but the positions of the slip surfaces were completely different than the critical slip surface (CSS). PMID:25784927

Numerical computation of homogeneous slope stability.

PubMed

Xiao, Shuangshuang; Li, Kemin; Ding, Xiaohua; Liu, Tong

2015-01-01

To simplify the computational process of homogeneous slope stability, improve computational accuracy, and find multiple potential slip surfaces of a complex geometric slope, this study utilized the limit equilibrium method to derive expression equations of overall and partial factors of safety. This study transformed the solution of the minimum factor of safety (FOS) to solving of a constrained nonlinear programming problem and applied an exhaustive method (EM) and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) to this problem. In simple slope examples, the computational results using an EM and PSO were close to those obtained using other methods. Compared to the EM, the PSO had a small computation error and a significantly shorter computation time. As a result, the PSO could precisely calculate the slope FOS with high efficiency. The example of the multistage slope analysis indicated that this slope had two potential slip surfaces. The factors of safety were 1.1182 and 1.1560, respectively. The differences between these and the minimum FOS (1.0759) were small, but the positions of the slip surfaces were completely different than the critical slip surface (CSS).

Asymptotic stability of spectral-based PDF modeling for homogeneous turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos, Alejandro; Duraisamy, Karthik; Iaccarino, Gianluca

2015-11-01

Engineering models of turbulence, based on one-point statistics, neglect spectral information inherent in a turbulence field. It is well known, however, that the evolution of turbulence is dictated by a complex interplay between the spectral modes of velocity. For example, for homogeneous turbulence, the pressure-rate-of-strain depends on the integrated energy spectrum weighted by components of the wave vectors. The Interacting Particle Representation Model (IPRM) (Kassinos & Reynolds, 1996) and the Velocity/Wave-Vector PDF model (Van Slooten & Pope, 1997) emulate spectral information in an attempt to improve the modeling of turbulence. We investigate the evolution and asymptotic stability of the IPRM using three different approaches. The first approach considers the Lagrangian evolution of individual realizations (idealized as particles) of the stochastic process defined by the IPRM. The second solves Lagrangian evolution equations for clusters of realizations conditional on a given wave vector. The third evolves the solution of the Eulerian conditional PDF corresponding to the aforementioned clusters. This last method avoids issues related to discrete particle noise and slow convergence associated with Lagrangian particle-based simulations.

Heterogeneous vs. Homogeneous Groups: Methodology for Class Instruction for Post-Secondary Business Education Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Theodore E., Jr.

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of racial and gender diversity on group process and problem solving in an academic setting. The importance of this dynamic is its value in preparing students for the workplace. The supposition is if a group is homogeneous, commitment and performance is improved. Data for the study…

Noncommutative complex structures on quantum homogeneous spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ó Buachalla, Réamonn

2016-01-01

A new framework for noncommutative complex geometry on quantum homogeneous spaces is introduced. The main ingredients used are covariant differential calculi and Takeuchi's categorical equivalence for quantum homogeneous spaces. A number of basic results are established, producing a simple set of necessary and sufficient conditions for noncommutative complex structures to exist. Throughout, the framework is applied to the quantum projective spaces endowed with the Heckenberger-Kolb calculus.

The lunar crust - A product of heterogeneous accretion or differentiation of a homogeneous moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brett, R.

1973-01-01

The outer portion of the moon (including the aluminum-rich crust and the source regions of mare basalts) was either accreted heterogeneously or was the product of widespread differentiation of an originally homogeneous source. Existing evidence for and against each of these two models is reviewed. It is concluded that the accretionary model presents more problems than it solves, and the model involving differentiation of an originally homogeneous moon is considered to be more plausible. A hypothesis for the formation of mare basalts is advanced.

Simple Köhler Homogenizers for Image-forming Solar Concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winston, Roland; Zhang, Weiya

2011-12-01

We demonstrate that the Köhler illumination technique can be applied to the image-forming solar concentrators to solve the problem of "hot" spot and to generate the square irradiance pattern. The Köhler homogenizer can be simply a single aspheric lens optimized following a few guidelines. Two examples are given including a Fresnel lens based concentrator and a two-mirror aplanatic system.

LSENS, a general chemical kinetics and sensitivity analysis code for homogeneous gas-phase reactions. 2: Code description and usage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan; Bittker, David A.

1994-01-01

LSENS, the Lewis General Chemical Kinetics Analysis Code, has been developed for solving complex, homogeneous, gas-phase chemical kinetics problems and contains sensitivity analysis for a variety of problems, including nonisothermal situations. This report is part 2 of a series of three reference publications that describe LSENS, provide a detailed guide to its usage, and present many example problems. Part 2 describes the code, how to modify it, and its usage, including preparation of the problem data file required to execute LSENS. Code usage is illustrated by several example problems, which further explain preparation of the problem data file and show how to obtain desired accuracy in the computed results. LSENS is a flexible, convenient, accurate, and efficient solver for chemical reaction problems such as static system; steady, one-dimensional, inviscid flow; reaction behind incident shock wave, including boundary layer correction; and perfectly stirred (highly backmixed) reactor. In addition, the chemical equilibrium state can be computed for the following assigned states: temperature and pressure, enthalpy and pressure, temperature and volume, and internal energy and volume. For static problems the code computes the sensitivity coefficients of the dependent variables and their temporal derivatives with respect to the initial values of the dependent variables and/or the three rate coefficient parameters of the chemical reactions. Part 1 (NASA RP-1328) derives the governing equations describes the numerical solution procedures for the types of problems that can be solved by lSENS. Part 3 (NASA RP-1330) explains the kinetics and kinetics-plus-sensitivity-analysis problems supplied with LSENS and presents sample results.

Exact and Metaheuristic Approaches for a Bi-Objective School Bus Scheduling Problem.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaopan; Kong, Yunfeng; Dang, Lanxue; Hou, Yane; Ye, Xinyue

2015-01-01

As a class of hard combinatorial optimization problems, the school bus routing problem has received considerable attention in the last decades. For a multi-school system, given the bus trips for each school, the school bus scheduling problem aims at optimizing bus schedules to serve all the trips within the school time windows. In this paper, we propose two approaches for solving the bi-objective school bus scheduling problem: an exact method of mixed integer programming (MIP) and a metaheuristic method which combines simulated annealing with local search. We develop MIP formulations for homogenous and heterogeneous fleet problems respectively and solve the models by MIP solver CPLEX. The bus type-based formulation for heterogeneous fleet problem reduces the model complexity in terms of the number of decision variables and constraints. The metaheuristic method is a two-stage framework for minimizing the number of buses to be used as well as the total travel distance of buses. We evaluate the proposed MIP and the metaheuristic method on two benchmark datasets, showing that on both instances, our metaheuristic method significantly outperforms the respective state-of-the-art methods.

Numerical investigation of homogeneous cavitation nucleation in a microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Xiuxiu; Pan, Shucheng; Hu, Xiangyu; Adams, Nikolaus A.

2018-06-01

The physics of nucleation in water is an important issue for many areas, ranging from biomedical to engineering applications. Within the present study, we investigate numerically homogeneous nucleation in a microchannel induced by shock reflection to gain a better understanding of the mechanism of homogeneous nucleation. The liquid expands due to the reflected shock and homogeneous cavitation nuclei are generated. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach is employed for modeling this process in a microchanel. Two-dimensional axisymmetric Euler equations are solved for obtaining the time evolution of shock, gas bubble, and the ambient fluid. The dynamics of dispersed vapor bubbles is coupled with the surrounding fluid in a Lagrangian framework, describing bubble location and bubble size variation. Our results reproduce nuclei distributions at different stages of homogeneous nucleation and are in good agreement with experimental results. We obtain numerical data for the negative pressure that water can sustain under the process of homogeneous nucleation. An energy transformation description for the homogeneous nucleation inside a microchannel flow is derived and analyzed in detail.

DL_MG: A Parallel Multigrid Poisson and Poisson-Boltzmann Solver for Electronic Structure Calculations in Vacuum and Solution.

PubMed

Womack, James C; Anton, Lucian; Dziedzic, Jacek; Hasnip, Phil J; Probert, Matt I J; Skylaris, Chris-Kriton

2018-03-13

The solution of the Poisson equation is a crucial step in electronic structure calculations, yielding the electrostatic potential-a key component of the quantum mechanical Hamiltonian. In recent decades, theoretical advances and increases in computer performance have made it possible to simulate the electronic structure of extended systems in complex environments. This requires the solution of more complicated variants of the Poisson equation, featuring nonhomogeneous dielectric permittivities, ionic concentrations with nonlinear dependencies, and diverse boundary conditions. The analytic solutions generally used to solve the Poisson equation in vacuum (or with homogeneous permittivity) are not applicable in these circumstances, and numerical methods must be used. In this work, we present DL_MG, a flexible, scalable, and accurate solver library, developed specifically to tackle the challenges of solving the Poisson equation in modern large-scale electronic structure calculations on parallel computers. Our solver is based on the multigrid approach and uses an iterative high-order defect correction method to improve the accuracy of solutions. Using two chemically relevant model systems, we tested the accuracy and computational performance of DL_MG when solving the generalized Poisson and Poisson-Boltzmann equations, demonstrating excellent agreement with analytic solutions and efficient scaling to ∼10 9 unknowns and 100s of CPU cores. We also applied DL_MG in actual large-scale electronic structure calculations, using the ONETEP linear-scaling electronic structure package to study a 2615 atom protein-ligand complex with routinely available computational resources. In these calculations, the overall execution time with DL_MG was not significantly greater than the time required for calculations using a conventional FFT-based solver.

LANDSAT-D investigations in snow hydrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dozier, J. (Principal Investigator)

1984-01-01

Two stream methods provide rapid approximate calculations of radiative transfer in scattering and absorbing media. Although they provide information on fluxes only, and not on intensities, their speed makes them attractive to more precise methods. The methods provide a comprehensive, unified review for a homogeneous layer, and solve the equations for reflectance and transmittance for a homogeneous layer over a non reflecting surface. Any of the basic kernels for a single layer can be extended to a vertically inhomogeneous medium over a surface whose reflectance properties vary with illumination angle, as long as the medium can be subdivided into homogeneous layers.

Fracture and fatigue analysis of functionally graded and homogeneous materials using singular integral equation approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Huaqing

There are two major objectives of this thesis work. One is to study theoretically the fracture and fatigue behavior of both homogeneous and functionally graded materials, with or without crack bridging. The other is to further develop the singular integral equation approach in solving mixed boundary value problems. The newly developed functionally graded materials (FGMs) have attracted considerable research interests as candidate materials for structural applications ranging from aerospace to automobile to manufacturing. From the mechanics viewpoint, the unique feature of FGMs is that their resistance to deformation, fracture and damage varies spatially. In order to guide the microstructure selection and the design and performance assessment of components made of functionally graded materials, in this thesis work, a series of theoretical studies has been carried out on the mode I stress intensity factors and crack opening displacements for FGMs with different combinations of geometry and material under various loading conditions, including: (1) a functionally graded layer under uniform strain, far field pure bending and far field axial loading, (2) a functionally graded coating on an infinite substrate under uniform strain, and (3) a functionally graded coating on a finite substrate under uniform strain, far field pure bending and far field axial loading. In solving crack problems in homogeneous and non-homogeneous materials, a very powerful singular integral equation (SEE) method has been developed since 1960s by Erdogan and associates to solve mixed boundary value problems. However, some of the kernel functions developed earlier are incomplete and possibly erroneous. In this thesis work, mode I fracture problems in a homogeneous strip are reformulated and accurate singular Cauchy type kernels are derived. Very good convergence rates and consistency with standard data are achieved. Other kernel functions are subsequently developed for mode I fracture in functionally graded materials. This work provides a solid foundation for further applications of the singular integral equation approach to fracture and fatigue problems in advanced composites. The concept of crack bridging is a unifying theory for fracture at various length scales, from atomic cleavage to rupture of concrete structures. However, most of the previous studies are limited to small scale bridging analyses although large scale bridging conditions prevail in engineering materials. In this work, a large scale bridging analysis is included within the framework of singular integral equation approach. This allows us to study fracture, fatigue and toughening mechanisms in advanced materials with crack bridging. As an example, the fatigue crack growth of grain bridging ceramics is studied. With the advent of composite materials technology, more complex material microstructures are being introduced, and more mechanics issues such as inhomogeneity and nonlinearity come into play. Improved mathematical and numerical tools need to be developed to allow theoretical modeling of these materials. This thesis work is an attempt to meet these challenges by making contributions to both micromechanics modeling and applied mathematics. It sets the stage for further investigations of a wide range of problems in the deformation and fracture of advanced engineering materials.

Solving Complex Problems: A Convergent Approach to Cognitive Load Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert; Cook, Anne

2012-01-01

The study challenged the current practices in cognitive load measurement involving complex problem solving by manipulating the presence of pictures in multiple rule-based problem-solving situations and examining the cognitive load resulting from both off-line and online measures associated with complex problem solving. Forty-eight participants…

Effect of elastic constants of liquid crystals in their electro-optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parang, Z.; Ghaffary, T.; Gharahbeigi, M. M.

Recently following the success of the density functional theory (DFT) in obtaining the structure and thermodynamics of homogeneous and inhomogeneous classical systems such as simple fluids, dipolar fluid and binary hard spheres, this theory was also applied to obtain the density profile of a molecular fluid in between hard planar walls by Kalpaxis and Rickayzen. In the theory of molecular fluids, the direct correlation function (DCF) can be used to calculate the equation of state, free energy, phase transition, elastic constants, etc. It is well known that the hard core molecular models play an important role in understanding complex liquids such as liquid crystals. In this paper, a classical fluid of nonspherical molecules is studied. The required homogeneous (DCF) is obtained by solving Orenstein-Zernike (OZ) integral equation numerically. Some of the molecules in the liquid crystals have a sphere shape and this kind of molecular fluid is considered here. The DCF sphere of the molecular fluid is calculated and it will be shown that the results are in good agreement with the pervious works and the results of computer simulation. Finally the electro-optical properties of ellipsoid liquid crystal using DCF of these molecules are calculated.

Fluorescence anisotropy (polarization): from drug screening to precision medicine

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hairong; Wu, Qian; Berezin, Mikhail Y.

2016-01-01

Introduction Fluorescence anisotropy (FA) is one of the major established methods accepted by industry and regulatory agencies for understanding the mechanisms of drug action and selecting drug candidates utilizing a high-throughput format. Areas covered This review covers the basics of FA and complementary methods, such as fluorescence lifetime anisotropy and their roles in the drug discovery process. The authors highlight the factors affecting FA readouts, fluorophore selection, and instrumentation. Furthermore, the authors describe the recent development of a successful, commercially valuable FA assay for Long QT syndrome drug toxicity to illustrate the role that FA can play in the early stages of drug discovery. Expert opinion Despite the success in drug discovery, the FA-based technique experiences competitive pressure from other homogeneous assays. That being said, FA is an established yet rapidly developing technique, recognized by academic institutions, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulatory agencies across the globe. The technical problems encountered in working with small molecules in homogeneous assays are largely solved, and new challenges come from more complex biological molecules and nanoparticles. With that, FA will remain one of the major work-horse techniques leading to precision (personalized) medicine. PMID:26289575

Superconductivity modelling: Homogenization of Bean`s model in three dimensions, and the problem of transverse conductivity

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

Bossavit, A.

The authors show how to pass from the local Bean`s model, assumed to be valid as a behavior law for a homogeneous superconductor, to a model of similar form, valid on a larger space scale. The process, which can be iterated to higher and higher space scales, consists in solving for the fields e and j over a ``periodicity cell`` with periodic boundary conditions.

High pressure homogenization to improve the stability of casein - hydroxypropyl cellulose aqueous systems.

PubMed

Ye, Ran; Harte, Federico

2014-03-01

The effect of high pressure homogenization on the improvement of the stability hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and micellar casein was investigated. HPC with two molecular weights (80 and 1150 kDa) and micellar casein were mixed in water to a concentration leading to phase separation (0.45% w/v HPC and 3% w/v casein) and immediately subjected to high pressure homogenization ranging from 0 to 300 MPa, in 100 MPa increments. The various dispersions were evaluated for stability, particle size, turbidity, protein content, and viscosity over a period of two weeks and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) at the end of the storage period. The stability of casein-HPC complexes was enhanced with the increasing homogenization pressure, especially for the complex containing high molecular weight HPC. The apparent particle size of complexes was reduced from ~200nm to ~130nm when using 300 MPa, corresponding to the sharp decrease of absorbance when compared to the non-homogenized controls. High pressure homogenization reduced the viscosity of HPC-casein complexes regardless of the molecular weight of HPC and STEM imagines revealed aggregates consistent with nano-scale protein polysaccharide interactions.

High pressure homogenization to improve the stability of casein - hydroxypropyl cellulose aqueous systems

PubMed Central

Ye, Ran; Harte, Federico

2013-01-01

The effect of high pressure homogenization on the improvement of the stability hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and micellar casein was investigated. HPC with two molecular weights (80 and 1150 kDa) and micellar casein were mixed in water to a concentration leading to phase separation (0.45% w/v HPC and 3% w/v casein) and immediately subjected to high pressure homogenization ranging from 0 to 300 MPa, in 100 MPa increments. The various dispersions were evaluated for stability, particle size, turbidity, protein content, and viscosity over a period of two weeks and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) at the end of the storage period. The stability of casein-HPC complexes was enhanced with the increasing homogenization pressure, especially for the complex containing high molecular weight HPC. The apparent particle size of complexes was reduced from ~200nm to ~130nm when using 300 MPa, corresponding to the sharp decrease of absorbance when compared to the non-homogenized controls. High pressure homogenization reduced the viscosity of HPC-casein complexes regardless of the molecular weight of HPC and STEM imagines revealed aggregates consistent with nano-scale protein polysaccharide interactions. PMID:24159250

Second order finite-difference ghost-point multigrid methods for elliptic problems with discontinuous coefficients on an arbitrary interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coco, Armando; Russo, Giovanni

2018-05-01

In this paper we propose a second-order accurate numerical method to solve elliptic problems with discontinuous coefficients (with general non-homogeneous jumps in the solution and its gradient) in 2D and 3D. The method consists of a finite-difference method on a Cartesian grid in which complex geometries (boundaries and interfaces) are embedded, and is second order accurate in the solution and the gradient itself. In order to avoid the drop in accuracy caused by the discontinuity of the coefficients across the interface, two numerical values are assigned on grid points that are close to the interface: a real value, that represents the numerical solution on that grid point, and a ghost value, that represents the numerical solution extrapolated from the other side of the interface, obtained by enforcing the assigned non-homogeneous jump conditions on the solution and its flux. The method is also extended to the case of matrix coefficient. The linear system arising from the discretization is solved by an efficient multigrid approach. Unlike the 1D case, grid points are not necessarily aligned with the normal derivative and therefore suitable stencils must be chosen to discretize interface conditions in order to achieve second order accuracy in the solution and its gradient. A proper treatment of the interface conditions will allow the multigrid to attain the optimal convergence factor, comparable with the one obtained by Local Fourier Analysis for rectangular domains. The method is robust enough to handle large jump in the coefficients: order of accuracy, monotonicity of the errors and good convergence factor are maintained by the scheme.

LSENS, A General Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code for Homogeneous Gas-Phase Reactions. Part 2; Code Description and Usage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan; Bittker, David A.

1994-01-01

LSENS, the Lewis General Chemical Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code, has been developed for solving complex, homogeneous, gas-phase chemical kinetics problems and contains sensitivity analysis for a variety of problems, including nonisothermal situations. This report is part II of a series of three reference publications that describe LSENS, provide a detailed guide to its usage, and present many example problems. Part II describes the code, how to modify it, and its usage, including preparation of the problem data file required to execute LSENS. Code usage is illustrated by several example problems, which further explain preparation of the problem data file and show how to obtain desired accuracy in the computed results. LSENS is a flexible, convenient, accurate, and efficient solver for chemical reaction problems such as static system; steady, one-dimensional, inviscid flow; reaction behind incident shock wave, including boundary layer correction; and perfectly stirred (highly backmixed) reactor. In addition, the chemical equilibrium state can be computed for the following assigned states: temperature and pressure, enthalpy and pressure, temperature and volume, and internal energy and volume. For static problems the code computes the sensitivity coefficients of the dependent variables and their temporal derivatives with respect to the initial values of the dependent variables and/or the three rate coefficient parameters of the chemical reactions. Part I (NASA RP-1328) derives the governing equations and describes the numerical solution procedures for the types of problems that can be solved by LSENS. Part III (NASA RP-1330) explains the kinetics and kinetics-plus-sensitivity-analysis problems supplied with LSENS and presents sample results.

First-order reactant in homogeneous turbulence before the final period of decay. [contaminant fluctuations in chemical reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, P.; Patel, S. R.

1974-01-01

A method is described for studying theoretically the concentration fluctuations of a dilute contaminate undergoing a first-order chemical reaction. The method is based on Deissler's (1958) theory for homogeneous turbulence for times before the final period, and it follows the approach used by Loeffler and Deissler (1961) to study temperature fluctuations in homogeneous turbulence. Four-point correlation equations are obtained; it is assumed that terms containing fifth-order correlation are very small in comparison with those containing fourth-order correlations, and can therefore be neglected. A spectrum equation is obtained in a form which can be solved numerically, yielding the decay law for the concentration fluctuations in homogeneous turbulence for the period much before the final period of decay.

Homogeneous catalytic hydrogenations of complex carbonaceous substrates. [16 references

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

Cox, J L; Wilcox, W A; Roberts, G L

1976-11-05

Results of homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of complex unsaturated substrates including coal and coal-derived materials are reported, with organic soluble molecular complexes as catalysts. Among the substrates used were Hvab coal, solvent-refined coal, and COED pyrolysate. The hydrogenations were carried out in an autoclave. The results are summarized in tables.

Approximate static condensation algorithm for solving multi-material diffusion problems on meshes non-aligned with material interfaces

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

Kikinzon, Evgeny; Kuznetsov, Yuri; Lipnikov, Konstatin

In this study, we describe a new algorithm for solving multi-material diffusion problem when material interfaces are not aligned with the mesh. In this case interface reconstruction methods are used to construct approximate representation of interfaces between materials. They produce so-called multi-material cells, in which materials are represented by material polygons that contain only one material. The reconstructed interface is not continuous between cells. Finally, we suggest the new method for solving multi-material diffusion problems on such meshes and compare its performance with known homogenization methods.

Approximate static condensation algorithm for solving multi-material diffusion problems on meshes non-aligned with material interfaces

DOE PAGES

Kikinzon, Evgeny; Kuznetsov, Yuri; Lipnikov, Konstatin; ...

2017-07-08

In this study, we describe a new algorithm for solving multi-material diffusion problem when material interfaces are not aligned with the mesh. In this case interface reconstruction methods are used to construct approximate representation of interfaces between materials. They produce so-called multi-material cells, in which materials are represented by material polygons that contain only one material. The reconstructed interface is not continuous between cells. Finally, we suggest the new method for solving multi-material diffusion problems on such meshes and compare its performance with known homogenization methods.

Slowly digestible properties of lotus seed starch-glycerine monostearin complexes formed by high pressure homogenization.

PubMed

Chen, Bingyan; Jia, Xiangze; Miao, Song; Zeng, Shaoxiao; Guo, Zebin; Zhang, Yi; Zheng, Baodong

2018-06-30

Starch-lipid complexes were prepared using lotus seed starch (LS) and glycerin monostearate (GMS) via a high-pressure homogenization process, and the effect of high pressure homogenization (HPH) on the slow digestion properties of LS-GMS was investigated. The digestion profiles showed HPH treatment reduced the digestive rate of LS-GMS, and the extent of this change was dependent on homogenized pressure. Scanning electron microscopy displayed HPH treatment change the morphology of LS-GMS, with high pressure producing more compact block-shape structure to resist enzyme digestion. The results of Gel-permeation chromatography and Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed high homogenization pressure impacted molecular weight distribution and semi-crystalline region of complexes, resulting in the formation of new semi-crystalline with repeat unit distance of 16-18 nm and molecular weight distribution of 2.50-2.80 × 10 5  Da, which displayed strong enzymatic resistance. Differential scanning calorimeter results revealed new semi-crystalline lamellar may originate from type-II complexes that exhibited a high transition temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of magma chamber dynamics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longo, Antonella; Papale, Paolo; Montagna, Chiara Paola; Vassalli, Melissa; Giudice, Salvatore; Cassioli, Andrea

2010-05-01

Magma chambers are characterized by periodic arrivals of deep magma batches that give origin to complex patterns of magma convection and mixing, and modify the distribution of physical quantities inside the chamber. We simulate the transient, 2D, multi-component homogeneous dynamics in geometrically complex dyke+chamber systems, by means of GALES, a finite element parallel C++ code solving mass, momentum and energy equations for multi-component homogeneous gas-liquid (± crystals) mixtures in compressible-to-incompressible flow conditions. Code validation analysis includes several cases from the classical engineering literature, corresponding to a variety of subsonic to supersonic gas-liquid flow regimes (see http://www.pi.ingv.it/~longo/gales/gales.html). The model allows specification of the composition of the different magmas in the domain, in terms of ten major oxides plus the two volatile species H2O and CO2. Gas-liquid thermodynamics are modeled by using the compositional dependent, non-ideal model in Papale et al. (Chem.. Geol., 2006). Magma properties are defined in terms of local pressure, temperature, and composition including volatiles. Several applications are performed within domains characterized by the presence of one or more magma chambers and one or more dykes, with different geometries and characteristic size from hundreds of m to several km. In most simulations an initial compositional interface is placed at the top of a feeding dyke, or at larger depth, with the deeper magma having a lower density as a consequence of larger volatile content. The numerical results show complex patterns of magma refilling in the chamber, with alternating phases of magma ingression and magma sinking from the chamber into the feeding dyke. Intense mixing takes place in feeding dykes, so that the new magma entering the chamber is always a mixture of the deep and the initially resident magma. Buoyant plume rise occurs through the formation of complex convective patterns, giving origin to a density-stratified magma chamber.

Robust Decision Making: The Cognitive and Computational Modeling of Team Problem Solving for Decision Making under Complex and Dynamic Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-14

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0202 Robust Decision Making: The Cognitive and Computational Modeling of Team Problem Solving for Decision Making under Complex...Computational Modeling of Team Problem Solving for Decision Making Under Complex and Dynamic Conditions 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-12-1...functioning as they solve complex problems, and propose the means to improve the performance of teams, under changing or adversarial conditions. By

Numerical solutions to the time-dependent Bloch equations revisited.

PubMed

Murase, Kenya; Tanki, Nobuyoshi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a simple and fast method for solving the time-dependent Bloch equations. First, the time-dependent Bloch equations were reduced to a homogeneous linear differential equation, and then a simple equation was derived to solve it using a matrix operation. The validity of this method was investigated by comparing with the analytical solutions in the case of constant radiofrequency irradiation. There was a good agreement between them, indicating the validity of this method. As a further example, this method was applied to the time-dependent Bloch equations in the two-pool exchange model for chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) or amide proton transfer (APT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the Z-spectra and asymmetry spectra were calculated from their solutions. They were also calculated using the fourth/fifth-order Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF) method for comparison. There was also a good agreement between them, and this method was much faster than the RKF method. In conclusion, this method will be useful for analyzing the complex CEST or APT contrast mechanism and/or investigating the optimal conditions for CEST or APT MRI. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exact and Metaheuristic Approaches for a Bi-Objective School Bus Scheduling Problem

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaopan; Kong, Yunfeng; Dang, Lanxue; Hou, Yane; Ye, Xinyue

2015-01-01

As a class of hard combinatorial optimization problems, the school bus routing problem has received considerable attention in the last decades. For a multi-school system, given the bus trips for each school, the school bus scheduling problem aims at optimizing bus schedules to serve all the trips within the school time windows. In this paper, we propose two approaches for solving the bi-objective school bus scheduling problem: an exact method of mixed integer programming (MIP) and a metaheuristic method which combines simulated annealing with local search. We develop MIP formulations for homogenous and heterogeneous fleet problems respectively and solve the models by MIP solver CPLEX. The bus type-based formulation for heterogeneous fleet problem reduces the model complexity in terms of the number of decision variables and constraints. The metaheuristic method is a two-stage framework for minimizing the number of buses to be used as well as the total travel distance of buses. We evaluate the proposed MIP and the metaheuristic method on two benchmark datasets, showing that on both instances, our metaheuristic method significantly outperforms the respective state-of-the-art methods. PMID:26176764

A finite elements method to solve the Bloch-Torrey equation applied to diffusion magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Dang Van; Li, Jing-Rebecca; Grebenkov, Denis; Le Bihan, Denis

2014-04-01

The complex transverse water proton magnetization subject to diffusion-encoding magnetic field gradient pulses in a heterogeneous medium can be modeled by the multiple compartment Bloch-Torrey partial differential equation (PDE). In addition, steady-state Laplace PDEs can be formulated to produce the homogenized diffusion tensor that describes the diffusion characteristics of the medium in the long time limit. In spatial domains that model biological tissues at the cellular level, these two types of PDEs have to be completed with permeability conditions on the cellular interfaces. To solve these PDEs, we implemented a finite elements method that allows jumps in the solution at the cell interfaces by using double nodes. Using a transformation of the Bloch-Torrey PDE we reduced oscillations in the searched-for solution and simplified the implementation of the boundary conditions. The spatial discretization was then coupled to the adaptive explicit Runge-Kutta-Chebyshev time-stepping method. Our proposed method is second order accurate in space and second order accurate in time. We implemented this method on the FEniCS C++ platform and show time and spatial convergence results. Finally, this method is applied to study some relevant questions in diffusion MRI.

On controllability of homogeneous and inhomogeneous discrete-time multi-input bilinear systems in dimension two

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tie, Lin

2017-08-01

In this paper, the controllability problem of two-dimensional discrete-time multi-input bilinear systems is completely solved. The homogeneous and the inhomogeneous cases are studied separately and necessary and sufficient conditions for controllability are established by using a linear algebraic method, which are easy to apply. Moreover, for the uncontrollable systems, near-controllability is considered and similar necessary and sufficient conditions are also obtained. Finally, examples are provided to demonstrate the results of this paper.

General Retarded Contact Self-energies in and beyond the Non-equilibrium Green's Functions Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubis, Tillmann; He, Yu; Andrawis, Robert; Klimeck, Gerhard

2016-03-01

Retarded contact self-energies in the framework of nonequilibrium Green's functions allow to model the impact of lead structures on the device without explicitly including the leads in the actual device calculation. Most of the contact self-energy algorithms are limited to homogeneous or periodic, semi-infinite lead structures. In this work, the complex absorbing potential method is extended to solve retarded contact self-energies for arbitrary lead structures, including irregular and randomly disordered leads. This method is verified for regular leads against common approaches and on physically equivalent, but numerically different irregular leads. Transmission results on randomly alloyed In0.5Ga0.5As structures show the importance of disorder in the leads. The concept of retarded contact self-energies is expanded to model passivation of atomically resolved surfaces without explicitly increasing the device's Hamiltonian.

The effect of the interaction of cracks in orthotropic layered materials under compressive loading.

PubMed

Winiarski, B; Guz, I A

2008-05-28

The non-classical problem of fracture mechanics of composites compressed along the layers with interfacial cracks is analysed. The statement of the problem is based on the model of piecewise homogeneous medium, the most accurate within the framework of the mechanics of deformable bodies as applied to composites. The condition of plane strain state is examined. The layers are modelled by a transversally isotropic material (a matrix reinforced by continuous parallel fibres). The frictionless Hertzian contact of the crack faces is considered. The complex fracture mechanics problem is solved using the finite-element analysis. The shear mode of stability loss is studied. The results are obtained for the typical dispositions of cracks. It was found that the interacting crack faces, the crack length and the mutual position of cracks influence the critical strain in the composite.

High-resolution combined global gravity field modelling: Solving large kite systems using distributed computational algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zingerle, Philipp; Fecher, Thomas; Pail, Roland; Gruber, Thomas

2016-04-01

One of the major obstacles in modern global gravity field modelling is the seamless combination of lower degree inhomogeneous gravity field observations (e.g. data from satellite missions) with (very) high degree homogeneous information (e.g. gridded and reduced gravity anomalies, beyond d/o 1000). Actual approaches mostly combine such data only on the basis of the coefficients, meaning that previously for both observation classes (resp. models) a spherical harmonic analysis is done independently, solving dense normal equations (NEQ) for the inhomogeneous model and block-diagonal NEQs for the homogeneous. Obviously those methods are unable to identify or eliminate effects as spectral leakage due to band limitations of the models and non-orthogonality of the spherical harmonic base functions. To antagonize such problems a combination of both models on NEQ-basis is desirable. Theoretically this can be achieved using NEQ-stacking. Because of the higher maximum degree of the homogeneous model a reordering of the coefficient is needed which leads inevitably to the destruction of the block diagonal structure of the appropriate NEQ-matrix and therefore also to the destruction of simple sparsity. Hence, a special coefficient ordering is needed to create some new favorable sparsity pattern leading to a later efficient computational solving method. Such pattern can be found in the so called kite-structure (Bosch, 1993), achieving when applying the kite-ordering to the stacked NEQ-matrix. In a first step it is shown what is needed to attain the kite-(NEQ)system, how to solve it efficiently and also how to calculate the appropriate variance information from it. Further, because of the massive computational workload when operating on large kite-systems (theoretically possible up to about max. d/o 100.000), the main emphasis is put on to the presentation of special distributed algorithms which may solve those systems parallel on an indeterminate number of processes and are therefore suitable for the application on supercomputers (such as SuperMUC). Finally, (if time or space) some in-detail problems are shown that occur when dealing with high degree spherical harmonic base functions (mostly due to instabilities of Legendre polynomials), introducing also an appropriate solution for each.

When more of the same is better

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanari, José F.

2016-01-01

Problem solving (e.g., drug design, traffic engineering, software development) by task forces represents a substantial portion of the economy of developed countries. Here we use an agent-based model of cooperative problem-solving systems to study the influence of diversity on the performance of a task force. We assume that agents cooperate by exchanging information on their partial success and use that information to imitate the more successful agent in the system —the model. The agents differ only in their propensities to copy the model. We find that, for easy tasks, the optimal organization is a homogeneous system composed of agents with the highest possible copy propensities. For difficult tasks, we find that diversity can prevent the system from being trapped in sub-optimal solutions. However, when the system size is adjusted to maximize the performance the homogeneous systems outperform the heterogeneous systems, i.e., for optimal performance, sameness should be preferred to diversity.

Loss tangent and complex modulus estimated by acoustic radiation force creep and shear wave dispersion

PubMed Central

Amador, Carolina; Urban, Matthew W; Chen, Shigao; Greenleaf, James F

2012-01-01

Elasticity imaging methods have been used to study tissue mechanical properties and have demonstrated that tissue elasticity changes with disease state. In current shear wave elasticity imaging methods typically only shear wave speed is measured and rheological models, e.g., Kelvin-Voigt, Maxwell and Standard Linear Solid, are used to solve for tissue mechanical properties such as the shear viscoelastic complex modulus. This paper presents a method to quantify viscoelastic material properties in a model-independent way by estimating the complex shear elastic modulus over a wide frequency range using time-dependent creep response induced by acoustic radiation force. This radiation force induced creep (RFIC) method uses a conversion formula that is the analytic solution of a constitutive equation. The proposed method in combination with Shearwave Dispersion Ultrasound Vibrometry (SDUV) is used to measure the complex modulus so that knowledge of the applied radiation force magnitude is not necessary. The conversion formula is shown to be sensitive to sampling frequency and the first reliable measure in time according to numerical simulations using the Kelvin-Voigt model creep strain and compliance. Representative model-free shear complex moduli from homogeneous tissue mimicking phantoms and one excised swine kidney were obtained. This work proposes a novel model-free ultrasound-based elasticity method that does not require a rheological model with associated fitting requirements. PMID:22345425

Loss tangent and complex modulus estimated by acoustic radiation force creep and shear wave dispersion.

PubMed

Amador, Carolina; Urban, Matthew W; Chen, Shigao; Greenleaf, James F

2012-03-07

Elasticity imaging methods have been used to study tissue mechanical properties and have demonstrated that tissue elasticity changes with disease state. In current shear wave elasticity imaging methods typically only shear wave speed is measured and rheological models, e.g. Kelvin-Voigt, Maxwell and Standard Linear Solid, are used to solve for tissue mechanical properties such as the shear viscoelastic complex modulus. This paper presents a method to quantify viscoelastic material properties in a model-independent way by estimating the complex shear elastic modulus over a wide frequency range using time-dependent creep response induced by acoustic radiation force. This radiation force induced creep method uses a conversion formula that is the analytic solution of a constitutive equation. The proposed method in combination with shearwave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry is used to measure the complex modulus so that knowledge of the applied radiation force magnitude is not necessary. The conversion formula is shown to be sensitive to sampling frequency and the first reliable measure in time according to numerical simulations using the Kelvin-Voigt model creep strain and compliance. Representative model-free shear complex moduli from homogeneous tissue mimicking phantoms and one excised swine kidney were obtained. This work proposes a novel model-free ultrasound-based elasticity method that does not require a rheological model with associated fitting requirements.

Addressing Complex Challenges through Adaptive Leadership: A Promising Approach to Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tenneisha; Squires, Vicki

2017-01-01

Organizations are faced with solving increasingly complex problems. Addressing these issues requires effective leadership that can facilitate a collaborative problem solving approach where multiple perspectives are leveraged. In this conceptual paper, we critique the effectiveness of earlier leadership models in tackling complex organizational…

Complex Problem Solving: What It Is and What It Is Not

PubMed Central

Dörner, Dietrich; Funke, Joachim

2017-01-01

Computer-simulated scenarios have been part of psychological research on problem solving for more than 40 years. The shift in emphasis from simple toy problems to complex, more real-life oriented problems has been accompanied by discussions about the best ways to assess the process of solving complex problems. Psychometric issues such as reliable assessments and addressing correlations with other instruments have been in the foreground of these discussions and have left the content validity of complex problem solving in the background. In this paper, we return the focus to content issues and address the important features that define complex problems. PMID:28744242

Multistage Spectral Relaxation Method for Solving the Hyperchaotic Complex Systems

PubMed Central

Saberi Nik, Hassan; Rebelo, Paulo

2014-01-01

We present a pseudospectral method application for solving the hyperchaotic complex systems. The proposed method, called the multistage spectral relaxation method (MSRM) is based on a technique of extending Gauss-Seidel type relaxation ideas to systems of nonlinear differential equations and using the Chebyshev pseudospectral methods to solve the resulting system on a sequence of multiple intervals. In this new application, the MSRM is used to solve famous hyperchaotic complex systems such as hyperchaotic complex Lorenz system and the complex permanent magnet synchronous motor. We compare this approach to the Runge-Kutta based ode45 solver to show that the MSRM gives accurate results. PMID:25386624

Factors of Problem-Solving Competency in a Virtual Chemistry Environment: The Role of Metacognitive Knowledge about Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherer, Ronny; Tiemann, Rudiger

2012-01-01

The ability to solve complex scientific problems is regarded as one of the key competencies in science education. Until now, research on problem solving focused on the relationship between analytical and complex problem solving, but rarely took into account the structure of problem-solving processes and metacognitive aspects. This paper,…

Results of studying creep and long-term strength of metals at the Institute of Mechanics at the Lomonosov Moscow State University (To Yu. N. Rabotnov's Anniversary)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lokoshchenko, A. M.

2014-01-01

Basic results of experimental and theoretical research of creep processes and long-term strength of metals obtained by researchers of the Institute of Mechanics at the Lomonosov Moscow State University are presented. These results further develop and refine the kinetic theory of creep and long-duration strength proposed by Yu. N. Rabotnov. Some problems arising in formulating various types of kinetic equations and describing experimental data for materials that can be considered as statically homogeneous materials (in studying the process of deformation and rupture of such materials, there is no need to study the evolution of individual cracks) are considered. The main specific features of metal creep models at constant and variable stresses, in uniaxial and complex stress states, and with allowance for one or two damage parameters are described. Criterial and kinetic approaches used to determine long-term strength under conditions of a complex stress state are considered. Methods of modeling the metal behavior in an aggressive medium are described. A possibility of using these models for solving engineering problems is demonstrated.

Homogenization-based interval analysis for structural-acoustic problem involving periodical composites and multi-scale uncertain-but-bounded parameters.

PubMed

Chen, Ning; Yu, Dejie; Xia, Baizhan; Liu, Jian; Ma, Zhengdong

2017-04-01

This paper presents a homogenization-based interval analysis method for the prediction of coupled structural-acoustic systems involving periodical composites and multi-scale uncertain-but-bounded parameters. In the structural-acoustic system, the macro plate structure is assumed to be composed of a periodically uniform microstructure. The equivalent macro material properties of the microstructure are computed using the homogenization method. By integrating the first-order Taylor expansion interval analysis method with the homogenization-based finite element method, a homogenization-based interval finite element method (HIFEM) is developed to solve a periodical composite structural-acoustic system with multi-scale uncertain-but-bounded parameters. The corresponding formulations of the HIFEM are deduced. A subinterval technique is also introduced into the HIFEM for higher accuracy. Numerical examples of a hexahedral box and an automobile passenger compartment are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the presented method for a periodical composite structural-acoustic system with multi-scale uncertain-but-bounded parameters.

Numerical developments for short-pulsed Near Infra-Red laser spectroscopy. Part I: direct treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulanger, Joan; Charette, André

2005-03-01

This two part study is devoted to the numerical treatment of short-pulsed laser near infra-red spectroscopy. The overall goal is to address the possibility of numerical inverse treatment based on a recently developed direct model to solve the transient radiative transfer equation. This model has been constructed in order to incorporate the last improvements in short-pulsed laser interaction with semi-transparent media and combine a discrete ordinates computing of the implicit source term appearing in the radiative transfer equation with an explicit treatment of the transport of the light intensity using advection schemes, a method encountered in reactive flow dynamics. The incident collimated beam is analytically solved through Bouger Beer Lambert extinction law. In this first part, the direct model is extended to fully non-homogeneous materials and tested with two different spatial schemes in order to be adapted to the inversion methods presented in the following second part. As a first point, fundamental methods and schemes used in the direct model are presented. Then, tests are conducted by comparison with numerical simulations given as references. In a third and last part, multi-dimensional extensions of the code are provided. This allows presentation of numerical results of short pulses propagation in 1, 2 and 3D homogeneous and non-homogeneous materials given some parametrical studies on medium properties and pulse shape. For comparison, an integral method adapted to non-homogeneous media irradiated by a pulsed laser beam is also developed for the 3D case.

A deterministic model of electron transport for electron probe microanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bünger, J.; Richter, S.; Torrilhon, M.

2018-01-01

Within the last decades significant improvements in the spatial resolution of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were obtained by instrumental enhancements. In contrast, the quantification procedures essentially remained unchanged. As the classical procedures assume either homogeneity or a multi-layered structure of the material, they limit the spatial resolution of EPMA. The possibilities of improving the spatial resolution through more sophisticated quantification procedures are therefore almost untouched. We investigate a new analytical model (M 1-model) for the quantification procedure based on fast and accurate modelling of electron-X-ray-matter interactions in complex materials using a deterministic approach to solve the electron transport equations. We outline the derivation of the model from the Boltzmann equation for electron transport using the method of moments with a minimum entropy closure and present first numerical results for three different test cases (homogeneous, thin film and interface). Taking Monte Carlo as a reference, the results for the three test cases show that the M 1-model is able to reproduce the electron dynamics in EPMA applications very well. Compared to classical analytical models like XPP and PAP, the M 1-model is more accurate and far more flexible, which indicates the potential of deterministic models of electron transport to further increase the spatial resolution of EPMA.

Mathematical modeling of shell configurations made of homogeneous and composite materials experiencing intensive short actions and large displacements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairnasov, K. Z.

2018-04-01

The paper presents a mathematical model for solving the problem of behavior of shell configurations under the action of static and dynamic impacts. The problem is solved in geometrically nonlinear statement with regard to the finite element method. The composite structures with different material layers are considered. The obtained equations are used to study the behavior of shell configurations under the action of dynamic loads. The results agree well with the experimental data.

Determination of macro-scale soil properties from pore-scale structures: model derivation.

PubMed

Daly, K R; Roose, T

2018-01-01

In this paper, we use homogenization to derive a set of macro-scale poro-elastic equations for soils composed of rigid solid particles, air-filled pore space and a poro-elastic mixed phase. We consider the derivation in the limit of large deformation and show that by solving representative problems on the micro-scale we can parametrize the macro-scale equations. To validate the homogenization procedure, we compare the predictions of the homogenized equations with those of the full equations for a range of different geometries and material properties. We show that the results differ by [Formula: see text] for all cases considered. The success of the homogenization scheme means that it can be used to determine the macro-scale poro-elastic properties of soils from the underlying structure. Hence, it will prove a valuable tool in both characterization and optimization.

Homogenization of locally resonant acoustic metamaterials towards an emergent enriched continuum.

PubMed

Sridhar, A; Kouznetsova, V G; Geers, M G D

This contribution presents a novel homogenization technique for modeling heterogeneous materials with micro-inertia effects such as locally resonant acoustic metamaterials. Linear elastodynamics is used to model the micro and macro scale problems and an extended first order Computational Homogenization framework is used to establish the coupling. Craig Bampton Mode Synthesis is then applied to solve and eliminate the microscale problem, resulting in a compact closed form description of the microdynamics that accurately captures the Local Resonance phenomena. The resulting equations represent an enriched continuum in which additional kinematic degrees of freedom emerge to account for Local Resonance effects which would otherwise be absent in a classical continuum. Such an approach retains the accuracy and robustness offered by a standard Computational Homogenization implementation, whereby the problem and the computational time are reduced to the on-line solution of one scale only.

Formative feedback and scaffolding for developing complex problem solving and modelling outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Brian; Simper, Natalie; Kaupp, James

2018-07-01

This paper discusses the use and impact of formative feedback and scaffolding to develop outcomes for complex problem solving in a required first-year course in engineering design and practice at a medium-sized research-intensive Canadian university. In 2010, the course began to use team-based, complex, open-ended contextualised problems to develop problem solving, communications, teamwork, modelling, and professional skills. Since then, formative feedback has been incorporated into: task and process-level feedback on scaffolded tasks in-class, formative assignments, and post-assignment review. Development in complex problem solving and modelling has been assessed through analysis of responses from student surveys, direct criterion-referenced assessment of course outcomes from 2013 to 2015, and an external longitudinal study. The findings suggest that students are improving in outcomes related to complex problem solving over the duration of the course. Most notably, the addition of new feedback and scaffolding coincided with improved student performance.

Two Iron Complexes as Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Chemical Fixation of Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Karan, Chandan Kumar; Bhattacharjee, Manish

2018-04-16

Two new bimetallic iron-alkali metal complexes of amino acid (serine)-based reduced Schiff base ligand were synthesized and structurally characterized. Their efficacy as catalysts for the chemical fixation of carbon dioxide was explored. The heterogeneous version of the catalytic reaction was developed by the immobilization of these homogeneous bimetallic iron-alkali metal complexes in an anion-exchange resin. The resin-bound complexes can be used as recyclable catalysts up to six cycles.

A novel transcription initiation factor (TIF), TIF-IE, is required for homogeneous Acanthamoeba castellanii TIF-IB (SL1) to form a committed complex.

PubMed

Radebaugh, C A; Kubaska, W M; Hoffman, L H; Stiffler, K; Paule, M R

1998-10-16

The fundamental transcription initiation factor (TIF) for ribosomal RNA expression by eukaryotic RNA polymerase I, TIF-IB, has been purified to near homogeneity from Acanthamoeba castellanii using standard techniques. The purified factor consists of the TATA-binding protein and four TATA-binding protein-associated factors with relative molecular weights of 145,000, 99,000, 96,000, and 91,000. This yields a calculated native molecular weight of 460, 000, which compares well with its mass determined by scanning transmission electron microscopy (493,000) and its sedimentation rate, which is close to RNA polymerase I (515,000). Both impure and nearly homogeneous TIF-IB exhibit an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant of 56 +/- 3 pM. However, although impure TIF-IB can form a promoter-DNA complex resistant to challenge by other promoter-containing DNAs, near homogeneous TIF-IB cannot do so. An additional transcription factor, dubbed TIF-IE, restores the ability of near homogeneous TIF-IB to sequester DNA into a committed complex.

Spectral partitioning in equitable graphs.

PubMed

Barucca, Paolo

2017-06-01

Graph partitioning problems emerge in a wide variety of complex systems, ranging from biology to finance, but can be rigorously analyzed and solved only for a few graph ensembles. Here, an ensemble of equitable graphs, i.e., random graphs with a block-regular structure, is studied, for which analytical results can be obtained. In particular, the spectral density of this ensemble is computed exactly for a modular and bipartite structure. Kesten-McKay's law for random regular graphs is found analytically to apply also for modular and bipartite structures when blocks are homogeneous. An exact solution to graph partitioning for two equal-sized communities is proposed and verified numerically, and a conjecture on the absence of an efficient recovery detectability transition in equitable graphs is suggested. A final discussion summarizes results and outlines their relevance for the solution of graph partitioning problems in other graph ensembles, in particular for the study of detectability thresholds and resolution limits in stochastic block models.

Solute transport with multiple equilibrium-controlled or kinetically controlled chemical reactions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedly, John C.; Rubin, Jacob

1992-01-01

A new approach is applied to the problem of modeling solute transport accompanied by many chemical reactions. The approach, based on concepts of the concentration space and its stoichiometric subspaces, uses elements of the subspaces as primary dependent variables. It is shown that the resulting model equations are compact in form, isolate the chemical reaction expressions from flow expressions, and can be used for either equilibrium or kinetically controlled reactions. The implications of the results on numerical algorithms for solving the equations are discussed. The application of the theory is illustrated throughout with examples involving a simple but broadly representative set of reactions previously considered in the literature. Numerical results are presented for four interconnected reactions: a homogeneous complexation reaction, two sorption reactions, and a dissolution/precipitation reaction. Three cases are considered: (1) four kinetically controlled reactions, (2) four equilibrium-controlled reactions, and (3) a system with two kinetically controlled reactions and two equilibrium-controlled reactions.

Spectral partitioning in equitable graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barucca, Paolo

2017-06-01

Graph partitioning problems emerge in a wide variety of complex systems, ranging from biology to finance, but can be rigorously analyzed and solved only for a few graph ensembles. Here, an ensemble of equitable graphs, i.e., random graphs with a block-regular structure, is studied, for which analytical results can be obtained. In particular, the spectral density of this ensemble is computed exactly for a modular and bipartite structure. Kesten-McKay's law for random regular graphs is found analytically to apply also for modular and bipartite structures when blocks are homogeneous. An exact solution to graph partitioning for two equal-sized communities is proposed and verified numerically, and a conjecture on the absence of an efficient recovery detectability transition in equitable graphs is suggested. A final discussion summarizes results and outlines their relevance for the solution of graph partitioning problems in other graph ensembles, in particular for the study of detectability thresholds and resolution limits in stochastic block models.

A new approach in measuring graduate employability skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Mohd Hafiz; Yatim, Bidin; Ismail, Suzilah

2014-06-01

Globalization makes graduate recruitment for an organization becomes more complex because employers believe that a holistic workforce is the key success of an organization. Currently, although graduates are said to possess specific skills but they still lack of employability skills, and this lead to increment of training cost either by government or even employers. Therefore, graduate level of employability skills should be evaluated before entering work market. In this study, a valid and reliable instrument embedding a new approach of measuring employability skills was developed using Situational Judgment Test (SJT). The instrument comprises of twelve (12) items measuring communication skill, professional ethics and morality, entrepreneurial skill, critical thinking in problem solving and personal quality. Instrument's validity was achieved through expert opinion and the reliability (in terms of stability) was based on the Chi-Square for homogeneity test. Generally, the instrument is beneficial to graduates, employers, government agencies, university, and workforce recruitment agencies when evaluating the level of employability skills.

LSENS, a general chemical kinetics and sensitivity analysis code for gas-phase reactions: User's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan; Bittker, David A.

1993-01-01

A general chemical kinetics and sensitivity analysis code for complex, homogeneous, gas-phase reactions is described. The main features of the code, LSENS, are its flexibility, efficiency and convenience in treating many different chemical reaction models. The models include static system, steady, one-dimensional, inviscid flow, shock initiated reaction, and a perfectly stirred reactor. In addition, equilibrium computations can be performed for several assigned states. An implicit numerical integration method, which works efficiently for the extremes of very fast and very slow reaction, is used for solving the 'stiff' differential equation systems that arise in chemical kinetics. For static reactions, sensitivity coefficients of all dependent variables and their temporal derivatives with respect to the initial values of dependent variables and/or the rate coefficient parameters can be computed. This paper presents descriptions of the code and its usage, and includes several illustrative example problems.

You Need to Know: There Is a Causal Relationship between Structural Knowledge and Control Performance in Complex Problem Solving Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goode, Natassia; Beckmann, Jens F.

2010-01-01

This study investigates the relationships between structural knowledge, control performance and fluid intelligence in a complex problem solving (CPS) task. 75 participants received either complete, partial or no information regarding the underlying structure of a complex problem solving task, and controlled the task to reach specific goals.…

On Facilitating the use of HARDI in population studies by creating Rotation-Invariant Markers

PubMed Central

Caruyer, Emmanuel; Verma, Ragini

2014-01-01

We design and evaluate a novel method to compute rotationally invariant features using High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) data. These measures quantify the complexity of the angular diffusion profile modeled using a higher order model, thereby giving more information than classical diffusion tensor-derived parameters. The method is based on the spherical harmonic (SH) representation of the angular diffusion information, and is generalizable to a range of HARDI reconstruction models. These scalars are obtained as homogeneous polynomials of the SH representation of a HARDI reconstruction model. We show that finding such polynomials is equivalent to solving a large linear system of equations, and present a numerical method based on sparse matrices to efficiently solve this system. Among the solutions, we only keep a subset of algebraically independent polynomials, using an algorithm based on a numerical implementation of the Jacobian criterion. We compute a set of 12 or 25 rotationally invariant measures representative of the underlying white matter for the rank-4 or rank-6 spherical harmonics (SH) representation of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) profile, respectively. Synthetic data was used to investigate and quantify the difference in contrast. Real data acquired with multiple repetitions showed that within subject variation in the invariants was less than the difference across subjects - facilitating their use to study population differences. These results demonstrate that our measures are able to characterize white matter, especially complex white matter found in regions of fiber crossings and hence can be used to derive new biomarkers for HARDI and can be used for HARDI-based population analysis. PMID:25465846

New algorithms for solving high even-order differential equations using third and fourth Chebyshev-Galerkin methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doha, E. H.; Abd-Elhameed, W. M.; Bassuony, M. A.

2013-03-01

This paper is concerned with spectral Galerkin algorithms for solving high even-order two point boundary value problems in one dimension subject to homogeneous and nonhomogeneous boundary conditions. The proposed algorithms are extended to solve two-dimensional high even-order differential equations. The key to the efficiency of these algorithms is to construct compact combinations of Chebyshev polynomials of the third and fourth kinds as basis functions. The algorithms lead to linear systems with specially structured matrices that can be efficiently inverted. Numerical examples are included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed algorithms, and some comparisons with some other methods are made.

Conceptual and procedural knowledge community college students use when solving a complex science problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steen-Eibensteiner, Janice Lee

2006-07-01

A strong science knowledge base and problem solving skills have always been highly valued for employment in the science industry. Skills currently needed for employment include being able to problem solve (Overtoom, 2000). Academia also recognizes the need for effectively teaching students to apply problem solving skills in clinical settings. This thesis investigates how students solve complex science problems in an academic setting in order to inform the development of problem solving skills for the workplace. Students' use of problem solving skills in the form of learned concepts and procedural knowledge was studied as students completed a problem that might come up in real life. Students were taking a community college sophomore biology course, Human Anatomy & Physiology II. The problem topic was negative feedback inhibition of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The research questions answered were (1) How well do community college students use a complex of conceptual knowledge when solving a complex science problem? (2) What conceptual knowledge are community college students using correctly, incorrectly, or not using when solving a complex science problem? (3) What problem solving procedural knowledge are community college students using successfully, unsuccessfully, or not using when solving a complex science problem? From the whole class the high academic level participants performed at a mean of 72% correct on chapter test questions which was a low average to fair grade of C-. The middle and low academic participants both failed (F) the test questions (37% and 30% respectively); 29% (9/31) of the students show only a fair performance while 71% (22/31) fail. From the subset sample population of 2 students each from the high, middle, and low academic levels selected from the whole class 35% (8/23) of the concepts were used effectively, 22% (5/23) marginally, and 43% (10/23) poorly. Only 1 concept was used incorrectly by 3/6 of the students and identified as a misconception. One of 21 (5%) problem-solving pathway characteristics was used effectively, 7 (33%) marginally, and 13 (62%) poorly. There were very few (0 to 4) problem-solving pathway characteristics used unsuccessfully most were simply not used.

On the solution of the complex eikonal equation in acoustic VTI media: A perturbation plus optimization scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xingguo; Sun, Jianguo; Greenhalgh, Stewart

2018-04-01

We present methods for obtaining numerical and analytic solutions of the complex eikonal equation in inhomogeneous acoustic VTI media (transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis). The key and novel point of the method for obtaining numerical solutions is to transform the problem of solving the highly nonlinear acoustic VTI eikonal equation into one of solving the relatively simple eikonal equation for the background (isotropic) medium and a system of linear partial differential equations. Specifically, to obtain the real and imaginary parts of the complex traveltime in inhomogeneous acoustic VTI media, we generalize a perturbation theory, which was developed earlier for solving the conventional real eikonal equation in inhomogeneous anisotropic media, to the complex eikonal equation in such media. After the perturbation analysis, we obtain two types of equations. One is the complex eikonal equation for the background medium and the other is a system of linearized partial differential equations for the coefficients of the corresponding complex traveltime formulas. To solve the complex eikonal equation for the background medium, we employ an optimization scheme that we developed for solving the complex eikonal equation in isotropic media. Then, to solve the system of linearized partial differential equations for the coefficients of the complex traveltime formulas, we use the finite difference method based on the fast marching strategy. Furthermore, by applying the complex source point method and the paraxial approximation, we develop the analytic solutions of the complex eikonal equation in acoustic VTI media, both for the isotropic and elliptical anisotropic background medium. Our numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of our derivations and illustrate the influence of the beam widths and the anisotropic parameters on the complex traveltimes.

A finite elements method to solve the Bloch–Torrey equation applied to diffusion magnetic resonance imaging

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

Nguyen, Dang Van; NeuroSpin, Bat145, Point Courrier 156, CEA Saclay Center, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex; Li, Jing-Rebecca, E-mail: jingrebecca.li@inria.fr

2014-04-15

The complex transverse water proton magnetization subject to diffusion-encoding magnetic field gradient pulses in a heterogeneous medium can be modeled by the multiple compartment Bloch–Torrey partial differential equation (PDE). In addition, steady-state Laplace PDEs can be formulated to produce the homogenized diffusion tensor that describes the diffusion characteristics of the medium in the long time limit. In spatial domains that model biological tissues at the cellular level, these two types of PDEs have to be completed with permeability conditions on the cellular interfaces. To solve these PDEs, we implemented a finite elements method that allows jumps in the solution atmore » the cell interfaces by using double nodes. Using a transformation of the Bloch–Torrey PDE we reduced oscillations in the searched-for solution and simplified the implementation of the boundary conditions. The spatial discretization was then coupled to the adaptive explicit Runge–Kutta–Chebyshev time-stepping method. Our proposed method is second order accurate in space and second order accurate in time. We implemented this method on the FEniCS C++ platform and show time and spatial convergence results. Finally, this method is applied to study some relevant questions in diffusion MRI.« less

Homogenization of Large-Scale Movement Models in Ecology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garlick, M.J.; Powell, J.A.; Hooten, M.B.; McFarlane, L.R.

2011-01-01

A difficulty in using diffusion models to predict large scale animal population dispersal is that individuals move differently based on local information (as opposed to gradients) in differing habitat types. This can be accommodated by using ecological diffusion. However, real environments are often spatially complex, limiting application of a direct approach. Homogenization for partial differential equations has long been applied to Fickian diffusion (in which average individual movement is organized along gradients of habitat and population density). We derive a homogenization procedure for ecological diffusion and apply it to a simple model for chronic wasting disease in mule deer. Homogenization allows us to determine the impact of small scale (10-100 m) habitat variability on large scale (10-100 km) movement. The procedure generates asymptotic equations for solutions on the large scale with parameters defined by small-scale variation. The simplicity of this homogenization procedure is striking when compared to the multi-dimensional homogenization procedure for Fickian diffusion,and the method will be equally straightforward for more complex models. ?? 2010 Society for Mathematical Biology.

Invariant algebraic surfaces for a virus dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valls, Claudia

2015-08-01

In this paper, we provide a complete classification of the invariant algebraic surfaces and of the rational first integrals for a well-known virus system. In the proofs, we use the weight-homogeneous polynomials and the method of characteristic curves for solving linear partial differential equations.

Extending the Constant Coefficient Solution Technique to Variable Coefficient Ordinary Differential Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammed, Ahmed; Zeleke, Aklilu

2015-01-01

We introduce a class of second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with variable coefficients whose closed-form solutions can be obtained by the same method used to solve ODEs with constant coefficients. General solutions for the homogeneous case are discussed.

Efficient propagation-inside-layer expansion algorithm for solving the scattering from three-dimensional nested homogeneous dielectric bodies with arbitrary shape.

PubMed

Bellez, Sami; Bourlier, Christophe; Kubické, Gildas

2015-03-01

This paper deals with the evaluation of electromagnetic scattering from a three-dimensional structure consisting of two nested homogeneous dielectric bodies with arbitrary shape. The scattering problem is formulated in terms of a set of Poggio-Miller-Chang-Harrington-Wu integral equations that are afterwards converted into a system of linear equations (impedance matrix equation) by applying the Galerkin method of moments (MoM) with Rao-Wilton-Glisson basis functions. The MoM matrix equation is then solved by deploying the iterative propagation-inside-layer expansion (PILE) method in order to obtain the unknown surface current densities, which are thereafter used to handle the radar cross-section (RCS) patterns. Some numerical results for various structures including canonical geometries are presented and compared with those of the FEKO software in order to validate the PILE-based approach as well as to show its efficiency to analyze the full-polarized RCS patterns.

Numerical simulations of turbulent jet ignition and combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Validi, Abdoulahad; Irannejad, Abolfazl; Jaberi, Farhad

2013-11-01

The ignition and combustion of a homogeneous lean hydrogen-air mixture by a turbulent jet flow of hot combustion products injected into a colder gas mixture are studied by a high fidelity numerical model. Turbulent jet ignition can be considered as an efficient method for starting and controlling the reaction in homogeneously charged combustion systems used in advanced internal combustion and gas turbine engines. In this work, we study in details the physics of turbulent jet ignition in a fundamental flow configuration. The flow and combustion are modeled with the hybrid large eddy simulation/filtered mass density function (LES/FMDF) approach, in which the filtered form the compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a high-order finite difference scheme for the turbulent velocity and the FMDF transport equations are solved with a Lagrangian stochastic method to obtain the scalar (temperature and species mass fractions) field. The hydrogen oxidation is described by a detailed reaction mechanism with 37 elementary reactions and 9 species.

The effects of monitoring environment on problem-solving performance.

PubMed

Laird, Brian K; Bailey, Charles D; Hester, Kim

2018-01-01

While effective and efficient solving of everyday problems is important in business domains, little is known about the effects of workplace monitoring on problem-solving performance. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the monitoring environment's effects on an individual's propensity to (1) establish pattern solutions to problems, (2) recognize when pattern solutions are no longer efficient, and (3) solve complex problems. Under three work monitoring regimes-no monitoring, human monitoring, and electronic monitoring-114 participants solved puzzles for monetary rewards. Based on research related to worker autonomy and theory of social facilitation, we hypothesized that monitored (versus non-monitored) participants would (1) have more difficulty finding a pattern solution, (2) more often fail to recognize when the pattern solution is no longer efficient, and (3) solve fewer complex problems. Our results support the first two hypotheses, but in complex problem solving, an interaction was found between self-assessed ability and the monitoring environment.

Solving Constraint-Satisfaction Problems with Distributed Neocortical-Like Neuronal Networks.

PubMed

Rutishauser, Ueli; Slotine, Jean-Jacques; Douglas, Rodney J

2018-05-01

Finding actions that satisfy the constraints imposed by both external inputs and internal representations is central to decision making. We demonstrate that some important classes of constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) can be solved by networks composed of homogeneous cooperative-competitive modules that have connectivity similar to motifs observed in the superficial layers of neocortex. The winner-take-all modules are sparsely coupled by programming neurons that embed the constraints onto the otherwise homogeneous modular computational substrate. We show rules that embed any instance of the CSP's planar four-color graph coloring, maximum independent set, and sudoku on this substrate and provide mathematical proofs that guarantee these graph coloring problems will convergence to a solution. The network is composed of nonsaturating linear threshold neurons. Their lack of right saturation allows the overall network to explore the problem space driven through the unstable dynamics generated by recurrent excitation. The direction of exploration is steered by the constraint neurons. While many problems can be solved using only linear inhibitory constraints, network performance on hard problems benefits significantly when these negative constraints are implemented by nonlinear multiplicative inhibition. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of instability rather than stability in network computation and offer insight into the computational role of dual inhibitory mechanisms in neural circuits.

Analogy as a strategy for supporting complex problem solving under uncertainty.

PubMed

Chan, Joel; Paletz, Susannah B F; Schunn, Christian D

2012-11-01

Complex problem solving in naturalistic environments is fraught with uncertainty, which has significant impacts on problem-solving behavior. Thus, theories of human problem solving should include accounts of the cognitive strategies people bring to bear to deal with uncertainty during problem solving. In this article, we present evidence that analogy is one such strategy. Using statistical analyses of the temporal dynamics between analogy and expressed uncertainty in the naturalistic problem-solving conversations among scientists on the Mars Rover Mission, we show that spikes in expressed uncertainty reliably predict analogy use (Study 1) and that expressed uncertainty reduces to baseline levels following analogy use (Study 2). In addition, in Study 3, we show with qualitative analyses that this relationship between uncertainty and analogy is not due to miscommunication-related uncertainty but, rather, is primarily concentrated on substantive problem-solving issues. Finally, we discuss a hypothesis about how analogy might serve as an uncertainty reduction strategy in naturalistic complex problem solving.

Effect of homogenous-heterogeneous reactions on MHD Prandtl fluid flow over a stretching sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Imad; Malik, M. Y.; Hussain, Arif; Salahuddin, T.

An analysis is performed to explore the effects of homogenous-heterogeneous reactions on two-dimensional flow of Prandtl fluid over a stretching sheet. In present analysis, we used the developed model of homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions in boundary layer flow. The mathematical configuration of presented flow phenomenon yields the nonlinear partial differential equations. Using scaling transformations, the governing partial differential equations (momentum equation and homogenous-heterogeneous reactions equations) are transformed into non-linear ordinary differential equations (ODE's). Then, resulting non-linear ODE's are solved by computational scheme known as shooting method. The quantitative and qualitative manners of concerned physical quantities (velocity, concentration and drag force coefficient) are examined under prescribed physical constrained through figures and tables. It is observed that velocity profile enhances verses fluid parameters α and β while Hartmann number reduced it. The homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions parameters have reverse effects on concentration profile. Concentration profile shows retarding behavior for large values of Schmidt number. Skin fraction coefficient enhances with increment in Hartmann number H and fluid parameter α .

Stability analysis for virus spreading in complex networks with quarantine and non-homogeneous transition rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon-Ramos, L. A.; Schaum, A.; Rodríguez Lucatero, C.; Bernal Jaquez, R.

2014-03-01

Virus propagations in complex networks have been studied in the framework of discrete time Markov process dynamical systems. These studies have been carried out under the assumption of homogeneous transition rates, yielding conditions for virus extinction in terms of the transition probabilities and the largest eigenvalue of the connectivity matrix. Nevertheless the assumption of homogeneous rates is rather restrictive. In the present study we consider non-homogeneous transition rates, assigned according to a uniform distribution, with susceptible, infected and quarantine states, thus generalizing the previous studies. A remarkable result of this analysis is that the extinction depends on the weakest element in the network. Simulation results are presented for large free-scale networks, that corroborate our theoretical findings.

Scaling of Energy Absorption in Composites to Enhance Survivability

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

structures very weak in shear, such as the naval-type foam-laminate sandwich plates, has been solved. Various competing formulas have been subject to...for the case of general homogenized orthotropic structures very soft in shear, including layered structures that are loaded tranversely to the

Solving the Inverse-Square Problem with Complex Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, N.

2005-01-01

The equation of motion for a mass that moves under the influence of a central, inverse-square force is formulated and solved as a problem in complex variables. To find the solution, the constancy of angular momentum is first established using complex variables. Next, the complex position coordinate and complex velocity of the particle are assumed…

Catalysis with Gold Complexes Immobilised on Carbon Nanotubes by π-π Stacking Interactions: Heterogeneous Catalysis versus the Boomerang Effect.

PubMed

Vriamont, Charles; Devillers, Michel; Riant, Olivier; Hermans, Sophie

2013-09-02

A new pyrene-tagged gold(I) complex has been synthesised and tested as a homogeneous catalyst. First, a simple 1,6-enyne was chosen as a model substrate for cyclisation by using different solvents to optimise the reaction conditions. The non-covalent immobilisation of our pyrene-tagged gold complex onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes through π-π stacking interactions was then explored to obtain a supported homogeneous catalyst. The heterogenised catalyst and its homogeneous counterpart exhibited similar activity in a range of enyne cyclisation reactions. Bearing in mind that π-π interactions are affected by temperature and solvent polarity, the reuse and robustness of the supported homogeneous catalyst was tested to explore the scope and limitations of the recyclability of this catalyst. Under the optimised conditions, recyclability was observed by using the concept of the boomerang effect. Copyright © 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Process of Solving Complex Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Andreas; Greiff, Samuel; Funke, Joachim

2012-01-01

This article is about Complex Problem Solving (CPS), its history in a variety of research domains (e.g., human problem solving, expertise, decision making, and intelligence), a formal definition and a process theory of CPS applicable to the interdisciplinary field. CPS is portrayed as (a) knowledge acquisition and (b) knowledge application…

Communities of Practice: A New Approach to Solving Complex Educational Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cashman, J.; Linehan, P.; Rosser, M.

2007-01-01

Communities of Practice offer state agency personnel a promising approach for engaging stakeholder groups in collaboratively solving complex and, often, persistent problems in special education. Communities of Practice can help state agency personnel drive strategy, solve problems, promote the spread of best practices, develop members'…

6 Essential Questions for Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kress, Nancy Emerson

2017-01-01

One of the primary expectations that the author has for her students is for them to develop greater independence when solving complex and unique mathematical problems. The story of how the author supports her students as they gain confidence and independence with complex and unique problem-solving tasks, while honoring their expectations with…

Students' and Teachers' Conceptual Metaphors for Mathematical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yee, Sean P.

2017-01-01

Metaphors are regularly used by mathematics teachers to relate difficult or complex concepts in classrooms. A complex topic of concern in mathematics education, and most STEM-based education classes, is problem solving. This study identified how students and teachers contextualize mathematical problem solving through their choice of metaphors.…

Hypersurface Homogeneous Cosmological Model in Modified Theory of Gravitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katore, S. D.; Hatkar, S. P.; Baxi, R. J.

2016-12-01

We study a hypersurface homogeneous space-time in the framework of the f (R, T) theory of gravitation in the presence of a perfect fluid. Exact solutions of field equations are obtained for exponential and power law volumetric expansions. We also solve the field equations by assuming the proportionality relation between the shear scalar (σ ) and the expansion scalar (θ ). It is observed that in the exponential model, the universe approaches isotropy at large time (late universe). The investigated model is notably accelerating and expanding. The physical and geometrical properties of the investigated model are also discussed.

Navier-Stokes Simulation of Homogeneous Turbulence on the CYBER 205

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, C. T.; Ferziger, J. H.; Chapman, D. R.; Rogallo, R. S.

1984-01-01

A computer code which solves the Navier-Stokes equations for three dimensional, time-dependent, homogenous turbulence has been written for the CYBER 205. The code has options for both 64-bit and 32-bit arithmetic. With 32-bit computation, mesh sizes up to 64 (3) are contained within core of a 2 million 64-bit word memory. Computer speed timing runs were made for various vector lengths up to 6144. With this code, speeds a little over 100 Mflops have been achieved on a 2-pipe CYBER 205. Several problems encountered in the coding are discussed.

Numerical analysis of MHD Carreau fluid flow over a stretching cylinder with homogenous-heterogeneous reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Imad; Ullah, Shafquat; Malik, M. Y.; Hussain, Arif

2018-06-01

The current analysis concentrates on the numerical solution of MHD Carreau fluid flow over a stretching cylinder under the influences of homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions. Modelled non-linear partial differential equations are converted into ordinary differential equations by using suitable transformations. The resulting system of equations is solved with the aid of shooting algorithm supported by fifth order Runge-Kutta integration scheme. The impact of non-dimensional governing parameters on the velocity, temperature, skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number are comprehensively delineated with the help of graphs and tables.

An investigation of aviator problem-solving skills as they relate to amount of total flight time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guilkey, James Elwood, Jr.

As aircraft become increasingly more reliable, safety issues have shifted towards the human component of flight, the pilot. Jensen (1995) indicated that 80% of all General Aviation (GA) accidents are the result, at least in part, of errors committed by the aviator. One major focus of current research involves aviator decision making (ADM). ADM combines a broad range of psychological factors including personality, attitude, and motivation. This approach fails to isolate certain key components such as aviator problem-solving (APS) which are paramount to safe operations. It should be noted that there is a clear delineation between problem-solving and decision making and not assume that they are homogenous. For years, researchers, industry, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have depended on total flight hours as the standard by which to judge aviator expertise. A pilot with less than a prescribed number of hours is considered a novice while those above that mark are considered experts. The reliance on time as a predictor of performance may be accurate when considering skills which are required on every flight (i.e., takeoff and landing) but we can't assume that this holds true for all aspects of aviator expertise. Complex problem-solving for example, is something that is rarely faced during the normal course of flying. In fact, there are a myriad of procedures and FAA mandated regulations designed to assist pilots in avoiding problems. Thus, one should not assume that aviator problem-solving skills will increase over time. This study investigated the relationship between problem-solving skills of general aviation pilots and total number of flight hours. It was discovered that flight time is not a good predictor of problem-solving performance. There were two distinct strategies that were identified in the study. The first, progressive problem solving (PPS) was characterized by a stepwise method in which pilots gathered information, formulated hypotheses, and evaluated outcomes. Both high time as well as low time pilots demonstrated this approach. The second method, termed knee-jerk decision making was distinguished by a lack of problem-solving abilities and involved an almost immediate decision with little if any supporting information. Again both high and low time pilots performed in this manner. The result of these findings is a recommendation that the FAA adopt new training methods which will allow pilots to develop the skills required to handle critical inflight situations.

Fibrous materials on polyhydroxybutyrate and ferric iron (III)-based porphyrins basis: physical-chemical and antibacterial properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olkhov, A.; Lobanov, A.; Staroverova, O.; Tyubaeva, P.; Zykova, A.; Pantyukhov, P.; Popov, A.; Iordanskii, A.

2017-02-01

Ferric iron (III)-based complexes with porphyrins are the homogenous catalysts of auto-oxidation of several biogenic substances. The most perspective carrier for functional low-molecular substances is the polymer fibers with nano-dimensional parameters. Application of natural polymers, poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) or polylactic acid for instance, makes possible to develop fiber and matrice systems to solve ecological problem in biomedicine The aim of the article is to obtain fibrous material on poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) and ferric iron (III)-based porphyrins basis and to examine its physical-chemical and antibacterial properties. The work is focused on possibility to apply such material to biomedical purposes. Microphotographs of obtained material showed that addition of 1% wt. ferric iron (III)-based porphyrins to PHB led to increased average diameter and disappeared spindly structures in comparison with initial PHB. Biological tests of nonwoven fabrics showed that fibers, containing ferric iron (III)-based tetraphenylporphyrins, were active in relation to bacterial test-cultures. It was found that materials on polymer and metal complexes with porphyrins basis can be applied to production of decontamination equipment in relation to pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms.

Role of glutathione in lung retention of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime in two unique rat models of hyperoxic lung injury

PubMed Central

Roerig, David L.; Haworth, Steven T.; Clough, Anne V.

2012-01-01

Rat exposure to 60% oxygen (O2) for 7 days (hyper-60) or to >95% O2 for 2 days followed by 24 h in room air (hyper-95R) confers susceptibility or tolerance, respectively, of the otherwise lethal effects of subsequent exposure to 100% O2. The objective of this study was to determine if lung retention of the radiopharmaceutical agent technetium-labeled-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) is differentially altered in hyper-60 and hyper-95R rats. Tissue retention of HMPAO is dependent on intracellular content of the antioxidant GSH and mitochondrial function. HMPAO was injected intravenously in anesthetized rats, and planar images were acquired. We investigated the role of GSH in the lung retention of HMPAO by pretreating rats with the GSH-depleting agent diethyl maleate (DEM) prior to imaging. We also measured GSH content and activities of mitochondrial complexes I and IV in lung homogenate. The lung retention of HMPAO increased by ∼50% and ∼250% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R rats, respectively, compared with retention in rats exposed to room air (normoxic). DEM decreased retention in normoxic (∼26%) and hyper-95R (∼56%) rats compared with retention in the absence of DEM. GSH content increased by 19% and 40% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R lung homogenate compared with normoxic lung homogenate. Complex I activity decreased by ∼50% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R lung homogenate compared with activity in normoxic lung homogenate. However, complex IV activity was increased by 32% in hyper-95R lung homogenate only. Furthermore, we identified correlations between the GSH content in lung homogenate and the DEM-sensitive fraction of HMPAO retention and between the complex IV/complex I activity ratio and the DEM-insensitive fraction of HMPAO retention. These results suggest that an increase in the GSH-dependent component of the lung retention of HMPAO may be a marker of tolerance to sustained exposure to hyperoxia. PMID:22628374

Role of glutathione in lung retention of 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime in two unique rat models of hyperoxic lung injury.

PubMed

Audi, Said H; Roerig, David L; Haworth, Steven T; Clough, Anne V

2012-08-15

Rat exposure to 60% oxygen (O(2)) for 7 days (hyper-60) or to >95% O(2) for 2 days followed by 24 h in room air (hyper-95R) confers susceptibility or tolerance, respectively, of the otherwise lethal effects of subsequent exposure to 100% O(2). The objective of this study was to determine if lung retention of the radiopharmaceutical agent technetium-labeled-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) is differentially altered in hyper-60 and hyper-95R rats. Tissue retention of HMPAO is dependent on intracellular content of the antioxidant GSH and mitochondrial function. HMPAO was injected intravenously in anesthetized rats, and planar images were acquired. We investigated the role of GSH in the lung retention of HMPAO by pretreating rats with the GSH-depleting agent diethyl maleate (DEM) prior to imaging. We also measured GSH content and activities of mitochondrial complexes I and IV in lung homogenate. The lung retention of HMPAO increased by ≈ 50% and ≈ 250% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R rats, respectively, compared with retention in rats exposed to room air (normoxic). DEM decreased retention in normoxic (≈ 26%) and hyper-95R (≈ 56%) rats compared with retention in the absence of DEM. GSH content increased by 19% and 40% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R lung homogenate compared with normoxic lung homogenate. Complex I activity decreased by ≈ 50% in hyper-60 and hyper-95R lung homogenate compared with activity in normoxic lung homogenate. However, complex IV activity was increased by 32% in hyper-95R lung homogenate only. Furthermore, we identified correlations between the GSH content in lung homogenate and the DEM-sensitive fraction of HMPAO retention and between the complex IV/complex I activity ratio and the DEM-insensitive fraction of HMPAO retention. These results suggest that an increase in the GSH-dependent component of the lung retention of HMPAO may be a marker of tolerance to sustained exposure to hyperoxia.

Homogenized modeling methodology for 18650 lithium-ion battery module under large deformation

PubMed Central

Tang, Liang; Cheng, Pengle

2017-01-01

Effective lithium-ion battery module modeling has become a bottleneck for full-size electric vehicle crash safety numerical simulation. Modeling every single cell in detail would be costly. However, computational accuracy could be lost if the module is modeled by using a simple bulk material or rigid body. To solve this critical engineering problem, a general method to establish a computational homogenized model for the cylindrical battery module is proposed. A single battery cell model is developed and validated through radial compression and bending experiments. To analyze the homogenized mechanical properties of the module, a representative unit cell (RUC) is extracted with the periodic boundary condition applied on it. An elastic–plastic constitutive model is established to describe the computational homogenized model for the module. Two typical packing modes, i.e., cubic dense packing and hexagonal packing for the homogenized equivalent battery module (EBM) model, are targeted for validation compression tests, as well as the models with detailed single cell description. Further, the homogenized EBM model is confirmed to agree reasonably well with the detailed battery module (DBM) model for different packing modes with a length scale of up to 15 × 15 cells and 12% deformation where the short circuit takes place. The suggested homogenized model for battery module makes way for battery module and pack safety evaluation for full-size electric vehicle crashworthiness analysis. PMID:28746390

Homogenized modeling methodology for 18650 lithium-ion battery module under large deformation.

PubMed

Tang, Liang; Zhang, Jinjie; Cheng, Pengle

2017-01-01

Effective lithium-ion battery module modeling has become a bottleneck for full-size electric vehicle crash safety numerical simulation. Modeling every single cell in detail would be costly. However, computational accuracy could be lost if the module is modeled by using a simple bulk material or rigid body. To solve this critical engineering problem, a general method to establish a computational homogenized model for the cylindrical battery module is proposed. A single battery cell model is developed and validated through radial compression and bending experiments. To analyze the homogenized mechanical properties of the module, a representative unit cell (RUC) is extracted with the periodic boundary condition applied on it. An elastic-plastic constitutive model is established to describe the computational homogenized model for the module. Two typical packing modes, i.e., cubic dense packing and hexagonal packing for the homogenized equivalent battery module (EBM) model, are targeted for validation compression tests, as well as the models with detailed single cell description. Further, the homogenized EBM model is confirmed to agree reasonably well with the detailed battery module (DBM) model for different packing modes with a length scale of up to 15 × 15 cells and 12% deformation where the short circuit takes place. The suggested homogenized model for battery module makes way for battery module and pack safety evaluation for full-size electric vehicle crashworthiness analysis.

Mixing of a passive scalar in isotropic and sheared homogeneous turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirani, E.; Ferziger, J. H.; Reynolds, W. C.

1981-01-01

In order to calculate the velocity and scalar fields, the three dimensional, time-dependent equations of motion and the diffusion equation were solved numerically. The following cases were treated: isotropic, homogeneous turbulence with decay of a passive scalar; and homogeneous turbulent shear flow with a passive scalar whose mean varies linearly in the spanwise direction. The solutions were obtained at relatively low Reynolds numbers so that all of the turbulent scales could be resolved without modeling. Turbulent statistics such as integral length scales, Taylor microscales, Kolmogorov length scale, one- and two-point correlations of velocity-velocity and velocity-scalar, turbulent Prandtl/Schmidt number, r.m.s. values of velocities, the scalar quantity and pressure, skewness, decay rates, and decay exponents were calculated. The results are compared with the available expermental results, and good agreement is obtained.

Derivation of the out-of-plane behaviour of an English bond masonry wall through homogenization strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Luís Carlos; Milani, Gabriele; Lourenço, Paulo B.

2017-11-01

Two finite element homogenized-based strategies are presented for the out-of-plane behaviour characterization of an English bond masonry wall. A finite element micro-modelling approach using Cauchy stresses and first order movements are assumed for both strategies. The material nonlinearity is lumped on joints interfaces and bricks are considered elastic. Nevertheless, the first model is based on a Plane-stress assumption, in which the out-of-plane quantities are derived through on-thickness wall integration considering a Kirchhoff-plate theory. The second model is a tridimensional one, in which the homogenized out-of-plane quantities can be directly derived after solving the boundary value problem. The comparison is conducted by assessing the obtained out-of-plane bending- and torsion-curvature diagrams. A good agreement is found for the present study case.

Economic regionalization and choice of strategic development directions of municipalities of the Republic of Tatarstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panasyuk, M. V.

2018-01-01

This paper shows the results of economic regionalization and zoning of the Republic of Tatarstan, conducted in 2017. The latest experience of economic regionalization and zoning of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2007 - 2015 is exposed. The economic regionalization problem is solved on the basis of new method and algorithm that uses quantitative measures which characterize spatial and economic features of generated economic regions including their internal and average connectivity, homogeneity, compactness, socio-economic development level and life quality of the population. Three nodal and one homogeneous economic region in the Republic of Tatarstan were identified. The results of economic zoning within homogeneous economic region led to the conclusion about two existing economic zones. They have the potential for developing new economic growth pole and three economic centers - growth points with specialization on agro-industrial sector.

Gauge Fields in Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Cosmologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darian, Bahman K.

Despite its formidable appearance, the study of classical Yang-Mills (YM) fields on homogeneous cosmologies is amenable to a formal treatment. This dissertation is a report on a systematic approach to the general construction of invariant YM fields on homogeneous cosmologies undertaken for the first time in this context. This construction is subsequently followed by the investigation of the behavior of YM field variables for the most simple of self-gravitating YM fields. Particularly interesting was a dynamical system analysis and the discovery of chaotic signature in the axially symmetric Bianchi I-YM cosmology. Homogeneous YM fields are well studied and are known to have chaotic properties. The chaotic behavior of YM field variables in homogeneous cosmologies might eventually lead to an invariant definition of chaos in (general) relativistic cosmological models. By choosing the gauge fields to be Abelian, the construction and the field equations presented so far reduce to that of electromagnetic field in homogeneous cosmologies. A perturbative analysis of gravitationally interacting electromagnetic and scalar fields in inhomogeneous cosmologies is performed via the Hamilton-Jacobi formulation of general relativity. An essential feature of this analysis is the spatial gradient expansion of the generating functional (Hamilton principal function) to solve the Hamiltonian constraint. Perturbations of a spatially flat Friedman-Robertson-Walker cosmology with an exponential potential for the scalar field are presented.

How Cognitive Style and Problem Complexity Affect Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers' Abilities to Solve Problems in Agricultural Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, J. Joey; Robinson, J. Shane; Lamm, Alexa J.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine the effects of cognitive style and problem complexity on Oklahoma State University preservice agriculture teachers' (N = 56) ability to solve problems in small gasoline engines. Time to solution was operationalized as problem solving ability. Kirton's Adaption-Innovation Inventory was…

Understanding the determinants of problem-solving behavior in a complex environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casner, Stephen A.

1994-01-01

It is often argued that problem-solving behavior in a complex environment is determined as much by the features of the environment as by the goals of the problem solver. This article explores a technique to determine the extent to which measured features of a complex environment influence problem-solving behavior observed within that environment. In this study, the technique is used to determine how complex flight deck and air traffic control environment influences the strategies used by airline pilots when controlling the flight path of a modern jetliner. Data collected aboard 16 commercial flights are used to measure selected features of the task environment. A record of the pilots' problem-solving behavior is analyzed to determine to what extent behavior is adapted to the environmental features that were measured. The results suggest that the measured features of the environment account for as much as half of the variability in the pilots' problem-solving behavior and provide estimates on the probable effects of each environmental feature.

The Complex Route to Success: Complex Problem-Solving Skills in the Prediction of University Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stadler, Matthias J.; Becker, Nicolas; Greiff, Samuel; Spinath, Frank M.

2016-01-01

Successful completion of a university degree is a complex matter. Based on considerations regarding the demands of acquiring a university degree, the aim of this paper was to investigate the utility of complex problem-solving (CPS) skills in the prediction of objective and subjective university success (SUS). The key finding of this study was that…

Solving the robot-world, hand-eye(s) calibration problem with iterative methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Robot-world, hand-eye calibration is the problem of determining the transformation between the robot end effector and a camera, as well as the transformation between the robot base and the world coordinate system. This relationship has been modeled as AX = ZB, where X and Z are unknown homogeneous ...

Linear and nonlinear dynamic analysis by boundary element method. Ph.D. Thesis, 1986 Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, Shahid

1991-01-01

An advanced implementation of the direct boundary element method (BEM) applicable to free-vibration, periodic (steady-state) vibration and linear and nonlinear transient dynamic problems involving two and three-dimensional isotropic solids of arbitrary shape is presented. Interior, exterior, and half-space problems can all be solved by the present formulation. For the free-vibration analysis, a new real variable BEM formulation is presented which solves the free-vibration problem in the form of algebraic equations (formed from the static kernels) and needs only surface discretization. In the area of time-domain transient analysis, the BEM is well suited because it gives an implicit formulation. Although the integral formulations are elegant, because of the complexity of the formulation it has never been implemented in exact form. In the present work, linear and nonlinear time domain transient analysis for three-dimensional solids has been implemented in a general and complete manner. The formulation and implementation of the nonlinear, transient, dynamic analysis presented here is the first ever in the field of boundary element analysis. Almost all the existing formulation of BEM in dynamics use the constant variation of the variables in space and time which is very unrealistic for engineering problems and, in some cases, it leads to unacceptably inaccurate results. In the present work, linear and quadratic isoparametric boundary elements are used for discretization of geometry and functional variations in space. In addition, higher order variations in time are used. These methods of analysis are applicable to piecewise-homogeneous materials, such that not only problems of the layered media and the soil-structure interaction can be analyzed but also a large problem can be solved by the usual sub-structuring technique. The analyses have been incorporated in a versatile, general-purpose computer program. Some numerical problems are solved and, through comparisons with available analytical and numerical results, the stability and high accuracy of these dynamic analysis techniques are established.

Gravitational instability in isotropic MHD plasma waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherkos, Alemayehu Mengesha

2018-04-01

The effect of compressive viscosity, thermal conductivity and radiative heat-loss functions on the gravitational instability of infinitely extended homogeneous MHD plasma has been investigated. By taking in account these parameters we developed the six-order dispersion relation for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves propagating in a homogeneous and isotropic plasma. The general dispersion relation has been developed from set of linearized basic equations and solved analytically to analyse the conditions of instability and instability of self-gravitating plasma embedded in a constant magnetic field. Our result shows that the presence of viscosity and thermal conductivity in a strong magnetic field substantially modifies the fundamental Jeans criterion of gravitational instability.

Simulation assisted characterization of kaolinite-methanol intercalation complexes synthesized using cost-efficient homogenization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makó, Éva; Kovács, András; Ható, Zoltán; Kristóf, Tamás

2015-12-01

Recent experimental and simulation findings with kaolinite-methanol intercalation complexes raised the question of the existence of more stable structures in wet and dry state, which has not been fully cleared up yet. Experimental and molecular simulation analyses were used to investigate different types of kaolinite-methanol complexes, revealing their real structures. Cost-efficient homogenization methods were applied to synthesize the kaolinite-dimethyl sulfoxide and kaolinite-urea pre-intercalation complexes of the kaolinite-methanol ones. The tested homogenization method required an order of magnitude lower amount of reagents than the generally applied solution method. The influence of the type of pre-intercalated molecules and of the wetting or drying (at room temperature and at 150 °C) procedure on the intercalation was characterized experimentally by X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. Consistent with the suggestion from the present simulations, 1.12-nm and 0.83-nm stable kaolinite-methanol complexes were identified. For these complexes, our molecular simulations predict either single-layered structures of mobile methanol/water molecules or non-intercalated structures of methoxy-functionalized kaolinite. We found that the methoxy-modified kaolinite can easily be intercalated by liquid methanol.

Determining the Effects of Cognitive Style, Problem Complexity, and Hypothesis Generation on the Problem Solving Ability of School-Based Agricultural Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, J. Joey; Robinson, J. Shane

2016-01-01

The purpose of this experimental study was to assess the effects of cognitive style, problem complexity, and hypothesis generation on the problem solving ability of school-based agricultural education students. Problem solving ability was defined as time to solution. Kirton's Adaption-Innovation Inventory was employed to assess students' cognitive…

Cognitive and Motivational Impacts of Learning Game Design on Middle School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcaoglu, Mete

2013-01-01

In today`s complex and fast-evolving world, problem solving is an important skill to possess. For young children to be successful at their future careers, they need to have the "skill" and the "will" to solve complex problems that are beyond the well-defined problems that they learn to solve at schools. One promising approach…

Using Educational Data Mining Methods to Assess Field-Dependent and Field-Independent Learners' Complex Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angeli, Charoula; Valanides, Nicos

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the problem-solving performance of 101 university students and their interactions with a computer modeling tool in order to solve a complex problem. Based on their performance on the hidden figures test, students were assigned to three groups of field-dependent (FD), field-mixed (FM), and field-independent (FI)…

Dissipation-preserving spectral element method for damped seismic wave equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Wenjun; Zhang, Huai; Wang, Yushun

2017-12-01

This article describes the extension of the conformal symplectic method to solve the damped acoustic wave equation and the elastic wave equations in the framework of the spectral element method. The conformal symplectic method is a variation of conventional symplectic methods to treat non-conservative time evolution problems, which has superior behaviors in long-time stability and dissipation preservation. To reveal the intrinsic dissipative properties of the model equations, we first reformulate the original systems in their equivalent conformal multi-symplectic structures and derive the corresponding conformal symplectic conservation laws. We thereafter separate each system into a conservative Hamiltonian system and a purely dissipative ordinary differential equation system. Based on the splitting methodology, we solve the two subsystems respectively. The dissipative one is cheaply solved by its analytic solution. While for the conservative system, we combine a fourth-order symplectic Nyström method in time and the spectral element method in space to cover the circumstances in realistic geological structures involving complex free-surface topography. The Strang composition method is adopted thereby to concatenate the corresponding two parts of solutions and generate the completed conformal symplectic method. A relative larger Courant number than that of the traditional Newmark scheme is found in the numerical experiments in conjunction with a spatial sampling of approximately 5 points per wavelength. A benchmark test for the damped acoustic wave equation validates the effectiveness of our proposed method in precisely capturing dissipation rate. The classical Lamb problem is used to demonstrate the ability of modeling Rayleigh wave in elastic wave propagation. More comprehensive numerical experiments are presented to investigate the long-time simulation, low dispersion and energy conservation properties of the conformal symplectic methods in both the attenuating homogeneous and heterogeneous media.

Homogenized electromechanical properties of crystalline and ceramic relaxor ferroelectric 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 0.42PbTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayachandran, K. P.; Guedes, J. M.; Rodrigues, H. C.

2007-10-01

A modelling framework that incorporates the peculiarities of microstructural features, such as the spatial correlation of crystallographic orientations and morphological texture in piezoelectrics, is established. The mathematical homogenization theory of a piezoelectric medium is implemented using the finite element method by solving the coupled equilibrium electrical and mechanical fields. The dependence of the domain orientation on the macroscopic electromechanical properties of crystalline as well as polycrystalline ceramic relaxor ferroelectric 0.58Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.42PbTiO3 (PMN-42% PT) is studied based on this model. The material shows large anisotropy in the piezoelectric coefficient ejK in its crystalline form. The homogenized electromechanical moduli of polycrystalline ceramic also exhibit significantly anisotropic behaviours. An optimum texture at which the piezoceramic exhibits its maximum longitudinal piezoelectric response is identified.

Angular distribution of diffuse reflectance from incoherent multiple scattering in turbid media.

PubMed

Gao, M; Huang, X; Yang, P; Kattawar, G W

2013-08-20

The angular distribution of diffuse reflection is elucidated with greater understanding by studying a homogeneous turbid medium. We modeled the medium as an infinite slab and studied the reflection dependence on the following three parameters: the incident direction, optical depth, and asymmetry factor. The diffuse reflection is produced by incoherent multiple scattering and is solved through radiative transfer theory. At large optical depths, the angular distribution of the diffuse reflection with small incident angles is similar to that of a Lambertian surface, but, with incident angles larger than 60°, the angular distributions have a prominent reflection peak around the specular reflection angle. These reflection peaks are found originating from the scattering within one transport mean free path in the top layer of the medium. The maximum reflection angles for different incident angles are analyzed and can characterize the structure of angular distributions for different asymmetry factors and optical depths. The properties of the angular distribution can be applied to more complex systems for a better understanding of diffuse reflection.

Artificial neural network methods in quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagaris, I. E.; Likas, A.; Fotiadis, D. I.

1997-08-01

In a previous article we have shown how one can employ Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in order to solve non-homogeneous ordinary and partial differential equations. In the present work we consider the solution of eigenvalue problems for differential and integrodifferential operators, using ANNs. We start by considering the Schrödinger equation for the Morse potential that has an analytically known solution, to test the accuracy of the method. We then proceed with the Schrödinger and the Dirac equations for a muonic atom, as well as with a nonlocal Schrödinger integrodifferential equation that models the n + α system in the framework of the resonating group method. In two dimensions we consider the well-studied Henon-Heiles Hamiltonian and in three dimensions the model problem of three coupled anharmonic oscillators. The method in all of the treated cases proved to be highly accurate, robust and efficient. Hence it is a promising tool for tackling problems of higher complexity and dimensionality.

Diffuse-Interface Modelling of Flow in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addy, Doug; Pradas, Marc; Schmuck, Marcus; Kalliadasis, Serafim

2016-11-01

Multiphase flows are ubiquitous in a wide spectrum of scientific and engineering applications, and their computational modelling often poses many challenges associated with the presence of free boundaries and interfaces. Interfacial flows in porous media encounter additional challenges and complexities due to their inherently multiscale behaviour. Here we investigate the dynamics of interfaces in porous media using an effective convective Cahn-Hilliard (CH) equation recently developed in from a Stokes-CH equation for microscopic heterogeneous domains by means of a homogenization methodology, where the microscopic details are taken into account as effective tensor coefficients which are given by a Poisson equation. The equations are decoupled under appropriate assumptions and solved in series using a classic finite-element formulation with the open-source software FEniCS. We investigate the effects of different microscopic geometries, including periodic and non-periodic, at the bulk fluid flow, and find that our model is able to describe the effective macroscopic behaviour without the need to resolve the microscopic details.

Pavement crack detection combining non-negative feature with fast LoG in complex scene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wanli; Zhang, Xiuhua; Hong, Hanyu

2015-12-01

Pavement crack detection is affected by much interference in the realistic situation, such as the shadow, road sign, oil stain, salt and pepper noise etc. Due to these unfavorable factors, the exist crack detection methods are difficult to distinguish the crack from background correctly. How to extract crack information effectively is the key problem to the road crack detection system. To solve this problem, a novel method for pavement crack detection based on combining non-negative feature with fast LoG is proposed. The two key novelties and benefits of this new approach are that 1) using image pixel gray value compensation to acquisit uniform image, and 2) combining non-negative feature with fast LoG to extract crack information. The image preprocessing results demonstrate that the method is indeed able to homogenize the crack image with more accurately compared to existing methods. A large number of experimental results demonstrate the proposed approach can detect the crack regions more correctly compared with traditional methods.

Teaching Problem Solving; the Effect of Algorithmic and Heuristic Problem Solving Training in Relation to Task Complexity and Relevant Aptitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Leeuw, L.

Sixty-four fifth and sixth-grade pupils were taught number series extrapolation by either an algorithm, fully prescribed problem-solving method or a heuristic, less prescribed method. The trained problems were within categories of two degrees of complexity. There were 16 subjects in each cell of the 2 by 2 design used. Aptitude Treatment…

1. Catalytic asymmetric hydroformylation. 2. Hydroformylation with polymer-supported platinum complexes. 3. The reaction between dicobalt octacarbonyl and alcohols

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

Bortinger, A.

1977-01-01

Chiral polymer-supported metal complexes were catalytically active in the hydroformylation of prochiral olefins, but they induced only small optical activity. All the optical rotations in 2-phenylpropanal, obtained by the hydroformylation of styrene, were positive. In studies of asymmetric hydroformylation with homogeneous catalysts, no correlation was found between the optical inductions and ligand structure. Polymer-supported platinum catalysts having similar structure to their homogeneous counterparts showed the same high selectivity toward the formation of straight-chain aldehyde (89-95%) as the homogeneous catalysts in the hydroformylation of 1-hexene. Aldehyde yields were low (up to 45%); no reduction to alcohol occurred.

A new multigroup method for cross-sections that vary rapidly in energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haut, T. S.; Ahrens, C.; Jonko, A.; Lowrie, R.; Till, A.

2017-01-01

We present a numerical method for solving the time-independent thermal radiative transfer (TRT) equation or the neutron transport (NT) equation when the opacity (cross-section) varies rapidly in frequency (energy) on the microscale ε; ε corresponds to the characteristic spacing between absorption lines or resonances, and is much smaller than the macroscopic frequency (energy) variation of interest. The approach is based on a rigorous homogenization of the TRT/NT equation in the frequency (energy) variable. Discretization of the homogenized TRT/NT equation results in a multigroup-type system, and can therefore be solved by standard methods. We demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the approach on three model problems. First we consider the Elsasser band model with constant temperature and a line spacing ε =10-4 . Second, we consider a neutron transport application for fast neutrons incident on iron, where the characteristic resonance spacing ε necessitates ≈ 16 , 000 energy discretization parameters if Planck-weighted cross sections are used. Third, we consider an atmospheric TRT problem for an opacity corresponding to water vapor over a frequency range 1000-2000 cm-1, where we take 12 homogeneous layers between 1-15 km, and temperature/pressure values in each layer from the standard US atmosphere. For all three problems, we demonstrate that we can achieve between 0.1 and 1 percent relative error in the solution, and with several orders of magnitude fewer parameters than a standard multigroup formulation using Planck-weighted (source-weighted) opacities for a comparable accuracy.

The Use of Social Networks to Employ the Wisdom of Crowds for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klieger, Aviva

2016-01-01

The "Wisdom of Crowds" hypothesis has been introduced into many fields, but not into education. Groups with diverse knowledge and skills make better decisions than homogenous groups or expert groups. Diversity adds different points of view, which improve the problem solving ability of the group. The increased use of social networks makes…

SOURCE WATER AREA DELINEATION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY WELLS USING WHAEM2000. INTERNATIONAL GROUND WATER MODELING CENTER NEWSLETTER, V.19(1):4

EPA Science Inventory

WhAEM2000 is computer program that solves steady state ground-water flow and advective streamlines in homogeneous, single layer aquifers. The program was designed for capture zone delineation in support of protection of the source water area surrounding public water supply well...

Global output feedback stabilisation of stochastic high-order feedforward nonlinear systems with time-delay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kemei; Zhao, Cong-Ran; Xie, Xue-Jun

2015-12-01

This paper considers the problem of output feedback stabilisation for stochastic high-order feedforward nonlinear systems with time-varying delay. By using the homogeneous domination theory and solving several troublesome obstacles in the design and analysis, an output feedback controller is constructed to drive the closed-loop system globally asymptotically stable in probability.

How can we improve problem solving in undergraduate biology? Applying lessons from 30 years of physics education research.

PubMed

Hoskinson, A-M; Caballero, M D; Knight, J K

2013-06-01

If students are to successfully grapple with authentic, complex biological problems as scientists and citizens, they need practice solving such problems during their undergraduate years. Physics education researchers have investigated student problem solving for the past three decades. Although physics and biology problems differ in structure and content, the instructional purposes align closely: explaining patterns and processes in the natural world and making predictions about physical and biological systems. In this paper, we discuss how research-supported approaches developed by physics education researchers can be adopted by biologists to enhance student problem-solving skills. First, we compare the problems that biology students are typically asked to solve with authentic, complex problems. We then describe the development of research-validated physics curricula emphasizing process skills in problem solving. We show that solving authentic, complex biology problems requires many of the same skills that practicing physicists and biologists use in representing problems, seeking relationships, making predictions, and verifying or checking solutions. We assert that acquiring these skills can help biology students become competent problem solvers. Finally, we propose how biology scholars can apply lessons from physics education in their classrooms and inspire new studies in biology education research.

Effective Methods for Solving Band SLEs after Parabolic Nonlinear PDEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veneva, Milena; Ayriyan, Alexander

2018-04-01

A class of models of heat transfer processes in a multilayer domain is considered. The governing equation is a nonlinear heat-transfer equation with different temperature-dependent densities and thermal coefficients in each layer. Homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions and ideal contact ones are applied. A finite difference scheme on a special uneven mesh with a second-order approximation in the case of a piecewise constant spatial step is built. This discretization leads to a pentadiagonal system of linear equations (SLEs) with a matrix which is neither diagonally dominant, nor positive definite. Two different methods for solving such a SLE are developed - diagonal dominantization and symbolic algorithms.

Complex Problem Solving in a Workplace Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Middleton, Howard

2002-01-01

Studied complex problem solving in the hospitality industry through interviews with six office staff members and managers. Findings show it is possible to construct a taxonomy of problem types and that the most common approach can be termed "trial and error." (SLD)

Complexity in Nature and Society: Complexity Management in the Age of Globalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mainzer, Klaus

The theory of nonlinear complex systems has become a proven problem-solving approach in the natural sciences from cosmic and quantum systems to cellular organisms and the brain. Even in modern engineering science self-organizing systems are developed to manage complex networks and processes. It is now recognized that many of our ecological, social, economic, and political problems are also of a global, complex, and nonlinear nature. What are the laws of sociodynamics? Is there a socio-engineering of nonlinear problem solving? What can we learn from nonlinear dynamics for complexity management in social, economic, financial and political systems? Is self-organization an acceptable strategy to handle the challenges of complexity in firms, institutions and other organizations? It is a main thesis of the talk that nature and society are basically governed by nonlinear and complex information dynamics. How computational is sociodynamics? What can we hope for social, economic and political problem solving in the age of globalization?.

The cytochrome complex SoxXA of Paracoccus pantotrophus is produced in Escherichia coli and functional in the reconstituted sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system.

PubMed

Rother, Dagmar; Friedrich, Cornelius G

2002-07-29

The heterodimeric c-type cytochrome complex SoxXA of Paracoccus pantotrophus was produced in Escherichia coli. The soxX and soxA genes, separated by two genes in the sox gene cluster of P. pantotrophus, were fused with ribosome binding sites optimal for E. coli and combined to give soxXA in pRD133.27. The cytochrome complex SoxXA was produced in E. coli M15 containing pRD133.27, pREP4 encoding the Lac repressor and plasmid pEC86, carrying essential cytochrome c maturation genes. SoxX and SoxA were formed in a ratio of about 2.5:1. SoxA appeared to be unstable when not complexed with SoxX. The cytochrome complex SoxXA, purified to homogeneity from periplasmic extracts of E. coli M15 (pRD133.27, pREP4, pEC86), exhibited identical biochemical and biophysical properties as compared to SoxXA of P. pantotrophus. Moreover, this cytochrome complex was shown to be equally catalytically active with respect to rates and reactivity with different sulfur substrates in the reconstituted sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system using homogeneous Sox-proteins of P. pantotrophus. Homogeneous SoxX was catalytically inactive.

An efficient method for the calculation of mean extinction. I - The analyticity of the complex extinction efficiency of homogeneous spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Zhang-Fan; Greenberg, J. M.

1992-11-01

Results of an investigation of the analyticity of the complex extinction efficiency Q-tilde(ext) in different parameter domains are presented. In the size parameter domain, x = omega(a/c), numerical Hilbert transforms are used to study the analyticity properties of Q-tilde(ext) for homogeneous spheres. Q-tilde(ext) is found to be analytic in the entire lower complex x-tilde-plane when the refractive index, m, is fixed as a real constant (pure scattering) or infinity (perfect conductor); poles, however, appear in the left side of the lower complex x-tilde-plane as m becomes complex. The computation of the mean extinction produced by an extended size distribution of particles may be conveniently and accurately approximated using only a few values of the complex extinction evaluated in the complex plane.

A Near-Wall Reynolds-Stress Closure Without Wall Normals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuan, S. P.; So, R. M. C.

1997-01-01

Turbulent wall-bounded complex flows are commonly encountered in engineering practice and are of considerable interest in a variety of industrial applications. The presence of a wall significantly affects turbulence characteristics. In addition to the wall effects, turbulent wall-bounded flows become more complicated by the presence of additional body forces (e.g. centrifugal force and Coriolis force) and complex geometry. Most near-wall Reynolds stress models are developed from a high-Reynolds-number model which assumes turbulence is homogenous (or quasi-homogenous). Near-wall modifications are proposed to include wall effects in near-wall regions. In this process, wall normals are introduced. Good predictions could be obtained by Reynolds stress models with wall normals. However, ambiguity arises when the models are applied in flows with multiple walls. Many models have been proposed to model turbulent flows. Among them, Reynolds stress models, in which turbulent stresses are obtained by solving the Reynolds stress transport equations, have been proved to be the most successful ones. To apply the Reynolds stress models to wall-bounded flows, near-wall corrections accounting for the wall effects are needed, and the resulting models are called near-wall Reynolds stress models. In most of the existing near-wall models, the near-wall corrections invoke wall normals. These wall-dependent near-wall models are difficult to implement for turbulent flows with complex geometry and may give inaccurate predictions due to the ambiguity of wall normals at corners connecting multiple walls. The objective of this study is to develop a more general and flexible near-wall Reynolds stress model without using any wall-dependent variable for wall-bounded turbulent flows. With the aid of near-wall asymptotic analysis and results of direct numerical simulation, a new near-wall Reynolds stress model (NNWRS) is formulated based on Speziale et al.'s high-Reynolds-stress model with wall-independent near-wall corrections. Moreover, only one damping function is used for flows with a wide range of Reynolds numbers to ensure that the near-wall modifications diminish away from the walls.

Thermal and Kinetic Modelling of Elastomer Flow—Application to an Extrusion Die

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Launay, J.; Allanic, N.; Mousseau, P.; Deterre, R.

2011-05-01

This paper reports and discusses the thermal and kinetic behaviour of elastomer flow inside an extrusion die. The reaction progress through the runner was modeled by using a particle tracking technique. The aim is to analyze viscous dissipation phenomena to control scorch arisen, improve the rubber compound curing homogeneity and reduce the heating time in the mould using the progress of the induction time. The heat and momentum equations were solved in three dimensions with Ansys Polyflow. A particle tracking technique was set up to calculate the reaction progress. Several simulations were performed to highlight the influence of process parameters and geometry modifications on the rubber compound thermal and cure homogeneity.

Utilizing a Sense of Community Theory in Order to Optimize Interagency Response to Complex Contingencies

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

of Not at all Somewhat Mostly Completely membership such as clothes , signs, art, architecture, logos , landmarks, and flags that people can...on a ?whole of nation? approach to solving complex problems. Psychological sense of community (PSOC) theory provides the link that explains how an...States during complex contingency operations depends on a “whole of nation” approach to solving complex problems. Psychological sense of community

Probabilistic homogenization of random composite with ellipsoidal particle reinforcement by the iterative stochastic finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokołowski, Damian; Kamiński, Marcin

2018-01-01

This study proposes a framework for determination of basic probabilistic characteristics of the orthotropic homogenized elastic properties of the periodic composite reinforced with ellipsoidal particles and a high stiffness contrast between the reinforcement and the matrix. Homogenization problem, solved by the Iterative Stochastic Finite Element Method (ISFEM) is implemented according to the stochastic perturbation, Monte Carlo simulation and semi-analytical techniques with the use of cubic Representative Volume Element (RVE) of this composite containing single particle. The given input Gaussian random variable is Young modulus of the matrix, while 3D homogenization scheme is based on numerical determination of the strain energy of the RVE under uniform unit stretches carried out in the FEM system ABAQUS. The entire series of several deterministic solutions with varying Young modulus of the matrix serves for the Weighted Least Squares Method (WLSM) recovery of polynomial response functions finally used in stochastic Taylor expansions inherent for the ISFEM. A numerical example consists of the High Density Polyurethane (HDPU) reinforced with the Carbon Black particle. It is numerically investigated (1) if the resulting homogenized characteristics are also Gaussian and (2) how the uncertainty in matrix Young modulus affects the effective stiffness tensor components and their PDF (Probability Density Function).

Dynamic Modeling as a Cognitive Regulation Scaffold for Developing Complex Problem-Solving Skills in an Educational Massively Multiplayer Online Game Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eseryel, Deniz; Ge, Xun; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Law, Victor

2011-01-01

Following a design-based research framework, this article reports two empirical studies with an educational MMOG, called "McLarin's Adventures," on facilitating 9th-grade students' complex problem-solving skill acquisition in interdisciplinary STEM education. The article discusses the nature of complex and ill-structured problem solving…

Individual Differences in Students' Complex Problem Solving Skills: How They Evolve and What They Imply

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wüstenberg, Sascha; Greiff, Samuel; Vainikainen, Mari-Pauliina; Murphy, Kevin

2016-01-01

Changes in the demands posed by increasingly complex workplaces in the 21st century have raised the importance of nonroutine skills such as complex problem solving (CPS). However, little is known about the antecedents and outcomes of CPS, especially with regard to malleable external factors such as classroom climate. To investigate the relations…

Model and algorithm for container ship stowage planning based on bin-packing problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei-Ying; Lin, Yan; Ji, Zhuo-Shang

2005-09-01

In a general case, container ship serves many different ports on each voyage. A stowage planning for container ship made at one port must take account of the influence on subsequent ports. So the complexity of stowage planning problem increases due to its multi-ports nature. This problem is NP-hard problem. In order to reduce the computational complexity, the problem is decomposed into two sub-problems in this paper. First, container ship stowage problem (CSSP) is regarded as “packing problem”, ship-bays on the board of vessel are regarded as bins, the number of slots at each bay are taken as capacities of bins, and containers with different characteristics (homogeneous containers group) are treated as items packed. At this stage, there are two objective functions, one is to minimize the number of bays packed by containers and the other is to minimize the number of overstows. Secondly, containers assigned to each bays at first stage are allocate to special slot, the objective functions are to minimize the metacentric height, heel and overstows. The taboo search heuristics algorithm are used to solve the subproblem. The main focus of this paper is on the first subproblem. A case certifies the feasibility of the model and algorithm.

Complex Problem Solving--More than Reasoning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wustenberg, Sascha; Greiff, Samuel; Funke, Joachim

2012-01-01

This study investigates the internal structure and construct validity of Complex Problem Solving (CPS), which is measured by a "Multiple-Item-Approach." It is tested, if (a) three facets of CPS--"rule identification" (adequateness of strategies), "rule knowledge" (generated knowledge) and "rule application"…

Transition Organometallic Heterobimettalic Microns-Carbon Dioxide and Microns-Format Complexes in Homogeneous Carbon Dioxide Fixation

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-12

AD-A254 538 OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH FINAL REPORT FCR Contract N00014-87-K-0465 R&T Code 413j006 "Transition Organometallic Heterobimetallic ix...ransition Organometallic Heterobimetallic P-Carbon Dioxide and p-FormateComplexes in Homogeneous Carbon Dioxide Fixation 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Alan R...J. L. Shibley, and A. R. Cutler, J. Organomet. Chem. 1989,378, 421.* "Characterization of the Heterobimetallic ±(r011-C: T12 -O,O’) Carbon Dioxide

Wigner surmises and the two-dimensional homogeneous Poisson point process.

PubMed

Sakhr, Jamal; Nieminen, John M

2006-04-01

We derive a set of identities that relate the higher-order interpoint spacing statistics of the two-dimensional homogeneous Poisson point process to the Wigner surmises for the higher-order spacing distributions of eigenvalues from the three classical random matrix ensembles. We also report a remarkable identity that equates the second-nearest-neighbor spacing statistics of the points of the Poisson process and the nearest-neighbor spacing statistics of complex eigenvalues from Ginibre's ensemble of 2 x 2 complex non-Hermitian random matrices.

Schizophrenia, narrative, and neurocognition: The utility of life-stories in understanding social problem-solving skills.

PubMed

Moe, Aubrey M; Breitborde, Nicholas J K; Bourassa, Kyle J; Gallagher, Colin J; Shakeel, Mohammed K; Docherty, Nancy M

2018-06-01

Schizophrenia researchers have focused on phenomenological aspects of the disorder to better understand its underlying nature. In particular, development of personal narratives-that is, the complexity with which people form, organize, and articulate their "life stories"-has recently been investigated in individuals with schizophrenia. However, less is known about how aspects of narrative relate to indicators of neurocognitive and social functioning. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association of linguistic complexity of life-story narratives to measures of cognitive and social problem-solving abilities among people with schizophrenia. Thirty-two individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia completed a research battery consisting of clinical interviews, a life-story narrative, neurocognitive testing, and a measure assessing multiple aspects of social problem solving. Narrative interviews were assessed for linguistic complexity using computerized technology. The results indicate differential relationships of linguistic complexity and neurocognition to domains of social problem-solving skills. More specifically, although neurocognition predicted how well one could both describe and enact a solution to a social problem, linguistic complexity alone was associated with accurately recognizing that a social problem had occurred. In addition, linguistic complexity appears to be a cognitive factor that is discernible from other broader measures of neurocognition. Linguistic complexity may be more relevant in understanding earlier steps of the social problem-solving process than more traditional, broad measures of cognition, and thus is relevant in conceptualizing treatment targets. These findings also support the relevance of developing narrative-focused psychotherapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Word Problem Solving in Contemporary Math Education: A Plea for Reading Comprehension Skills Training

PubMed Central

Boonen, Anton J. H.; de Koning, Björn B.; Jolles, Jelle; van der Schoot, Menno

2016-01-01

Successfully solving mathematical word problems requires both mental representation skills and reading comprehension skills. In Realistic Math Education (RME), however, students primarily learn to apply the first of these skills (i.e., representational skills) in the context of word problem solving. Given this, it seems legitimate to assume that students from a RME curriculum experience difficulties when asked to solve semantically complex word problems. We investigated this assumption under 80 sixth grade students who were classified as successful and less successful word problem solvers based on a standardized mathematics test. To this end, students completed word problems that ask for both mental representation skills and reading comprehension skills. The results showed that even successful word problem solvers had a low performance on semantically complex word problems, despite adequate performance on semantically less complex word problems. Based on this study, we concluded that reading comprehension skills should be given a (more) prominent role during word problem solving instruction in RME. PMID:26925012

Word Problem Solving in Contemporary Math Education: A Plea for Reading Comprehension Skills Training.

PubMed

Boonen, Anton J H; de Koning, Björn B; Jolles, Jelle; van der Schoot, Menno

2016-01-01

Successfully solving mathematical word problems requires both mental representation skills and reading comprehension skills. In Realistic Math Education (RME), however, students primarily learn to apply the first of these skills (i.e., representational skills) in the context of word problem solving. Given this, it seems legitimate to assume that students from a RME curriculum experience difficulties when asked to solve semantically complex word problems. We investigated this assumption under 80 sixth grade students who were classified as successful and less successful word problem solvers based on a standardized mathematics test. To this end, students completed word problems that ask for both mental representation skills and reading comprehension skills. The results showed that even successful word problem solvers had a low performance on semantically complex word problems, despite adequate performance on semantically less complex word problems. Based on this study, we concluded that reading comprehension skills should be given a (more) prominent role during word problem solving instruction in RME.

What Does (and Doesn't) Make Analogical Problem Solving Easy? A Complexity-Theoretic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wareham, Todd; Evans, Patricia; van Rooij, Iris

2011-01-01

Solving new problems can be made easier if one can build on experiences with other problems one has already successfully solved. The ability to exploit earlier problem-solving experiences in solving new problems seems to require several cognitive sub-abilities. Minimally, one needs to be able to retrieve relevant knowledge of earlier solved…

Nonlinearly Activated Neural Network for Solving Time-Varying Complex Sylvester Equation.

PubMed

Li, Shuai; Li, Yangming

2013-10-28

The Sylvester equation is often encountered in mathematics and control theory. For the general time-invariant Sylvester equation problem, which is defined in the domain of complex numbers, the Bartels-Stewart algorithm and its extensions are effective and widely used with an O(n³) time complexity. When applied to solving the time-varying Sylvester equation, the computation burden increases intensively with the decrease of sampling period and cannot satisfy continuous realtime calculation requirements. For the special case of the general Sylvester equation problem defined in the domain of real numbers, gradient-based recurrent neural networks are able to solve the time-varying Sylvester equation in real time, but there always exists an estimation error while a recently proposed recurrent neural network by Zhang et al [this type of neural network is called Zhang neural network (ZNN)] converges to the solution ideally. The advancements in complex-valued neural networks cast light to extend the existing real-valued ZNN for solving the time-varying real-valued Sylvester equation to its counterpart in the domain of complex numbers. In this paper, a complex-valued ZNN for solving the complex-valued Sylvester equation problem is investigated and the global convergence of the neural network is proven with the proposed nonlinear complex-valued activation functions. Moreover, a special type of activation function with a core function, called sign-bi-power function, is proven to enable the ZNN to converge in finite time, which further enhances its advantage in online processing. In this case, the upper bound of the convergence time is also derived analytically. Simulations are performed to evaluate and compare the performance of the neural network with different parameters and activation functions. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Simple and complex mental subtraction: strategy choice and speed-of-processing differences in younger and older adults.

PubMed

Geary, D C; Frensch, P A; Wiley, J G

1993-06-01

Thirty-six younger adults (10 male, 26 female; ages 18 to 38 years) and 36 older adults (14 male, 22 female; ages 61 to 80 years) completed simple and complex paper-and-pencil subtraction tests and solved a series of simple and complex computer-presented subtraction problems. For the computer task, strategies and solution times were recorded on a trial-by-trial basis. Older Ss used a developmentally more mature mix of problem-solving strategies to solve both simple and complex subtraction problems. Analyses of component scores derived from the solution times suggest that the older Ss are slower at number encoding and number production but faster at executing the borrow procedure. In contrast, groups did not appear to differ in the speed of subtraction fact retrieval. Results from a computational simulation are consistent with the interpretation that older adults' advantage for strategy choices and for the speed of executing the borrow procedure might result from more practice solving subtraction problems.

Respiratory Chain Complexes in Dynamic Mitochondria Display a Patchy Distribution in Life Cells

PubMed Central

Muster, Britta; Kohl, Wladislaw; Wittig, Ilka; Strecker, Valentina; Joos, Friederike; Haase, Winfried; Bereiter-Hahn, Jürgen; Busch, Karin

2010-01-01

Background Mitochondria, the main suppliers of cellular energy, are dynamic organelles that fuse and divide frequently. Constraining these processes impairs mitochondrial is closely linked to certain neurodegenerative diseases. It is proposed that functional mitochondrial dynamics allows the exchange of compounds thereby providing a rescue mechanism. Methodology/Principal Findings The question discussed in this paper is whether fusion and fission of mitochondria in different cell lines result in re-localization of respiratory chain (RC) complexes and of the ATP synthase. This was addressed by fusing cells containing mitochondria with respiratory complexes labelled with different fluorescent proteins and resolving their time dependent re-localization in living cells. We found a complete reshuffling of RC complexes throughout the entire chondriome in single HeLa cells within 2–3 h by organelle fusion and fission. Polykaryons of fused cells completely re-mixed their RC complexes in 10–24 h in a progressive way. In contrast to the recently described homogeneous mixing of matrix-targeted proteins or outer membrane proteins, the distribution of RC complexes and ATP synthase in fused hybrid mitochondria, however, was not homogeneous but patterned. Thus, complete equilibration of respiratory chain complexes as integral inner mitochondrial membrane complexes is a slow process compared with matrix proteins probably limited by complete fusion. In co-expressing cells, complex II is more homogenously distributed than complex I and V, resp. Indeed, this result argues for higher mobility and less integration in supercomplexes. Conclusion/Significance Our results clearly demonstrate that mitochondrial fusion and fission dynamics favours the re-mixing of all RC complexes within the chondriome. This permanent mixing avoids a static situation with a fixed composition of RC complexes per mitochondrion. PMID:20689601

The Analysis and Simulation of Compressible Turbulence

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

University. Kadomtsev , B.B.; and Petviashvili , V.I. 1973 - Acoustic Turbulence. Sov. Phys. Dokl. 18, 115. Kovasznay, L.S.G. 1957 - Turbulence in Supersonic...incompressible turbulence such as the Kolmogorov spectrum (Zakharov and Sagdeev 1970, Kadomtsev and Petvishvili 1973, Moiseev,Sagdeev, Tur and...The first attempt to solve numerically the equations of motion for compressible homogeneous turbulence is due to Feiereisen, Reynolds and Ferziger

Mitigating Radicalism in Northern Nigeria

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

southern protectorates of Nigeria were governed separately due to their cultural differences until 1914 when both were finally amalgamated by the British...Hausa), was the concentration of southern Igbo and Yoruba Christians in homogenous pockets within Hausa-Fulani Muslim cities. This initiated a...solving, and cross- cultural relationship-building skills. Muslim and Christian youths from diverse ethnic groups are trained as peer mediators and life

Contagion on complex networks with persuasion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei-Min; Zhang, Li-Jie; Xu, Xin-Jian; Fu, Xinchu

2016-03-01

The threshold model has been widely adopted as a classic model for studying contagion processes on social networks. We consider asymmetric individual interactions in social networks and introduce a persuasion mechanism into the threshold model. Specifically, we study a combination of adoption and persuasion in cascading processes on complex networks. It is found that with the introduction of the persuasion mechanism, the system may become more vulnerable to global cascades, and the effects of persuasion tend to be more significant in heterogeneous networks than those in homogeneous networks: a comparison between heterogeneous and homogeneous networks shows that under weak persuasion, heterogeneous networks tend to be more robust against random shocks than homogeneous networks; whereas under strong persuasion, homogeneous networks are more stable. Finally, we study the effects of adoption and persuasion threshold heterogeneity on systemic stability. Though both heterogeneities give rise to global cascades, the adoption heterogeneity has an overwhelmingly stronger impact than the persuasion heterogeneity when the network connectivity is sufficiently dense.

Contagion on complex networks with persuasion

PubMed Central

Huang, Wei-Min; Zhang, Li-Jie; Xu, Xin-Jian; Fu, Xinchu

2016-01-01

The threshold model has been widely adopted as a classic model for studying contagion processes on social networks. We consider asymmetric individual interactions in social networks and introduce a persuasion mechanism into the threshold model. Specifically, we study a combination of adoption and persuasion in cascading processes on complex networks. It is found that with the introduction of the persuasion mechanism, the system may become more vulnerable to global cascades, and the effects of persuasion tend to be more significant in heterogeneous networks than those in homogeneous networks: a comparison between heterogeneous and homogeneous networks shows that under weak persuasion, heterogeneous networks tend to be more robust against random shocks than homogeneous networks; whereas under strong persuasion, homogeneous networks are more stable. Finally, we study the effects of adoption and persuasion threshold heterogeneity on systemic stability. Though both heterogeneities give rise to global cascades, the adoption heterogeneity has an overwhelmingly stronger impact than the persuasion heterogeneity when the network connectivity is sufficiently dense. PMID:27029498

Contagion on complex networks with persuasion.

PubMed

Huang, Wei-Min; Zhang, Li-Jie; Xu, Xin-Jian; Fu, Xinchu

2016-03-31

The threshold model has been widely adopted as a classic model for studying contagion processes on social networks. We consider asymmetric individual interactions in social networks and introduce a persuasion mechanism into the threshold model. Specifically, we study a combination of adoption and persuasion in cascading processes on complex networks. It is found that with the introduction of the persuasion mechanism, the system may become more vulnerable to global cascades, and the effects of persuasion tend to be more significant in heterogeneous networks than those in homogeneous networks: a comparison between heterogeneous and homogeneous networks shows that under weak persuasion, heterogeneous networks tend to be more robust against random shocks than homogeneous networks; whereas under strong persuasion, homogeneous networks are more stable. Finally, we study the effects of adoption and persuasion threshold heterogeneity on systemic stability. Though both heterogeneities give rise to global cascades, the adoption heterogeneity has an overwhelmingly stronger impact than the persuasion heterogeneity when the network connectivity is sufficiently dense.

How Can We Improve Problem Solving in Undergraduate Biology? Applying Lessons from 30 Years of Physics Education Research

PubMed Central

Hoskinson, A.-M.; Caballero, M. D.; Knight, J. K.

2013-01-01

If students are to successfully grapple with authentic, complex biological problems as scientists and citizens, they need practice solving such problems during their undergraduate years. Physics education researchers have investigated student problem solving for the past three decades. Although physics and biology problems differ in structure and content, the instructional purposes align closely: explaining patterns and processes in the natural world and making predictions about physical and biological systems. In this paper, we discuss how research-supported approaches developed by physics education researchers can be adopted by biologists to enhance student problem-solving skills. First, we compare the problems that biology students are typically asked to solve with authentic, complex problems. We then describe the development of research-validated physics curricula emphasizing process skills in problem solving. We show that solving authentic, complex biology problems requires many of the same skills that practicing physicists and biologists use in representing problems, seeking relationships, making predictions, and verifying or checking solutions. We assert that acquiring these skills can help biology students become competent problem solvers. Finally, we propose how biology scholars can apply lessons from physics education in their classrooms and inspire new studies in biology education research. PMID:23737623

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

Huang, Kuo -Ling; Mehrotra, Sanjay

We present a homogeneous algorithm equipped with a modified potential function for the monotone complementarity problem. We show that this potential function is reduced by at least a constant amount if a scaled Lipschitz condition (SLC) is satisfied. A practical algorithm based on this potential function is implemented in a software package named iOptimize. The implementation in iOptimize maintains global linear and polynomial time convergence properties, while achieving practical performance. It either successfully solves the problem, or concludes that the SLC is not satisfied. When compared with the mature software package MOSEK (barrier solver version 6.0.0.106), iOptimize solves convex quadraticmore » programming problems, convex quadratically constrained quadratic programming problems, and general convex programming problems in fewer iterations. Moreover, several problems for which MOSEK fails are solved to optimality. In addition, we also find that iOptimize detects infeasibility more reliably than the general nonlinear solvers Ipopt (version 3.9.2) and Knitro (version 8.0).« less

The effect of Missouri mathematics project learning model on students’ mathematical problem solving ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani, I.; Januar, R. L.; Purwanto, S. E.

2018-01-01

This research aims to know the influence of Missouri Mathematics Project Learning Model to Mathematical Problem-solving Ability of Students at Junior High School. This research is a quantitative research and uses experimental research method of Quasi Experimental Design. The research population includes all student of grade VII of Junior High School who are enrolled in the even semester of the academic year 2016/2017. The Sample studied are 76 students from experimental and control groups. The sampling technique being used is cluster sampling method. The instrument is consisted of 7 essay questions whose validity, reliability, difficulty level and discriminating power have been tested. Before analyzing the data by using t-test, the data has fulfilled the requirement for normality and homogeneity. The result of data shows that there is the influence of Missouri mathematics project learning model to mathematical problem-solving ability of students at junior high school with medium effect.

How Students Circumvent Problem-Solving Strategies that Require Greater Cognitive Complexity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niaz, Mansoor

1996-01-01

Analyzes the great diversity in problem-solving strategies used by students in solving a chemistry problem and discusses the relationship between these variables and different cognitive variables. Concludes that students try to circumvent certain problem-solving strategies by adapting flexible and stylistic innovations that render the cognitive…

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems.

PubMed

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way.

Numerical modeling of the waves evolution generated by the depressurization of the vessels containing a supercritical parameters coolant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseev, Maksim V.; Vozhakov, Ivan S.; Lezhnin, Sergey I.; Pribaturin, Nikolay A.

2017-10-01

The development of power plants focuses on increasing the parameters of water coolants up to a supercritical level. Depressurization of the unit circuits with such a coolant leads to emergency situations. Their scenarios can change significantly with the variation of initial pressure and temperature before the start of depressurization. When the pressure drops from the supercritical single-phase region of the initial thermodynamic parameters of the coolant, either the liquid boils up, or the vapor is condensed. Because of the rapid pressure decrease, the phase transition can be non-equilibrium that must be taken into account in the simulation. In the present study, an axisymmetric problem of the outflow of a water coolant from the pipe butt-end is considered. The equations of continuity, momentum and energy for a two-phase homogeneous mixture are solved numerically. The vapor and liquid properties are calculated using the TTSE software package (The Tabular Taylor Series Expansion Method). On the basis of the computer complex LCPFCT (The Flux-Corrected Transport Algorithm) the program code was developed for solving numerous problems on the depressurization of vessels or pipelines, containing superheated water or gas under high pressure. Different variants of outflow in the external model atmosphere and generation of waves are analyzed. The calculated data on the interaction of pressure waves with a barrier are calculated. To describe phase transitions, an asymptotic relaxation model of nonequilibrium evaporation and condensation has been created and tested.

2.5-D poroelastic wave modelling in double porosity media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xu; Greenhalgh, Stewart; Wang, Yanghua

2011-09-01

To approximate seismic wave propagation in double porosity media, the 2.5-D governing equations of poroelastic waves are developed and numerically solved. The equations are obtained by taking a Fourier transform in the strike or medium-invariant direction over all of the field quantities in the 3-D governing equations. The new memory variables from the Zener model are suggested as a way to represent the sum of the convolution integrals for both the solid particle velocity and the macroscopic fluid flux in the governing equations. By application of the memory equations, the field quantities at every time step need not be stored. However, this approximation allows just two Zener relaxation times to represent the very complex double porosity and dual permeability attenuation mechanism, and thus reduce the difficulty. The 2.5-D governing equations are numerically solved by a time-splitting method for the non-stiff parts and an explicit fourth-order Runge-Kutta method for the time integration and a Fourier pseudospectral staggered-grid for handling the spatial derivative terms. The 2.5-D solution has the advantage of producing a 3-D wavefield (point source) for a 2-D model but is much more computationally efficient than the full 3-D solution. As an illustrative example, we firstly show the computed 2.5-D wavefields in a homogeneous single porosity model for which we reformulated an analytic solution. Results for a two-layer, water-saturated double porosity model and a laterally heterogeneous double porosity structure are also presented.

Unlocking the potential of supported liquid phase catalysts with supercritical fluids: low temperature continuous flow catalysis with integrated product separation

PubMed Central

Franciò, Giancarlo; Hintermair, Ulrich; Leitner, Walter

2015-01-01

Solution-phase catalysis using molecular transition metal complexes is an extremely powerful tool for chemical synthesis and a key technology for sustainable manufacturing. However, as the reaction complexity and thermal sensitivity of the catalytic system increase, engineering challenges associated with product separation and catalyst recovery can override the value of the product. This persistent downstream issue often renders industrial exploitation of homogeneous catalysis uneconomical despite impressive batch performance of the catalyst. In this regard, continuous-flow systems that allow steady-state homogeneous turnover in a stationary liquid phase while at the same time effecting integrated product separation at mild process temperatures represent a particularly attractive scenario. While continuous-flow processing is a standard procedure for large volume manufacturing, capitalizing on its potential in the realm of the molecular complexity of organic synthesis is still an emerging area that requires innovative solutions. Here we highlight some recent developments which have succeeded in realizing such systems by the combination of near- and supercritical fluids with homogeneous catalysts in supported liquid phases. The cases discussed exemplify how all three levels of continuous-flow homogeneous catalysis (catalyst system, separation strategy, process scheme) must be matched to locate viable process conditions. PMID:26574523

Unlocking the potential of supported liquid phase catalysts with supercritical fluids: low temperature continuous flow catalysis with integrated product separation.

PubMed

Franciò, Giancarlo; Hintermair, Ulrich; Leitner, Walter

2015-12-28

Solution-phase catalysis using molecular transition metal complexes is an extremely powerful tool for chemical synthesis and a key technology for sustainable manufacturing. However, as the reaction complexity and thermal sensitivity of the catalytic system increase, engineering challenges associated with product separation and catalyst recovery can override the value of the product. This persistent downstream issue often renders industrial exploitation of homogeneous catalysis uneconomical despite impressive batch performance of the catalyst. In this regard, continuous-flow systems that allow steady-state homogeneous turnover in a stationary liquid phase while at the same time effecting integrated product separation at mild process temperatures represent a particularly attractive scenario. While continuous-flow processing is a standard procedure for large volume manufacturing, capitalizing on its potential in the realm of the molecular complexity of organic synthesis is still an emerging area that requires innovative solutions. Here we highlight some recent developments which have succeeded in realizing such systems by the combination of near- and supercritical fluids with homogeneous catalysts in supported liquid phases. The cases discussed exemplify how all three levels of continuous-flow homogeneous catalysis (catalyst system, separation strategy, process scheme) must be matched to locate viable process conditions. © 2015 The Authors.

Controlling Uncertainty: A Review of Human Behavior in Complex Dynamic Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osman, Magda

2010-01-01

Complex dynamic control (CDC) tasks are a type of problem-solving environment used for examining many cognitive activities (e.g., attention, control, decision making, hypothesis testing, implicit learning, memory, monitoring, planning, and problem solving). Because of their popularity, there have been many findings from diverse domains of research…

Some observations on a new numerical method for solving Navier-Stokes equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, A.

1981-01-01

An explicit-implicit technique for solving Navier-Stokes equations is described which, is much less complex than other implicit methods. It is used to solve a complex, two-dimensional, steady-state, supersonic-flow problem. The computational efficiency of the method and the quality of the solution obtained from it at high Courant-Friedrich-Lewy (CFL) numbers are discussed. Modifications are discussed and certain observations are made about the method which may be helpful in using it successfully.

The mode 3 crack problem in bonded materials with a nonhomogeneous interfacial zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erdogan, Fazil; Kaya, A. C.; Joseph, P. F.

1988-01-01

The mode 3 crack problem for two bonded homogeneous half planes was considered. The interfacial zone was modelled by a nonhomogeneous strip in such a way that the shear modulus is a continuous function throughout the composite medium and has discontinuous derivatives along the boundaries of the interfacial zone. The problem was formulated for cracks perpendicular to the nominal interface and was solved for various crack locations in and around the interfacial region. The asymptotic stress field near the tip of a crack terminating at an interface was examined and it was shown that, unlike the corresponding stress field in piecewise homogeneous materials, in this case the stresses have the standard square root singularity and their angular variation was identical to that of a crack in a homogeneous medium. With application to the subcritical crack growth process in mind, the results given include mostly the stress intensity factors for some typical crack geometries and various material combinations.

The mode III crack problem in bonded materials with a nonhomogeneous interfacial zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erdogan, F.; Joseph, P. F.; Kaya, A. C.

1991-01-01

The mode 3 crack problem for two bonded homogeneous half planes was considered. The interfacial zone was modelled by a nonhomogeneous strip in such a way that the shear modulus is a continuous function throughout the composite medium and has discontinuous derivatives along the boundaries of the interfacial zone. The problem was formulated for cracks perpendicular to the nominal interface and was solved for various crack locations in and around the interfacial region. The asymptotic stress field near the tip of a crack terminating at an interface was examined and it was shown that, unlike the corresponding stress field in piecewise homogeneous materials, in this case the stresses have the standard square root singularity and their angular variation was identical to that of a crack in a homogeneous medium. With application to the subcritical crack growth process in mind, the results given include mostly the stress intensity factors for some typical crack geometries and various material combinations.

Preparation of plutonium-bearing ceramics via mechanically activated precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chizhevskaya, S. V.; Stefanovsky, S. V.

2000-07-01

The problem of excess weapons plutonium disposition is suggested to be solved by means of its incorporation in stable ceramics with high chemical durability and radiation resistivity. The most promising host phases for plutonium as well as uranium and neutron poisons (gadolinium, hafnium) are zirconolite, pyrochlore, zircon, zirconia [1,2], and murataite [3]. Their production requires high temperatures and a fine-grained homogeneous precursor to reach final waste form with high quality and low leachability. Currently various routes to homogeneous products preparation such as sol-gel technology, wet-milling, and grinding in a ball or planetary mill are used. The best result demonstrates sol-gel technology but this route is very complicated. An alternative technology for preparation of ceramic precursors is the treatment of the oxide batch with high mechanical energy [4]. Such a treatment produces combination of mechanical (fine milling with formation of various defects, homogenization) and chemical (split bonds with formation of active centers—free radicals, ion-radicals, etc.) effects resulting in higher reactivity of the activated batch.

Application of finite elements heterogeneous multi-scale method to eddy currents non destructive testing of carbon composites material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khebbab, Mohamed; Feliachi, Mouloud; El Hadi Latreche, Mohamed

2018-03-01

In this present paper, a simulation of eddy current non-destructive testing (EC NDT) on unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer is performed; for this magneto-dynamic formulation in term of magnetic vector potential is solved using finite element heterogeneous multi-scale method (FE HMM). FE HMM has as goal to compute the homogenized solution without calculating the homogenized tensor explicitly, the solution is based only on the physical characteristic known in micro domain. This feature is well adapted to EC NDT to evaluate defect in carbon composite material in microscopic scale, where the defect detection is performed by coil impedance measurement; the measurement value is intimately linked to material characteristic in microscopic level. Based on this, our model can handle different defects such as: cracks, inclusion, internal electrical conductivity changes, heterogeneities, etc. The simulation results were compared with the solution obtained with homogenized material using mixture law, a good agreement was found.

Developmental and hormone-induced changes of mitochondrial electron transport chain enzyme activities during the last instar larval development of maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

PubMed

VenkatRao, V; Chaitanya, R K; Naresh Kumar, D; Bramhaiah, M; Dutta-Gupta, A

2016-12-01

The energy demand for structural remodelling in holometabolous insects is met by cellular mitochondria. Developmental and hormone-induced changes in the mitochondrial respiratory activity during insect metamorphosis are not well documented. The present study investigates activities of enzymes of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) namely, NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase or complex I, Succinate: ubiquinone oxidoreductase or complex II, Ubiquinol:ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase or complex III, cytochrome c oxidase or complex IV and F 1 F 0 ATPase (ATPase), during Chilo partellus development. Further, the effect of juvenile hormone (JH) analog, methoprene, and brain and corpora-allata-corpora-cardiaca (CC-CA) homogenates that represent neurohormones, on the ETC enzyme activities was monitored. The enzymatic activities increased from penultimate to last larval stage and thereafter declined during pupal development with an exception of ATPase which showed high enzyme activity during last larval and pupal stages compared to the penultimate stage. JH analog, methoprene differentially modulated ETC enzyme activities. It stimulated complex I and IV enzyme activities, but did not alter the activities of complex II, III and ATPase. On the other hand, brain homogenate declined the ATPase activity while the injected CC-CA homogenate stimulated complex I and IV enzyme activities. Cumulatively, the present study is the first to show that mitochondrial ETC enzyme system is under hormone control, particularly of JH and neurohormones during insect development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A model for compression-weakening materials and the elastic fields due to contractile cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosakis, Phoebus; Notbohm, Jacob; Ravichandran, Guruswami

2015-12-01

We construct a homogeneous, nonlinear elastic constitutive law that models aspects of the mechanical behavior of inhomogeneous fibrin networks. Fibers in such networks buckle when in compression. We model this as a loss of stiffness in compression in the stress-strain relations of the homogeneous constitutive model. Problems that model a contracting biological cell in a finite matrix are solved. It is found that matrix displacements and stresses induced by cell contraction decay slower (with distance from the cell) in a compression weakening material than linear elasticity would predict. This points toward a mechanism for long-range cell mechanosensing. In contrast, an expanding cell would induce displacements that decay faster than in a linear elastic matrix.

Large eddy simulation of hydrodynamic cavitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatt, Mrugank; Mahesh, Krishnan

2017-11-01

Large eddy simulation is used to study sheet to cloud cavitation over a wedge. The mixture of water and water vapor is represented using a homogeneous mixture model. Compressible Navier-Stokes equations for mixture quantities along with transport equation for vapor mass fraction employing finite rate mass transfer between the two phases, are solved using the numerical method of Gnanaskandan and Mahesh. The method is implemented on unstructured grid with parallel MPI capabilities. Flow over a wedge is simulated at Re = 200 , 000 and the performance of the homogeneous mixture model is analyzed in predicting different regimes of sheet to cloud cavitation; namely, incipient, transitory and periodic, as observed in the experimental investigation of Harish et al.. This work is supported by the Office of Naval Research.

Organic, Organometallic and Bioorganic Catalysts for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

PubMed Central

Schlager, Stefanie; Portenkirchner, Engelbert; Sariciftci, Niyazi Serdar

2017-01-01

Abstract A broad review of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic approaches toward CO2 reduction using organic, organometallic, and bioorganic systems is provided. Electrochemical, bioelectrochemical and photoelectrochemical approaches are discussed in terms of their faradaic efficiencies, overpotentials and reaction mechanisms. Organometallic complexes as well as semiconductors and their homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic activities are compared to enzymes. In both cases, their immobilization on electrodes is discussed and compared to homogeneous catalysts in solution. PMID:28383174

Complex Problem Solving in Teams: The Impact of Collective Orientation on Team Process Demands.

PubMed

Hagemann, Vera; Kluge, Annette

2017-01-01

Complex problem solving is challenging and a high-level cognitive process for individuals. When analyzing complex problem solving in teams, an additional, new dimension has to be considered, as teamwork processes increase the requirements already put on individual team members. After introducing an idealized teamwork process model, that complex problem solving teams pass through, and integrating the relevant teamwork skills for interdependently working teams into the model and combining it with the four kinds of team processes (transition, action, interpersonal, and learning processes), the paper demonstrates the importance of fulfilling team process demands for successful complex problem solving within teams. Therefore, results from a controlled team study within complex situations are presented. The study focused on factors that influence action processes, like coordination, such as emergent states like collective orientation, cohesion, and trust and that dynamically enable effective teamwork in complex situations. Before conducting the experiments, participants were divided by median split into two-person teams with either high ( n = 58) or low ( n = 58) collective orientation values. The study was conducted with the microworld C3Fire, simulating dynamic decision making, and acting in complex situations within a teamwork context. The microworld includes interdependent tasks such as extinguishing forest fires or protecting houses. Two firefighting scenarios had been developed, which takes a maximum of 15 min each. All teams worked on these two scenarios. Coordination within the team and the resulting team performance were calculated based on a log-file analysis. The results show that no relationships between trust and action processes and team performance exist. Likewise, no relationships were found for cohesion. Only collective orientation of team members positively influences team performance in complex environments mediated by action processes such as coordination within the team. The results are discussed in relation to previous empirical findings and to learning processes within the team with a focus on feedback strategies.

Complex Problem Solving in Teams: The Impact of Collective Orientation on Team Process Demands

PubMed Central

Hagemann, Vera; Kluge, Annette

2017-01-01

Complex problem solving is challenging and a high-level cognitive process for individuals. When analyzing complex problem solving in teams, an additional, new dimension has to be considered, as teamwork processes increase the requirements already put on individual team members. After introducing an idealized teamwork process model, that complex problem solving teams pass through, and integrating the relevant teamwork skills for interdependently working teams into the model and combining it with the four kinds of team processes (transition, action, interpersonal, and learning processes), the paper demonstrates the importance of fulfilling team process demands for successful complex problem solving within teams. Therefore, results from a controlled team study within complex situations are presented. The study focused on factors that influence action processes, like coordination, such as emergent states like collective orientation, cohesion, and trust and that dynamically enable effective teamwork in complex situations. Before conducting the experiments, participants were divided by median split into two-person teams with either high (n = 58) or low (n = 58) collective orientation values. The study was conducted with the microworld C3Fire, simulating dynamic decision making, and acting in complex situations within a teamwork context. The microworld includes interdependent tasks such as extinguishing forest fires or protecting houses. Two firefighting scenarios had been developed, which takes a maximum of 15 min each. All teams worked on these two scenarios. Coordination within the team and the resulting team performance were calculated based on a log-file analysis. The results show that no relationships between trust and action processes and team performance exist. Likewise, no relationships were found for cohesion. Only collective orientation of team members positively influences team performance in complex environments mediated by action processes such as coordination within the team. The results are discussed in relation to previous empirical findings and to learning processes within the team with a focus on feedback strategies. PMID:29033886

Internet Computer Coaches for Introductory Physics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu Ryan, Qing

2013-01-01

The ability to solve problems in a variety of contexts is becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing technological society. Problem-solving is a complex process that is important for everyday life and crucial for learning physics. Although there is a great deal of effort to improve student problem solving skills throughout the…

Prompting in Web-Based Environments: Supporting Self-Monitoring and Problem Solving Skills in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, Douglas F.; Ge, Xun; Xie, Kui; Chen, Ching-Huei

2008-01-01

This study explored Metacognition and how automated instructional support in the form of problem-solving and self-reflection prompts influenced students' capacity to solve complex problems in a Web-based learning environment. Specifically, we examined the independent and interactive effects of problem-solving prompts and reflection prompts on…

Solar chemistry of metal complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, H. B.; Maverick, A. W.

1981-12-01

Electronic excited states of certain transition metal complexes undergo oxidation-reduction reactions that store chemical energy. Such reactions have been extensively explored for mononuclear complexes. Two classes of polynuclear species exhibit similar properties, and these complexes are now being studied as possible homogeneous sensitizer-catalysts for hydrogen production from aqueous solutions.

Homogeneous Catalysis by Transition Metal Compounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mawby, Roger

1988-01-01

Examines four processes involving homogeneous catalysis which highlight the contrast between the simplicity of the overall reaction and the complexity of the catalytic cycle. Describes how catalysts provide circuitous routes in which all energy barriers are relatively low rather than lowering the activation energy for a single step reaction.…

SU-E-T-417: The Impact of Normal Tissue Constraints On PTV Dose Homogeneity for Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Volume Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Tomotherapy

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

Peng, J; McDonald, D; Ashenafi, M

2014-06-01

Purpose: Complex intensity modulated arc therapy tends to spread low dose to normal tissue(NT)regions to obtain improved target conformity and homogeneity and OAR sparing.This work evaluates the trade-offs between PTV homogeneity and reduction of the maximum dose(Dmax)spread to NT while planning of IMRT,VMAT and Tomotherapy. Methods: Ten prostate patients,previously planned with step-and-shoot IMRT,were selected.To fairly evaluate how PTV homogeneity was affected by NT Dmax constraints,original IMRT DVH objectives for PTV and OARs(femoral heads,and rectal and bladder wall)applied to 2 VMAT plans in Pinnacle(V9.0), and Tomotherapy(V4.2).The only constraint difference was the NT which was defined as body contours excluding targets,OARs andmore » dose rings.NT Dmax constraint for 1st VMAT was set to the prescription dose(Dp).For 2nd VMAT(VMAT-NT)and Tomotherapy,it was set to the Dmax achieved in IMRT(~70-80% of Dp).All NT constraints were set to the lowest priority.Three common homogeneity indices(HI),RTOG-HI=Dmax/Dp,moderated-HI=D95%/D5% and complex-HI=(D2%-D98%)/Dp*100 were calculated. Results: All modalities with similar dosimetric endpoints for PTV and OARs.The complex-HI shows the most variability of indices,with average values of 5.9,4.9,9.3 and 6.1 for IMRT,VMAT,VMAT-NT and Tomotherapy,respectively.VMAT provided the best PTV homogeneity without compromising any OAR/NT sparing.Both VMAT-NT and Tomotherapy,planned with more restrictive NT constraints,showed reduced homogeneity,with VMAT-NT showing the worst homogeneity(P<0.0001)for all HI.Tomotherapy gave the lowest NT Dmax,with slightly decreased homogeneity compared to VMAT. Finally, there was no significant difference in NT Dmax or Dmean between VMAT and VMAT-NT. Conclusion: PTV HI is highly dependent on permitted NT constraints. Results demonstrated that VMAT-NT with more restrictive NT constraints does not reduce Dmax NT,but significantly receives higher Dmax and worse target homogeneity.Therefore, it is critical that planners do not use too restrictive NT constraints during VMAT optimization.Tomotherapy plan was not as sensitive to NT constraints,however,care shall be taken to ensure NT is not pushed too hard.These results are relevant for clinical practice.The biological effect of higher Dmax and increased target heterogeneity needs further study.« less

Highly Stable Lyophilized Homogeneous Bead-Based Immunoassays for On-Site Detection of Bio Warfare Agents from Complex Matrices.

PubMed

Mechaly, Adva; Marx, Sharon; Levy, Orly; Yitzhaki, Shmuel; Fisher, Morly

2016-06-21

This study shows the development of dry, highly stable immunoassays for the detection of bio warfare agents in complex matrices. Thermal stability was achieved by the lyophilization of the complete, homogeneous, bead-based immunoassay in a special stabilizing buffer, resulting in a ready-to-use, simple assay, which exhibited long shelf and high-temperature endurance (up to 1 week at 100 °C). The developed methodology was successfully implemented for the preservation of time-resolved fluorescence, Alexa-fluorophores, and horse radish peroxidase-based bead assays, enabling multiplexed detection. The multiplexed assay was successfully implemented for the detection of Bacillus anthracis, botulinum B, and tularemia in complex matrices.

The accurate solution of Poisson's equation by expansion in Chebyshev polynomials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haidvogel, D. B.; Zang, T.

1979-01-01

A Chebyshev expansion technique is applied to Poisson's equation on a square with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. The spectral equations are solved in two ways - by alternating direction and by matrix diagonalization methods. Solutions are sought to both oscillatory and mildly singular problems. The accuracy and efficiency of the Chebyshev approach compare favorably with those of standard second- and fourth-order finite-difference methods.

Bridging the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis: ortho/para H(2) conversion, hydrogen isotope scrambling, and hydrogenation of olefins by Ir(CO)Cl(PPh(3))(2).

PubMed

Matthes, Jochen; Pery, Tal; Gründemann, Stephan; Buntkowsky, Gerd; Sabo-Etienne, Sylviane; Chaudret, Bruno; Limbach, Hans-Heinrich

2004-07-14

Some transition metal complexes are known to catalyze ortho/para hydrogen conversion, hydrogen isotope scrambling, and hydrogenation reactions in liquid solution. Using the example of Vaska's complex, we present here evidence by NMR that the solvent is not necessary for these reactions to occur. Thus, solid frozen solutions or polycrystalline powdered samples of homogeneous catalysts may become heterogeneous catalysts. Comparative liquid- and solid-state studies provide novel insight into the reaction mechanisms.

Assessing problem-solving skills in construction education with the virtual construction simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castronovo, Fadi

The ability to solve complex problems is an essential skill that a construction and project manager must possess when entering the architectural, engineering, and construction industry. Such ability requires a mixture of problem-solving skills, ranging from lower to higher order thinking skills, composed of cognitive and metacognitive processes. These skills include the ability to develop and evaluate construction plans and manage the execution of such plans. However, in a typical construction program, introducing students to such complex problems can be a challenge, and most commonly the learner is presented with only part of a complex problem. To support this challenge, the traditional methodology of delivering design, engineering, and construction instruction has been going through a technological revolution, due to the rise of computer-based technology. For example, in construction classrooms, and other disciplines, simulations and educational games are being utilized to support the development of problem-solving skills. Previous engineering education research has illustrated the high potential that simulations and educational games have in engaging in lower and higher order thinking skills. Such research illustrated their capacity to support the development of problem-solving skills. This research presents evidence supporting the theory that educational simulation games can help with the learning and retention of transferable problem-solving skills, which are necessary to solve complex construction problems. The educational simulation game employed in this study is the Virtual Construction Simulator (VCS). The VCS is a game developed to provide students in an engaging learning activity that simulates the planning and managing phases of a construction project. Assessment of the third iteration of the VCS(3) game has shown pedagogical value in promoting students' motivation and a basic understanding of construction concepts. To further evaluate the benefits on problem-solving skills, a new version of the VCS(4) was developed, with new building modules and assessment framework. The design and development of the VCS4 leveraged research in educational psychology, multimedia learning, human-computer interaction, and Building Information Modeling. In this dissertation the researcher aimed to evaluate the pedagogical value of the VCS4 in fostering problem-solving skills. To answer the research questions, a crossover repeated measures quasi-experiment was designed to assess the educational gains that the VCS can provide to construction education. A group of 34 students, attending a fourth-year construction course at a university in the United States was chosen to participate in the experiment. The three learning modules of the VCS were used, which challenged the students to plan and manage the construction process of a wooden pavilion, the steel erection of a dormitory, and the concrete placement of the same dormitory. Based on the results the researcher was able to provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that the chosen sample of construction students were able to gain and retain problem-solving skills necessary to solve complex construction simulation problems, no matter what the sequence with which these modules were played. In conclusion, the presented results provide evidence supporting the theory that educational simulation games can help the learning and retention of transferable problem-solving skills, which are necessary to solve complex construction problems.

Students' Explanations in Complex Learning of Disciplinary Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieira, Camilo

2016-01-01

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) has been denominated as the third pillar of science and as a set of important skills to solve the problems of a global society. Along with the theoretical and the experimental approaches, computation offers a third alternative to solve complex problems that require processing large amounts of data, or…

Computer-Based Assessment of Complex Problem Solving: Concept, Implementation, and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiff, Samuel; Wustenberg, Sascha; Holt, Daniel V.; Goldhammer, Frank; Funke, Joachim

2013-01-01

Complex Problem Solving (CPS) skills are essential to successfully deal with environments that change dynamically and involve a large number of interconnected and partially unknown causal influences. The increasing importance of such skills in the 21st century requires appropriate assessment and intervention methods, which in turn rely on adequate…

Calculating Probabilistic Distance to Solution in a Complex Problem Solving Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sudol, Leigh Ann; Rivers, Kelly; Harris, Thomas K.

2012-01-01

In complex problem solving domains, correct solutions are often comprised of a combination of individual components. Students usually go through several attempts, each attempt reflecting an individual solution state that can be observed during practice. Classic metrics to measure student performance over time rely on counting the number of…

Clinical Problem Analysis (CPA): A Systematic Approach To Teaching Complex Medical Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Custers, Eugene J. F. M.; Robbe, Peter F. De Vries; Stuyt, Paul M. J.

2000-01-01

Discusses clinical problem analysis (CPA) in medical education, an approach to solving complex clinical problems. Outlines the five step CPA model and examines the value of CPA's content-independent (methodical) approach. Argues that teaching students to use CPA will enable them to avoid common diagnostic reasoning errors and pitfalls. Compares…

The Development of Complex Problem Solving in Adolescence: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frischkorn, Gidon T.; Greiff, Samuel; Wüstenberg, Sascha

2014-01-01

Complex problem solving (CPS) as a cross-curricular competence has recently attracted more attention in educational psychology as indicated by its implementation in international educational large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment. However, research on the development of CPS is scarce, and the few…

Validity of the MicroDYN Approach: Complex Problem Solving Predicts School Grades beyond Working Memory Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweizer, Fabian; Wustenberg, Sascha; Greiff, Samuel

2013-01-01

This study examines the validity of the complex problem solving (CPS) test MicroDYN by investigating a) the relation between its dimensions--rule identification (exploration strategy), rule knowledge (acquired knowledge), rule application (control performance)--and working memory capacity (WMC), and b) whether CPS predicts school grades in…

Chemical zoning and homogenization of olivines in ordinary chondrites and implications for thermal histories of chondrules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyamoto, Masamichi; Mckay, David S.; Mckay, Gordon A.; Duke, Michael B.

1986-01-01

The extent and degree of homogenization of chemical zoning of olivines in type 3 ordinary chondrites is studied in order to obtain some constraints on cooling histories of chondrites. Based on Mg-Fe and CaO zoning, olivines in type 3 chondrites are classified into four types. A single chondrule usually contains olivines with the same type of zoning. Microporphyritic olivines show all four zoning types. Barred olivines usually show almost homogenized chemical zoning. The cooling rates or burial depths needed to homogenize the chemical zoning are calculated by solving the diffusion equation, using the zoning profiles as an initial condition. Mg-Fe zoning of olivine may be altered during initial cooling, whereas CaO zoning is hardly changed. Barred olivines may be homogenized during initial cooling because their size is relatively small. To simulated microporphyritic olivine chondrules, cooling from just below the liquidus at moderately high rates is preferable to cooling from above the liquidus at low rates. For postaccumulation metamorphism of type 3 chondrites to keep Mg-Fe zoning unaltered, the maximum metamorphic temperature must be less than about 400 C if cooling rates based on Fe-Ni data are assumed. Calculated cooling rates for both Fa and CaO homogenization are consistent with those by Fe-Ni data for type 4 chondrites. A hot ejecta blanket several tens of meters thick on the surface of a parent body is sufficient to homogenize Mg-Fe zoning if the temperature of the blanket is 600-700 C. Burial depths for petrologic types of ordinary chondrites in a parent body heated by Al-26 are broadly consistent with those previously proposed.

Numerical analysis of one-dimensional temperature data for groundwater/surface-water exchange with 1DTempPro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voytek, E. B.; Drenkelfuss, A.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Healy, R. W.; Lane, J. W.; Werkema, D. D.

2012-12-01

Temperature is a naturally occurring tracer, which can be exploited to infer the movement of water through the vadose and saturated zones, as well as the exchange of water between aquifers and surface-water bodies, such as estuaries, lakes, and streams. One-dimensional (1D) vertical temperature profiles commonly show thermal amplitude attenuation and increasing phase lag of diurnal or seasonal temperature variations with propagation into the subsurface. This behavior is described by the heat-transport equation (i.e., the convection-conduction-dispersion equation), which can be solved analytically in 1D under certain simplifying assumptions (e.g., sinusoidal or steady-state boundary conditions and homogeneous hydraulic and thermal properties). Analysis of 1D temperature profiles using analytical models provides estimates of vertical groundwater/surface-water exchange. The utility of these estimates can be diminished when the model assumptions are violated, as is common in field applications. Alternatively, analysis of 1D temperature profiles using numerical models allows for consideration of more complex and realistic boundary conditions. However, such analyses commonly require model calibration and the development of input files for finite-difference or finite-element codes. To address the calibration and input file requirements, a new computer program, 1DTempPro, is presented that facilitates numerical analysis of vertical 1D temperature profiles. 1DTempPro is a graphical user interface (GUI) to the USGS code VS2DH, which numerically solves the flow- and heat-transport equations. Pre- and post-processor features within 1DTempPro allow the user to calibrate VS2DH models to estimate groundwater/surface-water exchange and hydraulic conductivity in cases where hydraulic head is known. This approach improves groundwater/ surface-water exchange-rate estimates for real-world data with complexities ill-suited for examination with analytical methods. Additionally, the code allows for time-varying temperature and hydraulic boundary conditions. Here, we present the approach and include examples for several datasets from stream/aquifer systems.

Development of a homogeneous immunoassay system using protein A fusion fragmented Renilla luciferase.

PubMed

Mie, Masayasu; Thuy, Ngo Phan Bich; Kobatake, Eiry

2012-03-07

A homogeneous immunoassay system was developed using fragmented Renilla luciferase (Rluc). The B domain of protein A was fused to two Rluc fragments. When complexes between an antibody and fragmented Rluc fusion proteins bind to target molecules, the Rluc fragments come into close proximity and the luminescence activity of fragmented Rluc is restored by complementation. As proof-of-principle, this fragmented Rluc system was used to detect E. coli homogeneously using an anti-E. coli antibody.

Homogeneous Palladium-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenolysis of Benzylic Alcohols Using Formic Acid as Reductant.

PubMed

Ciszek, Benjamin; Fleischer, Ivana

2018-04-12

Herein we report the first homogeneous palladium-based transfer hydrogenolysis of benzylic alcohols using an in situ formed palladium-phosphine complex and formic acid as reducing agent. The reaction requires a catalyst loading as low as only 1 mol% of palladium and just a slight excess of reductant to obtain the deoxygenated alkylarenes in good to excellent yields. Besides demonstrating the broad applicability for primary, secondary and tertiary benzylic alcohols, a reaction intermediate could be identified. Additionally, it could be shown that partial oxidation of the applied phosphine ligand was beneficial for the course of the reaction, presumably by stabilizing the active catalyst. Reaction profiles and catalyst poisoning experiments were used to characterize the catalyst, the results indicate a homogeneous metal complex as active species. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems

PubMed Central

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way. PMID:28848467

Assessing Student Written Problem Solutions: A Problem-Solving Rubric with Application to Introductory Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Docktor, Jennifer L.; Dornfeld, Jay; Frodermann, Evan; Heller, Kenneth; Hsu, Leonardo; Jackson, Koblar Alan; Mason, Andrew; Ryan, Qing X.; Yang, Jie

2016-01-01

Problem solving is a complex process valuable in everyday life and crucial for learning in the STEM fields. To support the development of problem-solving skills it is important for researchers and curriculum developers to have practical tools that can measure the difference between novice and expert problem-solving performance in authentic…

Are Middle School Mathematics Teachers Able to Solve Word Problems without Using Variable?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gökkurt Özdemir, Burçin; Erdem, Emrullah; Örnek, Tugba; Soylu, Yasin

2018-01-01

Many people consider problem solving as a complex process in which variables such as "x," "y" are used. Problems may not be solved by only using "variable." Problem solving can be rationalized and made easier using practical strategies. When especially the development of children at younger ages is considered, it is…

The linear stability of vertical mixture seepage into the close porous filter with clogging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maryshev, Boris S.

2017-02-01

In the present paper, filtration of a mixture through a close porous filter is considered. A heavy solute penetrates from the upper side of the filter into the filter body due to seepage flow and diffusion. In the presence of heavy solute a domain with a heavy fluid is formed near the upper boundary of the filter. The stratification, at which the heavy fluid is located above the light, is unstable. When the mass of the heavy solute exceeds the critical value, one can observe the onset of instability. As a result, two regimes of vertical filtration can occur: (1) homogeneous seepage and (2) convective filtration. Filtration of a mixture in porous media is a complex process. It is necessary to take into account the solute immobilization (or sorption) and clogging of porous medium. We consider the case of low solute concentrations, in which the immobilization is described by the linear MIM (mobile/immobile media) model. The clogging is described by the dependence of permeability on porosity in terms of the Carman-Kozeny formula. The presence of immobile (or adsorbed) particles of the solute decreases the porosity of media and porous media becomes less permeable. The purpose of the paper is to find the stability conditions for the homogeneous vertical seepage of the mixture into the close porous filter. The linear stability problem is solved using the quasi-static approach. The critical times of instability are estimated. The stability maps have been plotted in the space of system parameters. The applicability of quasi-static approach is substantiated by direct numerical simulation.

LSENS, The NASA Lewis Kinetics and Sensitivity Analysis Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radhakrishnan, K.

2000-01-01

A general chemical kinetics and sensitivity analysis code for complex, homogeneous, gas-phase reactions is described. The main features of the code, LSENS (the NASA Lewis kinetics and sensitivity analysis code), are its flexibility, efficiency and convenience in treating many different chemical reaction models. The models include: static system; steady, one-dimensional, inviscid flow; incident-shock initiated reaction in a shock tube; and a perfectly stirred reactor. In addition, equilibrium computations can be performed for several assigned states. An implicit numerical integration method (LSODE, the Livermore Solver for Ordinary Differential Equations), which works efficiently for the extremes of very fast and very slow reactions, is used to solve the "stiff" ordinary differential equation systems that arise in chemical kinetics. For static reactions, the code uses the decoupled direct method to calculate sensitivity coefficients of the dependent variables and their temporal derivatives with respect to the initial values of dependent variables and/or the rate coefficient parameters. Solution methods for the equilibrium and post-shock conditions and for perfectly stirred reactor problems are either adapted from or based on the procedures built into the NASA code CEA (Chemical Equilibrium and Applications).

Bi-material plane with interface crack for the model of semi-linear material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domanskaya, T. O.; Malkov, V. M.; Malkova, Yu. V.

2018-05-01

The singular plane problems of nonlinear elasticity (plane strain and plane stress) are considered for bi-material infinite plane with interface crack. The plane is formed of two half-planes. Mechanical properties of half-planes are described by the model of semi-linear material. Using model of this harmonic material has allowed to apply the theory of complex functions and to obtain exact analytical global solutions of some nonlinear problems. Among them the problem of bi-material plane with the stresses and strains jumps at an interface is considered. As an application of the problem of jumps, the problem of interface crack is solved. The values of nominal (Piola) and Cauchy stresses and displacements are founded. Based on the global solutions the asymptotic expansions are constructed for stresses and displacements in a vicinity of crack tip. As an example the case of a free crack in bi-material plane subjected to constant stresses at infinity is studied. As a special case, the analytical solution of the problem of a crack in a homogeneous plane is obtained from the problem for bi-material plane with interface crack.

Multi-scale and multi-domain computational astrophysics.

PubMed

van Elteren, Arjen; Pelupessy, Inti; Zwart, Simon Portegies

2014-08-06

Astronomical phenomena are governed by processes on all spatial and temporal scales, ranging from days to the age of the Universe (13.8 Gyr) as well as from kilometre size up to the size of the Universe. This enormous range in scales is contrived, but as long as there is a physical connection between the smallest and largest scales it is important to be able to resolve them all, and for the study of many astronomical phenomena this governance is present. Although covering all these scales is a challenge for numerical modellers, the most challenging aspect is the equally broad and complex range in physics, and the way in which these processes propagate through all scales. In our recent effort to cover all scales and all relevant physical processes on these scales, we have designed the Astrophysics Multipurpose Software Environment (AMUSE). AMUSE is a Python-based framework with production quality community codes and provides a specialized environment to connect this plethora of solvers to a homogeneous problem-solving environment. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Single-molecule FRET-Rosetta reveals RNA structural rearrangements during human telomerase catalysis

PubMed Central

Parks, Joseph W.; Kappel, Kalli; Das, Rhiju; Stone, Michael D.

2017-01-01

Maintenance of telomeres by telomerase permits continuous proliferation of rapidly dividing cells, including the majority of human cancers. Despite its direct biomedical significance, the architecture of the human telomerase complex remains unknown. Generating homogeneous telomerase samples has presented a significant barrier to developing improved structural models. Here we pair single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurements with Rosetta modeling to map the conformations of the essential telomerase RNA core domain within the active ribonucleoprotein. FRET-guided modeling places the essential pseudoknot fold distal to the active site on a protein surface comprising the C-terminal element, a domain that shares structural homology with canonical polymerase thumb domains. An independently solved medium-resolution structure of Tetrahymena telomerase provides a blind test of our modeling methodology and sheds light on the structural homology of this domain across diverse organisms. Our smFRET-Rosetta models reveal nanometer-scale rearrangements within the RNA core domain during catalysis. Taken together, our FRET data and pseudoatomic molecular models permit us to propose a possible mechanism for how RNA core domain rearrangement is coupled to template hybrid elongation. PMID:28096444

Can Television Enhance Children's Mathematical Problem Solving?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisch, Shalom M.; And Others

1994-01-01

A summative evaluation of "Square One TV," an educational mathematics series produced by the Children's Television Workshop, shows that children who regularly viewed the program showed significant improvement in solving unfamiliar, complex mathematical problems, and viewers showed improvement in their mathematical problem-solving ability…

Application of NASA management approach to solve complex problems on earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potate, J. S.

1972-01-01

The application of NASA management approach to solving complex problems on earth is discussed. The management of the Apollo program is presented as an example of effective management techniques. Four key elements of effective management are analyzed. Photographs of the Cape Kennedy launch sites and supporting equipment are included to support the discussions.

Spawning Ideas--Moving from Ideas to Action: Quality Tools for Collective Problem-Solving and Continuous Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flor, Richard F.; Troskey, Matthew D.

This paper explores the dynamics of managing collective problem solving and decision making, and the application of tools and strategies to deal with the emergent complexity of systems in which educators work. Schools and educational programs are complex adaptive systems that respond to changes in internal and external environments. Functioning…

Complex Problem Solving in Educational Contexts--Something beyond "g": Concept, Assessment, Measurement Invariance, and Construct Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiff, Samuel; Wustenberg, Sascha; Molnar, Gyongyver; Fischer, Andreas; Funke, Joachim; Csapo, Beno

2013-01-01

Innovative assessments of cross-curricular competencies such as complex problem solving (CPS) have currently received considerable attention in large-scale educational studies. This study investigated the nature of CPS by applying a state-of-the-art approach to assess CPS in high school. We analyzed whether two processes derived from cognitive…

Learning by Preparing to Teach: Fostering Self-Regulatory Processes and Achievement during Complex Mathematics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muis, Krista R.; Psaradellis, Cynthia; Chevrier, Marianne; Di Leo, Ivana; Lajoie, Susanne P.

2016-01-01

We developed an intervention based on the learning by teaching paradigm to foster self-regulatory processes and better learning outcomes during complex mathematics problem solving in a technology-rich learning environment. Seventy-eight elementary students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: learning by preparing to teach, or learning for…

Differential Relations between Facets of Complex Problem Solving and Students' Immigration Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnleitner, Philipp; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Ulrich; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

Whereas the assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) has received increasing attention in the context of international large-scale assessments, its fairness in regard to students' cultural background has gone largely unexplored. On the basis of a student sample of 9th-graders (N = 299), including a representative number of immigrant students (N…

What Do Employers Pay for Employees' Complex Problem Solving Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ederer, Peer; Nedelkoska, Ljubica; Patt, Alexander; Castellazzi, Silvia

2015-01-01

We estimate the market value that employers assign to the complex problem solving (CPS) skills of their employees, using individual-level Mincer-style wage regressions. For the purpose of the study, we collected new and unique data using psychometric measures of CPS and an extensive background questionnaire on employees' personal and work history.…

Assessment of Complex Problem Solving: What We Know and What We Don't Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herde, Christoph Nils; Wüstenberg, Sascha; Greiff, Samuel

2016-01-01

Complex Problem Solving (CPS) is seen as a cross-curricular 21st century skill that has attracted interest in large-scale-assessments. In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012, CPS was assessed all over the world to gain information on students' skills to acquire and apply knowledge while dealing with nontransparent…

Student Learning of Complex Earth Systems: A Model to Guide Development of Student Expertise in Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holder, Lauren N.; Scherer, Hannah H.; Herbert, Bruce E.

2017-01-01

Engaging students in problem-solving concerning environmental issues in near-surface complex Earth systems involves developing student conceptualization of the Earth as a system and applying that scientific knowledge to the problems using practices that model those used by professionals. In this article, we review geoscience education research…

Functional homogeneous zones (fHZs) in viticultural zoning procedure: an Italian case study on Aglianico vine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonfante, A.; Agrillo, A.; Albrizio, R.; Basile, A.; Buonomo, R.; De Mascellis, R.; Gambuti, A.; Giorio, P.; Guida, G.; Langella, G.; Manna, P.; Minieri, L.; Moio, L.; Siani, T.; Terribile, F.

2015-06-01

This paper aims to test a new physically oriented approach to viticulture zoning at farm scale that is strongly rooted in hydropedology and aims to achieve a better use of environmental features with respect to plant requirements and wine production. The physics of our approach are defined by the use of soil-plant-atmosphere simulation models, applying physically based equations to describe the soil hydrological processes and solve soil-plant water status. This study (part of the ZOVISA project) was conducted on a farm devoted to production of high-quality wines (Aglianico DOC), located in southern Italy (Campania region, Mirabella Eclano, AV). The soil spatial distribution was obtained after standard soil survey informed by geophysical survey. Two homogeneous zones (HZs) were identified; in each one a physically based model was applied to solve the soil water balance and estimate the soil functional behaviour (crop water stress index, CWSI) defining the functional homogeneous zones (fHZs). For the second process, experimental plots were established and monitored for investigating soil-plant water status, crop development (biometric and physiological parameters) and daily climate variables (temperature, solar radiation, rainfall, wind). The effects of crop water status on crop response over must and wine quality were then evaluated in the fHZs. This was performed by comparing crop water stress with (i) crop physiological measurement (leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, leaf water potential, chlorophyll content, leaf area index (LAI) measurement), (ii) grape bunches measurements (berry weight, sugar content, titratable acidity, etc.) and (iii) wine quality (aromatic response). This experiment proved the usefulness of the physically based approach, also in the case of mapping viticulture microzoning.

Mechanisms and Rates of U(VI) Reduction by Fe(II) in Homogeneous Aqueous Solution and the Role of U(V) Disproportionation

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

Collins, Richard N.; Rosso, Kevin M.

Molecular-level pathways in the aqueous redox transformation of uranium by iron remain unclear, despite the importance of this knowledge for predicting uranium transport and distribution in natural and engineered environments. As the relative importance of homogeneous versus heterogeneous pathways is difficult to probe experimentally, here we apply computational molecular simulation to isolate rates of key one electron transfer reactions in the homogeneous pathway. By comparison to experimental observations the role of the heterogeneous pathway also becomes clear. Density functional theory (DFT) and Marcus theory calculations for all primary monomeric species at pH values ≤7 show for UO22+ and its hydrolysismore » species UO2OH+ and UO2(OH)20 that reduction by Fe2+ is thermodynamically favorable, though kinetically limited for UO22+. An inner-sphere encounter complex between UO2OH+ and Fe2+ was the most stable for the first hydrolysis species and displayed an electron transfer rate constant ket = 4.3 × 103 s-1. Three stable inner- and outer-sphere encounter complexes between UO2(OH)20 and Fe2+ were found, with electron transfer rate constants ranging from ket = 7.6 × 102 to 7.2 × 104 s-1. Homogeneous reduction of these U(VI) hydrolysis species to U(V) is, therefore, predicted to be facile. In contrast, homogeneous reduction of UO2+ by Fe2+ was found to be thermodynamically unfavorable, suggesting the possible importance of U(V)-U(V) disproportionation as a route to U(IV). Calculations on homogeneous disproportionation, however, while yielding a stable outer-sphere U(V)-U(V) encounter complex, indicate that this electron transfer reaction is not feasible at circumneutral pH. Protonation of both axial O atoms of acceptor U(V) (i.e., by H3O+) was found to be a prerequisite to stabilize U(IV), consistent with the experimental observation that the rate of this reaction is inversely correlated with pH. Thus, despite prevailing notions that U(V) is rapidly eliminated by homogeneous disproportionation, this pathway is irrelevant at environmental conditions.« less

A numerical homogenization method for heterogeneous, anisotropic elastic media based on multiscale theory

DOE PAGES

Gao, Kai; Chung, Eric T.; Gibson, Richard L.; ...

2015-06-05

The development of reliable methods for upscaling fine scale models of elastic media has long been an important topic for rock physics and applied seismology. Several effective medium theories have been developed to provide elastic parameters for materials such as finely layered media or randomly oriented or aligned fractures. In such cases, the analytic solutions for upscaled properties can be used for accurate prediction of wave propagation. However, such theories cannot be applied directly to homogenize elastic media with more complex, arbitrary spatial heterogeneity. We therefore propose a numerical homogenization algorithm based on multiscale finite element methods for simulating elasticmore » wave propagation in heterogeneous, anisotropic elastic media. Specifically, our method used multiscale basis functions obtained from a local linear elasticity problem with appropriately defined boundary conditions. Homogenized, effective medium parameters were then computed using these basis functions, and the approach applied a numerical discretization that is similar to the rotated staggered-grid finite difference scheme. Comparisons of the results from our method and from conventional, analytical approaches for finely layered media showed that the homogenization reliably estimated elastic parameters for this simple geometry. Additional tests examined anisotropic models with arbitrary spatial heterogeneity where the average size of the heterogeneities ranged from several centimeters to several meters, and the ratio between the dominant wavelength and the average size of the arbitrary heterogeneities ranged from 10 to 100. Comparisons to finite-difference simulations proved that the numerical homogenization was equally accurate for these complex cases.« less

Numerical methods in Markov chain modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philippe, Bernard; Saad, Youcef; Stewart, William J.

1989-01-01

Several methods for computing stationary probability distributions of Markov chains are described and compared. The main linear algebra problem consists of computing an eigenvector of a sparse, usually nonsymmetric, matrix associated with a known eigenvalue. It can also be cast as a problem of solving a homogeneous singular linear system. Several methods based on combinations of Krylov subspace techniques are presented. The performance of these methods on some realistic problems are compared.

Solution of the equation of heat conduction with time dependent sources: Programmed application to planetary thermal history

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conel, J. E.

1975-01-01

A computer program (Program SPHERE) solving the inhomogeneous equation of heat conduction with radiation boundary condition on a thermally homogeneous sphere is described. The source terms are taken to be exponential functions of the time. Thermal properties are independent of temperature. The solutions are appropriate to studying certain classes of planetary thermal history. Special application to the moon is discussed.

Approximate method for calculating a thickwalled cylinder with rigidly clamped ends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreev, Vladimir

2018-03-01

Numerous papers dealing with the calculations of cylindrical bodies [1 -8 and others] have shown that analytic and numerical-analytical solutions in both homogeneous and inhomogeneous thick-walled shells can be obtained quite simply, using expansions in Fourier series on trigonometric functions, if the ends are hinged movable (sliding support). It is much more difficult to solve the problem of calculating shells with builtin ends.

A contrast source method for nonlinear acoustic wave fields in media with spatially inhomogeneous attenuation.

PubMed

Demi, L; van Dongen, K W A; Verweij, M D

2011-03-01

Experimental data reveals that attenuation is an important phenomenon in medical ultrasound. Attenuation is particularly important for medical applications based on nonlinear acoustics, since higher harmonics experience higher attenuation than the fundamental. Here, a method is presented to accurately solve the wave equation for nonlinear acoustic media with spatially inhomogeneous attenuation. Losses are modeled by a spatially dependent compliance relaxation function, which is included in the Westervelt equation. Introduction of absorption in the form of a causal relaxation function automatically results in the appearance of dispersion. The appearance of inhomogeneities implies the presence of a spatially inhomogeneous contrast source in the presented full-wave method leading to inclusion of forward and backward scattering. The contrast source problem is solved iteratively using a Neumann scheme, similar to the iterative nonlinear contrast source (INCS) method. The presented method is directionally independent and capable of dealing with weakly to moderately nonlinear, large scale, three-dimensional wave fields occurring in diagnostic ultrasound. Convergence of the method has been investigated and results for homogeneous, lossy, linear media show full agreement with the exact results. Moreover, the performance of the method is demonstrated through simulations involving steered and unsteered beams in nonlinear media with spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous attenuation. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

NOTE: Solving the ECG forward problem by means of a meshless finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. S.; Zhu, S. A.; He, Bin

2007-07-01

The conventional numerical computational techniques such as the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM) require laborious and time-consuming model meshing. The new meshless FEM only uses the boundary description and the node distribution and no meshing of the model is required. This paper presents the fundamentals and implementation of meshless FEM and the meshless FEM method is adapted to solve the electrocardiography (ECG) forward problem. The method is evaluated on a single-layer torso model, in which the analytical solution exists, and tested in a realistic geometry homogeneous torso model, with satisfactory results being obtained. The present results suggest that the meshless FEM may provide an alternative for ECG forward solutions.

Numerical methods for the design of gradient-index optical coatings.

PubMed

Anzengruber, Stephan W; Klann, Esther; Ramlau, Ronny; Tonova, Diana

2012-12-01

We formulate the problem of designing gradient-index optical coatings as the task of solving a system of operator equations. We use iterative numerical procedures known from the theory of inverse problems to solve it with respect to the coating refractive index profile and thickness. The mathematical derivations necessary for the application of the procedures are presented, and different numerical methods (Landweber, Newton, and Gauss-Newton methods, Tikhonov minimization with surrogate functionals) are implemented. Procedures for the transformation of the gradient coating designs into quasi-gradient ones (i.e., multilayer stacks of homogeneous layers with different refractive indices) are also developed. The design algorithms work with physically available coating materials that could be produced with the modern coating technologies.

The high water solubility of inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD prepared and characterized by the emulsion solvent evaporation and the freeze drying combination method.

PubMed

Zu, Yuangang; Wu, Weiwei; Zhao, Xiuhua; Li, Yong; Zhong, Chen; Zhang, Yin

2014-12-30

This study selected γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) as the inclusion material and prepared inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD by the emulsion solvent evaporation and the freeze drying combination method to achieve the improvement of the solubility and oral bioavailability of taxifolin. We selected ethyl acetate as the oil phase, deionized water as the water phase. The taxifolin emulsion was prepared using adjustable speed homogenate machine in the process of this experiment, whose particle size was related to the concentration of taxifolin solution, the volume ratio of water phase to oil phase, the speed and time of homogenate. We knew through the single-factor test that, the optimum conditions were: the concentration of taxifolin solution was 40 mg/ml, the volume ratio of water phase to oil phase was 1.5, the speed of homogenate was 5,000 rpm, the homogenate time was 11 min. Taxifolin emulsion with a MPS of 142.5 nm was obtained under the optimum conditions, then the high-concentration taxifolin solution (3mg/ml) was obtained by the rotary evaporation process. Finally, the inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD was prepared by vacuum freeze-dry. The characteristics of the inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD were analyzed using SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TG. The FTIR results analyzed the interaction of taxifolin and γ-CD and determined the molecular structure of the inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD. The analysis results of XRD, DSC and TG indicated that the inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD was obtained and showed significantly different characteristics with taxifolin. In addition, dissolving capability test, antioxidant capacity test, solvent residue test were also carried out. The experimental datas showed that the solubility of inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD at 25°C and 37°C were about 18.5 times and 19.8 times of raw taxifolin, the dissolution rate of inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD were about 2.84 times of raw taxifolin, the bioavailability of inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD increased 3.72 times compared with raw taxifolin, and the antioxidant capacity of inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD was also superior to raw taxifolin. Furthermore, the amounts of residual solvent of the inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD were suitable for pharmaceutical use. These results suggested that inclusion complex of taxifolin-γ-CD may have potential value to become a new oral taxifolin formulation with high solubility. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Edge-Based Image Compression with Homogeneous Diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mainberger, Markus; Weickert, Joachim

It is well-known that edges contain semantically important image information. In this paper we present a lossy compression method for cartoon-like images that exploits information at image edges. These edges are extracted with the Marr-Hildreth operator followed by hysteresis thresholding. Their locations are stored in a lossless way using JBIG. Moreover, we encode the grey or colour values at both sides of each edge by applying quantisation, subsampling and PAQ coding. In the decoding step, information outside these encoded data is recovered by solving the Laplace equation, i.e. we inpaint with the steady state of a homogeneous diffusion process. Our experiments show that the suggested method outperforms the widely-used JPEG standard and can even beat the advanced JPEG2000 standard for cartoon-like images.

Estimation of homogeneous nucleation flux via a kinetic model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, C. F.; Bauer, S. H.

1991-01-01

The proposed kinetic model for condensation under homogeneous conditions, and the onset of unidirectional cluster growth in supersaturated gases, does not suffer from the conceptual flaws that characterize classical nucleation theory. When a full set of simultaneous rate equation is solved, a characteristic time emerges, for each cluster size, at which the production rate, and its rate of conversion to the next size (n + 1) are equal. Procedures for estimating the essential parameters are proposed; condensation fluxes J(kin) exp ss are evaluated. Since there are practical limits to the cluster size that can be incorporated in the set of simultaneous first-order differential equations, a code was developed for computing an approximate J(th) exp ss based on estimates of a 'constrained equilibrium' distribution, and identification of its minimum.

Differential responses of targeted lung redox enzymes to rat exposure to 60 or 85% oxygen

PubMed Central

Gan, Zhuohui; Roerig, David L.; Clough, Anne V.

2011-01-01

Rat exposure to 60% O2 (hyper-60) or 85% O2 (hyper-85) for 7 days confers susceptibility or tolerance, respectively, of the otherwise lethal effects of exposure to 100% O2. The objective of this study was to determine whether activities of the antioxidant cytosolic enzyme NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and mitochondrial complex III are differentially altered in hyper-60 and hyper-85 lungs. Duroquinone (DQ), an NQO1 substrate, or its hydroquinone (DQH2), a complex III substrate, was infused into the arterial inflow of isolated, perfused lungs, and the venous efflux rates of DQH2 and DQ were measured. Based on inhibitor effects and kinetic modeling, capacities of NQO1-mediated DQ reduction (Vmax1) and complex III-mediated DQH2 oxidation (Vmax2) increased by ∼140 and ∼180% in hyper-85 lungs, respectively, compared with rates in lungs of rats exposed to room air (normoxic). In hyper-60 lungs, Vmax1 increased by ∼80%, with no effect on Vmax2. Additional studies revealed that mitochondrial complex I activity in hyper-60 and hyper-85 lung tissue homogenates was ∼50% lower than in normoxic lung homogenates, whereas mitochondrial complex IV activity was ∼90% higher in only hyper-85 lung tissue homogenates. Thus NQO1 activity increased in both hyper-60 and hyper-85 lungs, whereas complex III activity increased in hyper-85 lungs only. This increase, along with the increase in complex IV activity, may counter the effects the depression in complex I activity might have on tissue mitochondrial function and/or reactive oxygen species production and may be important to the tolerance of 100% O2 observed in hyper-85 rats. PMID:21551015

Differential responses of targeted lung redox enzymes to rat exposure to 60 or 85% oxygen.

PubMed

Gan, Zhuohui; Roerig, David L; Clough, Anne V; Audi, Said H

2011-07-01

Rat exposure to 60% O(2) (hyper-60) or 85% O(2) (hyper-85) for 7 days confers susceptibility or tolerance, respectively, of the otherwise lethal effects of exposure to 100% O(2). The objective of this study was to determine whether activities of the antioxidant cytosolic enzyme NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and mitochondrial complex III are differentially altered in hyper-60 and hyper-85 lungs. Duroquinone (DQ), an NQO1 substrate, or its hydroquinone (DQH(2)), a complex III substrate, was infused into the arterial inflow of isolated, perfused lungs, and the venous efflux rates of DQH(2) and DQ were measured. Based on inhibitor effects and kinetic modeling, capacities of NQO1-mediated DQ reduction (V(max1)) and complex III-mediated DQH(2) oxidation (V(max2)) increased by ∼140 and ∼180% in hyper-85 lungs, respectively, compared with rates in lungs of rats exposed to room air (normoxic). In hyper-60 lungs, V(max1) increased by ∼80%, with no effect on V(max2). Additional studies revealed that mitochondrial complex I activity in hyper-60 and hyper-85 lung tissue homogenates was ∼50% lower than in normoxic lung homogenates, whereas mitochondrial complex IV activity was ∼90% higher in only hyper-85 lung tissue homogenates. Thus NQO1 activity increased in both hyper-60 and hyper-85 lungs, whereas complex III activity increased in hyper-85 lungs only. This increase, along with the increase in complex IV activity, may counter the effects the depression in complex I activity might have on tissue mitochondrial function and/or reactive oxygen species production and may be important to the tolerance of 100% O(2) observed in hyper-85 rats.

Efficient method for the calculation of mean extinction. II. Analyticity of the complex extinction efficiency of homogeneous spheroids and finite cylinders.

PubMed

Xing, Z F; Greenberg, J M

1994-08-20

The analyticity of the complex extinction efficiency is examined numerically in the size-parameter domain for homogeneous prolate and oblate spheroids and finite cylinders. The T-matrix code, which is the most efficient program available to date, is employed to calculate the individual particle-extinction efficiencies. Because of its computational limitations in the size-parameter range, a slightly modified Hilbert-transform algorithm is required to establish the analyticity numerically. The findings concerning analyticity that we reported for spheres (Astrophys. J. 399, 164-175, 1992) apply equally to these nonspherical particles.

Analysis of gas absorption to a thin liquid film in the presence of a zero-order chemical reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajagopalan, S.; Rahman, M. M.

1995-01-01

The paper presents a detailed theoretical analysis of the process of gas absorption to a thin liquid film adjacent to a horizontal rotating disk. The film is formed by the impingement of a controlled liquid jet at the center of the disk and subsequent radial spreading of liquid along the disk. The chemical reaction between the gas and the liquid film can be expressed as a zero-order homogeneous reaction. The process was modeled by establishing equations for the conservation of mass, momentum, and species concentration and solving them analytically. A scaling analysis was used to determine dominant transport processes. Appropriate boundary conditions were used to solve these equations to develop expressions for the local concentration of gas across the thickness of the film and distributions of film height, bulk concentration, and Sherwood number along the radius of the disk. The partial differential equation for species concentration was solved using the separation of variables technique along with the Duhamel's theorem and the final analytical solution was expressed using confluent hypergeometric functions. Tables for eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are presented for a number of reaction rate constants. A parametric study was performed using Reynolds number, Ekman number, and dimensionless reaction rate as parameters. At all radial locations, Sherwood number increased with Reynolds number (flow rate) as well as Ekman number (rate of rotation). The enhancement of mass transfer due to chemical reaction was found to be small when compared to the case of no reaction (pure absorption), but the enhancement factor was very significant when compared to pure absorption in a stagnant liquid film. The zero-order reaction processes considered in the present investigation included the absorption of oxygen in aqueous alkaline solutions of sodiumdithionite and rhodium complex catalyzed carbonylation of methanol. Present analytical results were compared to previous theoretical results for limiting conditions, and were found to have very good agreement.

Structure-preserving spectral element method in attenuating seismic wave modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Wenjun; Zhang, Huai

2016-04-01

This work describes the extension of the conformal symplectic method to solve the damped acoustic wave equation and the elastic wave equations in the framework of the spectral element method. The conformal symplectic method is a variation of conventional symplectic methods to treat non-conservative time evolution problems which has superior behaviors in long-time stability and dissipation preservation. To construct the conformal symplectic method, we first reformulate the damped acoustic wave equation and the elastic wave equations in their equivalent conformal multi-symplectic structures, which naturally reveal the intrinsic properties of the original systems, especially, the dissipation laws. We thereafter separate each structures into a conservative Hamiltonian system and a purely dissipative ordinary differential equation system. Based on the splitting methodology, we solve the two subsystems respectively. The dissipative one is cheaply solved by its analytic solution. While for the conservative system, we combine a fourth-order symplectic Nyström method in time and the spectral element method in space to cover the circumstances in realistic geological structures involving complex free-surface topography. The Strang composition method is adopted thereby to concatenate the corresponding two parts of solutions and generate the completed numerical scheme, which is conformal symplectic and can therefore guarantee the numerical stability and dissipation preservation after a large time modeling. Additionally, a relative larger Courant number than that of the traditional Newmark scheme is found in the numerical experiments in conjunction with a spatial sampling of approximately 5 points per wavelength. A benchmark test for the damped acoustic wave equation validates the effectiveness of our proposed method in precisely capturing dissipation rate. The classical Lamb problem is used to demonstrate the ability of modeling Rayleigh-wave propagation. More comprehensive numerical experiments are presented to investigate the long-time simulation, low dispersion and energy conservation properties of the conformal symplectic method in both the attenuating homogeneous and heterogeneous mediums.

MHODE: a local-homogeneity theory for improved source-parameter estimation of potential fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedi, Maurizio; Florio, Giovanni; Paoletti, Valeria

2015-08-01

We describe a multihomogeneity theory for source-parameter estimation of potential fields. Similar to what happens for random source models, where the monofractal scaling-law has been generalized into a multifractal law, we propose to generalize the homogeneity law into a multihomogeneity law. This allows a theoretically correct approach to study real-world potential fields, which are inhomogeneous and so do not show scale invariance, except in the asymptotic regions (very near to or very far from their sources). Since the scaling properties of inhomogeneous fields change with the scale of observation, we show that they may be better studied at a set of scales than at a single scale and that a multihomogeneous model is needed to explain its complex scaling behaviour. In order to perform this task, we first introduce fractional-degree homogeneous fields, to show that: (i) homogeneous potential fields may have fractional or integer degree; (ii) the source-distributions for a fractional-degree are not confined in a bounded region, similarly to some integer-degree models, such as the infinite line mass and (iii) differently from the integer-degree case, the fractional-degree source distributions are no longer uniform density functions. Using this enlarged set of homogeneous fields, real-world anomaly fields are studied at different scales, by a simple search, at any local window W, for the best homogeneous field of either integer or fractional-degree, this yielding a multiscale set of local homogeneity-degrees and depth estimations which we call multihomogeneous model. It is so defined a new technique of source parameter estimation (Multi-HOmogeneity Depth Estimation, MHODE), permitting retrieval of the source parameters of complex sources. We test the method with inhomogeneous fields of finite sources, such as faults or cylinders, and show its effectiveness also in a real-case example. These applications show the usefulness of the new concepts, multihomogeneity and fractional homogeneity-degree, to obtain valid estimates of the source parameters in a consistent theoretical framework, so overcoming the limitations imposed by global-homogeneity to widespread methods, such as Euler deconvolution.

Solving Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, Norman; Lindelow, John

Chapter 12 in a volume on school leadership, this chapter cites the work of several authorities concerning problem-solving or decision-making techniques based on the belief that group problem-solving effort is preferable to individual effort. The first technique, force-field analysis, is described as a means of dissecting complex problems into…

Successful propagation of shrimp yellow head virus in immortal mosquito cells.

PubMed

Gangnonngiw, Warachin; Kanthong, Nipaporn; Flegel, Timothy W

2010-05-18

Research on crustacean viruses is hampered by the lack of continuous cell lines susceptible to them. To overcome this problem, we previously challenged immortal mosquito and lepidopteran cell lines with shrimp yellow head virus (YHV), followed by serial, split-passage of whole cells, and showed that this produced cells that persistently expressed YHV antigens. To determine whether such insect cultures positive for YHV antigens could be used to infect shrimp Penaeus monodon with YHV, culture supernatants and whole-cell homogenates were used to challenge shrimp by injection. Shrimp injected with culture supernatants could not be infected. However, shrimp injection-challenged with whole-cell homogenates from Passage 5 (early-passage) of such cultures died with histological and clinical signs typical for yellow head disease (YHD), while homogenates of mock-passaged, YHV-challenged cells did not. By contrast, shrimp challenged with cell homogenates of late-passage cultures became infected with YHV, but survived, suggesting that YHV attenuation had occurred during its long-term serial passage in insect cells. Thus, YHV could be propagated successfully in C6/36 mosquito cells and used at low passage numbers as a source of inoculum to initiate lethal infections in shrimp. This partially solves the problem of lack of continuous shrimp cell lines for cultivation of YHV.

Human Aided Reinforcement Learning in Complex Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

learn to solve tasks through a trial -and- error process. As an agent takes ...task faster andmore accurately, a human expert can be added to the system to guide an agent in solving the task. This project seeks to expand on current...theenvironment, which works particularly well for reactive tasks . In more complex tasks , these systems do not work as intended. The manipulation

Thresholds of Knowledge Development in Complex Problem Solving: A Multiple-Case Study of Advanced Learners' Cognitive Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogard, Treavor; Liu, Min; Chiang, Yueh-hui Vanessa

2013-01-01

This multiple-case study examined how advanced learners solved a complex problem, focusing on how their frequency and application of cognitive processes contributed to differences in performance outcomes, and developing a mental model of a problem. Fifteen graduate students with backgrounds related to the problem context participated in the study.…

Linking Complex Problem Solving and General Mental Ability to Career Advancement: Does a Transversal Skill Reveal Incremental Predictive Validity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mainert, Jakob; Kretzschmar, André; Neubert, Jonas C.; Greiff, Samuel

2015-01-01

Transversal skills, such as complex problem solving (CPS) are viewed as central twenty-first-century skills. Recent empirical findings have already supported the importance of CPS for early academic advancement. We wanted to determine whether CPS could also contribute to the understanding of career advancement later in life. Towards this end, we…

The Computer-Based Assessment of Complex Problem Solving and How It Is Influenced by Students' Information and Communication Technology Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiff, Samuel; Kretzschmar, André; Müller, Jonas C.; Spinath, Birgit; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

The 21st-century work environment places strong emphasis on nonroutine transversal skills. In an educational context, complex problem solving (CPS) is generally considered an important transversal skill that includes knowledge acquisition and its application in new and interactive situations. The dynamic and interactive nature of CPS requires a…

An Application of Generalizability Theory and Many-Facet Rasch Measurement Using a Complex Problem-Solving Skills Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jr., Everett V.; Kulikowich, Jonna M.

2004-01-01

This study describes the use of generalizability theory (GT) and many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) to evaluate psychometric properties of responses obtained from an assessment designed to measure complex problem-solving skills. The assessment revolved around the school activity of kickball. The task required of each student was to decide on a…

Shared Features of L2 Writing: Intergroup Homogeneity and Text Classification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossley, Scott A.; McNamara, Danielle S.

2011-01-01

This study investigates intergroup homogeneity within high intermediate and advanced L2 writers of English from Czech, Finnish, German, and Spanish first language backgrounds. A variety of linguistic features related to lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and cohesion were used to compare texts written by L1 speakers of English to L2…

New Wind in Old Sails: Novel Applications of Triphos-based Transition Metal Complexes as Homogeneous Catalysts for Small Molecules and Renewables Activation.

PubMed

Mellone, Irene; Bertini, Federica; Gonsalvi, Luca; Guerriero, Antonella; Peruzzini, Maurizio

2015-01-01

Recent developments in the coordination chemistry and applications of Ru-triphos [triphos = 1,1,1-tris-(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane] systems are reviewed, highlighting their role as active and selective homogenous catalysts for small molecule activation, biomass conversions and in carbon dioxide utilization-related processes.

A generalized Poisson solver for first-principles device simulations

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

Bani-Hashemian, Mohammad Hossein; VandeVondele, Joost, E-mail: joost.vandevondele@mat.ethz.ch; Brück, Sascha

2016-01-28

Electronic structure calculations of atomistic systems based on density functional theory involve solving the Poisson equation. In this paper, we present a plane-wave based algorithm for solving the generalized Poisson equation subject to periodic or homogeneous Neumann conditions on the boundaries of the simulation cell and Dirichlet type conditions imposed at arbitrary subdomains. In this way, source, drain, and gate voltages can be imposed across atomistic models of electronic devices. Dirichlet conditions are enforced as constraints in a variational framework giving rise to a saddle point problem. The resulting system of equations is then solved using a stationary iterative methodmore » in which the generalized Poisson operator is preconditioned with the standard Laplace operator. The solver can make use of any sufficiently smooth function modelling the dielectric constant, including density dependent dielectric continuum models. For all the boundary conditions, consistent derivatives are available and molecular dynamics simulations can be performed. The convergence behaviour of the scheme is investigated and its capabilities are demonstrated.« less

Solution of monotone complementarity and general convex programming problems using a modified potential reduction interior point method

DOE PAGES

Huang, Kuo -Ling; Mehrotra, Sanjay

2016-11-08

We present a homogeneous algorithm equipped with a modified potential function for the monotone complementarity problem. We show that this potential function is reduced by at least a constant amount if a scaled Lipschitz condition (SLC) is satisfied. A practical algorithm based on this potential function is implemented in a software package named iOptimize. The implementation in iOptimize maintains global linear and polynomial time convergence properties, while achieving practical performance. It either successfully solves the problem, or concludes that the SLC is not satisfied. When compared with the mature software package MOSEK (barrier solver version 6.0.0.106), iOptimize solves convex quadraticmore » programming problems, convex quadratically constrained quadratic programming problems, and general convex programming problems in fewer iterations. Moreover, several problems for which MOSEK fails are solved to optimality. In addition, we also find that iOptimize detects infeasibility more reliably than the general nonlinear solvers Ipopt (version 3.9.2) and Knitro (version 8.0).« less

Numerical solution of the quantum Lenard-Balescu equation for a non-degenerate one-component plasma

DOE PAGES

Scullard, Christian R.; Belt, Andrew P.; Fennell, Susan C.; ...

2016-09-01

We present a numerical solution of the quantum Lenard-Balescu equation using a spectral method, namely an expansion in Laguerre polynomials. This method exactly conserves both particles and kinetic energy and facilitates the integration over the dielectric function. To demonstrate the method, we solve the equilibration problem for a spatially homogeneous one-component plasma with various initial conditions. Unlike the more usual Landau/Fokker-Planck system, this method requires no input Coulomb logarithm; the logarithmic terms in the collision integral arise naturally from the equation along with the non-logarithmic order-unity terms. The spectral method can also be used to solve the Landau equation andmore » a quantum version of the Landau equation in which the integration over the wavenumber requires only a lower cutoff. We solve these problems as well and compare them with the full Lenard-Balescu solution in the weak-coupling limit. Finally, we discuss the possible generalization of this method to include spatial inhomogeneity and velocity anisotropy.« less

Complex Problem Solving in L1 Education: Senior High School Students' Knowledge of the Language Problem-Solving Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Velzen, Joke H.

2017-01-01

The solving of reasoning problems in first language (L1) education can produce an understanding of language, and student autonomy in language problem solving, both of which are contemporary goals in senior high school education. The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of senior high school students' knowledge of the language…

Electrochemical hydrogenation of a homogeneous nickel complex to form a surface adsorbed hydrogen-evolving species

DOE PAGES

Martin, Daniel J.; McCarthy, Brian D.; Donley, Carrie L.; ...

2014-12-04

Here, a Ni(ii) complex with nitrogen and sulfur donor ligands degrades electrochemically in the presence of acid in acetonitrile to form an electrode adsorbed film that catalytically evolves hydrogen.

Teaching Problem-Solving Skills to Nuclear Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, E.; Kaye, M. H.

2012-01-01

Problem solving is an essential skill for nuclear engineering graduates entering the workforce. Training in qualitative and quantitative aspects of problem solving allows students to conceptualise and execute solutions to complex problems. Solutions to problems in high consequence fields of study such as nuclear engineering require rapid and…

Working Memory, Visual-Spatial-Intelligence and Their Relationship to Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buhner, Markus; Kroner, Stephan; Ziegler, Matthias

2008-01-01

The relationship between working memory, intelligence and problem-solving is explored. Wittmann and Suss [Wittmann, W.W., & Suss, H.M. (1999). Investigating the paths between working memory, intelligence, knowledge, and complex problem-solving performances via Brunswik symmetry. In P.L. Ackerman, R.D. Roberts (Ed.), "Learning and individual…

The Role of Problem Solving in Complex Intraverbal Repertoires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sautter, Rachael A.; LeBlanc, Linda A.; Jay, Allison A.; Goldsmith, Tina R.; Carr, James E.

2011-01-01

We examined whether typically developing preschoolers could learn to use a problem-solving strategy that involved self-prompting with intraverbal chains to provide multiple responses to intraverbal categorization questions. Teaching the children to use the problem-solving strategy did not produce significant increases in target responses until…

The Future Problem Solving Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabbe, Anne B.

1989-01-01

Describes the Future Problem Solving Program, in which students from the U.S. and around the world are tackling some complex challenges facing society, ranging from acid rain to terrorism. The program uses a creative problem solving process developed for business and industry. A sixth-grade toxic waste cleanup project illustrates the process.…

Complex Quantum Network Manifolds in Dimension d > 2 are Scale-Free

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianconi, Ginestra; Rahmede, Christoph

2015-09-01

In quantum gravity, several approaches have been proposed until now for the quantum description of discrete geometries. These theoretical frameworks include loop quantum gravity, causal dynamical triangulations, causal sets, quantum graphity, and energetic spin networks. Most of these approaches describe discrete spaces as homogeneous network manifolds. Here we define Complex Quantum Network Manifolds (CQNM) describing the evolution of quantum network states, and constructed from growing simplicial complexes of dimension . We show that in d = 2 CQNM are homogeneous networks while for d > 2 they are scale-free i.e. they are characterized by large inhomogeneities of degrees like most complex networks. From the self-organized evolution of CQNM quantum statistics emerge spontaneously. Here we define the generalized degrees associated with the -faces of the -dimensional CQNMs, and we show that the statistics of these generalized degrees can either follow Fermi-Dirac, Boltzmann or Bose-Einstein distributions depending on the dimension of the -faces.

Modeling the effects of vegetation heterogeneity on wildland fire behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atchley, A. L.; Linn, R.; Sieg, C.; Middleton, R. S.

2017-12-01

Vegetation structure and densities are known to drive fire-spread rate and burn severity. Many fire-spread models incorporate an average, homogenous fuel density in the model domain to drive fire behavior. However, vegetation communities are rarely homogenous and instead present significant heterogeneous structure and fuel densities in the fires path. This results in observed patches of varied burn severities and mosaics of disturbed conditions that affect ecological recovery and hydrologic response. Consequently, to understand the interactions of fire and ecosystem functions, representations of spatially heterogeneous conditions need to be incorporated into fire models. Mechanistic models of fire disturbance offer insight into how fuel load characterization and distribution result in varied fire behavior. Here we use a physically-based 3D combustion model—FIRETEC—that solves conservation of mass, momentum, energy, and chemical species to compare fire behavior on homogenous representations to a heterogeneous vegetation distribution. Results demonstrate the impact vegetation heterogeneity has on the spread rate, intensity, and extent of simulated wildfires thus providing valuable insight in predicted wildland fire evolution and enhanced ability to estimate wildland fire inputs into regional and global climate models.

Topology optimization based design of unilateral NMR for generating a remote homogeneous field.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Gao, Renjing; Liu, Shutian

2017-06-01

This paper presents a topology optimization based design method for the design of unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), with which a remote homogeneous field can be obtained. The topology optimization is actualized by seeking out the optimal layout of ferromagnetic materials within a given design domain. The design objective is defined as generating a sensitive magnetic field with optimal homogeneity and maximal field strength within a required region of interest (ROI). The sensitivity of the objective function with respect to the design variables is derived and the method for solving the optimization problem is presented. A design example is provided to illustrate the utility of the design method, specifically the ability to improve the quality of the magnetic field over the required ROI by determining the optimal structural topology for the ferromagnetic poles. Both in simulations and experiments, the sensitive region of the magnetic field achieves about 2 times larger than that of the reference design, validating validates the feasibility of the design method. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The anelastic Ericksen problem: universal eigenstrains and deformations in compressible isotropic elastic solids.

PubMed

Yavari, Arash; Goriely, Alain

2016-12-01

The elastic Ericksen problem consists of finding deformations in isotropic hyperelastic solids that can be maintained for arbitrary strain-energy density functions. In the compressible case, Ericksen showed that only homogeneous deformations are possible. Here, we solve the anelastic version of the same problem, that is, we determine both the deformations and the eigenstrains such that a solution to the anelastic problem exists for arbitrary strain-energy density functions. Anelasticity is described by finite eigenstrains. In a nonlinear solid, these eigenstrains can be modelled by a Riemannian material manifold whose metric depends on their distribution. In this framework, we show that the natural generalization of the concept of homogeneous deformations is the notion of covariantly homogeneous deformations -deformations with covariantly constant deformation gradients. We prove that these deformations are the only universal deformations and that they put severe restrictions on possible universal eigenstrains . We show that, in a simply-connected body, for any distribution of universal eigenstrains the material manifold is a symmetric Riemannian manifold and that in dimensions 2 and 3 the universal eigenstrains are zero-stress.

The anelastic Ericksen problem: universal eigenstrains and deformations in compressible isotropic elastic solids

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The elastic Ericksen problem consists of finding deformations in isotropic hyperelastic solids that can be maintained for arbitrary strain-energy density functions. In the compressible case, Ericksen showed that only homogeneous deformations are possible. Here, we solve the anelastic version of the same problem, that is, we determine both the deformations and the eigenstrains such that a solution to the anelastic problem exists for arbitrary strain-energy density functions. Anelasticity is described by finite eigenstrains. In a nonlinear solid, these eigenstrains can be modelled by a Riemannian material manifold whose metric depends on their distribution. In this framework, we show that the natural generalization of the concept of homogeneous deformations is the notion of covariantly homogeneous deformations—deformations with covariantly constant deformation gradients. We prove that these deformations are the only universal deformations and that they put severe restrictions on possible universal eigenstrains. We show that, in a simply-connected body, for any distribution of universal eigenstrains the material manifold is a symmetric Riemannian manifold and that in dimensions 2 and 3 the universal eigenstrains are zero-stress. PMID:28119554

Numerical study of blast characteristics from detonation of homogeneous explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakrishnan, Kaushik; Genin, Franklin; Nance, Doug V.; Menon, Suresh

2010-04-01

A new robust numerical methodology is used to investigate the propagation of blast waves from homogeneous explosives. The gas-phase governing equations are solved using a hybrid solver that combines a higher-order shock capturing scheme with a low-dissipation central scheme. Explosives of interest include Nitromethane, Trinitrotoluene, and High-Melting Explosive. The shock overpressure and total impulse are estimated at different radial locations and compared for the different explosives. An empirical scaling correlation is presented for the shock overpressure, incident positive phase pressure impulse, and total impulse. The role of hydrodynamic instabilities to the blast effects of explosives is also investigated in three dimensions, and significant mixing between the detonation products and air is observed. This mixing results in afterburn, which is found to augment the impulse characteristics of explosives. Furthermore, the impulse characteristics are also observed to be three-dimensional in the region of the mixing layer. This paper highlights that while some blast features can be successfully predicted from simple one-dimensional studies, the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities and the impulsive loading of homogeneous explosives require robust three-dimensional investigation.

PROTEUS-SN User Manual

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

Shemon, Emily R.; Smith, Micheal A.; Lee, Changho

2016-02-16

PROTEUS-SN is a three-dimensional, highly scalable, high-fidelity neutron transport code developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The code is applicable to all spectrum reactor transport calculations, particularly those in which a high degree of fidelity is needed either to represent spatial detail or to resolve solution gradients. PROTEUS-SN solves the second order formulation of the transport equation using the continuous Galerkin finite element method in space, the discrete ordinates approximation in angle, and the multigroup approximation in energy. PROTEUS-SN’s parallel methodology permits the efficient decomposition of the problem by both space and angle, permitting large problems to run efficiently on hundredsmore » of thousands of cores. PROTEUS-SN can also be used in serial or on smaller compute clusters (10’s to 100’s of cores) for smaller homogenized problems, although it is generally more computationally expensive than traditional homogenized methodology codes. PROTEUS-SN has been used to model partially homogenized systems, where regions of interest are represented explicitly and other regions are homogenized to reduce the problem size and required computational resources. PROTEUS-SN solves forward and adjoint eigenvalue problems and permits both neutron upscattering and downscattering. An adiabatic kinetics option has recently been included for performing simple time-dependent calculations in addition to standard steady state calculations. PROTEUS-SN handles void and reflective boundary conditions. Multigroup cross sections can be generated externally using the MC2-3 fast reactor multigroup cross section generation code or internally using the cross section application programming interface (API) which can treat the subgroup or resonance table libraries. PROTEUS-SN is written in Fortran 90 and also includes C preprocessor definitions. The code links against the PETSc, METIS, HDF5, and MPICH libraries. It optionally links against the MOAB library and is a part of the SHARP multi-physics suite for coupled multi-physics analysis of nuclear reactors. This user manual describes how to set up a neutron transport simulation with the PROTEUS-SN code. A companion methodology manual describes the theory and algorithms within PROTEUS-SN.« less

Dynamic Failure of Integrated Durable Hot Structure for Space Access Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

in nonho- mogeneous solids, which is of the more practical importance, by assuming plane strain conditions. Later on Delale and Erdogan [11], Eischen...12] and Erdogan et al. [13] solved crack problems for non-homogeneous materials under quasi-static loading. With the introduction of FGMs, research on...fracture mechanics of nonhomo- geneous solids gained additional impetus. Jin and Noda [14], Konda and Erdo- gan [15] and Erdogan [16] obtained the

Analysis of the optimal laminated target made up of discrete set of materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aptukov, Valery N.; Belousov, Valentin L.

1991-01-01

A new class of problems was analyzed to estimate an optimal structure of laminated targets fabricated from the specified set of homogeneous materials. An approximate description of the perforation process is based on the model of radial hole extension. The problem is solved by using the needle-type variation technique. The desired optimization conditions and quantitative/qualitative estimations of optimal targets were obtained and are discussed using specific examples.

BCS and generalized BCS superconductivity in relativistic quantum field theory. II. Numerical calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohsaku, Tadafumi

2002-08-01

We solve numerically various types of the gap equations developed in the relativistic BCS and generalized BCS framework, presented in part I of this paper. We apply the method for not only the usual solid metal but also other physical systems by using homogeneous fermion gas approximation. We examine the relativistic effects on the thermal properties and the Meissner effect of the BCS and generalized BCS superconductivity of various cases.

Further results on global state feedback stabilization of nonlinear high-order feedforward systems.

PubMed

Xie, Xue-Jun; Zhang, Xing-Hui

2014-03-01

In this paper, by introducing a combined method of sign function, homogeneous domination and adding a power integrator, and overcoming several troublesome obstacles in the design and analysis, the problem of state feedback control for a class of nonlinear high-order feedforward systems with the nonlinearity's order being relaxed to an interval rather than a fixed point is solved. Copyright © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of monthly rainfall on homogeneous monsoon regions of India based on large scale circulation patterns using Genetic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kashid, Satishkumar S.; Maity, Rajib

2012-08-01

SummaryPrediction of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) is of vital importance for Indian economy, and it has been remained a great challenge for hydro-meteorologists due to inherent complexities in the climatic systems. The Large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns from tropical Pacific Ocean (ENSO) and those from tropical Indian Ocean (EQUINOO) are established to influence the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall. The information of these two large scale atmospheric circulation patterns in terms of their indices is used to model the complex relationship between Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall and the ENSO as well as EQUINOO indices. However, extracting the signal from such large-scale indices for modeling such complex systems is significantly difficult. Rainfall predictions have been done for 'All India' as one unit, as well as for five 'homogeneous monsoon regions of India', defined by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Recent 'Artificial Intelligence' tool 'Genetic Programming' (GP) has been employed for modeling such problem. The Genetic Programming approach is found to capture the complex relationship between the monthly Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall and large scale atmospheric circulation pattern indices - ENSO and EQUINOO. Research findings of this study indicate that GP-derived monthly rainfall forecasting models, that use large-scale atmospheric circulation information are successful in prediction of All India Summer Monsoon Rainfall with correlation coefficient as good as 0.866, which may appears attractive for such a complex system. A separate analysis is carried out for All India Summer Monsoon rainfall for India as one unit, and five homogeneous monsoon regions, based on ENSO and EQUINOO indices of months of March, April and May only, performed at end of month of May. In this case, All India Summer Monsoon Rainfall could be predicted with 0.70 as correlation coefficient with somewhat lesser Correlation Coefficient (C.C.) values for different 'homogeneous monsoon regions'.

Implementing a Case-Based E-Learning Environment in a Lecture-Oriented Anaesthesiology Class: Do Learning Styles Matter in Complex Problem Solving over Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Ikseon; Lee, Sang Joon; Kang, Jeongwan

2009-01-01

This study explores how students' learning styles influence their learning while solving complex problems when a case-based e-learning environment is implemented in a conventional lecture-oriented classroom. Seventy students from an anaesthesiology class at a dental school participated in this study over a 3-week period. Five learning-outcome…

Self-Regulation in the Midst of Complexity: A Case Study of High School Physics Students Engaged in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milbourne, Jeffrey David

2016-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the experiences of high school physics students who were solving complex, ill-structured problems, in an effort to better understand how self-regulatory behavior mediated the project experience. Consistent with Voss, Green, Post, and Penner's (1983) conception of an ill-structured problem in…

Homogenized description and retrieval method of nonlinear metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaojun; Larouche, Stéphane; Smith, David R.

2018-03-01

A patterned, plasmonic metasurface can strongly scatter incident light, functioning as an extremely low-profile lens, filter, reflector or other optical device. When the metasurface is patterned uniformly, its linear optical properties can be expressed using effective surface electric and magnetic polarizabilities obtained through a homogenization procedure. The homogenized description of a nonlinear metasurface, however, presents challenges both because of the inherent anisotropy of the medium as well as the much larger set of potential wave interactions available, making it challenging to assign effective nonlinear parameters to the otherwise inhomogeneous layer of metamaterial elements. Here we show that a homogenization procedure can be developed to describe nonlinear metasurfaces, which derive their nonlinear response from the enhanced local fields arising within the structured plasmonic elements. With the proposed homogenization procedure, we are able to assign effective nonlinear surface polarization densities to a nonlinear metasurface, and link these densities to the effective nonlinear surface susceptibilities and averaged macroscopic pumping fields across the metasurface. These effective nonlinear surface polarization densities are further linked to macroscopic nonlinear fields through the generalized sheet transition conditions (GSTCs). By inverting the GSTCs, the effective nonlinear surface susceptibilities of the metasurfaces can be solved for, leading to a generalized retrieval method for nonlinear metasurfaces. The application of the homogenization procedure and the GSTCs are demonstrated by retrieving the nonlinear susceptibilities of a SiO2 nonlinear slab. As an example, we investigate a nonlinear metasurface which presents nonlinear magnetoelectric coupling in near infrared regime. The method is expected to apply to any patterned metasurface whose thickness is much smaller than the wavelengths of operation, with inclusions of arbitrary geometry and material composition, across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Identification of hydrologically homogeneous regions in Ganga-Brahmaputra river basin using Self Organising Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojha, C. S. P.; Sharma, C.

2017-12-01

Identification of hydrologically homogeneous regions is crucial for topographically complex regions such as Himalayan river basins. Ganga-Brahmaputra river basin extends through three countries, i.e., India Nepal and China. High elevations and rugged topography impose challenge for in-situ gauges. So, it is always recommended to use data from hydrological similar site in absence of site records. We have tried to find out hydrologically homogeneous regions using Self-Organising-Map (SOM) in Ganga-Brahmaputra river basin. The station characteristics used for identification of homogeneous regions are annual precipitation, total wet season (July to September) precipitation, total dry season (January to March) precipitation, Latitude, Longitude and elevation. Precipitation data was obtained from Climate Research Unit (CRU). Number of cluster are find out using hierarchical k-means clustering. We found that the basin can be divided in 9 clusters. Mere division of regions in clusters does not clarify that identified cluster are homogeneous. The homogeneity of the clusters is found out using Hosking and Wallis heterogeneity test. All the clusters were found to be acceptably homogeneous with the value of Hosking-Wallis test static H<1.

From problem solving to problem definition: scrutinizing the complex nature of clinical practice.

PubMed

Cristancho, Sayra; Lingard, Lorelei; Regehr, Glenn

2017-02-01

In medical education, we have tended to present problems as being singular, stable, and solvable. Problem solving has, therefore, drawn much of medical education researchers' attention. This focus has been important but it is limited in terms of preparing clinicians to deal with the complexity of the 21st century healthcare system in which they will provide team-based care for patients with complex medical illness. In this paper, we use the Soft Systems Engineering principles to introduce the idea that in complex, team-based situations, problems usually involve divergent views and evolve with multiple solution iterations. As such we need to shift the conversation from (1) problem solving to problem definition, and (2) from a problem definition derived exclusively at the level of the individual to a definition derived at the level of the situation in which the problem is manifested. Embracing such a focus on problem definition will enable us to advocate for novel educational practices that will equip trainees to effectively manage the problems they will encounter in complex, team-based healthcare.

Homogeneous crystal nucleation in polymers.

PubMed

Schick, C; Androsch, R; Schmelzer, J W P

2017-11-15

The pathway of crystal nucleation significantly influences the structure and properties of semi-crystalline polymers. Crystal nucleation is normally heterogeneous at low supercooling, and homogeneous at high supercooling, of the polymer melt. Homogeneous nucleation in bulk polymers has been, so far, hardly accessible experimentally, and was even doubted to occur at all. This topical review summarizes experimental findings on homogeneous crystal nucleation in polymers. Recently developed fast scanning calorimetry, with cooling and heating rates up to 10 6 K s -1 , allows for detailed investigations of nucleation near and even below the glass transition temperature, including analysis of nuclei stability. As for other materials, the maximum homogeneous nucleation rate for polymers is located close to the glass transition temperature. In the experiments discussed here, it is shown that polymer nucleation is homogeneous at such temperatures. Homogeneous nucleation in polymers is discussed in the framework of the classical nucleation theory. The majority of our observations are consistent with the theory. The discrepancies may guide further research, particularly experiments to progress theoretical development. Progress in the understanding of homogeneous nucleation is much needed, since most of the modelling approaches dealing with polymer crystallization exclusively consider homogeneous nucleation. This is also the basis for advancing theoretical approaches to the much more complex phenomena governing heterogeneous nucleation.

Investigating Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers' Problem Solving Strategies: Towards Developing a Framework in Teaching Stoichiometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinosa, Allen A.; Nueva España, Rebecca C.; Marasigan, Arlyne C.

2016-01-01

The present study investigated pre-service chemistry teachers' problem solving strategies and alternative conceptions in solving stoichiometric problems and later on formulate a teaching framework based from the result of the study. The pre-service chemistry teachers were given four stoichiometric problems with increasing complexity and they need…

Advancing water resource management in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds: Enhancing University involvement

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this research editorial we make four points relative to solving water resource issues: (1) they are complex problems and difficult to solve, (2) some progress has been made on solving these issues, (3) external non-stationary drivers such as land use changes, climate change and variability, and s...

High School Students' Use of Meiosis When Solving Genetics Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wynne, Cynthia F.; Stewart, Jim; Passmore, Cindy

2001-01-01

Paints a different picture of students' reasoning with meiosis as they solved complex, computer-generated genetics problems, some of which required them to revise their understanding of meiosis in response to anomalous data. Students were able to develop a rich understanding of meiosis and can utilize that knowledge to solve genetics problems.…

Toward Group Problem Solving Guidelines for 21st Century Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranieri, Kathryn L.

2004-01-01

Effective problem-solving skills are critical in dealing with ambiguous and often complex issues in the present-day leaner and globally diverse organizations. Yet respected, well-established problem-solving models may be misaligned within the current work environment, particularly within a team context. Models learned from a more bureaucratic,…

Students Problem-Solving Difficulties and Implications in Physics: An Empirical Study on Influencing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, M. Vijaya Bhaskara; Panacharoensawad, Buncha

2017-01-01

In twenty first century, abundant innovative tools have been identified by the researchers to evaluate the conceptual understandings, problem solving, beliefs and attitudes about physics. Nevertheless, lacking of wide variety of evaluation instruments with respect to problem solving in physics. It indicates that the complexity of the domain fields…

Problems of Complex Systems: A Model of System Problem Solving Applied to Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, Robert A.; Rousseau, Denise M.

Research of 25 Michigan elementary and secondary public schools is used to test a model relating organizations' problem-solving adequacy to their available inputs or resources and to the appropriateness of their structures. Problems that all organizations must solve, to avoid disorganization or entropy, include (1) getting inputs and producing…

Kinematical simulation of robotic complex operation for implementing full-scale additive technologies of high-end materials, composites, structures, and buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antsiferov, S. I.; Eltsov, M. Iu; Khakhalev, P. A.

2018-03-01

This paper considers a newly designed electronic digital model of a robotic complex for implementing full-scale additive technologies, funded under a Federal Target Program. The electronic and digital model was used to solve the problem of simulating the movement of a robotic complex using the NX CAD/CAM/CAE system. The virtual mechanism was built and the main assemblies, joints, and drives were identified as part of solving the problem. In addition, the maximum allowed printable area size was identified for the robotic complex, and a simulation of printing a rectangular-shaped article was carried out.

Solving complex band structure problems with the FEAST eigenvalue algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laux, S. E.

2012-08-01

With straightforward extension, the FEAST eigenvalue algorithm [Polizzi, Phys. Rev. B 79, 115112 (2009)] is capable of solving the generalized eigenvalue problems representing traveling-wave problems—as exemplified by the complex band-structure problem—even though the matrices involved are complex, non-Hermitian, and singular, and hence outside the originally stated range of applicability of the algorithm. The obtained eigenvalues/eigenvectors, however, contain spurious solutions which must be detected and removed. The efficiency and parallel structure of the original algorithm are unaltered. The complex band structures of Si layers of varying thicknesses and InAs nanowires of varying radii are computed as test problems.

Decreasing the temporal complexity for nonlinear, implicit reduced-order models by forecasting

DOE PAGES

Carlberg, Kevin; Ray, Jaideep; van Bloemen Waanders, Bart

2015-02-14

Implicit numerical integration of nonlinear ODEs requires solving a system of nonlinear algebraic equations at each time step. Each of these systems is often solved by a Newton-like method, which incurs a sequence of linear-system solves. Most model-reduction techniques for nonlinear ODEs exploit knowledge of system's spatial behavior to reduce the computational complexity of each linear-system solve. However, the number of linear-system solves for the reduced-order simulation often remains roughly the same as that for the full-order simulation. We propose exploiting knowledge of the model's temporal behavior to (1) forecast the unknown variable of the reduced-order system of nonlinear equationsmore » at future time steps, and (2) use this forecast as an initial guess for the Newton-like solver during the reduced-order-model simulation. To compute the forecast, we propose using the Gappy POD technique. As a result, the goal is to generate an accurate initial guess so that the Newton solver requires many fewer iterations to converge, thereby decreasing the number of linear-system solves in the reduced-order-model simulation.« less

Radiation and scattering by thin-wire structures in the complex frequency domain. [electromagnetic theory for thin-wire antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richmond, J. H.

1974-01-01

Piecewise-sinusoidal expansion functions and Galerkin's method are employed to formulate a solution for an arbitrary thin-wire configuration in a homogeneous conducting medium. The analysis is performed in the real or complex frequency domain. In antenna problems, the solution determines the current distribution, impedance, radiation efficiency, gain and far-field patterns. In scattering problems, the solution determines the absorption cross section, scattering cross section and the polarization scattering matrix. The electromagnetic theory is presented for thin wires and the forward-scattering theorem is developed for an arbitrary target in a homogeneous conducting medium.

Elasticity reconstruction: Beyond the assumption of local homogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinkus, Ralph; Daire, Jean-Luc; Van Beers, Bernard E.; Vilgrain, Valerie

2010-07-01

Elasticity imaging is a novel domain which is currently gaining significant interest in the medical field. Most inversion techniques are based on the homogeneity assumption, i.e. the local spatial derivatives of the complex-shear modulus are ignored. This analysis presents an analytic approach in order to overcome this limitation, i.e. first order spatial derivatives of the real-part of the complex-shear modulus are taken into account. Resulting distributions in a gauged breast lesion phantom agree very well with the theoretical expectations. An in-vivo example of a cholangiocarcinoma demonstrates that the new approach provides maps of the viscoelastic properties which agree much better with expectations from anatomy.

Interface crack in a nonhomogeneous elastic medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delale, F.; Erdogan, F.

1988-01-01

The linear elasticity problem for an interface crack between two bonded half planes is reconsidered. It is assumed that one of the half planes is homogeneous and the second is nonhomogeneous in such a way that the elastic properties are continuous throughout the plane and have discontinuous derivatives along the interface. The problem is formulated in terms of a system of integral equations and the asymptotic behavior of the stress state near the crack tip is determined. The results lead to the conclusion that the singular behavior of stresses in the nonhomogeneous medium is identical to that in a homogeneous material provided the spacial distribution of material properties is continuous near and at the crack tip. The problem is solved for various values of the nonhomogeneity parameter and for four different sets of crack surface tractions, and the corresponding stress intensity factors are tabulated.

Parallel fast multipole boundary element method applied to computational homogenization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ptaszny, Jacek

2018-01-01

In the present work, a fast multipole boundary element method (FMBEM) and a parallel computer code for 3D elasticity problem is developed and applied to the computational homogenization of a solid containing spherical voids. The system of equation is solved by using the GMRES iterative solver. The boundary of the body is dicretized by using the quadrilateral serendipity elements with an adaptive numerical integration. Operations related to a single GMRES iteration, performed by traversing the corresponding tree structure upwards and downwards, are parallelized by using the OpenMP standard. The assignment of tasks to threads is based on the assumption that the tree nodes at which the moment transformations are initialized can be partitioned into disjoint sets of equal or approximately equal size and assigned to the threads. The achieved speedup as a function of number of threads is examined.

Synthesis of focused beam with controllable arbitrary homogeneous polarization using engineered vectorial optical fields.

PubMed

Rui, Guanghao; Chen, Jian; Wang, Xiaoyan; Gu, Bing; Cui, Yiping; Zhan, Qiwen

2016-10-17

The propagation and focusing properties of light beams continue to remain a research interest owning to their promising applications in physics, chemistry and biological sciences. One of the main challenges to these applications is the control of polarization distribution within the focal volume. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a method for generating a focused beam with arbitrary homogeneous polarization at any transverse plane. The required input field at the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture objective lens can be found analytically by solving an inverse problem with the Richard-Wolf vectorial diffraction method, and can be experimentally created with a vectorial optical field generator. Focused fields with various polarizations are successfully generated and verified using a Stokes parameter measurement to demonstrate the capability and versatility of proposed technique.

Homogeneous Diffusion Solid Model as a Realistic Approach to Describe Adsorption onto Materials with Different Geometries.

PubMed

Sabio, E; Zamora, F; González-García, C M; Ledesma, B; Álvarez-Murillo, A; Román, S

2016-12-01

In this work, the adsorption kinetics of p-nitrophenol (PNP) onto several commercial activated carbons (ACs) with different textural and geometrical characteristics was studied. For this aim, a homogeneous diffusion solid model (HDSM) was used, which does take the adsorbent shape into account. The HDSM was solved by means of the finite element method (FEM) using the commercial software COMSOL. The different kinetic patterns observed in the experiments carried out can be described by the developed model, which shows that the sharp drop of adsorption rate observed in some samples is caused by the formation of a concentration wave. The model allows one to visualize the changes in concentration taking place in both liquid and solid phases, which enables us to link the kinetic behaviour with the main features of the carbon samples.

Jacobi spectral Galerkin method for elliptic Neumann problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doha, E.; Bhrawy, A.; Abd-Elhameed, W.

2009-01-01

This paper is concerned with fast spectral-Galerkin Jacobi algorithms for solving one- and two-dimensional elliptic equations with homogeneous and nonhomogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. The paper extends the algorithms proposed by Shen (SIAM J Sci Comput 15:1489-1505, 1994) and Auteri et al. (J Comput Phys 185:427-444, 2003), based on Legendre polynomials, to Jacobi polynomials with arbitrary α and β. The key to the efficiency of our algorithms is to construct appropriate basis functions with zero slope at the endpoints, which lead to systems with sparse matrices for the discrete variational formulations. The direct solution algorithm developed for the homogeneous Neumann problem in two-dimensions relies upon a tensor product process. Nonhomogeneous Neumann data are accounted for by means of a lifting. Numerical results indicating the high accuracy and effectiveness of these algorithms are presented.

Water oxidation catalysis with nonheme iron complexes under acidic and basic conditions: homogeneous or heterogeneous?

PubMed

Hong, Dachao; Mandal, Sukanta; Yamada, Yusuke; Lee, Yong-Min; Nam, Wonwoo; Llobet, Antoni; Fukuzumi, Shunichi

2013-08-19

Thermal water oxidation by cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) was catalyzed by nonheme iron complexes, such as Fe(BQEN)(OTf)2 (1) and Fe(BQCN)(OTf)2 (2) (BQEN = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(8-quinolyl)ethane-1,2-diamine, BQCN = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(8-quinolyl)cyclohexanediamine, OTf = CF3SO3(-)) in a nonbuffered aqueous solution; turnover numbers of 80 ± 10 and 20 ± 5 were obtained in the O2 evolution reaction by 1 and 2, respectively. The ligand dissociation of the iron complexes was observed under acidic conditions, and the dissociated ligands were oxidized by CAN to yield CO2. We also observed that 1 was converted to an iron(IV)-oxo complex during the water oxidation in competition with the ligand oxidation. In addition, oxygen exchange between the iron(IV)-oxo complex and H2(18)O was found to occur at a much faster rate than the oxygen evolution. These results indicate that the iron complexes act as the true homogeneous catalyst for water oxidation by CAN at low pHs. In contrast, light-driven water oxidation using [Ru(bpy)3](2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) as a photosensitizer and S2O8(2-) as a sacrificial electron acceptor was catalyzed by iron hydroxide nanoparticles derived from the iron complexes under basic conditions as the result of the ligand dissociation. In a buffer solution (initial pH 9.0) formation of the iron hydroxide nanoparticles with a size of around 100 nm at the end of the reaction was monitored by dynamic light scattering (DLS) in situ and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements. We thus conclude that the water oxidation by CAN was catalyzed by short-lived homogeneous iron complexes under acidic conditions, whereas iron hydroxide nanoparticles derived from iron complexes act as a heterogeneous catalyst in the light-driven water oxidation reaction under basic conditions.

Diverse knowledges and competing interests: an essay on socio-technical problem-solving.

PubMed

di Norcia, Vincent

2002-01-01

Solving complex socio-technical problems, this paper claims, involves diverse knowledges (cognitive diversity), competing interests (social diversity), and pragmatism. To explain this view, this paper first explores two different cases: Canadian pulp and paper mill pollution and siting nuclear reactors in systematically sensitive areas of California. Solving such socio-technically complex problems involves cognitive diversity as well as social diversity and pragmatism. Cognitive diversity requires one to not only recognize relevant knowledges but also to assess their validity. Finally, it is suggested, integrating the resultant set of diverse relevant and valid knowledges determines the parameters of the solution space for the problem.

Problem solving using soft systems methodology.

PubMed

Land, L

This article outlines a method of problem solving which considers holistic solutions to complex problems. Soft systems methodology allows people involved in the problem situation to have control over the decision-making process.

Next gen perception and cognition: augmenting perception and enhancing cognition through mobile technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goma, Sergio R.

2015-03-01

In current times, mobile technologies are ubiquitous and the complexity of problems is continuously increasing. In the context of advancement of engineering, we explore in this paper possible reasons that could cause a saturation in technology evolution - namely the ability of problem solving based on previous results and the ability of expressing solutions in a more efficient way, concluding that `thinking outside of brain' - as in solving engineering problems that are expressed in a virtual media due to their complexity - would benefit from mobile technology augmentation. This could be the necessary evolutionary step that would provide the efficiency required to solve new complex problems (addressing the `running out of time' issue) and remove the communication of results barrier (addressing the human `perception/expression imbalance' issue). Some consequences are discussed, as in this context the artificial intelligence becomes an automation tool aid instead of a necessary next evolutionary step. The paper concludes that research in modeling as problem solving aid and data visualization as perception aid augmented with mobile technologies could be the path to an evolutionary step in advancing engineering.

SHARP Multiphysics Tutorials

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

Yu, Y. Q.; Shemon, E. R.; Mahadevan, Vijay S.

SHARP, developed under the NEAMS Reactor Product Line, is an advanced modeling and simulation toolkit for the analysis of advanced nuclear reactors. SHARP is comprised of three physics modules currently including neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and structural mechanics. SHARP empowers designers to produce accurate results for modeling physical phenomena that have been identified as important for nuclear reactor analysis. SHARP can use existing physics codes and take advantage of existing infrastructure capabilities in the MOAB framework and the coupling driver/solver library, the Coupled Physics Environment (CouPE), which utilizes the widely used, scalable PETSc library. This report aims at identifying the coupled-physicsmore » simulation capability of SHARP by introducing the demonstration example called sahex in advance of the SHARP release expected by Mar 2016. sahex consists of 6 fuel pins with cladding, 1 control rod, sodium coolant and an outer duct wall that encloses all the other components. This example is carefully chosen to demonstrate the proof of concept for solving more complex demonstration examples such as EBR II assembly and ABTR full core. The workflow of preparing the input files, running the case and analyzing the results is demonstrated in this report. Moreover, an extension of the sahex model called sahex_core, which adds six homogenized neighboring assemblies to the full heterogeneous sahex model, is presented to test homogenization capabilities in both Nek5000 and PROTEUS. Some primary information on the configuration and build aspects for the SHARP toolkit, which includes capability to auto-download dependencies and configure/install with optimal flags in an architecture-aware fashion, is also covered by this report. A step-by-step instruction is provided to help users to create their cases. Details on these processes will be provided in the SHARP user manual that will accompany the first release.« less

A complexity theory model in science education problem solving: random walks for working memory and mental capacity.

PubMed

Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Tsaparlis, Georgios

2003-07-01

The present study examines the role of limited human channel capacity from a science education perspective. A model of science problem solving has been previously validated by applying concepts and tools of complexity theory (the working memory, random walk method). The method correlated the subjects' rank-order achievement scores in organic-synthesis chemistry problems with the subjects' working memory capacity. In this work, we apply the same nonlinear approach to a different data set, taken from chemical-equilibrium problem solving. In contrast to the organic-synthesis problems, these problems are algorithmic, require numerical calculations, and have a complex logical structure. As a result, these problems cause deviations from the model, and affect the pattern observed with the nonlinear method. In addition to Baddeley's working memory capacity, the Pascual-Leone's mental (M-) capacity is examined by the same random-walk method. As the complexity of the problem increases, the fractal dimension of the working memory random walk demonstrates a sudden drop, while the fractal dimension of the M-capacity random walk decreases in a linear fashion. A review of the basic features of the two capacities and their relation is included. The method and findings have consequences for problem solving not only in chemistry and science education, but also in other disciplines.

Direct vibro-elastography FEM inversion in Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate systems without the local homogeneity assumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honarvar, M.; Lobo, J.; Mohareri, O.; Salcudean, S. E.; Rohling, R.

2015-05-01

To produce images of tissue elasticity, the vibro-elastography technique involves applying a steady-state multi-frequency vibration to tissue, estimating displacements from ultrasound echo data, and using the estimated displacements in an inverse elasticity problem with the shear modulus spatial distribution as the unknown. In order to fully solve the inverse problem, all three displacement components are required. However, using ultrasound, the axial component of the displacement is measured much more accurately than the other directions. Therefore, simplifying assumptions must be used in this case. Usually, the equations of motion are transformed into a Helmholtz equation by assuming tissue incompressibility and local homogeneity. The local homogeneity assumption causes significant imaging artifacts in areas of varying elasticity. In this paper, we remove the local homogeneity assumption. In particular we introduce a new finite element based direct inversion technique in which only the coupling terms in the equation of motion are ignored, so it can be used with only one component of the displacement. Both Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate systems are considered. The use of multi-frequency excitation also allows us to obtain multiple measurements and reduce artifacts in areas where the displacement of one frequency is close to zero. The proposed method was tested in simulations and experiments against a conventional approach in which the local homogeneity is used. The results show significant improvements in elasticity imaging with the new method compared to previous methods that assumes local homogeneity. For example in simulations, the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) for the region with spherical inclusion increases from an average value of 1.5-17 after using the proposed method instead of the local inversion with homogeneity assumption, and similarly in the prostate phantom experiment, the CNR improved from an average value of 1.6 to about 20.

User's Manual for PCSMS (Parallel Complex Sparse Matrix Solver). Version 1.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddy, C. J.

2000-01-01

PCSMS (Parallel Complex Sparse Matrix Solver) is a computer code written to make use of the existing real sparse direct solvers to solve complex, sparse matrix linear equations. PCSMS converts complex matrices into real matrices and use real, sparse direct matrix solvers to factor and solve the real matrices. The solution vector is reconverted to complex numbers. Though, this utility is written for Silicon Graphics (SGI) real sparse matrix solution routines, it is general in nature and can be easily modified to work with any real sparse matrix solver. The User's Manual is written to make the user acquainted with the installation and operation of the code. Driver routines are given to aid the users to integrate PCSMS routines in their own codes.

Stalking the IQ Quark.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sternberg, Robert J.

1979-01-01

An information-processing framework is presented for understanding intelligence. Two levels of processing are discussed: the steps involved in solving a complex intellectual task, and higher-order processes used to decide how to solve the problem. (MH)

Cross-national comparisons of complex problem-solving strategies in two microworlds.

PubMed

Güss, C Dominik; Tuason, Ma Teresa; Gerhard, Christiane

2010-04-01

Research in the fields of complex problem solving (CPS) and dynamic decision making using microworlds has been mainly conducted in Western industrialized countries. This study analyzes the CPS process by investigating thinking-aloud protocols in five countries. Participants were 511 students from Brazil, Germany, India, the Philippines, and the United States who worked on two microworlds. On the basis of cultural-psychological theories, specific cross-national differences in CPS strategies were hypothesized. Following theories of situatedness of cognition, hypotheses about the specific frequency of problem-solving strategies in the two microworlds were developed. Results of the verbal protocols showed (a) modification of the theoretical CPS model, (b) task dependence of CPS strategies, and (c) cross-national differences in CPS strategies. Participants' CPS processes were particularly influenced by country-specific problem-solving strategies. Copyright © 2009 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Acquisition and performance of a problem-solving skill.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, B. B., Jr.; Alluisi, E. A.

1971-01-01

The acquisition of skill in the performance of a three-phase code transformation task (3P-COTRAN) was studied with 20 subjects who solved 27 3P-COTRAN problems during each of 8 successive sessions. The purpose of the study was to determine the changes in the 3P-COTRAN factor structure resulting from practice, the distribution of practice-related gains in performance over the nine measures of the five 3P-COTRAN factors, and the effects of transformation complexities on the 3P-COTRAN performance of subjects. A significant performance gain due to practice was observed, with improvements in speed continuing even when accuracy reached asymptotic levels. Transformation complexity showed no effect on early performances but the 3- and 4-element transformations were solved quicker than the 5-element transformation in the problem-solving Phase III of later skilled performances.

Complex collaborative problem-solving processes in mission control.

PubMed

Fiore, Stephen M; Wiltshire, Travis J; Oglesby, James M; O'Keefe, William S; Salas, Eduardo

2014-04-01

NASA's Mission Control Center (MCC) is responsible for control of the International Space Station (ISS), which includes responding to problems that obstruct the functioning of the ISS and that may pose a threat to the health and well-being of the flight crew. These problems are often complex, requiring individuals, teams, and multiteam systems, to work collaboratively. Research is warranted to examine individual and collaborative problem-solving processes in this context. Specifically, focus is placed on how Mission Control personnel-each with their own skills and responsibilities-exchange information to gain a shared understanding of the problem. The Macrocognition in Teams Model describes the processes that individuals and teams undertake in order to solve problems and may be applicable to Mission Control teams. Semistructured interviews centering on a recent complex problem were conducted with seven MCC professionals. In order to assess collaborative problem-solving processes in MCC with those predicted by the Macrocognition in Teams Model, a coding scheme was developed to analyze the interview transcriptions. Findings are supported with excerpts from participant transcriptions and suggest that team knowledge-building processes accounted for approximately 50% of all coded data and are essential for successful collaborative problem solving in mission control. Support for the internalized and externalized team knowledge was also found (19% and 20%, respectively). The Macrocognition in Teams Model was shown to be a useful depiction of collaborative problem solving in mission control and further research with this as a guiding framework is warranted.

Problem solving in great apes (Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, and Pongo abelii): the effect of visual feedback.

PubMed

Völter, Christoph J; Call, Josep

2012-09-01

What kind of information animals use when solving problems is a controversial topic. Previous research suggests that, in some situations, great apes prefer to use causally relevant cues over arbitrary ones. To further examine to what extent great apes are able to use information about causal relations, we presented three different puzzle box problems to the four nonhuman great ape species. Of primary interest here was a comparison between one group of apes that received visual access to the functional mechanisms of the puzzle boxes and one group that did not. Apes' performance in the first two, less complex puzzle boxes revealed that they are able to solve such problems by means of trial-and-error learning, requiring no information about the causal structure of the problem. However, visual inspection of the functional mechanisms of the puzzle boxes reduced the amount of time needed to solve the problems. In the case of the most complex problem, which required the use of a crank, visual feedback about what happened when the handle of the crank was turned was necessary for the apes to solve the task. Once the solution was acquired, however, visual feedback was no longer required. We conclude that visual feedback about the consequences of their actions helps great apes to solve complex problems. As the crank task matches the basic requirements of vertical string pulling in birds, the present results are discussed in light of recent findings with corvids.

An annual model of SSM/I radiobrightness for dry soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liou, Yuei-An; England, A. W.

1992-01-01

An annual model is presented of the temperature structure within a homogeneous, dry soil halfspace that is subject to both diurnal and annual insolation, radiant heating from the atmosphere, sensible heat exchange with the atmosphere, and radiant cooling. The thermal constitutive properties of the soil are assumed to be constant so that the heat flow equation can be solved analytically. For computational economy, a variable time interval Laplace transform method is developed to predict the temperature.

Restoration of the contact surface in FORCE-type centred schemes I: Homogeneous two-dimensional shallow water equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canestrelli, Alberto; Toro, Eleuterio F.

2012-10-01

Recently, the FORCE centred scheme for conservative hyperbolic multi-dimensional systems has been introduced in [34] and has been applied to Euler and relativistic MHD equations, solved on unstructured meshes. In this work we propose a modification of the FORCE scheme, named FORCE-Contact, that provides improved resolution of contact and shear waves. This paper presents the technique in full detail as applied to the two-dimensional homogeneous shallow water equations. The improvements due to the new method are particularly evident when an additional equation is solved for a tracer, since the modified scheme exactly resolves isolated and steady contact discontinuities. The improvement is considerable also for slowly moving contact discontinuities, for shear waves and for steady states in meandering channels. For these types of flow fields, the numerical results provided by the new FORCE-Contact scheme are comparable with, and sometimes better than, the results obtained from upwind schemes, such as Roes scheme for example. In a companion paper, a similar approach to restoring the missing contact wave and preserving well-balanced properties for non-conservative one- and two-layer shallow water equations is introduced. However, the procedure is general and it is in principle applicable to other multidimensional hyperbolic systems in conservative and non-conservative form, such as the Euler equations for compressible gas dynamics.

Application of the Firefly and Luus-Jaakola algorithms in the calculation of a double reactive azeotrope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendes Platt, Gustavo; Pinheiro Domingos, Roberto; Oliveira de Andrade, Matheus

2014-01-01

The calculation of reactive azeotropes is an important task in the preliminary design and simulation of reactive distillation columns. Classically, homogeneous nonreactive azeotropes are vapor-liquid coexistence conditions where phase compositions are equal. For homogeneous reactive azeotropes, simultaneous phase and chemical equilibria occur concomitantly with equality of compositions (in the Ung-Doherty transformed space). The modeling of reactive azeotrope calculation is represented by a nonlinear algebraic system with phase equilibrium, chemical equilibrium and azeotropy equations. This nonlinear system can exhibit more than one solution, corresponding to a double reactive azeotrope. In a previous paper (Platt et al 2013 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 410 012020), we investigated some numerical aspects of the calculation of reactive azeotropes in the isobutene + methanol + methyl-tert-butyl-ether (with two reactive azeotropes) system using two metaheuristics: the Luus-Jaakola adaptive random search and the Firefly algorithm. Here, we use a hybrid structure (stochastic + deterministic) in order to produce accurate results for both azeotropes. After identifying the neighborhood of the reactive azeotrope, the nonlinear algebraic system is solved using Newton's method. The results indicate that using metaheuristics and some techniques devoted to the calculation of multiple minima allows both azeotropic coordinates in this reactive system to be obtains. In this sense, we provide a comprehensive analysis of a useful framework devoted to solving nonlinear systems, particularly in phase equilibrium problems.

Problem Solving in Technology Rich Contexts: Mathematics Sense Making in Out-of-School Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowrie, Tom

2005-01-01

This investigation describes the way in which a case study participant (aged 7) represented, posed and solved problems in a technology game-based environment. The out-of-school problem-solving context placed numeracy demands on the participant that were more complex and sophisticated than the type of mathematics experiences he encountered in…

Learning Problem-Solving through Making Games at the Game Design and Learning Summer Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcaoglu, Mete

2014-01-01

Today's complex and fast-evolving world necessitates young students to possess design and problem-solving skills more than ever. One alternative method of teaching children problem-solving or thinking skills has been using computer programming, and more recently, game-design tasks. In this pre-experimental study, a group of middle school…

The Effects of Successful versus Failure-Based Cases on Argumentation while Solving Decision-Making Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tawfik, Andrew; Jonassen, David

2013-01-01

Solving complex, ill-structured problems may be effectively supported by case-based reasoning through case libraries that provide just-in-time domain-specific principles in the form of stories. The cases not only articulate previous experiences of practitioners, but also serve as problem-solving narratives from which learners can acquire meaning.…

Training Preschool Children to Use Visual Imagining as a Problem-Solving Strategy for Complex Categorization Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisamore, April N.; Carr, James E.; LeBlanc, Linda A.

2011-01-01

It has been suggested that verbally sophisticated individuals engage in a series of precurrent behaviors (e.g., covert intraverbal behavior, grouping stimuli, visual imagining) to solve problems such as answering questions (Palmer, 1991; Skinner, 1953). We examined the effects of one problem solving strategy--visual imagining--on increasing…

Socio-Demographic and Practice-Oriented Factors Related to Proficiency in Problem Solving: A Lifelong Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desjardins, Richard; Ederer, Peer

2015-01-01

This article explores the relative importance of different socio-demographic and practice-oriented factors that are related to proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments (PSTREs) and by extension may be related to complex problem solving (CPS). The empirical analysis focuses on the proficiency measurements of PSTRE made…

From Poor Performance to Success under Stress: Working Memory, Strategy Selection, and Mathematical Problem Solving under Pressure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beilock, Sian L.; DeCaro, Marci S.

2007-01-01

Two experiments demonstrate how individual differences in working memory (WM) impact the strategies used to solve complex math problems and how consequential testing situations alter strategy use. In Experiment 1, individuals performed multistep math problems under low- or high-pressure conditions and reported their problem-solving strategies.…

A Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin approach to solve reactive flows: The hyperbolic operator

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

Billet, G., E-mail: billet@onera.f; Ryan, J., E-mail: ryan@onera.f

2011-02-20

A Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin method to solve the hyperbolic part of reactive Navier-Stokes equations written in conservation form is presented. Complex thermodynamics laws are taken into account. Particular care has been taken to solve the stiff gaseous interfaces correctly with no restrictive hypothesis. 1D and 2D test cases are presented.

The Roles of Internal Representation and Processing in Problem Solving Involving Insight: A Computational Complexity Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wareham, Todd

2017-01-01

In human problem solving, there is a wide variation between individuals in problem solution time and success rate, regardless of whether or not this problem solving involves insight. In this paper, we apply computational and parameterized analysis to a plausible formalization of extended representation change theory (eRCT), an integration of…

Homogeneous and Supported Niobium Catalysts as Lewis Acid and Radical Catalysts

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

Wayne Tikkanen

2006-12-31

The synthesis of tetrachlorotetraphenylcyclopentadienyl group 5 metal complexes has been accomplished through two routes, one a salt metathesis with lithiumtetraphenylcyclopentadiende and the other, reaction with trimethyltintetraphenylcyclopentadiene. The reactants and products have been characterized by {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C({sup 1}H) NMR spectroscopy. The niobium complex promotes the silylcyanation of butyraldehyde. The grafting of metal complexes to silica gel surfaces has been accomplished using tetrakisdimethylamidozirconium as the metal precursor. The most homogeneous binding as determined by CP-MAS {sup 13}C NMR and infrared spectroscopy was obtained with drying at 500 C at 3 mtorr vacuum. The remaining amido groups can be replacedmore » by reaction with alcohols to generate surface bound metal alkoxides. These bound catalysts promote silylcyanation of aryl aldehydes and can be reused three times with no loss of activity.« less

Asymptotic Expansion Homogenization for Multiscale Nuclear Fuel Analysis

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

Hales, J. D.; Tonks, M. R.; Chockalingam, K.

2015-03-01

Engineering scale nuclear fuel performance simulations can benefit by utilizing high-fidelity models running at a lower length scale. Lower length-scale models provide a detailed view of the material behavior that is used to determine the average material response at the macroscale. These lower length-scale calculations may provide insight into material behavior where experimental data is sparse or nonexistent. This multiscale approach is especially useful in the nuclear field, since irradiation experiments are difficult and expensive to conduct. The lower length-scale models complement the experiments by influencing the types of experiments required and by reducing the total number of experiments needed.more » This multiscale modeling approach is a central motivation in the development of the BISON-MARMOT fuel performance codes at Idaho National Laboratory. These codes seek to provide more accurate and predictive solutions for nuclear fuel behavior. One critical aspect of multiscale modeling is the ability to extract the relevant information from the lower length-scale sim- ulations. One approach, the asymptotic expansion homogenization (AEH) technique, has proven to be an effective method for determining homogenized material parameters. The AEH technique prescribes a system of equations to solve at the microscale that are used to compute homogenized material constants for use at the engineering scale. In this work, we employ AEH to explore the effect of evolving microstructural thermal conductivity and elastic constants on nuclear fuel performance. We show that the AEH approach fits cleanly into the BISON and MARMOT codes and provides a natural, multidimensional homogenization capability.« less

Singularity free N-body simulations called 'Dynamic Universe Model' don't require dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naga Parameswara Gupta, Satyavarapu

For finding trajectories of Pioneer satellite (Anomaly), New Horizons satellite going to Pluto, the Calculations of Dynamic Universe model can be successfully applied. No dark matter is assumed within solar system radius. The effect on the masses around SUN shows as though there is extra gravitation pull toward SUN. It solves the Dynamics of Extra-solar planets like Planet X, satellite like Pioneer and NH for 3-Position, 3-velocity 3-accelaration for their masses, considering the complex situation of Multiple planets, Stars, Galaxy parts and Galaxy centre and other Galaxies Using simple Newtonian Physics. It already solved problems Missing mass in Galaxies observed by galaxy circular velocity curves successfully. Singularity free Newtonian N-body simulations Historically, King Oscar II of Sweden an-nounced a prize to a solution of N-body problem with advice given by Güsta Mittag-Leffler in 1887. He announced `Given a system of arbitrarily many mass points that attract each according to Newton's law, under the assumption that no two points ever collide, try to find a representation of the coordinates of each point as a series in a variable that is some known function of time and for all of whose values the series converges uniformly.'[This is taken from Wikipedia]. The announced dead line that time was1st June 1888. And after that dead line, on 21st January 1889, Great mathematician Poincaré claimed that prize. Later he himself sent a telegram to journal Acta Mathematica to stop printing the special issue after finding the error in his solution. Yet for such a man of science reputation is important than money. [ Ref Book `Celestial mechanics: the waltz of the planets' By Alessandra Celletti, Ettore Perozzi, page 27]. He realized that he has been wrong in his general stability result! But till now nobody could solve that problem or claimed that prize. Later all solutions resulted in singularities and collisions of masses, given by many people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Now I can say that the Dynamic Universe Model solves this classical N-body problem where only Newtonian Gravi-tation law and classical Physics were used. The solution converges at all points. There are no multiple values, diverging solutions or divided by zero singularities. Collisions of masses depend on physical values of masses and their space distribution only. These collisions do not happen due to internal inherent problems of Dynamic universe Model. If the mass distribution is homogeneous and isotropic, the masses will colloid. If the mass distribution is heterogeneous and anisotropic, they do not colloid. This approach solves many problems which otherwise can not be solved by General relativity, Steady state universe model etc. . .

Equilibrium states of homogeneous sheared compressible turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riahi, M.; Lili, T.

2011-06-01

Equilibrium states of homogeneous compressible turbulence subjected to rapid shear is studied using rapid distortion theory (RDT). The purpose of this study is to determine the numerical solutions of unsteady linearized equations governing double correlations spectra evolution. In this work, RDT code developed by authors solves these equations for compressible homogeneous shear flows. Numerical integration of these equations is carried out using a second-order simple and accurate scheme. The two Mach numbers relevant to homogeneous shear flow are the turbulent Mach number Mt, given by the root mean square turbulent velocity fluctuations divided by the speed of sound, and the gradient Mach number Mg which is the mean shear rate times the transverse integral scale of the turbulence divided by the speed of sound. Validation of this code is performed by comparing RDT results with direct numerical simulation (DNS) of [A. Simone, G.N. Coleman, and C. Cambon, Fluid Mech. 330, 307 (1997)] and [S. Sarkar, J. Fluid Mech. 282, 163 (1995)] for various values of initial gradient Mach number Mg0. It was found that RDT is valid for small values of the non-dimensional times St (St < 3.5). It is important to note that RDT is also valid for large values of St (St > 10) in particular for large values of Mg0. This essential feature justifies the resort to RDT in order to determine equilibrium states in the compressible regime.

Microscopic Mechanism and Kinetics of Ice Formation at Complex Interfaces: Zooming in on Kaolinite

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Most ice in nature forms because of impurities which boost the exceedingly low nucleation rate of pure supercooled water. However, the microscopic details of ice nucleation on these substances remain largely unknown. Here, we have unraveled the molecular mechanism and the kinetics of ice formation on kaolinite, a clay mineral playing a key role in climate science. We find that the formation of ice at strong supercooling in the presence of this clay is about 20 orders of magnitude faster than homogeneous freezing. The critical nucleus is substantially smaller than that found for homogeneous nucleation and, in contrast to the predictions of classical nucleation theory (CNT), it has a strong two-dimensional character. Nonetheless, we show that CNT describes correctly the formation of ice at this complex interface. Kaolinite also promotes the exclusive nucleation of hexagonal ice, as opposed to homogeneous freezing where a mixture of cubic and hexagonal polytypes is observed. PMID:27269363

HSTLBO: A hybrid algorithm based on Harmony Search and Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization for complex high-dimensional optimization problems

PubMed Central

Tuo, Shouheng; Yong, Longquan; Deng, Fang’an; Li, Yanhai; Lin, Yong; Lu, Qiuju

2017-01-01

Harmony Search (HS) and Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) as new swarm intelligent optimization algorithms have received much attention in recent years. Both of them have shown outstanding performance for solving NP-Hard optimization problems. However, they also suffer dramatic performance degradation for some complex high-dimensional optimization problems. Through a lot of experiments, we find that the HS and TLBO have strong complementarity each other. The HS has strong global exploration power but low convergence speed. Reversely, the TLBO has much fast convergence speed but it is easily trapped into local search. In this work, we propose a hybrid search algorithm named HSTLBO that merges the two algorithms together for synergistically solving complex optimization problems using a self-adaptive selection strategy. In the HSTLBO, both HS and TLBO are modified with the aim of balancing the global exploration and exploitation abilities, where the HS aims mainly to explore the unknown regions and the TLBO aims to rapidly exploit high-precision solutions in the known regions. Our experimental results demonstrate better performance and faster speed than five state-of-the-art HS variants and show better exploration power than five good TLBO variants with similar run time, which illustrates that our method is promising in solving complex high-dimensional optimization problems. The experiment on portfolio optimization problems also demonstrate that the HSTLBO is effective in solving complex read-world application. PMID:28403224

HSTLBO: A hybrid algorithm based on Harmony Search and Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization for complex high-dimensional optimization problems.

PubMed

Tuo, Shouheng; Yong, Longquan; Deng, Fang'an; Li, Yanhai; Lin, Yong; Lu, Qiuju

2017-01-01

Harmony Search (HS) and Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) as new swarm intelligent optimization algorithms have received much attention in recent years. Both of them have shown outstanding performance for solving NP-Hard optimization problems. However, they also suffer dramatic performance degradation for some complex high-dimensional optimization problems. Through a lot of experiments, we find that the HS and TLBO have strong complementarity each other. The HS has strong global exploration power but low convergence speed. Reversely, the TLBO has much fast convergence speed but it is easily trapped into local search. In this work, we propose a hybrid search algorithm named HSTLBO that merges the two algorithms together for synergistically solving complex optimization problems using a self-adaptive selection strategy. In the HSTLBO, both HS and TLBO are modified with the aim of balancing the global exploration and exploitation abilities, where the HS aims mainly to explore the unknown regions and the TLBO aims to rapidly exploit high-precision solutions in the known regions. Our experimental results demonstrate better performance and faster speed than five state-of-the-art HS variants and show better exploration power than five good TLBO variants with similar run time, which illustrates that our method is promising in solving complex high-dimensional optimization problems. The experiment on portfolio optimization problems also demonstrate that the HSTLBO is effective in solving complex read-world application.

Development and validation of a physics problem-solving assessment rubric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Docktor, Jennifer Lynn

Problem solving is a complex process that is important for everyday life and crucial for learning physics. Although there is a great deal of effort to improve student problem solving throughout the educational system, there is no standard way to evaluate written problem solving that is valid, reliable, and easy to use. Most tests of problem solving performance given in the classroom focus on the correctness of the end result or partial results rather than the quality of the procedures and reasoning leading to the result, which gives an inadequate description of a student's skills. A more detailed and meaningful measure is necessary if different curricular materials or pedagogies are to be compared. This measurement tool could also allow instructors to diagnose student difficulties and focus their coaching. It is important that the instrument be applicable to any problem solving format used by a student and to a range of problem types and topics typically used by instructors. Typically complex processes such as problem solving are assessed by using a rubric, which divides a skill into multiple quasi-independent categories and defines criteria to attain a score in each. This dissertation describes the development of a problem solving rubric for the purpose of assessing written solutions to physics problems and presents evidence for the validity, reliability, and utility of score interpretations on the instrument.

On the equivalence of Gaussian elimination and Gauss-Jordan reduction in solving linear equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsao, Nai-Kuan

1989-01-01

A novel general approach to round-off error analysis using the error complexity concepts is described. This is applied to the analysis of the Gaussian Elimination and Gauss-Jordan scheme for solving linear equations. The results show that the two algorithms are equivalent in terms of our error complexity measures. Thus the inherently parallel Gauss-Jordan scheme can be implemented with confidence if parallel computers are available.

Improved model for detection of homogeneous production batches of electronic components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazakovtsev, L. A.; Orlov, V. I.; Stashkov, D. V.; Antamoshkin, A. N.; Masich, I. S.

2017-10-01

Supplying the electronic units of the complex technical systems with electronic devices of the proper quality is one of the most important problems for increasing the whole system reliability. Moreover, for reaching the highest reliability of an electronic unit, the electronic devices of the same type must have equal characteristics which assure their coherent operation. The highest homogeneity of the characteristics is reached if the electronic devices are manufactured as a single production batch. Moreover, each production batch must contain homogeneous raw materials. In this paper, we propose an improved model for detecting the homogeneous production batches of shipped lot of electronic components based on implementing the kurtosis criterion for the results of non-destructive testing performed for each lot of electronic devices used in the space industry.

Complex Quantum Network Manifolds in Dimension d > 2 are Scale-Free

PubMed Central

Bianconi, Ginestra; Rahmede, Christoph

2015-01-01

In quantum gravity, several approaches have been proposed until now for the quantum description of discrete geometries. These theoretical frameworks include loop quantum gravity, causal dynamical triangulations, causal sets, quantum graphity, and energetic spin networks. Most of these approaches describe discrete spaces as homogeneous network manifolds. Here we define Complex Quantum Network Manifolds (CQNM) describing the evolution of quantum network states, and constructed from growing simplicial complexes of dimension . We show that in d = 2 CQNM are homogeneous networks while for d > 2 they are scale-free i.e. they are characterized by large inhomogeneities of degrees like most complex networks. From the self-organized evolution of CQNM quantum statistics emerge spontaneously. Here we define the generalized degrees associated with the -faces of the -dimensional CQNMs, and we show that the statistics of these generalized degrees can either follow Fermi-Dirac, Boltzmann or Bose-Einstein distributions depending on the dimension of the -faces. PMID:26356079

Complex Quantum Network Manifolds in Dimension d > 2 are Scale-Free.

PubMed

Bianconi, Ginestra; Rahmede, Christoph

2015-09-10

In quantum gravity, several approaches have been proposed until now for the quantum description of discrete geometries. These theoretical frameworks include loop quantum gravity, causal dynamical triangulations, causal sets, quantum graphity, and energetic spin networks. Most of these approaches describe discrete spaces as homogeneous network manifolds. Here we define Complex Quantum Network Manifolds (CQNM) describing the evolution of quantum network states, and constructed from growing simplicial complexes of dimension d. We show that in d = 2 CQNM are homogeneous networks while for d > 2 they are scale-free i.e. they are characterized by large inhomogeneities of degrees like most complex networks. From the self-organized evolution of CQNM quantum statistics emerge spontaneously. Here we define the generalized degrees associated with the δ-faces of the d-dimensional CQNMs, and we show that the statistics of these generalized degrees can either follow Fermi-Dirac, Boltzmann or Bose-Einstein distributions depending on the dimension of the δ-faces.

Highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from nickel quinolinethiolate complexes under visible light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Heng; Yu, Wen-Qian; Zheng, Hui-Qin; Bonin, Julien; Fan, Yao-Ting; Hou, Hong-Wei

2016-08-01

Earth-abundant metal complexes have emerged as promising surrogates of platinum for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, we report the design and synthesis of two novel nickel quinolinethiolate complexes, namely [Ni(Hqt)2(4, 4‧-Z-2, 2‧-bpy)] (Hqt = 8-quinolinethiol, Z = sbnd H [1] or sbnd CH3 [2], bpy = bipyridine). An efficient three-component photocatalytic homogeneous system for hydrogen generation working under visible light irradiation was constructed by using the target complexes as catalysts, triethylamine (TEA) as sacrificial electron donor and xanthene dyes as photosensitizer. We obtain turnover numbers (TON, vs. catalyst) for H2 evolution of 5923/7634 under the optimal conditions with 5.0 × 10-6 M complex 1/2 respectively, 1.0 × 10-3 M fluorescein and 5% (v/v) TEA at pH 12.3 in EtOH/H2O (1:1, v/v) mixture after 8 h irradiation (λ > 420 nm). We discuss the mechanism of H2 evolution in the homogeneous photocatalytic system based on fluorescence spectrum and cyclic voltammetry data.

The cubic-quintic-septic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation formulation of optical pulse propagation in 3D doped Kerr media with higher-order dispersions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djoko, Martin; Kofane, T. C.

2018-06-01

We investigate the propagation characteristics and stabilization of generalized-Gaussian pulse in highly nonlinear homogeneous media with higher-order dispersion terms. The optical pulse propagation has been modeled by the higher-order (3+1)-dimensional cubic-quintic-septic complex Ginzburg-Landau [(3+1)D CQS-CGL] equation. We have used the variational method to find a set of differential equations characterizing the variation of the pulse parameters in fiber optic-links. The variational equations we obtained have been integrated numerically by the means of the fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) method, which also allows us to investigate the evolution of the generalized-Gaussian beam and the pulse evolution along an optical doped fiber. Then, we have solved the original nonlinear (3+1)D CQS-CGL equation with the split-step Fourier method (SSFM), and compare the results with those obtained, using the variational approach. A good agreement between analytical and numerical methods is observed. The evolution of the generalized-Gaussian beam has shown oscillatory propagation, and bell-shaped dissipative optical bullets have been obtained under certain parameter values in both anomalous and normal chromatic dispersion regimes. Using the natural control parameter of the solution as it evolves, named the total energy Q, our numerical simulations reveal the existence of 3D stable vortex dissipative light bullets, 3D stable spatiotemporal optical soliton, stationary and pulsating optical bullets, depending on the used initial input condition (symmetric or elliptic).

Design of a WSN for the Sampling of Environmental Variability in Complex Terrain

PubMed Central

Martín-Tardío, Miguel A.; Felicísimo, Ángel M.

2014-01-01

In-situ environmental parameter measurements using sensor systems connected to a wireless network have become widespread, but the problem of monitoring large and mountainous areas by means of a wireless sensor network (WSN) is not well resolved. The main reasons for this are: (1) the environmental variability distribution is unknown in the field; (2) without this knowledge, a huge number of sensors would be necessary to ensure the complete coverage of the environmental variability and (3) WSN design requirements, for example, effective connectivity (intervisibility), limiting distances and controlled redundancy, are usually solved by trial and error. Using temperature as the target environmental variable, we propose: (1) a method to determine the homogeneous environmental classes to be sampled using the digital elevation model (DEM) and geometric simulations and (2) a procedure to determine an effective WSN design in complex terrain in terms of the number of sensors, redundancy, cost and spatial distribution. The proposed methodology, based on geographic information systems and binary integer programming can be easily adapted to a wide range of applications that need exhaustive and continuous environmental monitoring with high spatial resolution. The results show that the WSN design is perfectly suited to the topography and the technical specifications of the sensors, and provides a complete coverage of the environmental variability in terms of Sun exposure. However these results still need be validated in the field and the proposed procedure must be refined. PMID:25412218

Fluid flow in porous media using image-based modelling to parametrize Richards' equation.

PubMed

Cooper, L J; Daly, K R; Hallett, P D; Naveed, M; Koebernick, N; Bengough, A G; George, T S; Roose, T

2017-11-01

The parameters in Richards' equation are usually calculated from experimentally measured values of the soil-water characteristic curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The complex pore structures that often occur in porous media complicate such parametrization due to hysteresis between wetting and drying and the effects of tortuosity. Rather than estimate the parameters in Richards' equation from these indirect measurements, image-based modelling is used to investigate the relationship between the pore structure and the parameters. A three-dimensional, X-ray computed tomography image stack of a soil sample with voxel resolution of 6 μm has been used to create a computational mesh. The Cahn-Hilliard-Stokes equations for two-fluid flow, in this case water and air, were applied to this mesh and solved using the finite-element method in COMSOL Multiphysics. The upscaled parameters in Richards' equation are then obtained via homogenization. The effect on the soil-water retention curve due to three different contact angles, 0°, 20° and 60°, was also investigated. The results show that the pore structure affects the properties of the flow on the large scale, and different contact angles can change the parameters for Richards' equation.

A physiology-based parametric imaging method for FDG-PET data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scussolini, Mara; Garbarino, Sara; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Caviglia, Giacomo; Piana, Michele

2017-12-01

Parametric imaging is a compartmental approach that processes nuclear imaging data to estimate the spatial distribution of the kinetic parameters governing tracer flow. The present paper proposes a novel and efficient computational method for parametric imaging which is potentially applicable to several compartmental models of diverse complexity and which is effective in the determination of the parametric maps of all kinetic coefficients. We consider applications to [18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) data and analyze the two-compartment catenary model describing the standard FDG metabolization by an homogeneous tissue and the three-compartment non-catenary model representing the renal physiology. We show uniqueness theorems for both models. The proposed imaging method starts from the reconstructed FDG-PET images of tracer concentration and preliminarily applies image processing algorithms for noise reduction and image segmentation. The optimization procedure solves pixel-wise the non-linear inverse problem of determining the kinetic parameters from dynamic concentration data through a regularized Gauss-Newton iterative algorithm. The reliability of the method is validated against synthetic data, for the two-compartment system, and experimental real data of murine models, for the renal three-compartment system.

Effect of off-fault low-velocity elastic inclusions on supershear rupture dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiao; Elbanna, A. E.

2015-10-01

Heterogeneous velocity structures are expected to affect fault rupture dynamics. To quantitatively evaluate some of these effects, we examine a model of dynamic rupture on a frictional fault embedded in an elastic full space, governed by plane strain elasticity, with a pair of off-fault inclusions that have a lower rigidity than the background medium. We solve the elastodynamic problem using the Finite Element software Pylith. The fault operates under linear slip-weakening friction law. We initiate the rupture by artificially overstressing a localized region near the left edge of the fault. We primarily consider embedded soft inclusions with 20 per cent reduction in both the pressure wave and shear wave speeds. The embedded inclusions are placed at different distances from the fault surface and have different sizes. We show that the existence of a soft inclusion may significantly shorten the transition length to supershear propagation through the Burridge-Andrews mechanism. We also observe that supershear rupture is generated at pre-stress values that are lower than what is theoretically predicted for a homogeneous medium. We discuss the implications of our results for dynamic rupture propagation in complex velocity structures as well as supershear propagation on understressed faults.

Deep Convolutional and LSTM Recurrent Neural Networks for Multimodal Wearable Activity Recognition.

PubMed

Ordóñez, Francisco Javier; Roggen, Daniel

2016-01-18

Human activity recognition (HAR) tasks have traditionally been solved using engineered features obtained by heuristic processes. Current research suggests that deep convolutional neural networks are suited to automate feature extraction from raw sensor inputs. However, human activities are made of complex sequences of motor movements, and capturing this temporal dynamics is fundamental for successful HAR. Based on the recent success of recurrent neural networks for time series domains, we propose a generic deep framework for activity recognition based on convolutional and LSTM recurrent units, which: (i) is suitable for multimodal wearable sensors; (ii) can perform sensor fusion naturally; (iii) does not require expert knowledge in designing features; and (iv) explicitly models the temporal dynamics of feature activations. We evaluate our framework on two datasets, one of which has been used in a public activity recognition challenge. Our results show that our framework outperforms competing deep non-recurrent networks on the challenge dataset by 4% on average; outperforming some of the previous reported results by up to 9%. Our results show that the framework can be applied to homogeneous sensor modalities, but can also fuse multimodal sensors to improve performance. We characterise key architectural hyperparameters' influence on performance to provide insights about their optimisation.

Fast and high-order numerical algorithms for the solution of multidimensional nonlinear fractional Ginzburg-Landau equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohebbi, Akbar

2018-02-01

In this paper we propose two fast and accurate numerical methods for the solution of multidimensional space fractional Ginzburg-Landau equation (FGLE). In the presented methods, to avoid solving a nonlinear system of algebraic equations and to increase the accuracy and efficiency of method, we split the complex problem into simpler sub-problems using the split-step idea. For a homogeneous FGLE, we propose a method which has fourth-order of accuracy in time component and spectral accuracy in space variable and for nonhomogeneous one, we introduce another scheme based on the Crank-Nicolson approach which has second-order of accuracy in time variable. Due to using the Fourier spectral method for fractional Laplacian operator, the resulting schemes are fully diagonal and easy to code. Numerical results are reported in terms of accuracy, computational order and CPU time to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed methods and to compare the results with the analytical solutions. The results show that the present methods are accurate and require low CPU time. It is illustrated that the numerical results are in good agreement with the theoretical ones.

a Multi-Data Source and Multi-Sensor Approach for the 3d Reconstruction and Visualization of a Complex Archaelogical Site: the Case Study of Tolmo de Minateda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Martínez, J. A.; Seddaiu, M.; Rodríguez-Gonzálvez, P.; Hernández-López, D.; González-Aguilera, D.

2015-02-01

The complexity of archaeological sites hinders to get an integral modelling using the actual Geomatic techniques (i.e. aerial, closerange photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanner) individually, so a multi-sensor approach is proposed as the best solution to provide a 3D reconstruction and visualization of these complex sites. Sensor registration represents a riveting milestone when automation is required and when aerial and terrestrial dataset must be integrated. To this end, several problems must be solved: coordinate system definition, geo-referencing, co-registration of point clouds, geometric and radiometric homogeneity, etc. Last but not least, safeguarding of tangible archaeological heritage and its associated intangible expressions entails a multi-source data approach in which heterogeneous material (historical documents, drawings, archaeological techniques, habit of living, etc.) should be collected and combined with the resulting hybrid 3D of "Tolmo de Minateda" located models. The proposed multi-data source and multi-sensor approach is applied to the study case of "Tolmo de Minateda" archaeological site. A total extension of 9 ha is reconstructed, with an adapted level of detail, by an ultralight aerial platform (paratrike), an unmanned aerial vehicle, a terrestrial laser scanner and terrestrial photogrammetry. In addition, the own defensive nature of the site (i.e. with the presence of three different defensive walls) together with the considerable stratification of the archaeological site (i.e. with different archaeological surfaces and constructive typologies) require that tangible and intangible archaeological heritage expressions can be integrated with the hybrid 3D models obtained, to analyse, understand and exploit the archaeological site by different experts and heritage stakeholders.

The Design Process in the Art Classroom: Building Problem Solving Skills for Life and Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vande Zande, Robin; Warnock, Lauren; Nikoomanesh, Barbara; Van Dexter, Kurt

2014-01-01

Problem solving is essential to everyone's life. People survive if they are nourished, sheltered, and protected--and they construct ways to obtain nourishment, shelter, and protection through problem solving. Though problems vary in complexity--survival at the one end and the pursuit of comfort at the other--we are reliant on our ability to…

Examining the Effects of Principals' Transformational Leadership on Teachers' Creative Practices and Students' Performance in Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owoh, Jeremy Strickland

2015-01-01

In today's technology enriched schools and workforces, creative problem-solving is involved in many aspects of a person's life. The educational systems of developed nations are designed to raise students who are creative and skillful in solving complex problems. Technology and the age of information require nations to develop generations of…

The Universal Traveler, A Soft-Systems Guide to: Creativity, Problem Solving, and the Process of Reaching Goals. [Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koberg, Don; Bagnall, Jim

This publication provides an organizational scheme for a creative problem solving process. The authors indicate that all problems can benefit from the same logical and orderly process now employed to solve many complex problems. The principles remain constant; only specific methods change. Chapter 1 analyzes the development of creativity and fear…

Dynamic Scaffolding in a Cloud-Based Problem Representation System: Empowering Pre-Service Teachers' Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chwee Beng; Ling, Keck Voon; Reimann, Peter; Diponegoro, Yudho Ahmad; Koh, Chia Heng; Chew, Derwin

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers' problem solving ability, in particular, in the context of real-world complex problems. Design/methodology/approach: To argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers' problem solving skills, the authors describe a web-based problem representation…

Others' anger makes people work harder not smarter: the effect of observing anger and sarcasm on creative and analytic thinking.

PubMed

Miron-Spektor, Ella; Efrat-Treister, Dorit; Rafaeli, Anat; Schwarz-Cohen, Orit

2011-09-01

The authors examine whether and how observing anger influences thinking processes and problem-solving ability. In 3 studies, the authors show that participants who listened to an angry customer were more successful in solving analytic problems, but less successful in solving creative problems compared with participants who listened to an emotionally neutral customer. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors further show that observing anger communicated through sarcasm enhances complex thinking and solving of creative problems. Prevention orientation is argued to be the latent variable that mediated the effect of observing anger on complex thinking. The present findings help reconcile inconsistent findings in previous research, promote theory about the effects of observing anger and sarcasm, and contribute to understanding the effects of anger in the workplace. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Development of a homogeneous assay format for p53 antibodies using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuweiler, Hannes; Scheffler, Silvia; Sauer, Markus

2005-08-01

The development of reliable methods for the detection of minute amounts of antibodies directly in homogeneous solution represents one of the major tasks in the current research field of molecular diagnostics. We demonstrate the potential of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in combination with quenched peptide-based fluorescence probes for sensitive detection of p53 antibodies directly in homogeneous solution. Single tryptophan (Trp) residues in the sequences of short, synthetic peptide epitopes of the human p53 protein efficiently quench the fluorescence of an oxazine fluorophore attached to the amino terminal ends of the peptides. The fluorescence quenching mechanism is thought to be a photoinduced electron transfer reaction from Trp to the dye enabled by the formation of intramolecular complexes between dye and Trp. Specific recognition of the epitope by the antibody confines the conformational flexibility of the peptide. Consequently, complex formation between dye and Trp is abolished and fluorescence is recovered. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), antibody binding can be monitored observing two parameters simultaneously: the diffusional mobility of the peptide as well as the quenching amplitude induced by the conformational flexibility of the peptide change significantly upon antibody binding. Our data demonstrate that FCS in combination with fluorescence-quenched peptide epitopes opens new possibilities for the reliable detection of antibody binding events in homogeneous solution.

New concepts for Reynolds stress transport equation modeling of inhomogeneous flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perot, J. Blair; Moin, Parviz

1993-01-01

The ability to model turbulence near solid walls and other types of boundaries is important in predicting complex engineering flows. Most turbulence modeling has concentrated either on flows which are nearly homogeneous or isotropic, or on turbulent boundary layers. Boundary layer models usually rely very heavily on the presence of mean shear and the production of turbulence due to that mean shear. Most other turbulence models are based on the assumption of quasi-homogeneity. However, there are many situations of engineering interest which do not involve large shear rates and which are not quasi-homogeneous or isotropic. Shear-free turbulent boundary layers are the prototypical example of such flows, with practical situations being separation and reattachment, bluff body flow, high free-stream turbulence, and free surface flows. Although these situations are not as common as the variants of the flat plate turbulent boundary layer, they tend to be critical factors in complex engineering situations. The models developed are intended to extend classical quasi-homogeneous models into regions of large inhomogeneity. These models do not rely on the presence of mean shear or production, but are still applicable when those additional effects are included. Although the focus is on shear-free boundary layers as tests for these models, results for standard shearing boundary layers are also shown.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of ω-amino acid:pyruvate transaminase from Chromobacterium violaceum

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

Sayer, Christopher; Isupov, Michail N.; Littlechild, Jennifer A., E-mail: j.a.littlechild@exeter.ac.uk

2007-02-01

An ω-amino acid:pyruvate transaminase from C. violaceum has been purified and crystallized in two crystal forms. The structure has been solved using molecular replacement. The enzyme ω-transaminase catalyses the conversion of chiral ω-amines to ketones. The recombinant enzyme from Chromobacterium violaceum has been purified to homogeneity. The enzyme was crystallized from PEG 4000 using the microbatch method. Data were collected to 1.7 Å resolution from a crystal belonging to the triclinic space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 58.9, b = 61.9, c = 63.9 Å, α = 71.9, β = 87.0, γ = 74.6°. Data were also collectedmore » to 1.95 Å from a second triclinic crystal form. The structure has been solved using the molecular-replacement method.« less

New algorithms for solving third- and fifth-order two point boundary value problems based on nonsymmetric generalized Jacobi Petrov–Galerkin method

PubMed Central

Doha, E.H.; Abd-Elhameed, W.M.; Youssri, Y.H.

2014-01-01

Two families of certain nonsymmetric generalized Jacobi polynomials with negative integer indexes are employed for solving third- and fifth-order two point boundary value problems governed by homogeneous and nonhomogeneous boundary conditions using a dual Petrov–Galerkin method. The idea behind our method is to use trial functions satisfying the underlying boundary conditions of the differential equations and the test functions satisfying the dual boundary conditions. The resulting linear systems from the application of our method are specially structured and they can be efficiently inverted. The use of generalized Jacobi polynomials simplify the theoretical and numerical analysis of the method and also leads to accurate and efficient numerical algorithms. The presented numerical results indicate that the proposed numerical algorithms are reliable and very efficient. PMID:26425358

A new scheme of the time-domain fluorescence tomography for a semi-infinite turbid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prieto, Kernel; Nishimura, Goro

2017-04-01

A new scheme for reconstruction of a fluorophore target embedded in a semi-infinite medium was proposed and evaluated. In this scheme, we neglected the presence of the fluorophore target for the excitation light and used an analytical solution of the time-dependent radiative transfer equation (RTE) for the excitation light in a homogeneous semi-infinite media instead of solving the RTE numerically in the forward calculation. The inverse problem for imaging the fluorophore target was solved using the Landweber-Kaczmarz method with the concept of the adjoint fields. Numerical experiments show that the proposed scheme provides acceptable results of the reconstructed shape and location of the target. The computation times of the solution of the forward problem and the whole reconstruction process were reduced by about 40 and 15%, respectively.

Elementary solutions of coupled model equations in the kinetic theory of gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kriese, J. T.; Siewert, C. E.; Chang, T. S.

1974-01-01

The method of elementary solutions is employed to solve two coupled integrodifferential equations sufficient for determining temperature-density effects in a linearized BGK model in the kinetic theory of gases. Full-range completeness and orthogonality theorems are proved for the developed normal modes and the infinite-medium Green's function is constructed as an illustration of the full-range formalism. The appropriate homogeneous matrix Riemann problem is discussed, and half-range completeness and orthogonality theorems are proved for a certain subset of the normal modes. The required existence and uniqueness theorems relevant to the H matrix, basic to the half-range analysis, are proved, and an accurate and efficient computational method is discussed. The half-space temperature-slip problem is solved analytically, and a highly accurate value of the temperature-slip coefficient is reported.

Phase retrieval with the transport-of-intensity equation in an arbitrarily-shaped aperture by iterative discrete cosine transforms

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

Huang, Lei; Zuo, Chao; Idir, Mourad

A novel transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) based phase retrieval method is proposed with putting an arbitrarily-shaped aperture into the optical wavefield. In this arbitrarily-shaped aperture, the TIE can be solved under non-uniform illuminations and even non-homogeneous boundary conditions by iterative discrete cosine transforms with a phase compensation mechanism. Simulation with arbitrary phase, arbitrary aperture shape, and non-uniform intensity distribution verifies the effective compensation and high accuracy of the proposed method. Experiment is also carried out to check the feasibility of the proposed method in real measurement. Comparing to the existing methods, the proposed method is applicable for any types of phasemore » distribution under non-uniform illumination and non-homogeneous boundary conditions within an arbitrarily-shaped aperture, which enables the technique of TIE with hard aperture become a more flexible phase retrieval tool in practical measurements.« less

Phase retrieval with the transport-of-intensity equation in an arbitrarily-shaped aperture by iterative discrete cosine transforms

DOE PAGES

Huang, Lei; Zuo, Chao; Idir, Mourad; ...

2015-04-21

A novel transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) based phase retrieval method is proposed with putting an arbitrarily-shaped aperture into the optical wavefield. In this arbitrarily-shaped aperture, the TIE can be solved under non-uniform illuminations and even non-homogeneous boundary conditions by iterative discrete cosine transforms with a phase compensation mechanism. Simulation with arbitrary phase, arbitrary aperture shape, and non-uniform intensity distribution verifies the effective compensation and high accuracy of the proposed method. Experiment is also carried out to check the feasibility of the proposed method in real measurement. Comparing to the existing methods, the proposed method is applicable for any types of phasemore » distribution under non-uniform illumination and non-homogeneous boundary conditions within an arbitrarily-shaped aperture, which enables the technique of TIE with hard aperture become a more flexible phase retrieval tool in practical measurements.« less

Influence of homogeneous magnetic fields on the flow of a ferrofluid in the Taylor-Couette system.

PubMed

Altmeyer, S; Hoffmann, Ch; Leschhorn, A; Lücke, M

2010-07-01

We investigate numerically the influence of a homogeneous magnetic field on a ferrofluid in the gap between two concentric, independently rotating cylinders. The full Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a combination of a finite difference method and a Galerkin method. Structure, dynamics, symmetry properties, bifurcation, and stability behavior of different vortex structures are investigated for axial and transversal magnetic fields, as well as combinations of them. We show that a transversal magnetic field modulates the Taylor vortex flow and the spiral vortex flow. Thus, a transversal magnetic field induces wavy structures: wavy Taylor vortex flow (wTVF) and wavy spiral vortex flow. In contrast to the classic wTVF, which is a secondarily bifurcating structure, these magnetically generated wavy Taylor vortices are pinned by the magnetic field, i.e., they are stationary and they appear via a primary forward bifurcation out of the basic state of circular Couette flow.

Effect of Initial Stress on the Dynamic Response of a Multi-Layered Plate-Strip Subjected to an Arbitrary Inclined Time-Harmonic Force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daşdemir, A.

2017-08-01

The forced vibration of a multi-layered plate-strip with initial stress under the action of an arbitrary inclined time-harmonic force resting on a rigid foundation is considered. Within the framework of the piecewise homogeneous body model with the use of the three-dimensional linearized theory of elastic waves in initially stressed bodies (TLTEWISB), a mathematical modelling is presented in plane strain state. It is assumed that there exists the complete contact interaction at the interface between the layers and the materials of the layer are linearly elastic, homogeneous and isotropic. The governing system of the partial differential equations of motion for the considered problem is solved approximately by employing the Finite Element Method (FEM). Further, the influence of the initial stress parameter on the dynamic response of the plate-strip is presented.

Numerical simulation for aspects of homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions in forced convection flow of nanofluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, Tasawar; Shah, Faisal; Khan, Muhammad Ijaz; Alsaedi, Ahmed

2018-03-01

Mixed convection stagnation point flow of nanofluid by a vertical permeable circular cylinder has been addressed. Water is treated as ordinary liquid while nanoparticles include aluminium oxide, copper and titanium dioxide. Homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions are considered. The nonlinear higher order expressions are changed into first ordinary differential equations and then solved by built-in-Shooting method in mathematica. The results of velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction and local Nusselt number are discussed. Our results demonstrate that surface drag force and heat transfer rate are enhanced linearly for higher estimation of curvature parameter. Further surface drag force decays for aluminium oxide and it enhances for copper nanoparticle. Heat transfer rate enhances with increasing all three types of nanoparticles. In addition, the lowest heat transfer rate is obtained in case of titanium dioxide when compared with copper and aluminium oxide.

Volume Averaging Study of the Capacitive Deionization Process in Homogeneous Porous Media

DOE PAGES

Gabitto, Jorge; Tsouris, Costas

2015-05-05

Ion storage in porous electrodes is important in applications such as energy storage by supercapacitors, water purification by capacitive deionization, extraction of energy from a salinity difference and heavy ion purification. In this paper, a model is presented to simulate the charge process in homogeneous porous media comprising big pores. It is based on a theory for capacitive charging by ideally polarizable porous electrodes without faradaic reactions or specific adsorption of ions. A volume averaging technique is used to derive the averaged transport equations in the limit of thin electrical double layers. Transport between the electrolyte solution and the chargedmore » wall is described using the Gouy–Chapman–Stern model. The effective transport parameters for isotropic porous media are calculated solving the corresponding closure problems. Finally, the source terms that appear in the average equations are calculated using numerical computations. An alternative way to deal with the source terms is proposed.« less

Finite-time stabilization for a class of nonholonomic feedforward systems subject to inputs saturation.

PubMed

Gao, Fangzheng; Yuan, Ye; Wu, Yuqiang

2016-09-01

This paper studies the problem of finite-time stabilization by state feedback for a class of uncertain nonholonomic systems in feedforward-like form subject to inputs saturation. Under the weaker homogeneous condition on systems growth, a saturated finite-time control scheme is developed by exploiting the adding a power integrator method, the homogeneous domination approach and the nested saturation technique. Together with a novel switching control strategy, the designed saturated controller guarantees that the states of closed-loop system are regulated to zero in a finite time without violation of the constraint. As an application of the proposed theoretical results, the problem of saturated finite-time control for vertical wheel on rotating table is solved. Simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of problem solving strategy with online feedback on students’ conceptual understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratiwi, H. Y.; Winarko, W.; Ayu, H. D.

2018-04-01

The study aimed to determine the impact of the implementation of problem solving strategy with online feedback towards the students’ concept understanding. This study used quasi experimental design with post-test only control design. The participants were all Physics Education students of Kanjuruhan University year 2015. Then, they were divided into two different groups; 30 students belong to experiment class and the remaining 30 students belong to class of control. The students’ concept understanding was measured by the concept understanding test on multiple integral lesson. The result of the concept understanding test was analyzed by prerequisite test and stated to be normal and homogenic distributed, then the hypothesis was examined by T-test. The result of the study shows that there is difference in the concept understanding between experiment class and control class. Next, the result also shows that the students’ concept understanding which was taught using problem solving strategy with online feedback was higher than those using conventional learning; with average score of 72,10 for experiment class and 52,27 for control class.

Gaussian-windowed frame based method of moments formulation of surface-integral-equation for extended apertures

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

Shlivinski, A., E-mail: amirshli@ee.bgu.ac.il; Lomakin, V., E-mail: vlomakin@eng.ucsd.edu

2016-03-01

Scattering or coupling of electromagnetic beam-field at a surface discontinuity separating two homogeneous or inhomogeneous media with different propagation characteristics is formulated using surface integral equation, which are solved by the Method of Moments with the aid of the Gabor-based Gaussian window frame set of basis and testing functions. The application of the Gaussian window frame provides (i) a mathematically exact and robust tool for spatial-spectral phase-space formulation and analysis of the problem; (ii) a system of linear equations in a transmission-line like form relating mode-like wave objects of one medium with mode-like wave objects of the second medium; (iii)more » furthermore, an appropriate setting of the frame parameters yields mode-like wave objects that blend plane wave properties (as if solving in the spectral domain) with Green's function properties (as if solving in the spatial domain); and (iv) a representation of the scattered field with Gaussian-beam propagators that may be used in many large (in terms of wavelengths) systems.« less

Use of Picard and Newton iteration for solving nonlinear ground water flow equations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mehl, S.

2006-01-01

This study examines the use of Picard and Newton iteration to solve the nonlinear, saturated ground water flow equation. Here, a simple three-node problem is used to demonstrate the convergence difficulties that can arise when solving the nonlinear, saturated ground water flow equation in both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems with and without nonlinear boundary conditions. For these cases, the characteristic types of convergence patterns are examined. Viewing these convergence patterns as orbits of an attractor in a dynamical system provides further insight. It is shown that the nonlinearity that arises from nonlinear head-dependent boundary conditions can cause more convergence difficulties than the nonlinearity that arises from flow in an unconfined aquifer. Furthermore, the effects of damping on both convergence and convergence rate are investigated. It is shown that no single strategy is effective for all problems and how understanding pitfalls and merits of several methods can be helpful in overcoming convergence difficulties. Results show that Picard iterations can be a simple and effective method for the solution of nonlinear, saturated ground water flow problems.

Acceleration of incremental-pressure-correction incompressible flow computations using a coarse-grid projection method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kashefi, Ali; Staples, Anne

2016-11-01

Coarse grid projection (CGP) methodology is a novel multigrid method for systems involving decoupled nonlinear evolution equations and linear elliptic equations. The nonlinear equations are solved on a fine grid and the linear equations are solved on a corresponding coarsened grid. Mapping functions transfer data between the two grids. Here we propose a version of CGP for incompressible flow computations using incremental pressure correction methods, called IFEi-CGP (implicit-time-integration, finite-element, incremental coarse grid projection). Incremental pressure correction schemes solve Poisson's equation for an intermediate variable and not the pressure itself. This fact contributes to IFEi-CGP's efficiency in two ways. First, IFEi-CGP preserves the velocity field accuracy even for a high level of pressure field grid coarsening and thus significant speedup is achieved. Second, because incremental schemes reduce the errors that arise from boundaries with artificial homogenous Neumann conditions, CGP generates undamped flows for simulations with velocity Dirichlet boundary conditions. Comparisons of the data accuracy and CPU times for the incremental-CGP versus non-incremental-CGP computations are presented.

Dynamic analysis and numerical experiments for balancing of the continuous single-disc and single-span rotor-bearing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Aiming; Cheng, Xiaohan; Meng, Guoying; Xia, Yun; Wo, Lei; Wang, Ziyi

2017-03-01

Identification of rotor unbalance is critical for normal operation of rotating machinery. The single-disc and single-span rotor, as the most fundamental rotor-bearing system, has attracted research attention over a long time. In this paper, the continuous single-disc and single-span rotor is modeled as a homogeneous and elastic Euler-Bernoulli beam, and the forces applied by bearings and disc on the shaft are considered as point forces. A fourth-order non-homogeneous partial differential equation set with homogeneous boundary condition is solved for analytical solution, which expresses the unbalance response as a function of position, rotor unbalance and the stiffness and damping coefficients of bearings. Based on this analytical method, a novel Measurement Point Vector Method (MPVM) is proposed to identify rotor unbalance while operating. Only a measured unbalance response registered for four selected cross-sections of the rotor-shaft under steady-state operating conditions is needed when using the method. Numerical simulation shows that the detection error of the proposed method is very small when measurement error is negligible. The proposed method provides an efficient way for rotor balancing without test runs and external excitations.

Transonic flow of steam with non-equilibrium and homogenous condensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virk, Akashdeep Singh; Rusak, Zvi

2017-11-01

A small-disturbance model for studying the physical behavior of a steady transonic flow of steam with non-equilibrium and homogeneous condensation around a thin airfoil is derived. The steam thermodynamic behavior is described by van der Waals equation of state. The water condensation rate is calculated according to classical nucleation and droplet growth models. The current study is based on an asymptotic analysis of the fluid flow and condensation equations and boundary conditions in terms of the small thickness of the airfoil, small angle of attack, closeness of upstream flow Mach number to unity and small amount of condensate. The asymptotic analysis gives the similarity parameters that govern the problem. The flow field may be described by a non-homogeneous transonic small-disturbance equation coupled with a set of four ordinary differential equations for the calculation of the condensate mass fraction. An iterative numerical scheme which combines Murman & Cole's (1971) method with Simpson's integration rule is applied to solve the coupled system of equations. The model is used to study the effects of energy release from condensation on the aerodynamic performance of airfoils operating at high pressures and temperatures and near the vapor-liquid saturation conditions.

Spectral multigrid methods for the solution of homogeneous turbulence problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erlebacher, G.; Zang, T. A.; Hussaini, M. Y.

1987-01-01

New three-dimensional spectral multigrid algorithms are analyzed and implemented to solve the variable coefficient Helmholtz equation. Periodicity is assumed in all three directions which leads to a Fourier collocation representation. Convergence rates are theoretically predicted and confirmed through numerical tests. Residual averaging results in a spectral radius of 0.2 for the variable coefficient Poisson equation. In general, non-stationary Richardson must be used for the Helmholtz equation. The algorithms developed are applied to the large-eddy simulation of incompressible isotropic turbulence.

Numerical methods for axisymmetric and 3D nonlinear beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinton, Gianmarco F.; Trahey, Gregg E.

2005-04-01

Time domain algorithms that solve the Khokhlov--Zabolotzskaya--Kuznetsov (KZK) equation are described and implemented. This equation represents the propagation of finite amplitude sound beams in a homogenous thermoviscous fluid for axisymmetric and fully three dimensional geometries. In the numerical solution each of the terms is considered separately and the numerical methods are compared with known solutions. First and second order operator splitting are used to combine the separate terms in the KZK equation and their convergence is examined.

Anisotropic ghost dark energy cosmological model with hybrid expansion law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahanta, Chandra Rekha; Sarma, Nitin

2017-11-01

In this paper, we study the anisotropic Bianchi type-VI0 metric filled with dark matter and anisotropic ghost dark energy. We have solved the Einstein's field equations by considering hybrid expansion law (HEL) for the average scale factor. It is found that at later times the universe becomes spatially homogeneous, isotropic and flat. From a state finder diagnosis, it is found that our model is having similar behavior like ɅCDM model at late phase of cosmic time.

Rate-Dependent Homogenization Based Continuum Plasticity Damage Model for Dendritic Cast Aluminum Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

0.25 s−1 to 0.75 s−1 The return mapping algorithm consists of an initial elastic predictor step, where the elastic response is assumed and the stresses...18 different loadings are used. The parameters F, G, H are solved by an iterative algorithm with C = 3. The step is repeated for different values of...a. REPORT unclassified b. ABSTRACT unclassified c . THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 c⃝

Finite difference numerical method for the superlattice Boltzmann transport equation and case comparison of CPU(C) and GPU(CUDA) implementations

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

Priimak, Dmitri

2014-12-01

We present a finite difference numerical algorithm for solving two dimensional spatially homogeneous Boltzmann transport equation which describes electron transport in a semiconductor superlattice subject to crossed time dependent electric and constant magnetic fields. The algorithm is implemented both in C language targeted to CPU and in CUDA C language targeted to commodity NVidia GPU. We compare performances and merits of one implementation versus another and discuss various software optimisation techniques.

Reflection of thermoelastic wave on the interface of isotropic half-space and tetragonal syngony anisotropic medium of classes 4, 4/m with thermomechanical effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurlybek, A. Ispulov; Abdul, Qadir; M, A. Shah; Ainur, K. Seythanova; Tanat, G. Kissikov; Erkin, Arinov

2016-03-01

The thermoelastic wave propagation in a tetragonal syngony anisotropic medium of classes 4, 4/m having heterogeneity along z axis has been investigated by employing matrizant method. This medium has an axis of second-order symmetry parallel to z axis. In the case of the fourth-order matrix coefficients, the problems of wave refraction and reflection on the interface of homogeneous anisotropic thermoelastic mediums are solved analytically.

Advice to Policy Makers Who Would Tackle Syria: The Problem with Problem Solving

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

consensus on the specific way forward in Syria, there is one thing most do agree on; Syria is complex. It is complex in the familiar use of that term...SYRIA SYRIA SUPPLEMENTAL FEATURES | 125 strengthen stabilizing loops (ones that keep things from getting worse) or virtuous cycles (ones that make... things worse and worse over time). Second, and more importantly, affecting patterns can be the key to solving the problem of strained or insufficient

Efficient dual approach to distance metric learning.

PubMed

Shen, Chunhua; Kim, Junae; Liu, Fayao; Wang, Lei; van den Hengel, Anton

2014-02-01

Distance metric learning is of fundamental interest in machine learning because the employed distance metric can significantly affect the performance of many learning methods. Quadratic Mahalanobis metric learning is a popular approach to the problem, but typically requires solving a semidefinite programming (SDP) problem, which is computationally expensive. The worst case complexity of solving an SDP problem involving a matrix variable of size D×D with O(D) linear constraints is about O(D(6.5)) using interior-point methods, where D is the dimension of the input data. Thus, the interior-point methods only practically solve problems exhibiting less than a few thousand variables. Because the number of variables is D(D+1)/2, this implies a limit upon the size of problem that can practically be solved around a few hundred dimensions. The complexity of the popular quadratic Mahalanobis metric learning approach thus limits the size of problem to which metric learning can be applied. Here, we propose a significantly more efficient and scalable approach to the metric learning problem based on the Lagrange dual formulation of the problem. The proposed formulation is much simpler to implement, and therefore allows much larger Mahalanobis metric learning problems to be solved. The time complexity of the proposed method is roughly O(D(3)), which is significantly lower than that of the SDP approach. Experiments on a variety of data sets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an accuracy comparable with the state of the art, but is applicable to significantly larger problems. We also show that the proposed method can be applied to solve more general Frobenius norm regularized SDP problems approximately.

Calculation and word problem-solving skills in primary grades - Impact of cognitive abilities and longitudinal interrelations with task-persistent behaviour.

PubMed

Jõgi, Anna-Liisa; Kikas, Eve

2016-06-01

Primary school math skills form a basis for academic success down the road. Different math skills have different antecedents and there is a reason to believe that more complex math tasks require better self-regulation. The study aimed to investigate longitudinal interrelations of calculation and problem-solving skills, and task-persistent behaviour in Grade 1 and Grade 3, and the effect of non-verbal intelligence, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning on math skills and task persistence. Participants were 864 students (52.3% boys) from 33 different schools in Estonia. Students were tested twice - at the end of Grade1 and at the end of Grade 3. Calculation and problem-solving skills, and teacher-rated task-persistent behaviour were measured at both time points. Non-verbal intelligence, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning were measured in Grade 1. Cross-lagged structural equation modelling indicated that calculation skills depend on previous math skills and linguistic abilities, while problem-solving skills require also non-verbal intelligence, executive functioning, and task persistence. Task-persistent behaviour in Grade 3 was predicted by previous problem-solving skills, linguistic abilities, and executive functioning. Gender and mother's educational level were added as covariates. The findings indicate that math skills and self-regulation are strongly related in primary grades and that solving complex tasks requires executive functioning and task persistence from children. Findings support the idea that instructional practices might benefit from supporting self-regulation in order to gain domain-specific, complex skill achievement. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

A CellML simulation compiler and code generator using ODE solving schemes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Models written in description languages such as CellML are becoming a popular solution to the handling of complex cellular physiological models in biological function simulations. However, in order to fully simulate a model, boundary conditions and ordinary differential equation (ODE) solving schemes have to be combined with it. Though boundary conditions can be described in CellML, it is difficult to explicitly specify ODE solving schemes using existing tools. In this study, we define an ODE solving scheme description language-based on XML and propose a code generation system for biological function simulations. In the proposed system, biological simulation programs using various ODE solving schemes can be easily generated. We designed a two-stage approach where the system generates the equation set associating the physiological model variable values at a certain time t with values at t + Δt in the first stage. The second stage generates the simulation code for the model. This approach enables the flexible construction of code generation modules that can support complex sets of formulas. We evaluate the relationship between models and their calculation accuracies by simulating complex biological models using various ODE solving schemes. Using the FHN model simulation, results showed good qualitative and quantitative correspondence with the theoretical predictions. Results for the Luo-Rudy 1991 model showed that only first order precision was achieved. In addition, running the generated code in parallel on a GPU made it possible to speed up the calculation time by a factor of 50. The CellML Compiler source code is available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/cellmlcompiler. PMID:23083065

Solution XAS Analysis for Exploring the Active Species in Homogeneous Vanadium Complex Catalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Kotohiro; Mitsudome, Takato; Tsutsumi, Ken; Yamazoe, Seiji

2018-06-01

Selected examples in V K-edge X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) analysis of a series of vanadium complexes containing imido ligands (possessing metal-nitrogen double bond) in toluene solution have been introduced, and their pre-edge and the edge were affected by their structures and nature of ligands. Selected results in exploring the oxidation states of the active species in ethylene dimerization/polymerization using homogeneous vanadium catalysts [consisting of (imido)vanadium(V) complexes and Al cocatalysts] by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyses have been introduced. It has been demonstrated that the method should provide more clear information concerning the active species in situ, especially by combination with the other methods (NMR and ESR spectra, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and reaction chemistry), and should be powerful tool for study of catalysis mechanism as well as for the structural analysis in solution.

Study of the techniques feasible for food synthesis aboard a spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiss, A. H.

1972-01-01

Synthesis of sugars by Ca(OH)2 catalyzed formaldehyde condensation (the formose reaction) has produced branched carbohydrates that do not occur in nature. The kinetics and mechanisms of the homogeneously catalyzed autocatalytic condensation were studied and analogies between homogeneous and heterogeneous rate laws have been found. Aldol condensations proceed simultaneously with Cannizzaro and crossed-Cannizzaro reactions and Lobry de Bruyn-Van Eckenstein rearrangements. The separate steps as well as the interactions of this highly complex reaction system were elucidated. The system exhibits instabilities, competitive catalytic, mass action, and equilibrium phenomena, complexing, and parallel and consecutive reactions. Specific finding that have been made on the problem will be of interest for synthesizing sugars, both for sustained space flight and for large scale food manufacture. A contribution to methodology for studying complex catalyzed reactions and to understanding control of reaction selectivity was a broad goal of the project.

Time-resolved tomography using acoustic emissions in the laboratory, and application to sandstone compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantut, Nicolas

2018-06-01

Acoustic emission (AE) and active ultrasonic wave velocity monitoring are often performed during laboratory rock deformation experiments, but are typically processed separately to yield homogenized wave velocity measurements and approximate source locations. Here, I present a numerical method and its implementation in a free software to perform a joint inversion of AE locations together with the 3-D, anisotropic P-wave structure of laboratory samples. The data used are the P-wave first arrivals obtained from AEs and active ultrasonic measurements. The model parameters are the source locations and the P-wave velocity and anisotropy parameter (assuming transverse isotropy) at discrete points in the material. The forward problem is solved using the fast marching method, and the inverse problem is solved by the quasi-Newton method. The algorithms are implemented within an integrated free software package called FaATSO (Fast Marching Acoustic Emission Tomography using Standard Optimisation). The code is employed to study the formation of compaction bands in a porous sandstone. During deformation, a front of AEs progresses from one end of the sample, associated with the formation of a sequence of horizontal compaction bands. Behind the active front, only sparse AEs are observed, but the tomography reveals that the P-wave velocity has dropped by up to 15 per cent, with an increase in anisotropy of up to 20 per cent. Compaction bands in sandstones are therefore shown to produce sharp changes in seismic properties. This result highlights the potential of the methodology to image temporal variations of elastic properties in complex geomaterials, including the dramatic, localized changes associated with microcracking and damage generation.

Three-dimensional wave field modeling by a collocated-grid finite-difference method in the anelastic model with surface topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, N.; Li, J.; Borisov, D.; Gharti, H. N.; Shen, Y.; Zhang, W.; Savage, B. K.

2016-12-01

We incorporate 3D anelastic attenuation into the collocated-grid finite-difference method on curvilinear grids (Zhang et al., 2012), using the rheological model of the generalized Maxwell body (Emmerich and Korn, 1987; Moczo and Kristek, 2005; Käser et al., 2007). We follow a conventional procedure to calculate the anelastic coefficients (Emmerich and Korn, 1987) determined by the Q(ω)-law, with a modification in the choice of frequency band and thus the relaxation frequencies that equidistantly cover the logarithmic frequency range. We show that such an optimization of anelastic coefficients is more accurate when using a fixed number of relaxation mechanisms to fit the frequency independent Q-factors. We use curvilinear grids to represent the surface topography. The velocity-stress form of the 3D isotropic anelastic wave equation is solved with a collocated-grid finite-difference method. Compared with the elastic case, we need to solve additional material-independent anelastic functions (Kristek and Moczo, 2003) for the mechanisms at each relaxation frequency. Based on the stress-strain relation, we calculate the spatial partial derivatives of the anelastic functions indirectly thereby saving computational storage and improving computational efficiency. The complex-frequency-shifted perfectly matched layer (CFS-PML) is used for the absorbing boundary condition based on the auxiliary difference equation (Zhang and Shen, 2010). The traction image method (Zhang and Chen, 2006) is employed for the free-surface boundary condition. We perform several numerical experiments including homogeneous full-space models and layered half-space models, considering both flat and 3D Gaussian-shape hill surfaces. The results match very well with those of the spectral-element method (Komatitisch and Tromp, 2002; Savage et al., 2010), verifying the simulations by our method in the anelastic model with surface topography.

Calculation of acoustic field based on laser-measured vibration velocities on ultrasonic transducer surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Liang; Zhao, Nannan; Gao, Zhijian; Mao, Kai; Chen, Wenyu; Fu, Xin

2018-05-01

Determination of the distribution of a generated acoustic field is valuable for studying ultrasonic transducers, including providing the guidance for transducer design and the basis for analyzing their performance, etc. A method calculating the acoustic field based on laser-measured vibration velocities on the ultrasonic transducer surface is proposed in this paper. Without knowing the inner structure of the transducer, the acoustic field outside it can be calculated by solving the governing partial differential equation (PDE) of the field based on the specified boundary conditions (BCs). In our study, the BC on the transducer surface, i.e. the distribution of the vibration velocity on the surface, is accurately determined by laser scanning measurement of discrete points and follows a data fitting computation. In addition, to ensure the calculation accuracy for the whole field even in an inhomogeneous medium, a finite element method is used to solve the governing PDE based on the mixed BCs, including the discretely measured velocity data and other specified BCs. The method is firstly validated on numerical piezoelectric transducer models. The acoustic pressure distributions generated by a transducer operating in an homogeneous and inhomogeneous medium, respectively, are both calculated by the proposed method and compared with the results from other existing methods. Then, the method is further experimentally validated with two actual ultrasonic transducers used for flow measurement in our lab. The amplitude change of the output voltage signal from the receiver transducer due to changing the relative position of the two transducers is calculated by the proposed method and compared with the experimental data. This method can also provide the basis for complex multi-physical coupling computations where the effect of the acoustic field should be taken into account.

Imaging electrical conductivity, permeability, and/or permittivity contrasts using the Born Scattering Inversion (BSI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darrh, A.; Downs, C. M.; Poppeliers, C.

2017-12-01

Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) of electromagnetic (EM) data is a geophysical imaging methodology for mapping weak conductivity, permeability, and/or permittivity contrasts in the subsurface. The high computational cost of full waveform inversion is reduced by adopting the First Born Approximation for scattered EM fields. This linearizes the inverse problem in terms of Born scattering amplitudes for a set of effective EM body sources within a 3D imaging volume. Estimation of scatterer amplitudes is subsequently achieved by solving the normal equations. Our present BSI numerical experiments entail Fourier transforming real-valued synthetic EM data to the frequency-domain, and minimizing the L2 residual between complex-valued observed and predicted data. We are testing the ability of BSI to resolve simple scattering models. For our initial experiments, synthetic data are acquired by three-component (3C) electric field receivers distributed on a plane above a single point electric dipole within a homogeneous and isotropic wholespace. To suppress artifacts, candidate Born scatterer locations are confined to a volume beneath the receiver array. Also, we explore two different numerical linear algebra algorithms for solving the normal equations: Damped Least Squares (DLS), and Non-Negative Least Squares (NNLS). Results from NNLS accurately recover the source location only for a large dense 3C receiver array, but fail when the array is decimated, or is restricted to horizontal component data. Using all receiver stations and all components per station, NNLS results are relatively insensitive to a sub-sampled frequency spectrum, suggesting that coarse frequency-domain sampling may be adequate for good target resolution. Results from DLS are insensitive to diminishing array density, but contain spatially oscillatory structure. DLS-generated images are consistently centered at the known point source location, despite an abundance of surrounding structure.

Distributed Earth observation data integration and on-demand services based on a collaborative framework of geospatial data service gateway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jibo; Li, Guoqing

2015-04-01

Earth observation (EO) data obtained by air-borne or space-borne sensors has the characteristics of heterogeneity and geographical distribution of storage. These data sources belong to different organizations or agencies whose data management and storage methods are quite different and geographically distributed. Different data sources provide different data publish platforms or portals. With more Remote sensing sensors used for Earth Observation (EO) missions, different space agencies have distributed archived massive EO data. The distribution of EO data archives and system heterogeneity makes it difficult to efficiently use geospatial data for many EO applications, such as hazard mitigation. To solve the interoperable problems of different EO data systems, an advanced architecture of distributed geospatial data infrastructure is introduced to solve the complexity of distributed and heterogeneous EO data integration and on-demand processing in this paper. The concept and architecture of geospatial data service gateway (GDSG) is proposed to build connection with heterogeneous EO data sources by which EO data can be retrieved and accessed with unified interfaces. The GDSG consists of a set of tools and service to encapsulate heterogeneous geospatial data sources into homogenous service modules. The GDSG modules includes EO metadata harvesters and translators, adaptors to different type of data system, unified data query and access interfaces, EO data cache management, and gateway GUI, etc. The GDSG framework is used to implement interoperability and synchronization between distributed EO data sources with heterogeneous architecture. An on-demand distributed EO data platform is developed to validate the GDSG architecture and implementation techniques. Several distributed EO data achieves are used for test. Flood and earthquake serves as two scenarios for the use cases of distributed EO data integration and interoperability.

How Instructional Designers Solve Workplace Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortney, Kathleen S.; Yamagata-Lynch, Lisa C.

2013-01-01

This naturalistic inquiry investigated how instructional designers engage in complex and ambiguous problem solving across organizational boundaries in two corporations. Participants represented a range of instructional design experience, from novices to experts. Research methods included a participant background survey, observations of…

Non-identical multiplexing promotes chimera states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Saptarshi; Zakharova, Anna; Jalan, Sarika

2018-01-01

We present the emergence of chimeras, a state referring to coexistence of partly coherent, partly incoherent dynamics in networks of identical oscillators, in a multiplex network consisting of two non-identical layers which are interconnected. We demonstrate that the parameter range displaying the chimera state in the homogeneous first layer of the multiplex networks can be tuned by changing the link density or connection architecture of the same nodes in the second layer. We focus on the impact of the interconnected second layer on the enlargement or shrinking of the coupling regime for which chimeras are displayed in the homogeneous first layer. We find that a denser homogeneous second layer promotes chimera in a sparse first layer, where chimeras do not occur in isolation. Furthermore, while a dense connection density is required for the second layer if it is homogeneous, this is not true if the second layer is inhomogeneous. We demonstrate that a sparse inhomogeneous second layer which is common in real-world complex systems can promote chimera states in a sparse homogeneous first layer.

A scheme to calculate higher-order homogenization as applied to micro-acoustic boundary value problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vagh, Hardik A.; Baghai-Wadji, Alireza

2008-12-01

Current technological challenges in materials science and high-tech device industry require the solution of boundary value problems (BVPs) involving regions of various scales, e.g. multiple thin layers, fibre-reinforced composites, and nano/micro pores. In most cases straightforward application of standard variational techniques to BVPs of practical relevance necessarily leads to unsatisfactorily ill-conditioned analytical and/or numerical results. To remedy the computational challenges associated with sub-sectional heterogeneities various sophisticated homogenization techniques need to be employed. Homogenization refers to the systematic process of smoothing out the sub-structural heterogeneities, leading to the determination of effective constitutive coefficients. Ordinarily, homogenization involves a sophisticated averaging and asymptotic order analysis to obtain solutions. In the majority of the cases only zero-order terms are constructed due to the complexity of the processes involved. In this paper we propose a constructive scheme for obtaining homogenized solutions involving higher order terms, and thus, guaranteeing higher accuracy and greater robustness of the numerical results. We present

Coaching Family Caregivers to Become Better Problem Solvers When Caring for Persons with Advanced Cancer.

PubMed

Dionne-Odom, J Nicholas; Lyons, Kathleen D; Akyar, Imatullah; Bakitas, Marie A

2016-01-01

Family caregivers of persons with advanced cancer often take on responsibilities that present daunting and complex problems. Serious problems that go unresolved may be burdensome and result in negative outcomes for caregivers' psychological and physical health and affect the quality of care delivered to the care recipients with cancer, especially at the end of life. Formal problem-solving training approaches have been developed over the past several decades to assist individuals with managing problems faced in daily life. Several of these problem-solving principles and techniques were incorporated into ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life End), an "early" palliative care telehealth intervention for individuals diagnosed with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. A hypothetical case resembling the situations of actual caregiver participants in ENABLE that exemplifies the complex problems that caregivers face is presented, followed by presentation of an overview of ENABLE's problem-solving key principles, techniques, and steps in problem-solving support. Though more research is needed to formally test the use of problem-solving support in social work practice, social workers can easily incorporate these techniques into everyday practice.

Verification of Algebra Step Problems: A Chronometric Study of Human Problem Solving. Technical Report No. 253. Psychology and Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Paul G.; Atkinson, Richard C.

This paper reports an experiment designed to test theoretical relations among fast problem solving, more complex and slower problem solving, and research concerning fundamental memory processes. Using a cathode ray tube, subjects were presented with propositions of the form "Y is in list X" which they memorized. In later testing they were asked to…

Computationally Probing the Performance of Hybrid, Heterogeneous, and Homogeneous Iridium-Based Catalysts for Water Oxidation

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

García-Melchor, Max; Vilella, Laia; López, Núria

2016-04-29

An attractive strategy to improve the performance of water oxidation catalysts would be to anchor a homogeneous molecular catalyst on a heterogeneous solid surface to create a hybrid catalyst. The idea of this combined system is to take advantage of the individual properties of each of the two catalyst components. We use Density Functional Theory to determine the stability and activity of a model hybrid water oxidation catalyst consisting of a dimeric Ir complex attached on the IrO 2(110) surface through two oxygen atoms. We find that homogeneous catalysts can be bound to its matrix oxide without losing significant activity.more » Hence, designing hybrid systems that benefit from both the high tunability of activity of homogeneous catalysts and the stability of heterogeneous systems seems feasible.« less

Insight and analysis problem solving in microbes to machines.

PubMed

Clark, Kevin B

2015-11-01

A key feature for obtaining solutions to difficult problems, insight is oftentimes vaguely regarded as a special discontinuous intellectual process and/or a cognitive restructuring of problem representation or goal approach. However, this nearly century-old state of art devised by the Gestalt tradition to explain the non-analytical or non-trial-and-error, goal-seeking aptitude of primate mentality tends to neglect problem-solving capabilities of lower animal phyla, Kingdoms other than Animalia, and advancing smart computational technologies built from biological, artificial, and composite media. Attempting to provide an inclusive, precise definition of insight, two major criteria of insight, discontinuous processing and problem restructuring, are here reframed using terminology and statistical mechanical properties of computational complexity classes. Discontinuous processing becomes abrupt state transitions in algorithmic/heuristic outcomes or in types of algorithms/heuristics executed by agents using classical and/or quantum computational models. And problem restructuring becomes combinatorial reorganization of resources, problem-type substitution, and/or exchange of computational models. With insight bounded by computational complexity, humans, ciliated protozoa, and complex technological networks, for example, show insight when restructuring time requirements, combinatorial complexity, and problem type to solve polynomial and nondeterministic polynomial decision problems. Similar effects are expected from other problem types, supporting the idea that insight might be an epiphenomenon of analytical problem solving and consequently a larger information processing framework. Thus, this computational complexity definition of insight improves the power, external and internal validity, and reliability of operational parameters with which to classify, investigate, and produce the phenomenon for computational agents ranging from microbes to man-made devices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organo-Lewis acid as cocatalyst for cationic homogeneous Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerizations

DOEpatents

Marks, Tobin J.; Chen, You-Xian

2001-01-01

Organo-Lewis acids of the formula BR'R".sub.2 wherein B is boron, R' is fluorinated biphenyl, and R" is a fluorinated phenyl, fluorinated biphenyl, or fluorinated polycyclic fused ring group, and cationic metallocene complexes formed therewith. Such complexes are useful as polymerization catalysts.

Organo-Lewis acid as cocatalyst for cationic homogeneous Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerizations

DOEpatents

Marks, Tobin J.; Chen, You-Xian

2002-01-01

Organo-Lewis acids of the formula BR'R".sub.2 wherein B is boron, R' is fluorinated biphenyl, and R" is a fluorinated phenyl, fluorinated biphenyl, or fluorinated polycyclic fused ring group, and cationic metallocene complexes formed therewith. Such complexes are useful as polymerization catalysts.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment: functional MR imaging study of response in posterior cingulate cortex and adjacent precuneus during problem-solving tasks.

PubMed

Jin, Guangwei; Li, Kuncheng; Hu, Yingying; Qin, Yulin; Wang, Xiangqing; Xiang, Jie; Yang, Yanhui; Lu, Jie; Zhong, Ning

2011-11-01

To compare the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response, measured with functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and adjacent precuneus regions between healthy control subjects and patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) during problem-solving tasks. This study was approved by the institutional review board. Each subject provided written informed consent. Thirteen patients with amnestic MCI and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects participated in the study. The functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging tasks were simplified 4 × 4-grid number placement puzzles that were divided into a simple task (using the row rule or the column rule to solve the puzzle) and a complex task (using both the row and column rules to solve the puzzle). Behavioral results and functional imaging results between the healthy control group and the amnestic MCI group were analyzed. The accuracy for the complex task in the healthy control group was significantly higher than that in the amnestic MCI group (P < .05). The healthy control group exhibited a deactivated BOLD signal intensity (SI) change in the bilateral PCC and adjacent precuneus regions during the complex task, whereas the amnestic MCI group showed activation. The positive linear correlations between the BOLD SI change in bilateral PCC and adjacent precuneus regions and in bilateral hippocampi in the amnestic MCI group were significant (P < .001), while in the healthy control group, they were not (P ≥ .23). These findings suggest that an altered BOLD response in amnestic MCI patients during complex tasks might be related to a decline in problem-solving ability and to memory impairment and, thus, may indicate a compensatory response to memory impairment. RSNA, 2011

Computer program for thin-wire structures in a homogeneous conducting medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richmond, J. H.

1974-01-01

A computer program is presented for thin-wire antennas and scatters in a homogeneous conducting medium. The anaylsis is performed in the real or complex frequency domain. The program handles insulated and bare wires with finite conductivity and lumped loads. The output data includes the current distribution, impedance, radiation efficiency, gain, absorption cross section, scattering cross section, echo area and the polarization scattering matrix. The program uses sinusoidal bases and Galerkin's method.

Discovering Steiner Triple Systems through Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sriraman, Bharath

2004-01-01

An attempt to implement problem solving as a teacher of ninth grade algebra is described. The problems selected were not general ones, they involved combinations and represented various situations and were more complex which lead to the discovery of Steiner triple systems.

The Use of Sparse Direct Solver in Vector Finite Element Modeling for Calculating Two Dimensional (2-D) Magnetotelluric Responses in Transverse Electric (TE) Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yihaa Roodhiyah, Lisa’; Tjong, Tiffany; Nurhasan; Sutarno, D.

2018-04-01

The late research, linear matrices of vector finite element in two dimensional(2-D) magnetotelluric (MT) responses modeling was solved by non-sparse direct solver in TE mode. Nevertheless, there is some weakness which have to be improved especially accuracy in the low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) which is not achieved yet and high cost computation in dense mesh. In this work, the solver which is used is sparse direct solver instead of non-sparse direct solverto overcome the weaknesses of solving linear matrices of vector finite element metod using non-sparse direct solver. Sparse direct solver will be advantageous in solving linear matrices of vector finite element method because of the matrix properties which is symmetrical and sparse. The validation of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element has been done for a homogen half-space model and vertical contact model by analytical solution. Thevalidation result of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element shows that sparse direct solver is more stable than non-sparse direct solver in computing linear problem of vector finite element method especially in low frequency. In the end, the accuracy of 2D MT responses modelling in low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) has been reached out under the efficient allocation memory of array and less computational time consuming.

Quantum Computing: Solving Complex Problems

ScienceCinema

DiVincenzo, David

2018-05-22

One of the motivating ideas of quantum computation was that there could be a new kind of machine that would solve hard problems in quantum mechanics. There has been significant progress towards the experimental realization of these machines (which I will review), but there are still many questions about how such a machine could solve computational problems of interest in quantum physics. New categorizations of the complexity of computational problems have now been invented to describe quantum simulation. The bad news is that some of these problems are believed to be intractable even on a quantum computer, falling into a quantum analog of the NP class. The good news is that there are many other new classifications of tractability that may apply to several situations of physical interest.

Aiding the search: Examining individual differences in multiply-constrained problem solving.

PubMed

Ellis, Derek M; Brewer, Gene A

2018-07-01

Understanding and resolving complex problems is of vital importance in daily life. Problems can be defined by the limitations they place on the problem solver. Multiply-constrained problems are traditionally examined with the compound remote associates task (CRAT). Performance on the CRAT is partially dependent on an individual's working memory capacity (WMC). These findings suggest that executive processes are critical for problem solving and that there are reliable individual differences in multiply-constrained problem solving abilities. The goals of the current study are to replicate and further elucidate the relation between WMC and CRAT performance. To achieve these goals, we manipulated preexposure to CRAT solutions and measured WMC with complex-span tasks. In Experiment 1, we report evidence that preexposure to CRAT solutions improved problem solving accuracy, WMC was correlated with problem solving accuracy, and that WMC did not moderate the effect of preexposure on problem solving accuracy. In Experiment 2, we preexposed participants to correct and incorrect solutions. We replicated Experiment 1 and found that WMC moderates the effect of exposure to CRAT solutions such that high WMC participants benefit more from preexposure to correct solutions than low WMC (although low WMC participants have preexposure benefits as well). Broadly, these results are consistent with theories of working memory and problem solving that suggest a mediating role of attention control processes. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Comparison of up-scaling methods in poroelasticity and its generalizations

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

Berryman, J G

2003-12-13

Four methods of up-scaling coupled equations at the microscale to equations valid at the mesoscale and/or macroscale for fluid-saturated and partially saturated porous media will be discussed, compared, and contrasted. The four methods are: (1) effective medium theory, (2) mixture theory, (3) two-scale and multiscale homogenization, and (4) volume averaging. All these methods have advantages for some applications and disadvantages for others. For example, effective medium theory, mixture theory, and homogenization methods can all give formulas for coefficients in the up-scaled equations, whereas volume averaging methods give the form of the up-scaled equations but generally must be supplemented with physicalmore » arguments and/or data in order to determine the coefficients. Homogenization theory requires a great deal of mathematical insight from the user in order to choose appropriate scalings for use in the resulting power-law expansions, while volume averaging requires more physical insight to motivate the steps needed to find coefficients. Homogenization often is performed on periodic models, while volume averaging does not require any assumption of periodicity and can therefore be related very directly to laboratory and/or field measurements. Validity of the homogenization process is often limited to specific ranges of frequency - in order to justify the scaling hypotheses that must be made - and therefore cannot be used easily over wide ranges of frequency. However, volume averaging methods can quite easily be used for wide band data analysis. So, we learn from these comparisons that a researcher in the theory of poroelasticity and its generalizations needs to be conversant with two or more of these methods to solve problems generally.« less

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.

Modeling of Flow, Transport and Controlled Sedimentation Phenomena during Mixing of Salt Solutions in Complex Porous Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skouras, Eugene D.; Jaho, Sofia; Pavlakou, Efstathia I.; Sygouni, Varvara; Petsi, Anastasia; Paraskeva, Christakis A.

2015-04-01

The deposition of salts in porous media is a major engineering phenomenon encountered in a plethora of industrial and environmental applications where in some cases is desirable and in other not (oil production, geothermal systems, soil stabilization etc). Systematic approach of these problems requires knowledge of the key mechanisms of precipitating salts within the porous structures, in order to develop new methods to control the process. In this work, the development and the solution of spatiotemporally variable mass balances during salt solution mixing along specific pores were performed. Both analytical models and finite differences CFD models were applied for the study of flow and transport with simultaneous homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation (by crystal growth on the surface of the pores) in simple geometries, while unstructured finite elements and meshless methods were developed and implemented for spatial discretization, reconstruction, and solution of transport equations and homogeneous / heterogeneous reactions in more complex geometries. At initial stages of this work, critical problem parameters were identified, such as the characteristics of the porosity, the number of dissolved components, etc. The parameters were then used for solving problems which correspond to available experimental data. For each combination of ions and materials, specific data and process characteristics were included: (a) crystal kinetics (nucleation, growth rates or reaction surface rates of crystals, critical suspension concentrations), (b) physico-chemical properties (bulk density, dimensions of generated crystals, ion diffusion coefficients in the solution), (c) operating parameters (macroscopic velocity, flow, or pressure gradient of the solution, ion concentration) (d) microfluidic data (geometry, flow area), (e) porosity data in Darcy description (initial porosity, specific surface area, tortuosity). During the modeling of flow and transport in three-dimensional pore network, the dependence of the mass balance in all major directions is taken into account, either as a three-dimensional network of pores with specific geometry (cylinders, sinusoidal cells), or as a homogeneous random medium (Darcy description). The distribution of the crystals along the porous medium was calculated in the case of selective crystallization on the walls, which is the predominant effect to date in the experiments. The crystals distribution was also examined in the case where crystallization was carried out in the bulk solution. Salts sedimentation experiments were simulated both in an unsaturated porous medium and in a medium saturated with an oil phase. A comparison of the simulation results with corresponding experimental results was performed in order to design improved selective sedimentation of salts systems in porous formations. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was partially funded by the European Union (European Social Fund-ESF) and Greek National Funds through the Operational program "Education and Lifelong Learning" under the action Aristeia II (Code No 4420).

Symbolic Solution of Linear Differential Equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, R. B.; Grooms, R. G.

1981-01-01

An algorithm for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations is presented. The computational complexity of the algorithm is discussed and its implementation in the FORMAC system is described. A comparison is made between the algorithm and some classical algorithms for solving differential equations.

The Community Collaboration Stakeholder Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Renee Guarriello

2010-01-01

Today's increasingly complex and diverse world demands 21st century communication skills to solve community and social justice problems. Interorganizational collaboration is at the heart of much community activism, such as that focused on solving environmental disputes, eradicating racially discriminating real estate practices, and bringing early…

The evolution of energetic particles and the emitted radiation in solar flares. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Edward Tsang

1989-01-01

The evolution of accelerated particle distributions in a magnetized plasma and the resulting radiation are calculated, and the results are applied to solar flares. To study the radiation on timescales of order the particle lifetimes, the evolution of the particle distribution is determined by the use of the Fokker-Planck equation including Coulomb collisions and magnetic mirroring. Analytic solution to the equations are obtained for limiting cases such as homogeneous injection in a homogeneous plasma, and for small pitch angle. These analytic solutions are then used to place constraints on flare parameters such as density, loop length, and the injection timescale for very short implusive solar flares. For general particle distributions in arbitrary magnetic field and background density, the equation is solved numerically. The relative timing of microwaves and X-rays during individual flares is investigated. A number of possible sources for excessive microwave flux are discussed including a flattening in the electron spectrum above hard X-ray energies, thermal synchrotron emission, and trapping of electron by converging magnetic fields. Over shorter timescales, the Fokker-Planck equation is solved numerically to calculate the temporal evolution of microwaves and X-rays from nonthermal thick target models. It is shown that magnetic trapping will not account for the observed correlation of microwaves of approximately 0.15 seconds behind X-rays in flares with rapid time variation, and thus higher energy electrons must be accelerated later than lower energy electrons.

The Effect of an Extended Wilderness Education Experience on Ill-Structured Problem-Solving Skill Development in Emerging Adult Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Rachel H.

2014-01-01

In a society that is becoming more dynamic, complex, and diverse, the ability to solve ill-structured problems has become an increasingly critical skill. Emerging adults are at a critical life stage that is an ideal time to develop the skills needed to solve ill-structured problems (ISPs) as they are transitioning to adult roles and starting to…

The Problems with Problem Solving: Reflections on the Rise, Current Status, and Possible Future of a Cognitive Research Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohlsson, Stellan

2012-01-01

The research paradigm invented by Allen Newell and Herbert A. Simon in the late 1950s dominated the study of problem solving for more than three decades. But in the early 1990s, problem solving ceased to drive research on complex cognition. As part of this decline, Newell and Simon's most innovative research practices--especially their method for…

Krylov Subspace Methods for Complex Non-Hermitian Linear Systems. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Roland W.

1991-01-01

We consider Krylov subspace methods for the solution of large sparse linear systems Ax = b with complex non-Hermitian coefficient matrices. Such linear systems arise in important applications, such as inverse scattering, numerical solution of time-dependent Schrodinger equations, underwater acoustics, eddy current computations, numerical computations in quantum chromodynamics, and numerical conformal mapping. Typically, the resulting coefficient matrices A exhibit special structures, such as complex symmetry, or they are shifted Hermitian matrices. In this paper, we first describe a Krylov subspace approach with iterates defined by a quasi-minimal residual property, the QMR method, for solving general complex non-Hermitian linear systems. Then, we study special Krylov subspace methods designed for the two families of complex symmetric respectively shifted Hermitian linear systems. We also include some results concerning the obvious approach to general complex linear systems by solving equivalent real linear systems for the real and imaginary parts of x. Finally, numerical experiments for linear systems arising from the complex Helmholtz equation are reported.

On the Role of Situational Stressors in the Disruption of Global Neural Network Stability during Problem Solving.

PubMed

Liu, Mengting; Amey, Rachel C; Forbes, Chad E

2017-12-01

When individuals are placed in stressful situations, they are likely to exhibit deficits in cognitive capacity over and above situational demands. Despite this, individuals may still persevere and ultimately succeed in these situations. Little is known, however, about neural network properties that instantiate success or failure in both neutral and stressful situations, particularly with respect to regions integral for problem-solving processes that are necessary for optimal performance on more complex tasks. In this study, we outline how hidden Markov modeling based on multivoxel pattern analysis can be used to quantify unique brain states underlying complex network interactions that yield either successful or unsuccessful problem solving in more neutral or stressful situations. We provide evidence that brain network stability and states underlying synchronous interactions in regions integral for problem-solving processes are key predictors of whether individuals succeed or fail in stressful situations. Findings also suggested that individuals utilize discriminate neural patterns in successfully solving problems in stressful or neutral situations. Findings overall highlight how hidden Markov modeling can provide myriad possibilities for quantifying and better understanding the role of global network interactions in the problem-solving process and how the said interactions predict success or failure in different contexts.

Inducing mental set constrains procedural flexibility and conceptual understanding in mathematics.

PubMed

DeCaro, Marci S

2016-10-01

An important goal in mathematics is to flexibly use and apply multiple, efficient procedures to solve problems and to understand why these procedures work. One factor that may limit individuals' ability to notice and flexibly apply strategies is the mental set induced by the problem context. Undergraduate (N = 41, Experiment 1) and fifth- and sixth-grade students (N = 87, Experiment 2) solved mathematical equivalence problems in one of two set-inducing conditions. Participants in the complex-first condition solved problems without a repeated addend on both sides of the equal sign (e.g., 7 + 5 + 9 = 3 + _), which required multistep strategies. Then these students solved problems with a repeated addend (e.g., 7 + 5 + 9 = 7 + _), for which a shortcut strategy could be readily used (i.e., adding 5 + 9). Participants in the shortcut-first condition solved the same problem set but began with the shortcut problems. Consistent with laboratory studies of mental set, participants in the complex-first condition were less likely to use the more efficient shortcut strategy when possible. In addition, these participants were less likely to demonstrate procedural flexibility and conceptual understanding on a subsequent assessment of mathematical equivalence knowledge. These findings suggest that certain problem-solving contexts can help or hinder both flexibility in strategy use and deeper conceptual thinking about the problems.

Teacher Modeling Using Complex Informational Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy

2015-01-01

Modeling in complex texts requires that teachers analyze the text for factors of qualitative complexity and then design lessons that introduce students to that complexity. In addition, teachers can model the disciplinary nature of content area texts as well as word solving and comprehension strategies. Included is a planning guide for think aloud.

Designing Cognitive Complexity in Mathematical Problem-Solving Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Robert C.; Embretson, Susan E.

2010-01-01

Cognitive complexity level is important for measuring both aptitude and achievement in large-scale testing. Tests for standards-based assessment of mathematics, for example, often include cognitive complexity level in the test blueprint. However, little research exists on how mathematics items can be designed to vary in cognitive complexity level.…

Brains, brawn and sociality: a hyaena’s tale

PubMed Central

Holekamp, Kay E.; Dantzer, Ben; Stricker, Gregory; Shaw Yoshida, Kathryn C.; Benson-Amram, Sarah

2015-01-01

Theoretically intelligence should evolve to help animals solve specific types of problems posed by the environment, but it remains unclear how environmental complexity or novelty facilitates the evolutionary enhancement of cognitive abilities, or whether domain-general intelligence can evolve in response to domain-specific selection pressures. The social complexity hypothesis, which posits that intelligence evolved to cope with the labile behaviour of conspecific group-mates, has been strongly supported by work on the sociocognitive abilities of primates and other animals. Here we review the remarkable convergence in social complexity between cercopithecine primates and spotted hyaenas, and describe our tests of predictions of the social complexity hypothesis in regard to both cognition and brain size in hyaenas. Behavioural data indicate that there has been remarkable convergence between primates and hyaenas with respect to their abilities in the domain of social cognition. Furthermore, within the family Hyaenidae, our data suggest that social complexity might have contributed to enlargement of the frontal cortex. However, social complexity failed to predict either brain volume or frontal cortex volume in a larger array of mammalian carnivores. To address the question of whether or not social complexity might be able to explain the evolution of domain-general intelligence as well as social cognition in particular, we presented simple puzzle boxes, baited with food and scaled to accommodate body size, to members of 39 carnivore species housed in zoos and found that species with larger brains relative to their body mass were more innovative and more successful at opening the boxes. However, social complexity failed to predict success in solving this problem. Overall our work suggests that, although social complexity enhances social cognition, there are no unambiguous causal links between social complexity and either brain size or performance in problem-solving tasks outside the social domain in mammalian carnivores. PMID:26160980

Rumor spreading model with noise interference in complex social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Liang; Wang, Youguo

2017-03-01

In this paper, a modified susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) model has been proposed to explore rumor diffusion on complex social networks. We take variation of connectivity into consideration and assume the variation as noise. On the basis of related literature on virus networks, the noise is described as standard Brownian motion while stochastic differential equations (SDE) have been derived to characterize dynamics of rumor diffusion both on homogeneous networks and heterogeneous networks. Then, theoretical analysis on homogeneous networks has been demonstrated to investigate the solution of SDE model and the steady state of rumor diffusion. Simulations both on Barabási-Albert (BA) network and Watts-Strogatz (WS) network display that the addition of noise accelerates rumor diffusion and expands diffusion size, meanwhile, the spreading speed on BA network is much faster than on WS network under the same noise intensity. In addition, there exists a rumor diffusion threshold in statistical average meaning on homogeneous network which is absent on heterogeneous network. Finally, we find a positive correlation between peak value of infected individuals and noise intensity while a negative correlation between rumor lifecycle and noise intensity overall.

Computational complexities and storage requirements of some Riccati equation solvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Utku, Senol; Garba, John A.; Ramesh, A. V.

1989-01-01

The linear optimal control problem of an nth-order time-invariant dynamic system with a quadratic performance functional is usually solved by the Hamilton-Jacobi approach. This leads to the solution of the differential matrix Riccati equation with a terminal condition. The bulk of the computation for the optimal control problem is related to the solution of this equation. There are various algorithms in the literature for solving the matrix Riccati equation. However, computational complexities and storage requirements as a function of numbers of state variables, control variables, and sensors are not available for all these algorithms. In this work, the computational complexities and storage requirements for some of these algorithms are given. These expressions show the immensity of the computational requirements of the algorithms in solving the Riccati equation for large-order systems such as the control of highly flexible space structures. The expressions are also needed to compute the speedup and efficiency of any implementation of these algorithms on concurrent machines.

Convergence and divergence in gesture repertoires as an adaptive mechanism for social bonding in primates.

PubMed

Roberts, Anna Ilona; Roberts, Sam George Bradley

2017-11-01

A key challenge for primates living in large, stable social groups is managing social relationships. Chimpanzee gestures may act as a time-efficient social bonding mechanism, and the presence (homogeneity) and absence (heterogeneity) of overlap in repertoires in particular may play an important role in social bonding. However, how homogeneity and heterogeneity in the gestural repertoire of primates relate to social interaction is poorly understood. We used social network analysis and generalized linear mixed modelling to examine this question in wild chimpanzees. The repertoire size of both homogeneous and heterogeneous visual, tactile and auditory gestures was associated with the duration of time spent in social bonding behaviour, centrality in the social bonding network and demography. The audience size of partners who displayed similar or different characteristics to the signaller (e.g. same or opposite age or sex category) also influenced the use of homogeneous and heterogeneous gestures. Homogeneous and heterogeneous gestures were differentially associated with the presence of emotional reactions in response to the gesture and the presence of a change in the recipient's behaviour. Homogeneity and heterogeneity of gestural communication play a key role in maintaining a differentiated set of strong and weak social relationships in complex, multilevel societies.

Regionalization Study of Satellite based Hydrological Model (SHM) in Hydrologically Homogeneous River Basins of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumari, Babita; Paul, Pranesh Kumar; Singh, Rajendra; Mishra, Ashok; Gupta, Praveen Kumar; Singh, Raghvendra P.

2017-04-01

A new semi-distributed conceptual hydrological model, namely Satellite based Hydrological Model (SHM), has been developed under 'PRACRITI-2' program of Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad for sustainable water resources management of India by using data from Indian Remote Sensing satellites. Entire India is divided into 5km x 5km grid cells and properties at the center of the cells are assumed to represent the property of the cells. SHM contains five modules namely surface water, forest, snow, groundwater and routing. Two empirical equations (SCS-CN and Hargreaves) and water balance method have been used in the surface water module; the forest module is based on the calculations of water balancing & dynamics of subsurface. 2-D Boussinesq equation is used for groundwater modelling which is solved using implicit finite-difference. The routing module follows a distributed routing approach which requires flow path and network with the key point of travel time estimation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of SHM using regionalization technique which also checks the usefulness of a model in data scarce condition or for ungauged basins. However, homogeneity analysis is pre-requisite to regionalization. Similarity index (Φ) and hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis are adopted to test the homogeneity in terms of physical attributes of three basins namely Brahmani (39,033 km km^2)), Baitarani (10,982 km km^2)) and Kangsabati (9,660 km km^2)) with respect to Subarnarekha (29,196 km km^2)) basin. The results of both homogeneity analysis show that Brahmani basin is the most homogeneous with respect to Subarnarekha river basin in terms of physical characteristics (land use land cover classes, soiltype and elevation). The calibration and validation of model parameters of Brahmani basin is in progress which are to be transferred into the SHM set up of Subarnarekha basin and results are to be compared with the results of calibrated and validated parameter set up of SHM of Subarnarekha basin to test the applicability of SHM in hydrologically homogeneous regions of India. Keywords: SHM, regionalization, homogeneity, donor catchment, similarity index, cluster analysis

Automated treatment planning for a dedicated multi-source intra-cranial radiosurgery treatment unit accounting for overlapping structures and dose homogeneity

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

Ghobadi, Kimia; Ghaffari, Hamid R.; Aleman, Dionne M.

2013-09-15

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to advance the two-step approach for Gamma Knife{sup ®} Perfexion™ (PFX) optimization to account for dose homogeneity and overlap between the planning target volume (PTV) and organs-at-risk (OARs).Methods: In the first step, a geometry-based algorithm is used to quickly select isocentre locations while explicitly accounting for PTV-OARs overlaps. In this approach, the PTV is divided into subvolumes based on the PTV-OARs overlaps and the distance of voxels to the overlaps. Only a few isocentres are selected in the overlap volume, and a higher number of isocentres are carefully selected among voxels that aremore » immediately close to the overlap volume. In the second step, a convex optimization is solved to find the optimal combination of collimator sizes and their radiation duration for each isocentre location.Results: This two-step approach is tested on seven clinical cases (comprising 11 targets) for which the authors assess coverage, OARs dose, and homogeneity index and relate these parameters to the overlap fraction for each case. In terms of coverage, the mean V{sub 99} for the gross target volume (GTV) was 99.8% while the V{sub 95} for the PTV averaged at 94.6%, thus satisfying the clinical objectives of 99% for GTV and 95% for PTV, respectively. The mean relative dose to the brainstem was 87.7% of the prescription dose (with maximum 108%), while on average, 11.3% of the PTV overlapped with the brainstem. The mean beam-on time per fraction per dose was 8.6 min with calibration dose rate of 3.5 Gy/min, and the computational time averaged at 205 min. Compared with previous work involving single-fraction radiosurgery, the resulting plans were more homogeneous with average homogeneity index of 1.18 compared to 1.47.Conclusions: PFX treatment plans with homogeneous dose distribution can be achieved by inverse planning using geometric isocentre selection and mathematical modeling and optimization techniques. The quality of the obtained treatment plans are clinically satisfactory while the homogeneity index is improved compared to conventional PFX plans.« less

Some fuzzy techniques for staff selection process: A survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Md Saad, R.; Ahmad, M. Z.; Abu, M. S.; Jusoh, M. S.

2013-04-01

With high level of business competition, it is vital to have flexible staff that are able to adapt themselves with work circumstances. However, staff selection process is not an easy task to be solved, even when it is tackled in a simplified version containing only a single criterion and a homogeneous skill. When multiple criteria and various skills are involved, the problem becomes much more complicated. In adddition, there are some information that could not be measured precisely. This is patently obvious when dealing with opinions, thoughts, feelings, believes, etc. One possible tool to handle this issue is by using fuzzy set theory. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review the existing fuzzy techniques for solving staff selection process. It classifies several existing research methods and identifies areas where there is a gap and need further research. Finally, this paper concludes by suggesting new ideas for future research based on the gaps identified.

Equivalency principle for magnetoelectroelastic multiferroics with arbitrary microstructure: The phase field approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Yong; He, Linghui; Khachaturyan, Armen G.

2010-07-01

A phase field method is proposed to determine the equilibrium fields of a magnetoelectroelastic multiferroic with arbitrarily distributed constitutive constants under applied loadings. This method is based on a developed generalized Eshelby's equivalency principle, in which the elastic strain, electrostatic, and magnetostatic fields at the equilibrium in the original heterogeneous system are exactly the same as those in an equivalent homogeneous magnetoelectroelastic coupled or uncoupled system with properly chosen distributed effective eigenstrain, polarization, and magnetization fields. Finding these effective fields fully solves the equilibrium elasticity, electrostatics, and magnetostatics in the original heterogeneous multiferroic. The paper formulates a variational principle proving that the effective fields are minimizers of appropriate close-form energy functional. The proposed phase field approach produces the energy minimizing effective fields (and thus solving the general multiferroic problem) as a result of artificial relaxation process described by the Ginzburg-Landau-Khalatnikov kinetic equations.

Cognitive differences between orang-utan species: a test of the cultural intelligence hypothesis

PubMed Central

Forss, Sofia I. F.; Willems, Erik; Call, Josep; van Schaik, Carel P.

2016-01-01

Cultural species can - or even prefer to - learn their skills from conspecifics. According to the cultural intelligence hypothesis, selection on underlying mechanisms not only improves this social learning ability but also the asocial (individual) learning ability. Thus, species with systematically richer opportunities to socially acquire knowledge and skills should over time evolve to become more intelligent. We experimentally compared the problem-solving ability of Sumatran orang-utans (Pongo abelii), which are sociable in the wild, with that of the closely related, but more solitary Bornean orang-utans (P. pygmaeus), under the homogeneous environmental conditions provided by zoos. Our results revealed that Sumatrans showed superior innate problem-solving skills to Borneans, and also showed greater inhibition and a more cautious and less rough exploration style. This pattern is consistent with the cultural intelligence hypothesis, which predicts that the more sociable of two sister species experienced stronger selection on cognitive mechanisms underlying learning. PMID:27466052

Cognitive differences between orang-utan species: a test of the cultural intelligence hypothesis.

PubMed

Forss, Sofia I F; Willems, Erik; Call, Josep; van Schaik, Carel P

2016-07-28

Cultural species can - or even prefer to - learn their skills from conspecifics. According to the cultural intelligence hypothesis, selection on underlying mechanisms not only improves this social learning ability but also the asocial (individual) learning ability. Thus, species with systematically richer opportunities to socially acquire knowledge and skills should over time evolve to become more intelligent. We experimentally compared the problem-solving ability of Sumatran orang-utans (Pongo abelii), which are sociable in the wild, with that of the closely related, but more solitary Bornean orang-utans (P. pygmaeus), under the homogeneous environmental conditions provided by zoos. Our results revealed that Sumatrans showed superior innate problem-solving skills to Borneans, and also showed greater inhibition and a more cautious and less rough exploration style. This pattern is consistent with the cultural intelligence hypothesis, which predicts that the more sociable of two sister species experienced stronger selection on cognitive mechanisms underlying learning.

Granulite fades Nd-isotopic homogenization in the Lewisian complex of northwest Scotland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitehouse, M.J.

1988-01-01

A published Sm-Nd whole-rock isochron of 2,920 ?? 50 Myr, obtained from a wide range of lithologies in the Lewisian complex of north-west Scotland, was interpreted1 as the time of protolith formation. This date is ???260 Myr older than estimates for the timing of high-grade metamorphism in the complex at ??? 2,660 Myr2'3, and this period is considered to represent the duration of the Lewisian crustal accretion-differentiation superevent (CADS)4. Here we give new Sm-Nd data, obtained specifically from granulite facies tonalitic gneisses, that yield a date of 2,600 ??155 Myr. Although depleted-mantle model ages (tDM suggest >200 Myr of premetamorphic crustal residence, the regression date and its associated initial Nd-isotopic parameters demonstrate Nd-isotopic homogenization during the high-grade event, as well as the probability of general rare-earth-element (REE) mobility. Models for selective element depletion in the complex have previously assumed REE immobility since 2,920 Myr, but the data presented here suggest that a reappraisal of the depletion mechanism is required. ?? 1988 Nature Publishing Group.

Using Programmable Calculators to Solve Electrostatics Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yerian, Stephen C.; Denker, Dennis A.

1985-01-01

Provides a simple routine which allows first-year physics students to use programmable calculators to solve otherwise complex electrostatic problems. These problems involve finding electrostatic potential and electric field on the axis of a uniformly charged ring. Modest programing skills are required of students. (DH)

Medical Problem-Solving: A Critique of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Christine H.

1985-01-01

Prescriptive, decision-analysis of medical problem-solving has been based on decision theory that involves calculation and manipulation of complex probability and utility values to arrive at optimal decisions that will maximize patient benefits. The studies offer a methodology for improving clinical judgment. (Author/MLW)

Engineering and Computing Portal to Solve Environmental Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudov, A. M.; Zavozkin, S. Y.; Sotnikov, I. Y.

2018-01-01

This paper describes architecture and services of the Engineering and Computing Portal, which is considered to be a complex solution that provides access to high-performance computing resources, enables to carry out computational experiments, teach parallel technologies and solve computing tasks, including technogenic safety ones.

Mn-salen@MIL101(Al): a heterogeneous, enantioselective catalyst synthesized using a 'bottle around the ship' approach.

PubMed

Bogaerts, Thomas; Van Yperen-De Deyne, Andy; Liu, Ying-Ya; Lynen, Frederic; Van Speybroeck, Veronique; Van Der Voort, Pascal

2013-09-21

An enantioselective catalyst, consisting of a chiral Mn(III)salen complex entrapped in the MIL-101 metal organic framework, is reported. For the first time, we assemble a robust MOF-cage around a chiral complex. The heterogeneous catalyst shows the same selectivity as the homogeneous complex and is fully recyclable. Theoretical calculations provide insight into this retention of selectivity.

Empirical results on scheduling and dynamic backtracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boddy, Mark S.; Goldman, Robert P.

1994-01-01

At the Honeywell Technology Center (HTC), we have been working on a scheduling problem related to commercial avionics. This application is large, complex, and hard to solve. To be a little more concrete: 'large' means almost 20,000 activities, 'complex' means several activity types, periodic behavior, and assorted types of temporal constraints, and 'hard to solve' means that we have been unable to eliminate backtracking through the use of search heuristics. At this point, we can generate solutions, where solutions exist, or report failure and sometimes why the system failed. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the largest and most complex scheduling problems to have been solved as a constraint satisfaction problem, at least that has appeared in the published literature. This abstract is a preliminary report on what we have done and how. In the next section, we present our approach to treating scheduling as a constraint satisfaction problem. The following sections present the application in more detail and describe how we solve scheduling problems in the application domain. The implemented system makes use of Ginsberg's Dynamic Backtracking algorithm, with some minor extensions to improve its utility for scheduling. We describe those extensions and the performance of the resulting system. The paper concludes with some general remarks, open questions and plans for future work.

Working Memory and Reasoning Benefit from Different Modes of Large-scale Brain Dynamics in Healthy Older Adults.

PubMed

Lebedev, Alexander V; Nilsson, Jonna; Lövdén, Martin

2018-07-01

Researchers have proposed that solving complex reasoning problems, a key indicator of fluid intelligence, involves the same cognitive processes as solving working memory tasks. This proposal is supported by an overlap of the functional brain activations associated with the two types of tasks and by high correlations between interindividual differences in performance. We replicated these findings in 53 older participants but also showed that solving reasoning and working memory problems benefits from different configurations of the functional connectome and that this dissimilarity increases with a higher difficulty load. Specifically, superior performance in a typical working memory paradigm ( n-back) was associated with upregulation of modularity (increased between-network segregation), whereas performance in the reasoning task was associated with effective downregulation of modularity. We also showed that working memory training promotes task-invariant increases in modularity. Because superior reasoning performance is associated with downregulation of modular dynamics, training may thus have fostered an inefficient way of solving the reasoning tasks. This could help explain why working memory training does little to promote complex reasoning performance. The study concludes that complex reasoning abilities cannot be reduced to working memory and suggests the need to reconsider the feasibility of using working memory training interventions to attempt to achieve effects that transfer to broader cognition.

Transition-Independent Decentralized Markov Decision Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, Raphen; Silberstein, Shlomo; Lesser, Victor; Goldman, Claudia V.; Morris, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

There has been substantial progress with formal models for sequential decision making by individual agents using the Markov decision process (MDP). However, similar treatment of multi-agent systems is lacking. A recent complexity result, showing that solving decentralized MDPs is NEXP-hard, provides a partial explanation. To overcome this complexity barrier, we identify a general class of transition-independent decentralized MDPs that is widely applicable. The class consists of independent collaborating agents that are tied up by a global reward function that depends on both of their histories. We present a novel algorithm for solving this class of problems and examine its properties. The result is the first effective technique to solve optimally a class of decentralized MDPs. This lays the foundation for further work in this area on both exact and approximate solutions.

The activity state of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in rat tissues.

PubMed Central

Wagenmakers, A J; Schepens, J T; Veldhuizen, J A; Veerkamp, J H

1984-01-01

An assay is described to define the proportion of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex that is present in the active state in rat tissues. Activities are measured in homogenates in two ways: actual activities, present in tissues, by blocking both the kinase and phosphatase of the enzyme complex during homogenization, preincubation, and incubation with 1-14C-labelled branched-chain 2-oxo acid, and total activities by blocking only the kinase during the 5 min preincubation (necessary for activation). The kinase is blocked by 5 mM-ADP and absence of Mg2+ and the phosphatase by the simultaneous presence of 50 mM-NaF. About 6% of the enzyme is active in skeletal muscle of fed rats, 7% in heart, 20% in diaphragm, 47% in kidney, 60% in brain and 98% in liver. An entirely different assay, which measures activities in crude tissue extracts before and after treatment with a broad-specificity protein phosphatase, gave similar results for heart, liver and kidney. Advantages of our assay with homogenates are the presence of intact mitochondria, the simplicity, the short duration and the high sensitivity. The actual activities measured indicate that the degradation of branched-chain 2-oxo acids predominantly occurs in liver and kidney and is limited in skeletal muscle in the fed state. PMID:6430280

The activity state of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in rat tissues.

PubMed

Wagenmakers, A J; Schepens, J T; Veldhuizen, J A; Veerkamp, J H

1984-05-15

An assay is described to define the proportion of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex that is present in the active state in rat tissues. Activities are measured in homogenates in two ways: actual activities, present in tissues, by blocking both the kinase and phosphatase of the enzyme complex during homogenization, preincubation, and incubation with 1-14C-labelled branched-chain 2-oxo acid, and total activities by blocking only the kinase during the 5 min preincubation (necessary for activation). The kinase is blocked by 5 mM-ADP and absence of Mg2+ and the phosphatase by the simultaneous presence of 50 mM-NaF. About 6% of the enzyme is active in skeletal muscle of fed rats, 7% in heart, 20% in diaphragm, 47% in kidney, 60% in brain and 98% in liver. An entirely different assay, which measures activities in crude tissue extracts before and after treatment with a broad-specificity protein phosphatase, gave similar results for heart, liver and kidney. Advantages of our assay with homogenates are the presence of intact mitochondria, the simplicity, the short duration and the high sensitivity. The actual activities measured indicate that the degradation of branched-chain 2-oxo acids predominantly occurs in liver and kidney and is limited in skeletal muscle in the fed state.

Lessons Learned from Crowdsourcing Complex Engineering Tasks.

PubMed

Staffelbach, Matthew; Sempolinski, Peter; Kijewski-Correa, Tracy; Thain, Douglas; Wei, Daniel; Kareem, Ahsan; Madey, Gregory

2015-01-01

Crowdsourcing is the practice of obtaining needed ideas, services, or content by requesting contributions from a large group of people. Amazon Mechanical Turk is a web marketplace for crowdsourcing microtasks, such as answering surveys and image tagging. We explored the limits of crowdsourcing by using Mechanical Turk for a more complicated task: analysis and creation of wind simulations. Our investigation examined the feasibility of using crowdsourcing for complex, highly technical tasks. This was done to determine if the benefits of crowdsourcing could be harnessed to accurately and effectively contribute to solving complex real world engineering problems. Of course, untrained crowds cannot be used as a mere substitute for trained expertise. Rather, we sought to understand how crowd workers can be used as a large pool of labor for a preliminary analysis of complex data. We compared the skill of the anonymous crowd workers from Amazon Mechanical Turk with that of civil engineering graduate students, making a first pass at analyzing wind simulation data. For the first phase, we posted analysis questions to Amazon crowd workers and to two groups of civil engineering graduate students. A second phase of our experiment instructed crowd workers and students to create simulations on our Virtual Wind Tunnel website to solve a more complex task. With a sufficiently comprehensive tutorial and compensation similar to typical crowd-sourcing wages, we were able to enlist crowd workers to effectively complete longer, more complex tasks with competence comparable to that of graduate students with more comprehensive, expert-level knowledge. Furthermore, more complex tasks require increased communication with the workers. As tasks become more complex, the employment relationship begins to become more akin to outsourcing than crowdsourcing. Through this investigation, we were able to stretch and explore the limits of crowdsourcing as a tool for solving complex problems.

Coaching Family Caregivers to become Better Problem Solvers when Caring for Persons with Advanced Cancer

PubMed Central

Dionne-Odom, J. Nicholas; Lyons, Kathleen D.; Akyar, Imatullah; Bakitas, Marie

2016-01-01

Family caregivers of persons with advanced cancer often take on responsibilities that present daunting and complex problems. Serious problems that go unresolved may be burdensome and result in negative outcomes for caregivers’ psychological and physical health and affect the quality of care delivered to the care recipients with cancer, especially at the end of life. Formal problem-solving training approaches have been developed over the past several decades to assist individuals with managing problems faced in daily life. Several of these problem-solving principles and techniques were incorporated into ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life End), an ‘early’ palliative care telehealth intervention for individuals diagnosed with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. A hypothetical case resembling the situations of actual caregiver participants in ENABLE that exemplifies the complex problems that caregivers face is presented followed by presentation of an overview of ENABLE’s problem-solving key principles, techniques and steps in problem-solving support. Though more research is needed to formally test the use of problem-solving support in social work practice, social workers can easily incorporate these techniques into everyday practice. PMID:27143574

Imagining Complex Numbers by Generating, Interpreting and Representing Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vozzo, Enzo

2017-01-01

Ever since their serendipitous discovery by Italian mathematicians trying to solve cubic equations in the 16th century, imaginary and complex numbers have been difficult topics to understand. Here the word complex is used to describe something consisting of a number of interconnecting parts. The different parts of a complex number are the…

Predicting Development of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Across the Intermediate Grades

PubMed Central

Tolar, Tammy D.; Fuchs, Lynn; Cirino, Paul T.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2012-01-01

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures of WPS at low and high levels of complexity. Language skills were related to initial performance at both levels of complexity and did not predict growth at either level. Computational skills had an effect on initial performance in low- but not high-complexity problems and did not predict growth at either level of complexity. Attentive behavior did not predict initial performance but did predict growth in low-complexity, whereas it predicted initial performance but not growth for high-complexity problems. Nonverbal reasoning predicted initial performance and growth for low-complexity WPS, but only growth for high-complexity WPS. This evidence suggests that although mathematical structure is fixed, different cognitive resources may act as limiting factors in WPS development when the WPS context is varied. PMID:23325985

Computer Systems for Teaching Complex Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feurzeig, Wallace

Four Programing systems--Mentor, Stringcomp, Simon, and Logo--were designed and implemented as integral parts of research into the various ways computers may be used for teaching problem-solving concepts and skills. Various instructional contexts, among them medicine, mathematics, physics, and basic problem-solving for elementary school children,…

Assessing Design Activity in Complex CMOS Circuit Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biswas, Gautam; And Others

This report characterizes human problem solving in digital circuit design. Protocols of 11 different designers with varying degrees of training were analyzed by identifying the designers' problem solving strategies and discussing activity patterns that differentiate the designers. These methods are proposed as a tentative basis for assessing…

A Collaborative Problem-Solving Process through Environmental Field Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Mijung; Tan, Hoe Teck

2013-01-01

This study explored and documented students' responses to opportunities for collective knowledge building and collaboration in a problem-solving process within complex environmental challenges and pressing issues with various dimensions of knowledge and skills. Middle-school students ("n" =?16; age 14) and high-school students…

Problem-Solving Test: Attenuation--A Mechanism to Regulate Bacterial Tryptophan Biosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szeberenyi, Jozsef

2010-01-01

Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: tryptophan, transcription unit, operon, "trp" repressor, corepressor, operator, promoter, palindrome, initiation, elongation, and termination of transcription, open reading frame, coupled transcription/translation, chromosome-polysome complex. (Contains 2 figures and 1 footnote.)

Designing for Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonassen, David H.

2012-01-01

Decision making is the most common kind of problem solving. It is also an important component skill in other more ill-structured and complex kinds of problem solving, including policy problems and design problems. There are different kinds of decisions, including choices, acceptances, evaluations, and constructions. After describing the centrality…

The Efficacy and Development of Students' Problem-Solving Strategies During Compulsory Schooling: Logfile Analyses

PubMed Central

Molnár, Gyöngyvér; Csapó, Benő

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of exploration strategies students used in the first phase of problem solving. The sample for the study was drawn from 3rd- to 12th-grade students (aged 9–18) in Hungarian schools (n = 4,371). Problems designed in the MicroDYN approach with different levels of complexity were administered to the students via the eDia online platform. Logfile analyses were performed to ascertain the impact of strategy use on the efficacy of problem solving. Students' exploration behavior was coded and clustered through Latent Class Analyses. Several theoretically effective strategies were identified, including the vary-one-thing-at-a-time (VOTAT) strategy and its sub-strategies. The results of the analyses indicate that the use of a theoretically effective strategy, which extract all information required to solve the problem, did not always lead to high performance. Conscious VOTAT strategy users proved to be the best problem solvers followed by non-conscious VOTAT strategy users and non-VOTAT strategy users. In the primary school sub-sample, six qualitatively different strategy class profiles were distinguished. The results shed new light on and provide a new interpretation of previous analyses of the processes involved in complex problem solving. They also highlight the importance of explicit enhancement of problem-solving skills and problem-solving strategies as a tool for knowledge acquisition in new contexts during and beyond school lessons. PMID:29593606

The Efficacy and Development of Students' Problem-Solving Strategies During Compulsory Schooling: Logfile Analyses.

PubMed

Molnár, Gyöngyvér; Csapó, Benő

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of exploration strategies students used in the first phase of problem solving. The sample for the study was drawn from 3 rd - to 12 th -grade students (aged 9-18) in Hungarian schools ( n = 4,371). Problems designed in the MicroDYN approach with different levels of complexity were administered to the students via the eDia online platform. Logfile analyses were performed to ascertain the impact of strategy use on the efficacy of problem solving. Students' exploration behavior was coded and clustered through Latent Class Analyses. Several theoretically effective strategies were identified, including the vary-one-thing-at-a-time (VOTAT) strategy and its sub-strategies. The results of the analyses indicate that the use of a theoretically effective strategy, which extract all information required to solve the problem, did not always lead to high performance. Conscious VOTAT strategy users proved to be the best problem solvers followed by non-conscious VOTAT strategy users and non-VOTAT strategy users. In the primary school sub-sample, six qualitatively different strategy class profiles were distinguished. The results shed new light on and provide a new interpretation of previous analyses of the processes involved in complex problem solving. They also highlight the importance of explicit enhancement of problem-solving skills and problem-solving strategies as a tool for knowledge acquisition in new contexts during and beyond school lessons.

Assessing Complexity in Learning Outcomes--A Comparison between the SOLO Taxonomy and the Model of Hierarchical Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stålne, Kristian; Kjellström, Sofia; Utriainen, Jukka

2016-01-01

An important aspect of higher education is to educate students who can manage complex relationships and solve complex problems. Teachers need to be able to evaluate course content with regard to complexity, as well as evaluate students' ability to assimilate complex content and express it in the form of a learning outcome. One model for evaluating…

Development of Pantothenate Analogs That Can Treat Combat-Related Infections

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

determined by the molecular replacement method using the structure of S. aureus PanK excluding bound AMPPNP as a search model ( PDB code 2EWS). The...were solved by molecular replacement using the program PHASER11 and the EcPanK structure as a search model ( PDB : 1SQ5). The models went through...aureus PanK (SaPanK) complexed with N5- Pan (months 1-3) We solved the structure of the SaPanK�N5-Pan complex by the molecular replacement method

Effects of ultrasonication and conventional mechanical homogenization processes on the structures and dielectric properties of BaTiO3 ceramics.

PubMed

Akbas, Hatice Zehra; Aydin, Zeki; Yilmaz, Onur; Turgut, Selvin

2017-01-01

The effects of the homogenization process on the structures and dielectric properties of pure and Nb-doped BaTiO 3 ceramics have been investigated using an ultrasonic homogenization and conventional mechanical methods. The reagents were homogenized using an ultrasonic processor with high-intensity ultrasonic waves and using a compact mixer-shaker. The components and crystal types of the powders were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The complex permittivity (ε ' , ε″) and AC conductivity (σ') of the samples were analyzed in a wide frequency range of 20Hz to 2MHz at room temperature. The structures and dielectric properties of pure and Nb-doped BaTiO 3 ceramics strongly depend on the homogenization process in a solid-state reaction method. Using an ultrasonic processor with high-intensity ultrasonic waves based on acoustic cavitation phenomena can make a significant improvement in producing high-purity BaTiO 3 ceramics without carbonate impurities with a small dielectric loss. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Essential Mathematics for the Physical Sciences; Volume I: Homogeneous boundary value problems, Fourier methods, and special functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borden, Brett; Luscombe, James

2017-10-01

Physics is expressed in the language of mathematics; it is deeply ingrained in how physics is taught and how it's practiced. A study of the mathematics used in science is thus a sound intellectual investment for training as scientists and engineers. This first volume of two is centered on methods of solving partial differential equations and the special functions introduced. This text is based on a course offered at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and while produced for NPS needs, it will serve other universities well.

The method of Ritz applied to the equation of Hamilton. [for pendulum systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, C. D.

1976-01-01

Without any reference to the theory of differential equations, the initial value problem of the nonlinear, nonconservative double pendulum system is solved by the application of the method of Ritz to the equation of Hamilton. Also shown is an example of the reduction of the traditional eigenvalue problem of linear, homogeneous, differential equations of motion to the solution of a set of nonhomogeneous algebraic equations. No theory of differential equations is used. Solution of the time-space path of the linear oscillator is demonstrated and compared to the exact solution.

A Fast and Accurate Method of Radiation Hydrodynamics Calculation in Spherical Symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamer, Torsten; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro

2018-06-01

We develop a new numerical scheme for solving the radiative transfer equation in a spherically symmetric system. This scheme does not rely on any kind of diffusion approximation, and it is accurate for optically thin, thick, and intermediate systems. In the limit of a homogeneously distributed extinction coefficient, our method is very accurate and exceptionally fast. We combine this fast method with a slower but more generally applicable method to describe realistic problems. We perform various test calculations, including a simplified protostellar collapse simulation. We also discuss possible future improvements.

Nonlinear Deformation of a Piecewise Homogeneous Cylinder Under the Action of Rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhundov, V. M.; Kostrova, M. M.

2018-05-01

Deformation of a piecewise cylinder under the action of rotation is investigated. The cylinder consists of an elastic matrix with circular fibers of square cross section made of a more rigid elastic material and arranged doubly periodically in the cylinder. Behavior of the cylinder under large displacements and deformations is examined using the equations of a nonlinear elasticity theory for cylinder constituents. The problem posed is solved by the finite-difference method using the method of continuation with respect to the rotational speed of the cylinder.

Solutions of Boltzmann`s Equation for Mono-energetic Neutrons in an Infinite Homogeneous Medium

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Wigner, E. P.

1943-11-30

Boltzman's equation is solved for the case of monoenergetic neutrons created by a plane or point source in an infinite medium which has spherically symmetric scattering. The customary solution of the diffusion equation appears to be multiplied by a constant factor which is smaller than 1. In addition to this term the total neutron density contains another term which is important in the neighborhood of the source. It varies as 1/r{sup 2} in the neighborhood of a point source. (auth)

Modulational instability of an electron plasma wave in a dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, M. R.; Ferdous, T.; Salimullah, M.

1997-03-01

The modulational instability of an electron plasma wave in a homogeneous, unmagnetized, hot, and collisionless dusty plasma has been investigated analytically. The Vlasov equation has been solved perturbatively to find the nonlinear response of the plasma particles with random static distribution of massive and charged dust grains having certain correlation. It is noticed that the growth rate of the modulational instability of the electron plasma wave through a new ultra-low-frequency dust mode is more efficient than that through the usual ion-acoustic mode in the dusty plasma.

General theory of conical flows and its application to supersonic aerodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Germain, Paul

1955-01-01

Points treated in this report are: homogeneous flows, the general study of conical flows with infinitesimal cone angles, the numerical or analogous methods for the study of flows flattened in one direction, and a certain number of results. A thorough consideration of the applications on conical flows and demonstration of how one may solve within the scope of linear theory, by combinations of conical flows, the general problems of the supersonic wing, taking into account dihedral and sweepback, and also fuselage and control surface effects.

On thermalization of electron-positron-photon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siutsou, I. A.; Aksenov, A. G.; Vereshchagin, G. V.

2015-12-01

Recently a progress has been made in understanding thermalization mechanism of relativistic plasma starting from a non-equilibrium state. Relativistic Boltzmann equations were solved numerically for homogeneous isotropic plasma with collision integrals for two- and three-particle interactions calculated from the first principles by means of QED matrix elements. All particles were assumed to fulfill Boltzmann statistics. In this work we follow plasma thermalization by accounting for Bose enhancement and Pauli blocking in particle interactions. Our results show that particle in equilibrium reach Bose-Einstein distribution for photons, and Fermi-Dirac one for electrons, respectively.

Retrieve the Bethe states of quantum integrable models solved via the off-diagonal Bethe Ansatz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Li, Yuan-Yuan; Cao, Junpeng; Yang, Wen-Li; Shi, Kangjie; Wang, Yupeng

2015-05-01

Based on the inhomogeneous T-Q relation constructed via the off-diagonal Bethe Ansatz, a systematic method for retrieving the Bethe-type eigenstates of integrable models without obvious reference state is developed by employing certain orthogonal basis of the Hilbert space. With the XXZ spin torus model and the open XXX spin- \\frac{1}{2} chain as examples, we show that for a given inhomogeneous T-Q relation and the associated Bethe Ansatz equations, the constructed Bethe-type eigenstate has a well-defined homogeneous limit.

Generalized thermoelastic interaction in an isotropic solid cylinder without energy dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alshaikh, Fatimah

2018-04-01

In this paper, we constructed the generalized thermoelastic equations of an isotropic solid cylinder. The formulation is applied in the context of Green and Naghdi theory of types II (without energy dissipation). The material of the cylinder is supposed to be homogeneous isotropic both mechanically and thermally. The governing equations have been written in the form of a vector-matrix differential equation in the Laplace transform domain, which is then solved by an eigenvalue approach. Numerical results for the temperature distribution, displacement and radial stress are represented graphically.

Bianchi type-VIh string cloud cosmological models with bulk viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathy, Sunil K.; Behera, Dipanjali

2010-11-01

String cloud cosmological models are studied using spatially homogeneous and anisotropic Bianchi type VIh metric in the frame work of general relativity. The field equations are solved for massive string cloud in presence of bulk viscosity. A general linear equation of state of the cosmic string tension density with the proper energy density of the universe is considered. The physical and kinematical properties of the models have been discussed in detail and the limits of the anisotropic parameter responsible for different phases of the universe are explored.

The ace-1 Locus Is Amplified in All Resistant Anopheles gambiae Mosquitoes: Fitness Consequences of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Duplications

PubMed Central

Djogbénou, Luc S.; Berthomieu, Arnaud; Makoundou, Patrick; Baba-Moussa, Lamine S.; Fiston-Lavier, Anna-Sophie; Belkhir, Khalid; Labbé, Pierrick; Weill, Mylène

2016-01-01

Gene copy-number variations are widespread in natural populations, but investigating their phenotypic consequences requires contemporary duplications under selection. Such duplications have been found at the ace-1 locus (encoding the organophosphate and carbamate insecticides’ target) in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae (the major malaria vector); recent studies have revealed their intriguing complexity, consistent with the involvement of various numbers and types (susceptible or resistant to insecticide) of copies. We used an integrative approach, from genome to phenotype level, to investigate the influence of duplication architecture and gene-dosage on mosquito fitness. We found that both heterogeneous (i.e., one susceptible and one resistant ace-1 copy) and homogeneous (i.e., identical resistant copies) duplications segregated in field populations. The number of copies in homogeneous duplications was variable and positively correlated with acetylcholinesterase activity and resistance level. Determining the genomic structure of the duplicated region revealed that, in both types of duplication, ace-1 and 11 other genes formed tandem 203kb amplicons. We developed a diagnostic test for duplications, which showed that ace-1 was amplified in all 173 resistant mosquitoes analyzed (field-collected in several African countries), in heterogeneous or homogeneous duplications. Each type was associated with different fitness trade-offs: heterogeneous duplications conferred an intermediate phenotype (lower resistance and fitness costs), whereas homogeneous duplications tended to increase both resistance and fitness cost, in a complex manner. The type of duplication selected seemed thus to depend on the intensity and distribution of selection pressures. This versatility of trade-offs available through gene duplication highlights the importance of large mutation events in adaptation to environmental variation. This impressive adaptability could have a major impact on vector control in Africa. PMID:27918584

Rumination, Social Problem Solving and Suicide Intent Among Egyptians With a Recent Suicide Attempt.

PubMed

Sharaf, Amira Y; Lachine, Ola A; Thompson, Elaine A

2018-02-01

The more complex influences of social problem-solving abilities and rumination-specifically brooding and reflection-on suicide intent is not well understood. We hypothesized that social problem solving would moderate the association between reflection and suicide intent, and mediate the influence of brooding on suicide intent. A convenience sample (N=186) of individuals hospitalized for recent suicide attempt was interviewed, assessing suicide intent, social problem solving, brooding, reflection and depression. Brooding and reflection were positively associated with suicide intent. The mediating, but not the moderating, hypothesis was supported. Brooding was not significant (β=0.15, t=1.92, p=0.06) with social problem solving controlled. Interventions to disengage rumination and improve social problem-solving skills are underscored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diffuse interface immersed boundary method for multi-fluid flows with arbitrarily moving rigid bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Jitendra Kumar; Natarajan, Ganesh

2018-05-01

We present an interpolation-free diffuse interface immersed boundary method for multiphase flows with moving bodies. A single fluid formalism using the volume-of-fluid approach is adopted to handle multiple immiscible fluids which are distinguished using the volume fractions, while the rigid bodies are tracked using an analogous volume-of-solid approach that solves for the solid fractions. The solution to the fluid flow equations are carried out using a finite volume-immersed boundary method, with the latter based on a diffuse interface philosophy. In the present work, we assume that the solids are filled with a "virtual" fluid with density and viscosity equal to the largest among all fluids in the domain. The solids are assumed to be rigid and their motion is solved using Newton's second law of motion. The immersed boundary methodology constructs a modified momentum equation that reduces to the Navier-Stokes equations in the fully fluid region and recovers the no-slip boundary condition inside the solids. An implicit incremental fractional-step methodology in conjunction with a novel hybrid staggered/non-staggered approach is employed, wherein a single equation for normal momentum at the cell faces is solved everywhere in the domain, independent of the number of spatial dimensions. The scalars are all solved for at the cell centres, with the transport equations for solid and fluid volume fractions solved using a high-resolution scheme. The pressure is determined everywhere in the domain (including inside the solids) using a variable coefficient Poisson equation. The solution to momentum, pressure, solid and fluid volume fraction equations everywhere in the domain circumvents the issue of pressure and velocity interpolation, which is a source of spurious oscillations in sharp interface immersed boundary methods. A well-balanced algorithm with consistent mass/momentum transport ensures robust simulations of high density ratio flows with strong body forces. The proposed diffuse interface immersed boundary method is shown to be discretely mass-preserving while being temporally second-order accurate and exhibits nominal second-order accuracy in space. We examine the efficacy of the proposed approach through extensive numerical experiments involving one or more fluids and solids, that include two-particle sedimentation in homogeneous and stratified environment. The results from the numerical simulations show that the proposed methodology results in reduced spurious force oscillations in case of moving bodies while accurately resolving complex flow phenomena in multiphase flows with moving solids. These studies demonstrate that the proposed diffuse interface immersed boundary method, which could be related to a class of penalisation approaches, is a robust and promising alternative to computationally expensive conformal moving mesh algorithms as well as the class of sharp interface immersed boundary methods for multibody problems in multi-phase flows.

Thermoelastic analysis of non-uniform pressurized functionally graded cylinder with variable thickness using first order shear deformation theory(FSDT) and perturbation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoshgoftar, M. J.; Mirzaali, M. J.; Rahimi, G. H.

2015-11-01

Recently application of functionally graded materials(FGMs) have attracted a great deal of interest. These materials are composed of various materials with different micro-structures which can vary spatially in FGMs. Such composites with varying thickness and non-uniform pressure can be used in the aerospace engineering. Therefore, analysis of such composite is of high importance in engineering problems. Thermoelastic analysis of functionally graded cylinder with variable thickness under non-uniform pressure is considered. First order shear deformation theory and total potential energy approach is applied to obtain the governing equations of non-homogeneous cylinder. Considering the inner and outer solutions, perturbation series are applied to solve the governing equations. Outer solution for out of boundaries and more sensitive variable in inner solution at the boundaries are considered. Combining of inner and outer solution for near and far points from boundaries leads to high accurate displacement field distribution. The main aim of this paper is to show the capability of matched asymptotic solution for different non-homogeneous cylinders with different shapes and different non-uniform pressures. The results can be used to design the optimum thickness of the cylinder and also some properties such as high temperature residence by applying non-homogeneous material.

Wrinkle surface instability of an inhomogeneous elastic block with graded stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shengyou; Chen, Yi-chao

2017-04-01

Surface instabilities have been studied extensively for both homogeneous materials and film/substrate structures but relatively less for materials with continuously varying properties. This paper studies wrinkle surface instability of a graded neo-Hookean block with exponentially varying modulus under plane strain by using the linear bifurcation analysis. We derive the first variation condition for minimizing the potential energy functional and solve the linearized equations of equilibrium to find the necessary conditions for surface instability. It is found that for a homogeneous block or an inhomogeneous block with increasing modulus from the surface, the critical stretch for surface instability is 0.544 (0.456 strain), which is independent of the geometry and the elastic modulus on the surface of the block. This critical stretch coincides with that reported by Biot (1963 Appl. Sci. Res. 12, 168-182. (doi:10.1007/BF03184638)) 53 years ago for the onset of wrinkle instabilities in a half-space of homogeneous neo-Hookean materials. On the other hand, for an inhomogeneous block with decreasing modulus from the surface, the critical stretch for surface instability ranges from 0.544 to 1 (0-0.456 strain), depending on the modulus gradient, and the length and height of the block. This sheds light on the effects of the material inhomogeneity and structural geometry on surface instability.

Travelling wave solutions of the homogeneous one-dimensional FREFLO model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, B.; Hong, J. Y.; Jing, G. Q.; Niu, W.; Fang, L.

2018-01-01

Presently there is quite few analytical studies in traffic flows due to the non-linearity of the governing equations. In the present paper we introduce travelling wave solutions for the homogeneous one-dimensional FREFLO model, which are expressed in the form of series and describe the procedure that vehicles/pedestrians move with a negative velocity and decelerate until rest, then accelerate inversely to positive velocities. This method is expect to be extended to more complex situations in the future.

Improved Monkey-King Genetic Algorithm for Solving Large Winner Determination in Combinatorial Auction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuzhong

Using GA solve the winner determination problem (WDP) with large bids and items, run under different distribution, because the search space is large, constraint complex and it may easy to produce infeasible solution, would affect the efficiency and quality of algorithm. This paper present improved MKGA, including three operator: preprocessing, insert bid and exchange recombination, and use Monkey-king elite preservation strategy. Experimental results show that improved MKGA is better than SGA in population size and computation. The problem that traditional branch and bound algorithm hard to solve, improved MKGA can solve and achieve better effect.

Automatic Coregistration for Multiview SAR Images in Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Y.; Kang, W.; Wang, F.; You, H.

2017-09-01

Due to the high resolution property and the side-looking mechanism of SAR sensors, complex buildings structures make the registration of SAR images in urban areas becomes very hard. In order to solve the problem, an automatic and robust coregistration approach for multiview high resolution SAR images is proposed in the paper, which consists of three main modules. First, both the reference image and the sensed image are segmented into two parts, urban areas and nonurban areas. Urban areas caused by double or multiple scattering in a SAR image have a tendency to show higher local mean and local variance values compared with general homogeneous regions due to the complex structural information. Based on this criterion, building areas are extracted. After obtaining the target regions, L-shape structures are detected using the SAR phase congruency model and Hough transform. The double bounce scatterings formed by wall and ground are shown as strong L- or T-shapes, which are usually taken as the most reliable indicator for building detection. According to the assumption that buildings are rectangular and flat models, planimetric buildings are delineated using the L-shapes, then the reconstructed target areas are obtained. For the orignal areas and the reconstructed target areas, the SAR-SIFT matching algorithm is implemented. Finally, correct corresponding points are extracted by the fast sample consensus (FSC) and the transformation model is also derived. The experimental results on a pair of multiview TerraSAR images with 1-m resolution show that the proposed approach gives a robust and precise registration performance, compared with the orignal SAR-SIFT method.

Impact of Cognitive Abilities and Prior Knowledge on Complex Problem Solving Performance - Empirical Results and a Plea for Ecologically Valid Microworlds.

PubMed

Süß, Heinz-Martin; Kretzschmar, André

2018-01-01

The original aim of complex problem solving (CPS) research was to bring the cognitive demands of complex real-life problems into the lab in order to investigate problem solving behavior and performance under controlled conditions. Up until now, the validity of psychometric intelligence constructs has been scrutinized with regard to its importance for CPS performance. At the same time, different CPS measurement approaches competing for the title of the best way to assess CPS have been developed. In the first part of the paper, we investigate the predictability of CPS performance on the basis of the Berlin Intelligence Structure Model and Cattell's investment theory as well as an elaborated knowledge taxonomy. In the first study, 137 students managed a simulated shirt factory ( Tailorshop ; i.e., a complex real life-oriented system) twice, while in the second study, 152 students completed a forestry scenario ( FSYS ; i.e., a complex artificial world system). The results indicate that reasoning - specifically numerical reasoning (Studies 1 and 2) and figural reasoning (Study 2) - are the only relevant predictors among the intelligence constructs. We discuss the results with reference to the Brunswik symmetry principle. Path models suggest that reasoning and prior knowledge influence problem solving performance in the Tailorshop scenario mainly indirectly. In addition, different types of system-specific knowledge independently contribute to predicting CPS performance. The results of Study 2 indicate that working memory capacity, assessed as an additional predictor, has no incremental validity beyond reasoning. We conclude that (1) cognitive abilities and prior knowledge are substantial predictors of CPS performance, and (2) in contrast to former and recent interpretations, there is insufficient evidence to consider CPS a unique ability construct. In the second part of the paper, we discuss our results in light of recent CPS research, which predominantly utilizes the minimally complex systems (MCS) measurement approach. We suggest ecologically valid microworlds as an indispensable tool for future CPS research and applications.

Solving ay'' + by' + cy = 0 with a Simple Product Rule Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolle, John

2011-01-01

When elementary ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of first and second order are included in the calculus curriculum, second-order linear constant coefficient ODEs are typically solved by a method more appropriate to differential equations courses. This method involves the characteristic equation and its roots, complex-valued solutions, and…

Instruction Emphasizing Effort Improves Physics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Daoquan

2012-01-01

Effectively using strategies to solve complex problems is an important educational goal and is implicated in successful academic performance. However, people often do not spontaneously use the effective strategies unless they are motivated to do so. The present study was designed to test whether educating students about the importance of effort in…

Arithmetic Word-Problem-Solving in Huntington's Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allain, P.; Verny, C.; Aubin, G.; Pinon, K.; Bonneau, D.; Dubas, F.; Gall, D.L.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine executive functioning in patients with Huntington's disease using an arithmetic word-problem-solving task including eight solvable problems of increasing complexity and four aberrant problems. Ten patients with Huntington's disease and 12 normal control subjects matched by age and education were tested.…

Developing Problem-Solving Skills through Retrosynthetic Analysis and Clickers in Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Alison B.

2011-01-01

A unique approach to teaching and learning problem-solving and critical-thinking skills in the context of retrosynthetic analysis is described. In this approach, introductory organic chemistry students, who typically see only simple organic structures, undertook partial retrosynthetic analyses of real and complex synthetic targets. Multiple…

Design and Implementation of the Game-Design and Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcaoglu, Mete

2016-01-01

Design involves solving complex, ill-structured problems. Design tasks are consequently, appropriate contexts for children to exercise higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Although creating engaging and authentic design contexts for young children is difficult within the confines of traditional schooling, recently, game-design has…

How Young Students Communicate Their Mathematical Problem Solving in Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teledahl, Anna

2017-01-01

This study investigates young students' writing in connection to mathematical problem solving. Students' written communication has traditionally been used by mathematics teachers in the assessment of students' mathematical knowledge. This study rests on the notion that this writing represents a particular activity which requires a complex set of…

Mathematical Thinking and Creativity through Mathematical Problem Posing and Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayllón, María F.; Gómez, Isabel A.; Ballesta-Claver, Julio

2016-01-01

This work shows the relationship between the development of mathematical thinking and creativity with mathematical problem posing and solving. Creativity and mathematics are disciplines that do not usually appear together. Both concepts constitute complex processes sharing elements, such as fluency (number of ideas), flexibility (range of ideas),…

Interaction Network Estimation: Predicting Problem-Solving Diversity in Interactive Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eagle, Michael; Hicks, Drew; Barnes, Tiffany

2015-01-01

Intelligent tutoring systems and computer aided learning environments aimed at developing problem solving produce large amounts of transactional data which make it a challenge for both researchers and educators to understand how students work within the environment. Researchers have modeled student-tutor interactions using complex networks in…

Classical versus Computer Algebra Methods in Elementary Geometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pech, Pavel

2005-01-01

Computer algebra methods based on results of commutative algebra like Groebner bases of ideals and elimination of variables make it possible to solve complex, elementary and non elementary problems of geometry, which are difficult to solve using a classical approach. Computer algebra methods permit the proof of geometric theorems, automatic…

The Smarties-Box Challenge: Supporting Systematic Approaches to Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, James

2016-01-01

The Smarties-Box Challenge encourages students to apply several different mathematical capabilities and concepts--such as, estimation, multiplication, and the notion of being systematic--to solve a complex, multistep problem. To effectively engage in the Smarties-Box Challenge, students are required to demonstrate aspects of all four proficiency…

Automating the Detection of Reflection-on-Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saucerman, Jenny; Ruis, A. R.; Shaffer, David Williamson

2017-01-01

Learning to solve "complex problems"--problems whose solutions require the application of more than basic facts and skills--is critical to meaningful participation in the economic, social, and cultural life of the digital age. In this paper, we use a theoretical understanding of how professionals use reflection-in-action to solve complex…

Problem-Solving Practices and Complexity in School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, John; Espinosa, William R.

2017-01-01

How do experienced school psychologists solve problems in their practice? What can trainers of school psychologists learn about how to structure training and mentoring of graduate students from what actually happens in schools, and how can this inform our teaching at the university? This qualitative multi-interview study explored the processes…

Problem-Solving in the Pre-Clinical Curriculum: The Uses of Computer Simulations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Joel A.; Rovick, Allen A.

1986-01-01

Promotes the use of computer-based simulations in the pre-clinical medical curriculum as a means of providing students with opportunities for problem solving. Describes simple simulations of skeletal muscle loads, complex simulations of major organ systems and comprehensive simulation models of the entire human body. (TW)

Rupture Dynamics and Ground Motion from Earthquakes on Rough Faults in Heterogeneous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bydlon, S. A.; Kozdon, J. E.; Duru, K.; Dunham, E. M.

2013-12-01

Heterogeneities in the material properties of Earth's crust scatter propagating seismic waves. The effects of scattered waves are reflected in the seismic coda and depend on the amplitude of the heterogeneities, spatial arrangement, and distance from source to receiver. In the vicinity of the fault, scattered waves influence the rupture process by introducing fluctuations in the stresses driving propagating ruptures. Further variability in the rupture process is introduced by naturally occurring geometric complexity of fault surfaces, and the stress changes that accompany slip on rough surfaces. Our goal is to better understand the origin of complexity in the earthquake source process, and to quantify the relative importance of source complexity and scattering along the propagation path in causing incoherence of high frequency ground motion. Using a 2D high order finite difference rupture dynamics code, we nucleate ruptures on either flat or rough faults that obey strongly rate-weakening friction laws. These faults are embedded in domains with spatially varying material properties characterized by Von Karman autocorrelation functions and their associated power spectral density functions, with variations in wave speed of approximately 5 to 10%. Flat fault simulations demonstrate that off-fault material heterogeneity, at least with this particular form and amplitude, has only a minor influence on the rupture process (i.e., fluctuations in slip and rupture velocity). In contrast, ruptures histories on rough faults in both homogeneous and heterogeneous media include much larger short-wavelength fluctuations in slip and rupture velocity. We therefore conclude that source complexity is dominantly influenced by fault geometric complexity. To examine contributions of scattering versus fault geometry on ground motions, we compute spatially averaged root-mean-square (RMS) acceleration values as a function of fault perpendicular distance for a homogeneous medium and several heterogeneous media characterized by different statistical properties. We find that at distances less than ~6 km from the fault, RMS acceleration values from simulations with homogeneous and heterogeneous media are similar, but at greater distances the RMS values associated with heterogeneous media are larger than those associated with homogeneous media. The magnitude of this divergence increases with the amplitude of the heterogeneities. For instance, for a heterogeneous medium with a 10% standard deviation in material property values relative to mean values, RMS accelerations are ~50% larger than for a homogeneous medium at distances greater than 6 km. This finding is attributed to the scattering of coherent pulses into multiple pulses of decreased amplitude that subsequently arrive at later times. In order to understand the robustness of these results, an extension of our dynamic rupture and wave propagation code to 3D is underway.

Line Narrowing of Excited-State Transitions in Nonlinear Polarization Spectroscopy: Application to Water-Soluble Chlorophyll-Binding Protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoth, Mario; Richter, Marten; Knorr, Andreas; Renger, Thomas

2012-04-01

The homogeneous linewidth of dye aggregates like photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes contains important information about energy transfer and relaxation times that is, however, masked by inhomogeneous broadening caused by static disorder. Whereas there exist line narrowing techniques for the study of low-energy exciton states, the homogeneous linewidth of the high-energy states is not so easy to decipher. Here we present a microscopic theory for nonlinear polarization spectroscopy in the frequency domain that contains a dynamic aggregate selection revealing the homogeneous linewidth of these states. The theory is applied to the water-soluble chlorophyll-binding protein for which the high-energy exciton state was predicted to exhibit a sub-100-fs lifetime.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Approaches in Pharmacy Education

PubMed Central

Martin, Lindsay C.; Holdford, David A.

2016-01-01

Domain 3 of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 Educational Outcomes recommends that pharmacy school curricula prepare students to be better problem solvers, but are silent on the type of problems they should be prepared to solve. We identified five basic approaches to problem solving in the curriculum at a pharmacy school: clinical, ethical, managerial, economic, and legal. These approaches were compared to determine a generic process that could be applied to all pharmacy decisions. Although there were similarities in the approaches, generic problem solving processes may not work for all problems. Successful problem solving requires identification of the problems faced and application of the right approach to the situation. We also advocate that the CAPE Outcomes make explicit the importance of different approaches to problem solving. Future pharmacists will need multiple approaches to problem solving to adapt to the complexity of health care. PMID:27170823

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Approaches in Pharmacy Education.

PubMed

Martin, Lindsay C; Donohoe, Krista L; Holdford, David A

2016-04-25

Domain 3 of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) 2013 Educational Outcomes recommends that pharmacy school curricula prepare students to be better problem solvers, but are silent on the type of problems they should be prepared to solve. We identified five basic approaches to problem solving in the curriculum at a pharmacy school: clinical, ethical, managerial, economic, and legal. These approaches were compared to determine a generic process that could be applied to all pharmacy decisions. Although there were similarities in the approaches, generic problem solving processes may not work for all problems. Successful problem solving requires identification of the problems faced and application of the right approach to the situation. We also advocate that the CAPE Outcomes make explicit the importance of different approaches to problem solving. Future pharmacists will need multiple approaches to problem solving to adapt to the complexity of health care.

SOFIA's Choice: Automating the Scheduling of Airborne Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Jeremy; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

This paper describes the problem of scheduling observations for an airborne telescope. Given a set of prioritized observations to choose from, and a wide range of complex constraints governing legitimate choices and orderings, how can we efficiently and effectively create a valid flight plan which supports high priority observations? This problem is quite different from scheduling problems which are routinely solved automatically in industry. For instance, the problem requires making choices which lead to other choices later, and contains many interacting complex constraints over both discrete and continuous variables. Furthermore, new types of constraints may be added as the fundamental problem changes. As a result of these features, this problem cannot be solved by traditional scheduling techniques. The problem resembles other problems in NASA and industry, from observation scheduling for rovers and other science instruments to vehicle routing. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. In 2 we describe the observatory in order to provide some background. In 3 we describe the problem of scheduling a single flight. In 4 we compare flight planning and other scheduling problems and argue that traditional techniques are not sufficient to solve this problem. We also mention similar complex scheduling problems which may benefit from efforts to solve this problem. In 5 we describe an approach for solving this problem based on research into a similar problem, that of scheduling observations for a space-borne probe. In 6 we discuss extensions of the flight planning problem as well as other problems which are similar to flight planning. In 7 we conclude and discuss future work.

Cognitive Complexity of Mathematics Instructional Tasks in a Taiwanese Classroom: An Examination of Task Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hui-Yu; Silver, Edward A.

2014-01-01

We examined geometric calculation with number tasks used within a unit of geometry instruction in a Taiwanese classroom, identifying the source of each task used in classroom instruction and analyzing the cognitive complexity of each task with respect to 2 distinct features: diagram complexity and problem-solving complexity. We found that…

Radiative Heat Transfer in Finite Cylindrical Enclosures with Nonhomogeneous Participating Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, Pei-Feng; Ku, Jerry C.

1994-01-01

Results of a numerical solution for radiative heat transfer in homogeneous and nonhomogeneous participating media are presented. The geometry of interest is a finite axisymmetric cylindrical enclosure. The integral formulation for radiative transport is solved by the YIX method. A three-dimensional solution scheme is applied to two-dimensional axisymmetric geometry to simplify kernel calculations and to avoid difficulties associated with treating boundary conditions. As part of the effort to improve modeling capabilities for turbulent jet diffusion flames, predicted distributions for flame temperature and soot volume fraction are used to calculate radiative heat transfer from soot particles in such flames. It is shown that the nonhomogeneity of radiative property has very significant effects. The peak value of the divergence of radiative heat flux could be underestimated by 2 factor of 7 if a mean homogeneous radiative property is used. Since recent studies have shown that scattering by soot agglomerates is significant in flames, the effect of magnitude of scattering is also investigated and found to be nonnegligible.