AlN-based piezoelectric micropower generator for low ambient vibration energy harvesting

AbstractIn this paper a resonant micropower generator based on the transverse piezoelectric effect is presented. The generator consists of a large silicon mass attached to an polysilicon cantilever covered with an AlN thinfilm as piezoelectric material. To maximize the power density of the generator, a parametric study by means of analytical modeling and FEM simulation has been performed. Different optimized generators with resonance frequencies in the range from 100Hz up to 1kHz have been designed and fabricated, using dedicated MEMS technology processes. First unpackaged prototypes showed a quality factor of about 500 under atmospheric pressure and were able to generate an electrical output power of up to 1.9μW at an external acceleration of 1.6 m/s2

Ancient pigs reveal a near-complete genomic turnover following their introduction to Europe

Archaeological evidence indicates that pig domestication had begun by ∼10,500 y before the present (BP) in the Near East, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) suggests that pigs arrived in Europe alongside farmers ∼8,500 y BP. A few thousand years after the introduction of Near Eastern pigs into Europe, however, their characteristic mtDNA signature disappeared and was replaced by haplotypes associated with European wild boars. This turnover could be accounted for by substantial gene flow from local European wild boars, although it is also possible that European wild boars were domesticated independently without any genetic contribution from the Near East. To test these hypotheses, we obtained mtDNA sequences from 2,099 modern and ancient pig samples and 63 nuclear ancient genomes from Near Eastern and European pigs. Our analyses revealed that European domestic pigs dating from 7,100 to 6,000 y BP possessed both Near Eastern and European nuclear ancestry, while later pigs possessed no more than 4% Near Eastern ancestry, indicating that gene flow from European wild boars resulted in a near-complete disappearance of Near East ancestry. In addition, we demonstrate that a variant at a locus encoding black coat color likely originated in the Near East and persisted in European pigs. Altogether, our results indicate that while pigs were not independently domesticated in Europe, the vast majority of human-mediated selection over the past 5,000 y focused on the genomic fraction derived from the European wild boars, and not on the fraction that was selected by early Neolithic farmers over the first 2,500 y of the domestication process

Addressing sustainability and flexibility in manufacturing via smart modular machine tool frames to support sustainable value creation

Sustainability and flexibility are crucial aspects in todays’ manufacturing processes. Within this study an innovative approach of modular machine tool frames (MMTF) equipped with micro system technology is presented that aims at enhancing flexibility of mutable production processes. This new approach extends the existing reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS). MMTF goes beyond the platform approach via minimizing the machine tool frame parts used for the building block system of manufacturing cells. The concept has been realized by integration of modularized microelectronics and actuators enabling for integrity and accuracy of the machine tool frame. In this contribution, sustainable hotspots for the production of the MMTF are identified via a tiered life cycle sustainability assessment. From these findings, new approaches are derived that provide for a reasonable usage of mechanical and electronic components in MMTF for sustainable value creation

Effects of Repeated Intrathecal Triamcinolone-Acetonide Application on Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of Axonal Damage and Glial Activity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in young adults. Over time, the disease progresses and, with accumulating disability, symptoms such as spasticity may occur. Although several treatment options are available, some patients may not respond to first-line therapeutics. However, some of these patients may benefit from intrathecally administered triamcinolone-acetonide (TCA), a derivative of glucocorticosteroids (GCS).GCSmay have neurotoxic effects, and cell apoptosis may occur. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of TCA on biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) suggestive of neurodegeneration

Jet Energy Density in Hadron-Hadron Collisions at High Energies

The average particle multiplicity density dN/deta is the dynamical quantity which reflects some regularities of particle production in low-pT range. The quantity is an important ingredient of z-scaling. Experimental results on charged particle density are available for pp, pA and AA collisions while experimental properties of the jet density are still an open question. The goal of this work is to find the variable which will reflect the main features of the jet production in low transverse energy range and play the role of the scale factor for the scaling function psi(z) and variable z in data z-presentation. The appropriate candidate is the variable we called "scaled jet energy density". Scaled jet energy density is the probability to have a jet with defined ET in defined xT and pseudorapidity regions. The PYTHIA6.2 Monte Carlo generator is used for calculation of scaled jet energy density in proton-proton collisions over a high energy range (sqrt s = 200-14000 GeV) and at eta = 0. The properties of the new variable are discussed and sensitivity to "physical scenarios" applied in the standard Monte Carlo generator is noted. The results of scaled jet energy density at LHC energies are presented and compared with predictions based on z-scaling.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, 8 figures, Presented at the XVII International Baldin Seminar on High Energy Physics Problems "Relativistic Nuclear Physics & Quantum Chromodynamics", Dubna, Russia, September 27 - October 2, 200

Studies of multiplicity in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

In this talk I'll review the present status of charged particle multiplicity measurements from heavy-ion collisions. The characteristic features of multiplicity distributions obtained in Au+Au collisions will be discussed in terms of collision centrality and energy and compared to those of p+p collisions. Multiplicity measurements of d+Au collisions at 200 GeV nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy will also be discussed. The results will be compared to various theoretical models and simple scaling properties of the data will be identified.Comment: "Focus on Multiplicity" Internationsl Workshop on Particle Multiplicity in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions, Bari, Italy, June 17-19, 2003, 16 pages, 15 figure

Beef cows and calves, 1979: a summary of research

Response of fall-born calves to monensin on orchardgrass / alfalfa or tall fescue / alfalfa pastures / F. M. Byers, C. F. Parker, and R. W. Van Keuren -- Effects of forage system and breed type on the performance of fall calving cows / C. F. Parker and R. W. Van Keuren -- Forage management for beef production / R. W. Van Keuren, C. F. Parker, and E. W. Klosterman -- Breeding and management systems to optimize beef breeding herd productivity / E. W. Klosterman, R. W. Van Keuren, C. F. Parker, and F. M. Byers -- Voluntary feed intake of mature cows as related to breed type, condition, and forage quality / E. W. Klosterman, F. M. Byers, and C. F. Parker -- Weight and condition changes of pregnant beef cows wintered on corn stover stacks / G. R. Wilson, J. G. Gordon, J. H. Cline, K. M. Irvin, and E. W. Klosterman -- Estrus synchronization of beef cows and heifers with prostaglandin F2a under field conditions / G. R. Wilson, T. L. Benecke, K. M. Irvin, T. M. Ludwick, C. E. Marshall, and R. A. Wallac

Charged particle densities from Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}}=130 GeV

We present charged particle densities as a function of pseudorapidity and collision centrality for the 197Au+197Au reaction at sqrt{s_{NN}}=130 GeV. An integral charged particle multiplicity of 3860+/-300 is found for the 5% most central events within the pseudorapidity range -4.7 <= eta <= 4.7. At mid-rapidity an enhancement in the particle yields per participant nucleon pair is observed for central events. Near to the beam rapidity, a scaling of the particle yields consistent with the ``limiting fragmentation'' picture is observed. Our results are compared to other recent experimental and theoretical discussions of charged particle densities in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Phys. Lett.

IgG autoantibody to brain beta tubulin III associated with cytokine cluster-II discriminate cerebral malaria in central India

We investigated the significance of these self-reactive antibodies in clinically well-defined groups of P. falciparum infected patients manifesting mild malaria (MM), severe non-cerebral malaria (SM), or cerebral malaria (CM) and in control subjects from Gondia, a malaria epidemic site in central India using quantitative immunoprinting and multivariate statistical analyses. A two-fold complete-linkage hierarchical clustering allows classifying the different patient groups and to distinguish the CM from the others on the basis of their profile of IgG reactivity to brain proteins defined by PANAMA Blot. We identified beta tubulin III (TBB3) as a novel discriminant brain antigen in the prevalence of CM. In addition, circulating IgG from CM patients highly react with recombinant TBB3. Overall, correspondence analyses based on singular value decomposition show a strong correlation between IgG anti-TBB3 and elevated concentration of cluster-II cytokine (IFNγ, IL1β, TNFα, TGFβ) previously demonstrated to be a predictor of CM in the same populatio