A simulation-based design paradigm for complex cast components

This paper describes and exercises a new design paradigm for cast components. The methodology integrates foundry process simulation, non-destructive evaluation (NDE), stress analysis and damage tolerance simulations into the design process. Foundry process simulation is used to predict an array of porosity-related anomalies. The probability of detection of these anomalies is investigated with a radiographic inspection simulation tool (XRSIM). The likelihood that the predicted array of anomalies will lead to a failure is determined by a fatigue crack growth simulation based on the extended finite element method and therefore does not require meshing nor remeshing as the cracks grow. With this approach, the casting modeling provides initial anomaly information, the stress analysis provides a value for the critical size of an anomaly and the NDE assessment provides a detectability measure. The combination of these tools allows for accept/reject criteria to be determined at the early design stage and enables damage tolerant design philosophies. The methodology is applied to the design of a cast monolithic door used on the Boeing 757 aircraf

Cytomolecular identification of individual wheat-wheat chromosome arm associations in wheat-rye hybrids

Chromosome pairing in the meiotic metaphase I of wheatrye hybrids has been characterized by sequential genomic and fluorescent in situ hybridization allowing not only the discrimination of wheat and rye chromosomes, but also the identification of the individual wheat and rye chromosome arms involved in the chromosome associations. The majority of associations (93.8%) were observed between the wheat chromosomes. The largest number of wheat-wheat chromosome associations (53%) was detected between the A and D genomes, while the frequency of B-D and A-B associations was significantly lower (32 and 8%, respectively). Among the A-D chromosome associations, pairing between the 3AL and 3DL arms was observed with the highest frequency, while the most frequent of all the chromosome associations (0.113/ cell) was found to be the 3DS-3BS. Differences in the pairing frequency of the individual chromosome arms of wheat-rye hybrids have been discussed in relation to the homoeologous relationships between the constituent genomes of hexaploid wheat

On the canonically invariant calculation of Maslov indices

After a short review of various ways to calculate the Maslov index appearing in semiclassical Gutzwiller type trace formulae, we discuss a coordinate-independent and canonically invariant formulation recently proposed by A Sugita (2000, 2001). We give explicit formulae for its ingredients and test them numerically for periodic orbits in several Hamiltonian systems with mixed dynamics. We demonstrate how the Maslov indices and their ingredients can be useful in the classification of periodic orbits in complicated bifurcation scenarios, for instance in a novel sequence of seven orbits born out of a tangent bifurcation in the H\'enon-Heiles system.Comment: LaTeX, 13 figures, 3 tables, submitted to J. Phys.

First-year Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) Supernova Results: Hubble Diagram and Cosmological Parameters

We present measurements of the Hubble diagram for 103 Type Ia supernovae (SNe) with redshifts 0.04 < z < 0.42, discovered during the first season (Fall 2005) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) Supernova Survey. These data fill in the redshift "desert" between low- and high-redshift SN Ia surveys. We combine the SDSS-II measurements with new distance estimates for published SN data from the ESSENCE survey, the Supernova Legacy Survey, the Hubble Space Telescope, and a compilation of nearby SN Ia measurements. Combining the SN Hubble diagram with measurements of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from the SDSS Luminous Red Galaxy sample and with CMB temperature anisotropy measurements from WMAP, we estimate the cosmological parameters w and Omega_M, assuming a spatially flat cosmological model (FwCDM) with constant dark energy equation of state parameter, w. For the FwCDM model and the combined sample of 288 SNe Ia, we find w = -0.76 +- 0.07(stat) +- 0.11(syst), Omega_M = 0.306 +- 0.019(stat) +- 0.023(syst) using MLCS2k2 and w = -0.96 +- 0.06(stat) +- 0.12(syst), Omega_M = 0.265 +- 0.016(stat) +- 0.025(syst) using the SALT-II fitter. We trace the discrepancy between these results to a difference in the rest-frame UV model combined with a different luminosity correction from color variations; these differences mostly affect the distance estimates for the SNLS and HST supernovae. We present detailed discussions of systematic errors for both light-curve methods and find that they both show data-model discrepancies in rest-frame $U$-band. For the SALT-II approach, we also see strong evidence for redshift-dependence of the color-luminosity parameter (beta). Restricting the analysis to the 136 SNe Ia in the Nearby+SDSS-II samples, we find much better agreement between the two analysis methods but with larger uncertainties.Comment: Accepted for publication by ApJ

Immunolocalization of steroidogenic enzymes in the vaginal mucous of Galea spixii during the estrous cycle

Abstract\ud \ud Background\ud The synthesis of sex steroids is controlled by several enzymes such as17α-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 (P450c17) catalyzing androgen synthesis and aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450arom) catalyzing estrogen synthesis, both of which must complex with the redox partner NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) for activity. Previous studies have identified expression of steroidogenic enzymes in vaginal tissue, suggesting local sex steroid synthesis. The current studies investigate P450c17, P450aromatase and CPR expression in vaginal mucosa of Galea spixii (Spix cavy) by immuno-histochemical and western immunoblot analyses.\ud \ud \ud Methods\ud Stages of estrous cyclicity were monitored by vaginal exfoliative cytology. After euthanasia, vaginal tissues were retrieved, fixed and frozen at diestrus, proestrus, estrus and metestrus. The ovaries and testis were used as positive control tissues for immunohistochemistry.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud Data from cytological study allowed identification of different estrous cycle phases. Immunohistochemical analysis showed different sites of expression of steroidogenic enzymes along with tissue response throughout different phases of the estrous cycle. However, further studies are needed to characterize the derived hormones synthesized by, and the enzymes activities associated with, vaginal tissues.\ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud Current results not only support the expression of enzymes involved in sex steroid synthesis in the wall of the vagina, they also indicate that expression changes with the stage of the cycle, both the levels and types of cells exhibiting expression. Thus, changes in proliferation of vaginal epithelial cells and the differentiation of the mucosa may be influenced by local steroid synthesis as well as circulating androgens and estrogens.This work was supported by grants from São Paulo Research Foundation/\ud FAPESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Process Number: 2011/03655-2) and the National\ud Council of Scientific Researches/CNPq (Process Number: 402220/2010-2)

Genomic analysis of family data reveals additional genetic effects on intelligence and personality

BioRXiv version. Please see https://rubenarslan.github.io/generation_scotland_pedigree_gcta/ to access this website in a browsable form

Glucose-Insulin Therapy, Plasma Substrate Levels and Cardiac Recovery After Cardiac Ischemic Events

INTRODUCTION: The potential usefulness of glucose-insulin therapy relies to a large extent on the premise that it prevents hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia following cardiac ischemic events. METHODS: In this review we evaluate the literature concerning plasma glucose and free fatty acids levels during and following cardiac ischemic events. RESULTS: The data indicate that hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia most likely occur during acute coronary ischemic syndromes in the conscious state (e.g. acute myocardial infarction) and less so during reperfusion following CABG reperfusion. This is in accordance with observations that glucose-insulin therapy during early reperfusion post CABG may actually cause hypolipidemia, because substantial hyperlipidemia does not appear to occur during that stage of cardiac surgery. DISCUSSION: Considering recent data indicating that hypolipidemia may be detrimental for cardiac function, we propose that free fatty acid levels during reperfusion post CABG with the adjunct glucose-insulin therapy need to be closely monitored. CONCLUSION: From a clinical point of view, a strategy directed at monitoring and thereafter maintaining plasma substrate levels in the normal range for both glucose (4-6 mM) and FFA (0.2-0.6 mM) as well as stimulation of glucose oxidation, promises to be the most optimal metabolic reperfusion treatment following cardiac ischemic episodes. Future (preclinical and subsequently clinical) investigations are required to investigate whether the combination of glucose-insulin therapy with concomitant lipid administration may be beneficial in the setting of reperfusion post CAB