2,863 research outputs found
Turbulence and secondary motions in square duct flow
We study turbulent flows in pressure-driven ducts with square cross-section
through direct numerical simulation in a wide enough range of Reynolds number
to reach flow conditions which are representative of fully developed
turbulence. Numerical simulations are carried out over extremely long
integration times to get adequate convergence of the flow statistics, and
specifically high-fidelity representation of the secondary motions which arise.
The intensity of the latter is found to be in the order of 1-2% of the bulk
velocity, and unaffected by Reynolds number variations. The smallness of the
mean convection terms in the streamwise vorticity equation points to a simple
characterization of the secondary flows, which in the asymptotic high-Re regime
are found to be approximated with good accuracy by eigenfunctions of the
Laplace operator. Despite their effect of redistributing the wall shear stress
along the duct perimeter, we find that secondary motions do not have large
influence on the mean velocity field, which can be characterized with good
accuracy as that resulting from the concurrent effect of four independent flat
walls, each controlling a quarter of the flow domain. As a consequence, we find
that parametrizations based on the hydraulic diameter concept, and
modifications thereof, are successful in predicting the duct friction
coefficient
Unravelling the complex magnetic structure of multiferroic pyroxene NaFeGe2O6: A combined experimental and theoretical study
Magnetic order and the underlying magnetic model of the multiferroic pyroxene
NaFeGe2O6 are systematically investigated by neutron powder diffraction,
thermodynamic measurements, density-functional bandstructure calculations, and
Monte-Carlo simulations. Upon cooling, NaFeGe2O6 first reveals one-dimensional
spin-spin correlations in the paramagnetic state below about 50 K, revealed by
magnetic diffuse scattering. The sinusoidal spin-density wave with spins along
the a-direction sets in at 13 K, followed by the cycloidal configuration with
spins lying in the (ac) plane below 11.6 K. Microscopically, the strongest
magnetic coupling runs along the structural chains, J1 ' 12 K, which is likely
related to the one-dimensional spin-spin correlations. The interchain couplings
J2 ' 3:8K and J3 ' 2:1K are energetically well balanced and compete, thus
giving rise to the incommensurate order in sharp contrast to other
transition-metal pyroxenes, where one type of the interchain couplings
prevails. The magnetic model of NaFeGe2O6 is further completed by the weak
single-ion anisotropy along the a-direction. Our results resolve the earlier
controversies regarding the magnetic order in NaFeGe2O6 and establish relevant
symmetries of the magnetic structures. These results, combined with symmetry
analysis, enable us to identify the possible mechanisms of the magnetoelectric
coupling in this compound. We also elucidate microscopic conditions for the
formation of incommensurate magnetic order in pyroxenes.Comment: 10 pages 10 figures, PRB(accepted
Typical Gibbs configurations for the 1d Random Field Ising Model with long range interaction
We study a one--dimensional Ising spin systems with ferromagnetic,
long--range interaction decaying as n^{-2+\a}, \a \in [0,\frac 12], in the
presence of external random fields. We assume that the random fields are given
by a collection of symmetric, independent, identically distributed real random
variables, gaussian or subgaussian with variance . We show that for
temperature and variance of the randomness small enough, with an overwhelming
probability with respect to the random fields, the typical configurations,
within volumes centered at the origin whose size grow faster than any power of
, % {\bf around the origin} are intervals of spins followed by
intervals of spins whose typical length is \simeq
\th^{-\frac{2}{(1-2\a)}} for 0\le \a<1/2 and
for \a=1/2
Additively manufactured CuCrZr alloy: improvement of mechanical properties by heat treatment
CuCrZr alloy plays a fundamental role for the production of critical components because it is characterized by good thermal and electrical conductivity and by high mechanical strength after precipitation hardening treatment. In the framework of a wider research on the mechanical behaviour of additively manufactured CuCrZr alloy, this study focuses on the effects of heat treatment parameters on the alloy strength. The additive manufacturing process, characterized by very high cooling rates, determines the formation, in the as-built condition, of a supersaturated solid solution. The results obtained reveal that aging temperature and time are critical parameters for improving the mechanical behaviour of CuCrZr alloy which behaves differently than the alloy produced through the use of traditional techniques
A pediatric near-infrared spectroscopy brain-computer interface based on the detection of emotional valence
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are being investigated as an access pathway to communication for individuals with physical disabilities, as the technology obviates the need for voluntary motor control. However, to date, minimal research has investigated the use of BCIs for children. Traditional BCI communication paradigms may be suboptimal given that children with physical disabilities may face delays in cognitive development and acquisition of literacy skills. Instead, in this study we explored emotional state as an alternative access pathway to communication. We developed a pediatric BCI to identify positive and negative emotional states from changes in hemodynamic activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). To train and test the BCI, 10 neurotypical children aged 8-14 underwent a series of emotion-induction trials over four experimental sessions (one offline, three online) while their brain activity was measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Visual neurofeedback was used to assist participants in regulating their emotional states and modulating their hemodynamic activity in response to the affective stimuli. Child-specific linear discriminant classifiers were trained on cumulatively available data from previous sessions and adaptively updated throughout each session. Average online valence classification exceeded chance across participants by the last two online sessions (with 7 and 8 of the 10 participants performing better than chance, respectively, in Sessions 3 and 4). There was a small significant positive correlation with online BCI performance and age, suggesting older participants were more successful at regulating their emotional state and/or brain activity. Variability was seen across participants in regards to BCI performance, hemodynamic response, and discriminatory features and channels. Retrospective offline analyses yielded accuracies comparable to those reported in adult affective BCI studies using fNIRS. Affective fNIRS-BCIs appear to be feasible for school-aged children, but to further gauge the practical potential of this type of BCI, replication with more training sessions, larger sample sizes, and end-users with disabilities is necessary
Flow over the Mid Adriatic Pit
The influence of the Mid Adriatic Pit (MAP) on the general circulation of the Adriatic is explored through numerical simulations. The numerical code used is the DieCAST model specifically modified for application to the Adriatic Sea. A ten-year simulation is performed and the ability of the model to capture important features of the Adriatic circulation is demonstrated. A series of numerical
experiments on the importance of the MAP on the general circulation is performed. It is demonstrated that the current over the northern flank of the MAP, which flows
from the Croatian toward the Italian coast, is primarily a topographic current and that such a current would reverse direction if the gradient of the bathymetry were
reversed
Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma behaves as a distinct clinical entity with good outcome: evidence from 14-year followup in the West of Scotland Cancer Network
Clinically and biologically, nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) has much more in common with germinal-center derived B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) than with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Management of NLPHL remains controversial. In a 14-year multicenter series, 69 cases were analyzed, and the median follow-up was 53 months (range 11–165.) B-symptoms were present in only 4.3% of patients, and 81.1% of patients had stage I/II disease. Treatment was with radiotherapy (53.6%), chemotherapy (21.7%), combined modality (17.4%), and observation (7.2%). In all, 10.1% of patients relapsed and 2.9% of patients developed high-grade transformation to DLBCL. All relapses and transformations were salvageable. No patient died of their disease. The 5-year relapse-free survival was 92%, transformation-free survival 98.4%, and overall survival 100%. We conclude that NLPHL behaves as a distinct clinical entity, often presenting at an early stage without risk factors. It has an excellent outcome. It may be possible, in early-stage disease, to reduce the intensity of therapy in NLPHL, to single-modality radiotherapy, without affecting OS
Flow over the Mid Adriatic Pit
The influence of the Mid Adriatic Pit (MAP) on the general circulation of the Adriatic is explored through numerical simulations. The numerical code used is the DieCAST model specifically modified for application to the Adriatic Sea. A ten-year simulation is performed and the ability of the model to capture important features of the Adriatic circulation is demonstrated. A series of numerical
experiments on the importance of the MAP on the general circulation is performed. It is demonstrated that the current over the northern flank of the MAP, which flows
from the Croatian toward the Italian coast, is primarily a topographic current and that such a current would reverse direction if the gradient of the bathymetry were
reversed
"PROXIMITY" AS A DESIGN STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE, COLLABORATIVE AND INCLUSIVE URBAN PUBLIC SPACES
Public spaces at neighbourhood scale represent the main scenario of citizens’ life, nodes that define an archipelago of places with a key role in promoting and fostering the enhancement and maintenance of the built environment through mutual collaboration. This network of open and built spaces traces the reference infrastructure of urban planning and redevelopment models, based on proximity as device for physical and social relationship, central in the post-pandemic city debate.
“The city of proximity” is the first focus addressed by the Atelier of Urban Innovation Lab in Bologna: an exhibition and laboratory space for comparison and co-design of public space, housed inside the City Hall of the Italian metropolitan city of Bologna and co-curated by the Department of Architecture, University of Bologna and the city agency Foundation for the Urban Innovation.
The Atelier explores urban dynamics and contemporary challenges using analogue and digital tools investigating the potential of the ecosystem defining the realm of the everyday dynamics – for instance, squares, courtyards, markets, libraries, urban gardens, playgrounds, sport equipment, etc. In addition to the physical transformations linked to the concept of proximity, the design process, the actors involved and the results obtained are considered relevant.
This paper, framing the topic on transition city issues, addresses the potential, transversal andrecurrent features of neighborhood spaces with the aim of acknowledging replicable strategies and design practices for collaborative cities based on new form of citizen democracy that encourage the reactivation of places, community creation, resilience to climate change and sustainable mobility, as
experimented by the lab-like environment of Urban Innovation Lab Bologna
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