Actinometry of Hydrogen Plasmas

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) can be used to map the electron energy distribution of hydrogen plasmas. Using actinometry, a type of OES where trace amounts of noble gases are introduced, the effect of discharge power on the electron temperature of hydrogen plasmas was explored. This was done using argon and krypton as actinometers for low pressure hydrogen plasmas. It was determined that the electron temperature decreased with respect to power supplied to the discharge

A receding horizon generalization of pointwise min-norm controllers

Control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) are used in conjunction with receding horizon control to develop a new class of receding horizon control schemes. In the process, strong connections between the seemingly disparate approaches are revealed, leading to a unified picture that ties together the notions of pointwise min-norm, receding horizon, and optimal control. This framework is used to develop a CLF based receding horizon scheme, of which a special case provides an appropriate extension of Sontag's formula. The scheme is first presented as an idealized continuous-time receding horizon control law. The issue of implementation under discrete-time sampling is then discussed as a modification. These schemes are shown to possess a number of desirable theoretical and implementation properties. An example is provided, demonstrating their application to a nonlinear control problem. Finally, stronger connections to both optimal and pointwise min-norm control are proved

Phylogeny and Geographic History of Annonaceae

Whereas Takhtajan and Smith situated the origin of angiosperms between Southeast Asia and Australia, Walker and Le Thomas emphasized the concentration of primitive pollen types of Annonaceae in South America and Africa, suggesting instead a Northern Gondwanan origin for this family of primitive angiosperms. A cladistic analysis of Annonaceae shows a basal split of the family into Anaxagorea, the only genus with an Asian and Neotropical distribution, and a basically African and Neotropical line that includes the rest of the family. Several advanced lines occur in both Africa and Asia, one of which reaches Australia. This pattern may reflect the following history: (a) disjunction of Laurasian (Anaxagorea) and Northern Gondwanan lines in the Early Cretaceous, when interchanges across the Tethys were still easy and the major lines of Magnoliidae are documented by paleobotany; (b) radiation of the Northern Gondwanan line during the Late Cretaceous, while oceanic barriers were widening; (c) dispersal of African lines into Laurasia due to northward movement of Africa and India in the Early Tertiary, attested by the presence of fossil seeds of Annonaceae in Europe, and interchanges between North and South America at the end of the Tertiary.Alors que Takhtajan et Smith situaient l'origine des Angiospermes entre le Sud-Est asiatique et l'Australie. Walker et Le Thomas ont souligné la concentration des types polliniques primitifs d'Annonaceae en Amérique du Sud et en Afrique, laissant plutôt supposer une origine nord-gondwanienne pour cette famille d'Angiospermes primitives. Une analyse cladistique des Annonaceae révèle une division basale de la famille en Anaxagorea, seul genre de répartition asiatique et néotropicale, et une lignée fondamentalement africaine et néotropicale qui comprend le reste de la famille. Plusieurs lignées évoluées sont partagées entre l'Afrique et l'Asie, dont une atteint l'Australie. Ce schéma pourrait traduire l'histoire suivante : (a) la disjonction des lignées laurasienne (Anaxagorea) et nord-gondwanienne au Crétacé inférieur, alors que les échanges à travers la Téthys étaient encore faciles et que les grandes lignées de Magnoliidae sont établies par la paléobotanique; (b) la radiation de la lignée nord-gondwanienne pendant le Crétacé supérieur, lorsque les barrières océaniques s'élargissaient; (c) la dispersion de lignées africaines en Laurasie due au mouvement de l'Afrique et de l'Inde vers le nord au début du Tertiaire, attestée par la présence de graines fossiles d'Annonaceae en Europe, et des échanges entre l'Amérique du Nord et l'Amérique du Sud à la fin du Tertiaire.Wàhrend Takhtajan und Smith den Ursprung der Angiospermen zwischen Sùdostasien und Australien ansiedelten. haben Walker und Le Thomas die Konzentration primitiver Pollen-Typen von Annonaceae in Sùdamerika und Afrika hervorgehoben und so stattdessen einen Ursprung in Nord-Gondwanaland fur dièse Familie primitiver Angiospermen vorgeschlagen. Eine kladistische Analyse der Annonaceae zeigt eine Basis-Aufspaltung der Familie in Anaxagorea. die einzige Gattung mit asiatischer und neotropischer Verteilung und in eine grundsâtzlich afrikanische und neotropische Linie, welche den Rest der Familie einschliesst. Mehrere entwickelte Linien treten sowohl in Afrika wie Asien auf und eine davon erreicht Australien. Dies Schema kônnte die folgende Geschichte spiegeln: (a) Trennung der laurasischen (Anaxagorea) und der Nord-Godwanaland-Linien in derfrùhen Kreidezeit, zu einer Zeit als der Austausch ùber das Tethys noch einfach war und die Hauptlinien von Magnoliidae durch die Paieobotanik dokumentiert sind; (b) Radiation der Nord-Gondwanaland-Linie wàhrend der spâten Kreidezeit, als die Ozeanbarrieren sich verbreiterten; (c) Verbreitung der afrikanischen Linie ùber Laurasia aufgrund der Nordwàrts-Verschiebung von Afrika und Indien im frùhen Tertiâr, welche durch das Vorkommen fossiler Samen von Annonaceae in Europa bezeugt wird, und Austausch zwischen Nord- und Sùdamerika am Ende des Tertiârs

Developing the Quantitative Histopathology Image Ontology : A case study using the hot spot detection problem

Interoperability across data sets is a key challenge for quantitative histopathological imaging. There is a need for an ontology that can support effective merging of pathological image data with associated clinical and demographic data. To foster organized, cross-disciplinary, information-driven collaborations in the pathological imaging field, we propose to develop an ontology to represent imaging data and methods used in pathological imaging and analysis, and call it Quantitative Histopathological Imaging Ontology – QHIO. We apply QHIO to breast cancer hot-spot detection with the goal of enhancing reliability of detection by promoting the sharing of data between image analysts

Dynamic fracture mechanics analysis for an edge delamination crack

A global/local analysis is applied to the problem of a panel with an edge delamination crack subject to an impulse loading to ascertain the dynamic J integral. The approach uses the spectral element method to obtain the global dynamic response and local resultants to obtain the J integral. The variation of J integral along the crack front is shown. The crack behavior is mixed mode (Mode 2 and Mode 3), but is dominated by the Mode 2 behavior

Observations and 3D Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of a Confined Helical Jet Launched by a Filament Eruption

We present a detailed analysis of a confined filament eruption and jet associated with a C1.5 class solar flare. Multiwavelength observations from the Global Oscillations Network Group and Solar Dynamics Observatory reveal the filament forming over several days following the emergence and then partial cancellation of a minority polarity spot within a decaying bipolar active region. The emergence is also associated with the formation of a 3D null point separatrix that surrounds the minority polarity. The filament eruption occurs concurrently with brightenings adjacent to and below the filament, suggestive of breakout and flare reconnection, respectively. The erupting filament material becomes partially transferred into a strong outflow jet (∼60 km s−1 ) along coronal loops, becoming guided back toward the surface. Utilizing high-resolution Hα observations from the Swedish Solar Telescope/CRisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter, we construct velocity maps of the outflows, demonstrating their highly structured but broadly helical nature. We contrast the observations with a 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a breakout jet in a closed-field background and find close qualitative agreement. We conclude that the suggested model provides an intuitive mechanism for transferring twist/helicity in confined filament eruptions, thus validating the applicability of the breakout model not only to jets and coronal mass ejections but also to confined eruptions and flares

Economic Analysis of Increased Levels of Intramuscular Fat in Pork: Producer and Industry Opportunities

Ultrasound technology is available for accurately measuring intramuscular fat (IMF) in live pigs. This report provides information on the costs for pig producers and processors to implement this technology and what consumers are willing to pay for pork with improved levels of intramuscular fat. About half the participants in the willingness to pay study preferred the high IMF chop. They paid a premium of 25 percent over the low IMF chop.ultrasound technology, measure intramuscular fat live pigs, pig producer cost, pig processor costs, consumer willingness to pay, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing,