Performance optimization for rotors in hover and axial flight

Performance optimization for rotors in hover and axial flight is a topic of continuing importance to rotorcraft designers. The aim of this Phase 1 effort has been to demonstrate that a linear optimization algorithm could be coupled to an existing influence coefficient hover performance code. This code, dubbed EHPIC (Evaluation of Hover Performance using Influence Coefficients), uses a quasi-linear wake relaxation to solve for the rotor performance. The coupling was accomplished by expanding of the matrix of linearized influence coefficients in EHPIC to accommodate design variables and deriving new coefficients for linearized equations governing perturbations in power and thrust. These coefficients formed the input to a linear optimization analysis, which used the flow tangency conditions on the blade and in the wake to impose equality constraints on the expanded system of equations; user-specified inequality contraints were also employed to bound the changes in the design. It was found that this locally linearized analysis could be invoked to predict a design change that would produce a reduction in the power required by the rotor at constant thrust. Thus, an efficient search for improved versions of the baseline design can be carried out while retaining the accuracy inherent in a free wake/lifting surface performance analysis

Black-hole concept of a point-like nucleus with supercritical charge

The Dirac equation for an electron in the central Coulomb field of a point-like nucleus with the charge greater than 137 is considered. This singular problem, to which the fall-down onto the centre is inherent, is addressed using a new approach, based on a black-hole concept of the singular centre and capable of producing cut-off-free results. To this end the Dirac equation is presented as a generalized eigenvalue boundary problem of a self-adjoint operator. The eigenfunctions make complete sets, orthogonal with a singular measure, and describe particles, asymptotically free and delta-function-normalizable both at infinity and near the singular centre $r=0$. The barrier transmission coefficient for these particles responsible for the effects of electron absorption and spontaneous electron-positron pair production is found analytically as a function of electron energy and charge of the nucleus. The singular threshold behaviour of the corresponding amplitudes substitutes for the resonance behaviour, typical of the conventional theory, which appeals to a finite-size nucleus.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures, LATEX requires IOPAR

A fruit quality gene map of Prunus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Prunus </it>fruit development, growth, ripening, and senescence includes major biochemical and sensory changes in texture, color, and flavor. The genetic dissection of these complex processes has important applications in crop improvement, to facilitate maximizing and maintaining stone fruit quality from production and processing through to marketing and consumption. Here we present an integrated fruit quality gene map of <it>Prunus </it>containing 133 genes putatively involved in the determination of fruit texture, pigmentation, flavor, and chilling injury resistance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A genetic linkage map of 211 markers was constructed for an intraspecific peach (<it>Prunus persica</it>) progeny population, Pop-DG, derived from a canning peach cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a fresh market cultivar 'Georgia Belle'. The Pop-DG map covered 818 cM of the peach genome and included three morphological markers, 11 ripening candidate genes, 13 cold-responsive genes, 21 novel EST-SSRs from the ChillPeach database, 58 previously reported SSRs, 40 RAFs, 23 SRAPs, 14 IMAs, and 28 accessory markers from candidate gene amplification. The Pop-DG map was co-linear with the <it>Prunus </it>reference T × E map, with 39 SSR markers in common to align the maps. A further 158 markers were bin-mapped to the reference map: 59 ripening candidate genes, 50 cold-responsive genes, and 50 novel EST-SSRs from ChillPeach, with deduced locations in Pop-DG via comparative mapping. Several candidate genes and EST-SSRs co-located with previously reported major trait loci and quantitative trait loci for chilling injury symptoms in Pop-DG.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The candidate gene approach combined with bin-mapping and availability of a community-recognized reference genetic map provides an efficient means of locating genes of interest in a target genome. We highlight the co-localization of fruit quality candidate genes with previously reported fruit quality QTLs. The fruit quality gene map developed here is a valuable tool for dissecting the genetic architecture of fruit quality traits in <it>Prunus </it>crops.</p

Second cancer risk and mortality in men treated with radiotherapy for stage I seminoma

BACKGROUND: Patients with stage I testicular seminoma are typically diagnosed at a young age and treatment is associated with low relapse and mortality rates. The long-term risks of adjuvant radiotherapy in this patient group are therefore particularly relevant. METHODS: We identified patients and obtained treatment details from 12 cancer centres (11 United Kingdom, 1 Norway) and ascertained second cancers and mortality through national registries. Data from 2629 seminoma patients treated with radiotherapy between 1960 and 1992 were available, contributing 51,151 person-years of follow-up. RESULTS: Four hundred and sixty-eight second cancers (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) were identified. The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.61 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.47-1.76, P<0.0001). The SIR was 1.53 (95% CI: 1.39-1.68, P<0.0001) when the 32 second testicular cancers were also excluded. This increase was largely due to an excess risk to organs in the radiation field; for pelvic-abdominal sites the SIR was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.43-1.83), with no significant elevated risk of cancers in organs elsewhere. There was no overall increase in mortality with a standardised mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.06 (95% CI: 0.98-1.14), despite an increase in the cancer-specific mortality (excluding testicular cancer deaths) SMR of 1.46 (95% CI: 1.30-1.65, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of stage I seminoma is excellent and it is important to avoid conferring long-term increased risk of iatrogenic disease such as radiation-associated second cancers

Finite reduction and Morse index estimates for mechanical systems

A simple version of exact finite dimensional reduction for the variational setting of mechanical systems is presented. It is worked out by means of a thorough global version of the implicit function theorem for monotone operators. Moreover, the Hessian of the reduced function preserves all the relevant information of the original one, by Schur's complement, which spontaneously appears in this context. Finally, the results are straightforwardly extended to the case of a Dirichlet problem on a bounded domain.Comment: 13 pages; v2: minor changes, to appear in Nonlinear Differential Equations and Application

Delivery status of the ELI-NP gamma beam system

International audienceThe ELI-NP GBS is a high intensity and monochromatic gamma source under construction in Magurele (Romania). The design and construction of the Gamma Beam System complex as well as the integration of the technical plants and the commissioning of the overall facility, was awarded to the Eurogammas Consortium in March 2014. The delivery of the facility has been planned in for 4 stages and the first one was fulfilled in October 31st 2015. The engineering aspects related to the delivery stage 1 are presented

Optimal control problems with maximum functional

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76172/1/AIAA-20777-321.pd

Long-Term Potentiation: One Kind or Many?

Do neurobiologists aim to discover natural kinds? I address this question in this chapter via a critical analysis of classification practices operative across the 43-year history of research on long-term potentiation (LTP). I argue that this 43-year history supports the idea that the structure of scientific practice surrounding LTP research has remained an obstacle to the discovery of natural kinds