Correction of stray magnetic fields caused by cable currents is essential for human in-vivo brain magnetic resonance current density imaging (MRCDI)

Accurate mapping of current flows in the human brain is important for many neuroscientific applications. MRCDI is an emerging method, which combines MRI with externally applied alternating currents to derive current flow distributions based on measurements of the current-induced magnetic fields. However, inaccurate and inconsistent measurements occur unless the stray magnetic fields ca used by the currents flowing in the feeding cables are corrected [1] . Here, we explore the influences of the stray magnetic fields due to the cable - currents in realistic experimental MRCDI set - ups

Cluster Control of Offshore Wind Power Plants Connected to a Common HVDC Station

AbstractIn this paper a coordinated control for cluster of offshore WPPs connected to the same HVDC connection is being implemented and analyzed. The study is targeting two cases as; coordination of reactive power flow between HVDC converter and the WPP cluster while providing offshore AC grid voltage control, and coordinated closed loop control between the HVDC and the WPPs while the cluster is providing Power Oscillation Damping (POD) via active power modulation. It is shown that the coordinated cluster control helps to improve the steady-state and dynamic response of the offshore AC grid in case of offshore AC grid voltage control and onshore ancillary services provision, i.e. POD by the active power modulation of the cluster. The two cases are simulated using DIgSILENT PowerFactory, where the IEC 61400-27-1 wind turbine and WPP control models and a generic offshore layout with cluster of three WPPs are utilized

Subject-specific simulation for non-invasive assessment of aortic coarctation: Towards a translational approach

We present a multi-scale CFD-based study conducted in a cohort of 11 patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA). The study explores the potential for implementation of a workflow using non-invasive routinely collected medical imaging data and clinical measurements to provide a more detailed insight into local aortic haemodynamics in order to support clinical decision making. Our approach is multi-scale, using a reduced-order model (1D/0D) and an optimization process for the personalization of patient-specific boundary conditions and aortic vessel wall parameters from non-invasive measurements, to inform a more complex model (3D/0D) representing 3D aortic patient-specific anatomy. The reliability of the modelling approach is investigated by comparing 3D/0D model pressure drop estimation with measured peak gradients recorded during diagnostic cardiac catheterization and 2D PC-MRI flow rate measurements in the descending aorta. The current study demonstrated that the proposed approach requires low levels of user interaction, making it suitable for the clinical setting. The agreement between computed blood pressure drop and catheter measurements is 10 ± 8 mmHg at the coarctation site. The comparison between CFD derived and catheter measured pressure gradients indicated that the model has to be improved, suggesting the use of time varying pressure waveforms to further optimize the tuning process and modelling assumptions

Cultural variations in the relationship between anger coping styles, depression and life satisfaction

Hypotheses are tested that ways of handling anger and their consequences will differ in student samples drawn from dignity cultures (UK and Finland), honor cultures (Turkey and Pakistan) and face cultures (Hong Kong and China). In line with our hypotheses, holding anger in and controlling anger correlate positively in face cultures but not in other samples, whereas holding anger in and letting anger out correlate positively in honor cultures but not in other samples. Furthermore, holding anger in and letting anger out are more strongly predictive of high depression and low life satisfaction in honor cultures than in other samples. The results provide support for the cross-cultural validity of Spielberger's (1999) anger expression inventory and for the proposition that differences in ways of handling anger can be understood in terms of contrasting cultural contexts

Nation-level moderators of the extent to which self-efficacy and relationship harmony predict students’ depression and life satisfaction: evidence from ten cultures

Previous two-nation comparisons have provided evidence that self-efficacy may be a protective factor against depression in individualist cultures, whereas relationship harmony may be a stronger protective factor in collectivist cultures. However, wider sampling and more specific measures of cultural difference are required to test these conclusions. Student ratings of depression and life satisfaction were surveyed in 10 samples drawn from nine nations. Culture-level individualism positively moderated the relationship of self-efficacy to low depression. However, culture-level collectivism negatively moderated the linkage of relationship harmony to depression. To better understand these effects, four separate nation-level predictors derived from dimensions of self-construal were employed. Effects of self-efficacy were strongest where cultural models of selfhood emphasized self-direction (vs. receptiveness to influence); effects of relationship harmony were strongest where cultural models of selfhood emphasized dependence on others (vs. self-reliance). These results illustrate the value of unpackaging the diffusely defined concept of individualism-collectivism

Procedia Economics and Finance

Higher education is important for countries for several reasons. It is a significant step for countries in achieving higher levels of development. The quality and efficiency of higher education are necessary to reach a high level of country's human capital. Each country uses a different higher education financing model with a different success rate. While some countries apply mainly private sector financing, others employ higher education systems which are financed by public sectors. The contribution of public sector to higher education financing varies significantly in each country. There have been important developments in higher education systems in many countries recently. As a result of developments in this area, the balance between the contribution levels of private and public sectors to higher education financing has changed. The current study discusses the different applications of higher education financing systems and analyzes the contribution of different actors participating in higher education financing. Higher education financing systems in different countries are examined. The first part of this study focuses on the theoretical framework of higher education services, and the second part provides a comparison of the shares of the actors who contribute to higher education financing in the countries in question. Thus, a comparative analysis of higher education system among countries is conducted. The last part consists of conclusions and recommendations. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

Acute toxicity of fluazifop-p-butyl (Herbicide) on oreochromis niloticus (l., 1754) larvae [Fluazifop-P-Butyl (Herbisit)’in Oreochromis niloticus (L.,1754) Yavruları Üzerine Akut Toksik Etkisinin Araştırılması]

In this study, aquatic environments adversely impact, which may occur in order to obtain information about the acute toxicity Fluazifop-p-butyl (herbicide) which is widespread used in agriculture in the Çukurova Region, has been researched using the larvae Oreochromis niloticus (L., 1754). In the present study, the test fish O. niloticus larvae (average weight 1.88±0.6 g, average length 5.04±0.5 cm) were obtained from the Çukurova University Fisheries Faculty Freshwater Fish Research and Application Station. In the experiment, five different concentrations along with the control group were used making a total of 12 aquariums. Each experiment was repeated two times. In this research, the static method of the acute bioassay methods was applied. The experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions at 25±2 °C. The results have been predicted with the dose-response data and were fitted with a log-logistic model by using R 3.0 statistical computation environment and DRC library. The 24-h acute LC50 value was determined. According to the conclusions, acute toxic effects investigated Fluazifop-p-butyl (herbicide), the 24-h LC50 acute toxic lethal concentration value for Oreochromis niloticus (L., 1754) larvae was calculated to be 1.94±0.02 mgl-1. These results indicate that low levels of Fluazifop-p-butyl (herbicide) in the aquatic environment may have a significant effect on the O. niloticus populations. © Published by Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) Trabzon, Turke

On the use of OSL and the 210°C TL peak in quartz for retrospective dosimetry.

We report on experiences with the use of optically stimulated luminescence and thermoluminescence for dose reconstruction using bricks collected from a mill in a contaminated village (Muslyumovo) of the lower Techa river valley, Southern Urals, Russia. Previous works (Göksu et al. 2002) have shown that the expected dose due to man-made sources of radiation in the bricks is in the same range as the dose due to natural sources of radiation, therefore a precise estimate of the total cumulative dose is of utmost importance. For the majority of samples investigated the extracted quartz grains show excellent luminescence properties in OSL (intense signals, homogeneous, narrow dose distributions) but less optimal properties in TL (low signals, larger scatter in the dose distributions). The cumulative doses measured with TL are continuously lower (on average 10-20%) than the ones measured with OSL for the same sample and using the same luminescence reader. From dose recovery tests it could be estimated that for some samples the SAR protocol in TL could lead to a dose underestimation of 5-10%. When taking this aspect into account we are still left with a 10% discrepancy between the TL and OSL dose estimates. This discrepancy is either caused by a systematic overestimation of doses with OSL or underestimation of doses with TL due to thermal fading of the 210°C TL peak as a result of the short but relatively hot summer months in Muslyumovo. We will present dose recovery tests with OSL and kinetic studies of the 210°C TL peak in our samples and compare the results with published values on synthetic quartz (Petrov and Bailiff, 1997; Veronese et al. 2004) to decide which mechanism applies