3,501 research outputs found
Combustion and operating characteristics of spark-ignition engines
The spark-ignition engine turbulent flame propagation process was investigated. Then, using a spark-ignition engine cycle simulation and combustion model, the impact of turbocharging and heat transfer variations or engine power, efficiency, and NO sub x emissions was examined
Approximating Weighted Duo-Preservation in Comparative Genomics
Motivated by comparative genomics, Chen et al. [9] introduced the Maximum
Duo-preservation String Mapping (MDSM) problem in which we are given two
strings and from the same alphabet and the goal is to find a
mapping between them so as to maximize the number of duos preserved. A
duo is any two consecutive characters in a string and it is preserved in the
mapping if its two consecutive characters in are mapped to same two
consecutive characters in . The MDSM problem is known to be NP-hard and
there are approximation algorithms for this problem [3, 5, 13], but all of them
consider only the "unweighted" version of the problem in the sense that a duo
from is preserved by mapping to any same duo in regardless of their
positions in the respective strings. However, it is well-desired in comparative
genomics to find mappings that consider preserving duos that are "closer" to
each other under some distance measure [19]. In this paper, we introduce a
generalized version of the problem, called the Maximum-Weight Duo-preservation
String Mapping (MWDSM) problem that captures both duos-preservation and
duos-distance measures in the sense that mapping a duo from to each
preserved duo in has a weight, indicating the "closeness" of the two
duos. The objective of the MWDSM problem is to find a mapping so as to maximize
the total weight of preserved duos. In this paper, we give a polynomial-time
6-approximation algorithm for this problem.Comment: Appeared in proceedings of the 23rd International Computing and
Combinatorics Conference (COCOON 2017
First Italian validation of the “satisfaction with simulation experience” scale (Sse) for the evaluation of the learning experience through simulation
Background and aim of the work. Training in simulation through “mannequins” is increasingly widespread among nursing students. In the Italian context, however, there are no tools that measure the degree of student satisfaction after clinical training through simulation. The aim of the study is to provide a first validation in Italian of the Satisfaction with simulation experience” (SSE) scale, a tool already validated in several languages. Methods. After obtaining the author’s consent, the SSE was subjected to forward and backward translation. The content validity was assessed by 5 training experts by calculating the Content Validity Index by Item and by Scale (I-CVI and S-CVI); the face validity was tested on 4 nursing students who had participated in a simulation experience. Subsequently, the SSE was administered to 10 nursing students with testretest after 7 days in order to evaluate the reliability by calculating the reliability coefficient (r) and Cronbach’s α. Results. The author approved the final version of the SSE translated into Italian: I-CVI values>0.80 and S-CVI was 0.94. r is 0.88 and the α of the scale is 0.713. Conclusions. The detected values of I-CVI and S-CVI are satisfactory, demonstrating the validity of the content of the SSE-ITA. The test-retest showed “optimal” reliability and the α was considered acceptable given the little deviation from the original (0.776). Although the results demonstrate satisfactory values, this is a first validation and other studies with larger samples are needed. (www.actabiomedica.it)
A Cellular Automata Model for Citrus Variagated Chlorosis
A cellular automata model is proposed to analyze the progress of Citrus
Variegated Chlorosis epidemics in S\~ao Paulo oranges plantation. In this model
epidemiological and environmental features, such as motility of sharpshooter
vectors which perform L\'evy flights, hydric and nutritional level of plant
stress and seasonal climatic effects, are included. The observed epidemics data
were quantitatively reproduced by the proposed model varying the parameters
controlling vectors motility, plant stress and initial population of diseased
plants.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, Scheduled tentatively for the issue of: 01Nov0
Wehrl information entropy and phase distributions of Schrodinger cat and cat-like states
The Wehrl information entropy and its phase density, the so-called Wehrl
phase distribution, are applied to describe Schr\"odinger cat and cat-like
(kitten) states. The advantages of the Wehrl phase distribution over the Wehrl
entropy in a description of the superposition principle are presented. The
entropic measures are compared with a conventional phase distribution from the
Husimi Q-function. Compact-form formulae for the entropic measures are found
for superpositions of well-separated states. Examples of Schr\"odinger cats
(including even, odd and Yurke-Stoler coherent states), as well as the cat-like
states generated in Kerr medium are analyzed in detail. It is shown that, in
contrast to the Wehrl entropy, the Wehrl phase distribution properly
distinguishes between different superpositions of unequally-weighted states in
respect to their number and phase-space configuration.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Hoigné's syndrome, an uncommon mimicker of anaphylaxis: Systematic literature review.
The term Hoigné's syndrome denotes a mimicker of anaphylaxis, which occurs immediately after the parenteral administration of a drug and is likely caused by non-thrombotic pulmonary and systemic drug micro-embolization. It has so far been documented uniquely in case reports and small case series. Because this condition has never been systematically evaluated, we performed a structured literature review (pre-registered as CRD42023392962). The search was carried out in Excerpta Medica, National Library of Medicine, and Google Scholar. Cases with features consistent with anaphylaxis, urticaria, angioedema, asthma, syncope, anxiety, or panic attack triggered by needle phobia, and local anesthetic systemic toxicity were excluded. For the final analysis, we retained reports published between 1951 and 2021, which presented 247 patients with Hoigné's syndrome: 37 children and 211 adults with a male: female ratio of 2.1 : 1.0. The patients presented within 1 min after parenteral administration of a drug (intramuscular penicillin in 90 % of the cases) with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fear of death, psychomotor agitation, and auditory or visual hallucinations and impairment. Recovery occurred within 30 min. The diagnosis of Hoigné's syndrome was also established in five patients 66-91 years of age with pre-existing cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases, who suddenly died after the administration of penicillin despite not exhibiting the aforementioned symptoms. It was therefore speculated that pulmonary drug micro-embolization induced a lethal cardiovascular compromise in these individuals. Histologic investigations supporting this hypothesis were performed in only one case. The diagnosis of Hoigné's pulmonary drug micro-embolization was established also in five patients with pre-existing cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases, who suddenly died after the administration of penicillin despite not exhibiting the afore mentioned symptoms. Histologic investigations supporting this hypothesis were performed in only one case. In conclusion, Hoigné's syndrome is an uncommon non-immune-mediated reaction. This report seeks to promote broader awareness and knowledge regarding this alarming mimicker of anaphylaxis. Diagnosis relies solely on clinical evaluation
On the Application of a Monolithic Array for Detecting Intensity-Correlated Photons Emitted by Different Source Types
It is not widely appreciated that many subtleties are involved in the
accurate measurement of intensity-correlated photons; even for the original
experiments of Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT). Using a monolithic 4x4 array of
single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), together with an off-chip algorithm for
processing streaming data, we investigate the difficulties of measuring
second-order photon correlations g2 in a wide variety of light fields that
exhibit dramatically different correlation statistics: a multimode He-Ne laser,
an incoherent intensity-modulated lamp-light source and a thermal light source.
Our off-chip algorithm treats multiple photon-arrivals at pixel-array pairs, in
any observation interval, with photon fluxes limited by detector saturation, in
such a way that a correctly normalized g2 function is guaranteed. The impact of
detector background correlations between SPAD pixels and afterpulsing effects
on second-order coherence measurements is discussed. These results demonstrate
that our monolithic SPAD array enables access to effects that are otherwise
impossible to measure with stand-alone detectors.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure
A new limit on the light speed isotropy from the GRAAL experiment at the ESRF
When the electrons stored in the ring of the European Synchrotron Radiation
Facility (ESRF, Grenoble) scatter on a laser beam (Compton scattering in
flight) the lower energy of the scattered electron spectra, the Compton Edge
(CE), is given by the two body photon-electron relativistic kinematics and
depends on the velocity of light. A precision measurement of the position of
this CE as a function of the daily variations of the direction of the electron
beam in an absolute reference frame provides a one-way test of Relativistic
Kinematics and the isotropy of the velocity of light. The results of GRAAL-ESRF
measurements improve the previously existing one-way limits, thus showing the
efficiency of this method and the interest of further studies in this
direction.Comment: Proceed. MG12 meeting, Paris, July, 200
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