713 research outputs found
A Possible Regenerative, Molten-Salt, Thermoelectric Fuel Cell
Molten or fused salts have been evaluated as possible thermoelectric materials because of the relatively good values of their figures of merit, their chemical stability, their long liquid range, and their ability to operate in conjunction with a nuclear reactor to produce heat. In general, molten salts are electrolytic conductors; therefore, there will be a transport of materials and subsequent decomposition with the passage of an electric current. It is possible nonetheless to overcome this disadvantage by using the decomposition products of the molten-salt electrolyte in a fuel cell. The combination of a thermoelectric converter and a fuel cell would lead to a regenerative system that may be useful
Interactive color display of 3-D engineering analysis results
A general approach to three-dimensional postprocessing of engineering analyses is presented. The approach is versatile and may handle the results from a wide range of engineering analysis methods which involve the discretization of continua. To facilitate the understanding of complex three-dimensional numerical models, advanced interactive color postprocessing techniques are introduced. Finite element, finite difference, and boundary element models are evaluated with the prototype postprocessor. The existing color graphics program (POSTPRO3D) was ported to a high-resolution device. Interactive graphic tools were implemented to facilitate qualitative mesh evaluation from a single analysis. A postprocessing environment was design for workstation technology
ON COMPUTING A BUY/COPY POLICY USING THE PITT-KRAFT MODEL
The Pitt-Kraft model of buying versus photocopying results in a small, but complex, nonlinear program. This paper identifies a Kuhn-Tucker point and demonstrates that for certain parameter values it is not optimal. A policy generation procedure is presented; the purpose is to prevent convergence of a primal algorithm to this inferior policy, which satisfies the Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions
Interactive design of complex time-dependent lighting
Visualizing complicated lighting sequences while designing large theatrical productions proves difficult. The author provides some techniques that achieve fast interaction regardless of scene and lighting complexity, even when used with costly rendering algorithms
Quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry
In the rainbow schlieren apparatus, a continuously graded rainbow filter is placed in the back focal plane of the decollimating lens. Refractive-index gradients in the test section thus appear as gradations in hue rather than irradiance. A simple system is described wherein a conventional color CCD array and video digitizer are used to quantify accurately the color attributes of the resulting image, and hence the associated ray deflections. The present system provides a sensitivity comparable with that of conventional interferometry, while being simpler to implement and less sensitive to mechanical misalignment
Modeling the interaction of light between diffuse surfaces
Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley are arguably the most important female writers of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, while Wollstonecraft is one of the most significant contributors to the women’s rights movement, with some of her ideas expressed in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman being referenced in the modern-day laws about the rights of women. This paper will analyze the life and work of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley, focusing mostly on their most famous and most significant works, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus, respectively. Furthermore, it will analyze the position of women through the biographies of both writers and the autobiographical elements in their works, as well as through the analysis of the female characters in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus as a representation of more or less typical women of the time. Finally, it will search for and analyze the influence of Mary Shelley’s mother’s works and ideas on her writing in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and her work in general. The aim of this BA paper is to analyze the position of women in society and literature through the above mentioned aspects of the life and work of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley and to prove the importance of both of these authors, but especially Wollstonecraft, in the female struggle for obtaining the most basic human rights and the still persisting fight for gender equality
Ca2+ Influx Regulates BDNF Transcription by a CREB Family Transcription Factor-Dependent Mechanism
AbstractCREB is a transcription factor implicated in the control of adaptive neuronal responses. Although one function of CREB in neurons is believed to be the regulation of genes whose products control synaptic function, the targets of CREB that mediate synaptic function have not yet been identified. This report describes experiments demonstrating that CREB or a closely related protein mediates Ca2+-dependent regulation of BDNF, a neurotrophin that modulates synaptic activity. In cortical neurons, Ca2+ influx triggers phosphorylation of CREB, which by binding to a critical Ca2+ response element (CRE) within the BDNF gene activates BDNF transcription. Mutation of the BDNF CRE or an adjacent novel regulatory element as well as a blockade of CREB function resulted in a dramatic loss of BDNF transcription. These findings suggest that a CREB family member acts cooperatively with an additional transcription factor(s) to regulate BDNF transcription. We conclude that the BDNF gene is a CREB family target whose protein product functions at synapses to control adaptive neuronal responses
Telephone-Based versus In-Person Delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Veterans with Chronic Multisymptom Illness: A Controlled, Randomized Trial
Background:The goal of this randomized clinical trial was to examine the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral stress reduction treatment for reducing disability among veterans with chronic multisymptom illness (CMI).Method: Veterans (N=128) who endorsed symptoms of CMI were randomized to: usual care (n=43), in-person (n=42) or telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral stress management (n=43). Assessments were conducted at baseline, three months, and twelve months. The primary outcome was limitation in roles at work and home (i.e., ‘role physical’). Reductions in catastrophizing cognitions were evaluated as a mechanism of action. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed no statistically significant main effect (F(2, 164)=.58, p=.56) or interaction effect (F(4,164)=.94, p=.45) for role physical. Over time, veterans improved in their physical function (F(2,170)=5.34, p2partial=.06), PTSD symptoms (F(2,170)=9.39, p2partial=.10), depressive symptoms (F(2,170)=10.81, p2partial=.11), and physical symptoms (F(2, 172)=12.65, p2partial=.13), but these improvements did not differ across study arms over time. Completer analyses yielded similar results. There were no differences in catastrophizing between arms. Conclusion: Findings suggest stress reduction may not be the right target for improving disability among veterans with CMI. Veterans with CMI may need intervention that directly impacts medical self-management to improve disability
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