2,318 research outputs found
Finite-Time Singularity Signature of Hyperinflation
We present a novel analysis extending the recent work of Mizuno et al. [2002]
on the hyperinflations of Germany (1920/1/1-1923/11/1), Hungary
(1945/4/30-1946/7/15), Brazil (1969-1994), Israel (1969-1985), Nicaragua
(1969-1991), Peru (1969-1990) and Bolivia (1969-1985). On the basis of a
generalization of Cagan's model of inflation based on the mechanism of
``inflationary expectation'' or positive feedbacks between realized growth rate
and people's expected growth rate, we find that hyperinflations can be
characterized by a power law singularity culminating at a critical time .
Mizuno et al.'s double-exponential function can be seen as a discrete time-step
approximation of our more general nonlinear ODE formulation of the price
dynamics which exhibits a finite-time singular behavior. This extension of
Cagan's model, which makes natural the appearance of a critical time , has
the advantage of providing a well-defined end of the clearly unsustainable
hyperinflation regime. We find an excellent and reliable agreement between
theory and data for Germany, Hungary, Peru and Bolivia. For Brazil, Israel and
Nicaragua, the super-exponential growth seems to be already contaminated
significantly by the existence of a cross-over to a stationary regime.Comment: Latex 21 pages including 2 tables and 7 eps figure
2006 Icing Cloud Calibration of the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel
In order to improve icing cloud uniformity, changes were made to the tunnel at the NASA Glenn Research Center in the vicinity of the spray bars. These changes necessitated a complete recalibration of the icing clouds. This report describes the methods used in the recalibration, including the procedure used to optimize the uniformity of the icing cloud and the use of a standard icing blade technique for measurement of liquid water content. The instruments and methods used to perform the droplet size calibration are also described. The liquid water content/droplet size operating envelopes of the icing tunnel are shown for a range of airspeeds and compared to the FAA icing certification criteria
The measurement of aircraft performance and stability and control after flight through natural icing conditions
The effects of airframe icing on the performance and stability and control of a twin-engine commuter-class aircraft were measured by the NASA Lewis Research Center. This work consisted of clear air tests with artificial ice shapes attached to the horizontal tail, and natural icing flight tests in measured icing clouds. The clear air tests employed static longitudinal flight test methods to determine degradation in stability margins for four simulated ice shapes. The natural icing flight tests employed a data acquisition system, which was provided under contract to NASA by Kohlman Systems Research Incorporated. This system used a performance modeling method and modified maximum likelihood estimation (MMLE) technique to determine aircraft performance degradation and stability and control. Flight test results with artificial ice shapes showed that longitudinal, stick-fixed, static margins are reduced on the order of 5 percent with flaps up. Natural icing tests with the KSR system corroborated these results and showed degradation in the elevator control derivatives on the order of 8 to 16 percent depending on wing flap configuration. Performance analyses showed the individual contributions of major airframe components to the overall degration in lift and drag
Performance of Partially Fluorinated Polyimide Insulation for Aerospace Applications
Polyimide has been used extensively as the primary wiring insulation in commercial planes, military aircraft, and space vehicles due to its low weight, high service temperature, and good dielectric strength. New failure modes, however, have been associated with the use of polyimide because of the susceptibility of the insulation to pyrolization and arc tracking. A new wiring construction utilizing partially fluorinated polyimide insulation has been tested and compared with the standard military polyimide wire. Electrical properties which were investigated include AC corona inception and extinction voltages (sea level and 60,000 feet), time/current to smoke, and wire fusing time. The two constructions were also characterized in terms of their mechanical properties including abrasion resistance, dynamic cut through, and notch propagation. These test efforts and the results obtained are presented and discussed
Application of positron emission tomography imaging to cancer screening
Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is a diagnostic modality that can noninvasively survey the entire body and sensitively detect various cancers. In this study, we examined the potential application of whole-body PET for cancer screening in asymptomatic individuals. PET was performed in conjunction with conventional examinations including physical examination, laboratory study, ultrasonography and chest computed tomography. Between September 1994 and March 1999, 3165 asymptomatic individuals participated in 5575 screening sessions (2017 men and 1148 women; mean ± SD age, 52.2 ± 10.4 years). Follow-up periods were no less than 10 months. PET results were compared with the screening outcomes. Within 1 year after screening, malignant tumours were discovered in 67 of the 3165 participants (2.1%). PET findings were true-positive in 36 of the 67 cancers (54%). Most of the 36 patients underwent potentially curative surgery; thus a wide variety of cancers were detected by PET at potentially curable stages. However, PET findings were false-negative in 31 of the 67 patients (46%). 14 of these 31 (45%) were of urological origin. FDG PET imaging has the potential to detect a wide variety of cancers at potentially curable stages. However, PET imaging is not suited to screening test of general population because PET examination involves substantial cost. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co
From inquilines to gall inducers:Genomic signature of a life-style transition in synergus gall wasps
Gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) induce complex galls on oaks, roses and other plants, but the mechanism of gall induction is still unknown. Here we take a comparative genomic approach to revealing the genetic basis of gall induction. We focus on Synergus itoensis, a species that induces galls inside oak acorns. Previous studies suggested that this species evolved the ability to initiate gall formation recently, as it is deeply nested within the genus Synergus, whose members are mostly inquilines that develop inside the galls of other species. We compared the genome of S. itoensis to that of three related Synergus inquilines to identify genomic changes associated with the origin of gall induction. We used a novel Bayesian selection analysis, which accounts for branch-specific and gene-specific selection effects, to search for signatures of selection in 7,600 single-copy orthologous genes shared by the four Synergus species. We found that the terminal branch leading to S. itoensis had more genes with a significantly elevated dN/dS ratio (Positive Signature Genes, PSGs) than the other terminal branches in the tree; the S. itoensis branch also had more genes with a significantly decreased dN/dS ratio. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that the PSG set of S. itoensis, unlike those of the inquiline species, is enriched in several biological process Gene Ontology terms, the most prominent of which is “Ovarian Follicle Cell Development”. Our results indicate that the origin of gall induction is associated with distinct genomic changes, and provide a good starting point for further characterization of the genes involved
Variational assimilation of Lagrangian data in oceanography
We consider the assimilation of Lagrangian data into a primitive equations
circulation model of the ocean at basin scale. The Lagrangian data are
positions of floats drifting at fixed depth. We aim at reconstructing the
four-dimensional space-time circulation of the ocean. This problem is solved
using the four-dimensional variational technique and the adjoint method. In
this problem the control vector is chosen as being the initial state of the
dynamical system. The observed variables, namely the positions of the floats,
are expressed as a function of the control vector via a nonlinear observation
operator. This method has been implemented and has the ability to reconstruct
the main patterns of the oceanic circulation. Moreover it is very robust with
respect to increase of time-sampling period of observations. We have run many
twin experiments in order to analyze the sensitivity of our method to the
number of floats, the time-sampling period and the vertical drift level. We
compare also the performances of the Lagrangian method to that of the classical
Eulerian one. Finally we study the impact of errors on observations.Comment: 31 page
DNA replication stress restricts ribosomal DNA copy number
Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) in budding yeast are encoded by ~100–200 repeats of a 9.1kb sequence arranged in tandem on chromosome XII, the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) locus. Copy number of rDNA repeat units in eukaryotic cells is maintained far in excess of the requirement for ribosome biogenesis. Despite the importance of the repeats for both ribosomal and non-ribosomal functions, it is currently not known how “normal” copy number is determined or maintained. To identify essential genes involved in the maintenance of rDNA copy number, we developed a droplet digital PCR based assay to measure rDNA copy number in yeast and used it to screen a yeast conditional temperature-sensitive mutant collection of essential genes. Our screen revealed that low rDNA copy number is associated with compromised DNA replication. Further, subculturing yeast under two separate conditions of DNA replication stress selected for a contraction of the rDNA array independent of the replication fork blocking protein, Fob1. Interestingly, cells with a contracted array grew better than their counterparts with normal copy number under conditions of DNA replication stress. Our data indicate that DNA replication stresses select for a smaller rDNA array. We speculate that this liberates scarce replication factors for use by the rest of the genome, which in turn helps cells complete DNA replication and continue to propagate. Interestingly, tumors from mini chromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2)-deficient mice also show a loss of rDNA repeats. Our data suggest that a reduction in rDNA copy number may indicate a history of DNA replication stress, and that rDNA array size could serve as a diagnostic marker for replication stress. Taken together, these data begin to suggest the selective pressures that combine to yield a “normal” rDNA copy number
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