629 research outputs found
Robert Provine: the critical human importance of laughter, connections and contagion
Robert Provine made several critically important contributions to science, and in this paper, we will elaborate some of his research into laughter and behavioural contagion. To do this, we will employ Provine's observational methods and use a recorded example of naturalistic laughter to frame our discussion of Provine's work. The laughter is from a cricket commentary broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1991, in which Jonathan Agnew and Brian Johnston attempted to summarize that day's play, at one point becoming overwhelmed by laughter. We will use this laughter to demonstrate some of Provine's key points about laughter and contagious behaviour, and we will finish with some observations about the importance and implications of the differences between humans and other mammals in their use of contagious laughter. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cracking the laugh code: laughter through the lens of biology, psychology and neuroscience'
Measurement of Electron Trapping in the CESR Storage Ring
The buildup of low-energy electrons has been shown to affect the performance
of a wide variety of particle accelerators. Of particular concern is the
persistence of the cloud between beam bunch passages, which can impose
limitations on the stability of operation at high beam current. We have
obtained measurements of long-lived electron clouds trapped in the field of a
quadrupole magnet in a positron storage ring, with lifetimes much longer than
the revolution period. Based on modeling, we estimate that about 7% of the
electrons in the cloud generated by a 20-bunch train of 5.3 GeV positrons with
16-ns spacing and population survive longer than 2.3 s in a
quadrupole field of gradient 7.4 T/m. We have observed a non-monotonic
dependence of the trapping effect on the bunch spacing. The effect of a witness
bunch on the measured signal provides direct evidence for the existence of
trapped electrons. The witness bunch is also observed to clear the cloud,
demonstrating its effectiveness as a mitigation technique.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, 28 citation
Observations and predictions at CesrTA, and outlook for ILC
In this paper, we will describe some of the recent experimental measurements
[1, 2, 3] performed at CESRTA [4], and the supporting simulations, which probe
the interaction of the electron cloud with the stored beam. These experiments
have been done over a wide range of beam energies, emittances, bunch currents,
and fill patterns, to gather sufficient information to be able to fully
characterize the beam-electron-cloud interaction and validate the simulation
programs. The range of beam conditions is chosen to be as close as possible to
those of the ILC damping ring, so that the validated simulation programs can be
used to predict the performance of these rings with regard to electroncloud-
related phenomena. Using the new simulation code Synrad3D to simulate the
synchrotron radiation environment, a vacuum chamber design has been developed
for the ILC damping ring which achieves the required level of photoelectron
suppression. To determine the expected electron cloud density in the ring, EC
buildup simulations have been done based on the simulated radiation environment
and on the expected performance of the ILC damping ring chamber mitigation
prescriptions. The expected density has been compared with analytical estimates
of the instability threshold, to verify that the ILC damping ring vacuum
chamber design is adequate to suppress the electron cloud single-bunch
head-tail instability.Comment: 11 pages, contribution to the Joint INFN-CERN-EuCARD-AccNet Workshop
on Electron-Cloud Effects: ECLOUD'12; 5-9 Jun 2012, La Biodola, Isola d'Elba,
Ital
Differential patterns of PMN-elastase and type III procollagen peptide in knee joint effusions due to acute and chronic sports injuries
In 38 traumatic knee joint effusions the proteolytic enzyme PMN-elastase (PMN-E) and the repair marker procollagen III aminoterminal peptide (PIIINP) were determined. According to the period between trauma and first aspiration of the effusion, the patients were divided into 3 groups. Group I (17 patients; period between trauma and first aspiration not longer than 72 hours) showed high concentrations of PMN-E (up to 5400 ng/ml) and low concentrations of PIIINP (<13 U/ml). Group II (11 patients; aspiration within 4 to 14 days) had mean PMN-E and PIIINP concentrations of 125.6 ng/ml and 52.1 U/ ml, respectively. In group III (10 patients, aspiration after 14 days) mean PMN-E concentration was 123.8 ng/ml and mean PIIINP concentration was 63.4 U/ml. Graphic depiction of PMN-E and PIIINP levels in each individual sample as a function of time between trauma and fluid collection revealed highly increasing PMN-E levels during the first 24 posttraumatic hours, followed by rapidly decreasing levels within 72 hours post trauma, and no change after the 4th posttraumatic day. In contrast, PIIINP increased continuously up to the first posttraumatic week and stayed at high levels up to 90 days (end of the observation period). The differential patterns of PMN-E and PIIINP concentration in knee joint effusions may be useful in estimating the period between trauma and first treatment (aspiration of effusion) and should, therefore, be helpful in detecting degenerative lesions, which seem to be characterized by low PMN-E concomitantly with high PIIINP levels
Interfacial shear strength of carbon nanotubes based hybrid composites: effect of loading rate
Interfacial interaction is investigated between the two basic constituents in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRPs). Efforts have been made to quantify the Interfacial Shear Strength (IFSS) between individual Carbon Fiber (CF) and epoxy matrix in CFRPs by performing single fiber micro-droplet debond test. Initially, IFSS of the epoxy composites reinforced with unsized or Heated Carbon Fiber (HCF) is assessed. Study is then extended to assess the IFSS of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) based CFRP hybrid composites. The hybrid composites are prepared by reinforcing epoxy matrix with CNT grafted Carbon Fibers (CNTCF). The versatile, simple and time effective method of chemical vapor deposition is used to synthesize CNTs directly on the surface of CF. IFSS is found to enhance after the inclusion of grafted CNTs in CFRP composites. Keeping in mind the application view point of CFRPs to put up with varying loads, effect of loading rate on the IFSS of CFRPs is also examined. To this end, both HCF/epoxy and CNTCF/epoxy composites are debonded at cross-head rates varying by two orders of magnitude and IFSS values are compared. Finally, scanning electron microscopy of debonded fibers is carried out to understand the interfacial failure mechanism in various composites
Interfacial shear strength of carbon nanotubes based hybrid composites: effect of loading rate
Interfacial interaction is investigated between the two basic constituents in carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). Efforts have been made to quantify the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) between individual carbon fiber (CF) and epoxy matrix in CFRPs by performing single fiber micro-droplet debond test. Initially, IFSS of the epoxy composites reinforced with unsized carbon fiber (HCF) is assessed. Study is then extended to assess the IFSS of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based CFRP hybrid composites. The hybrid composites are prepared by reinforcing epoxy matrix with CNT grafted carbon fibers (CNTCF). The versatile, simple and time effective method of chemical vapor deposition is used to synthesize CNTs directly on the surface of CF. IFSS is found to enhance after the inclusion of grafted CNTs in CFRP composites. Keeping in mind the application view point of CFRPs to put up with varying loads, effect of loading rate on the IFSS of CFRPs is also examined. To this end, both HCF/epoxy and CNTCF/epoxy composites are debonded at cross-head rates varying by two orders of magnitude and IFSS is compared. Finally, scanning electron microscopy of debonded fibers is carried out to understand the interfacial failure mechanism in various composites
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