Uncertainties in the Anti-neutrino Production at Nuclear Reactors

Anti-neutrino emission rates from nuclear reactors are determined from thermal power measurements and fission rate calculations. The uncertainties in these quantities for commercial power plants and their impact on the calculated interaction rates in electron anti-neutrino detectors is examined. We discuss reactor-to-reactor correlations between the leading uncertainties and their relevance to reactor anti-neutrino experiments.Comment: Submitted to Phys Rev

LISREL analysis of twin data with structured means

Introduces a method to test the hypothesis that the phenotypic means and the phenotypic covariances can be modeled with the same common genetic and environmental factors. LISREL can be used to implement the method. An illustration with simulated twin data is provided

Human Impacts on Forest Biodiversity in Protected Walnut-Fruit Forests in Kyrgyzstan

We used a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics, supported by empirical field data and socioeconomic data, to examine the impacts of human disturbances on a protected forest landscape in Kyrgyzstan. Local use of 27 fruit and nut species was recorded and modeled. Results indicated that in the presence of fuelwood cutting with or without grazing, species of high socioeconomic impor- tance such as Juglans regia, Malus spp., and Armeniaca vulgaris were largely eliminated from the landscape after 50–150 yr. In the absence of disturbance or in the presence of grazing only, decline of these species occurred at a much lower rate, owing to competi- tive interactions between tree species. This suggests that the current intensity of fuelwood harvesting is not sustainable. Conversely, cur- rent grazing intensities were found to have relatively little impact on forest structure and composition, and could potentially play a positive role in supporting regeneration of tree species. These results indicate that both positive and negative impacts on biodiversity can arise from human populations living within a protected area. Potentially, these could be reconciled through the development of participatory approaches to conservation management within this reserve, to ensure the maintenance of its high conservation value while meeting human needs

Simultaneous genetic analysis of longitudinal means and covariance structure in the simplex model using twin data

A longitudinal model based on the simplex model is presented to analyze simultaneously means and covariance structure using univariate longitudinal twin data. The objective of the model is to decompose the mean trend into components which can be attributed to those genetic and environmental factors which give rise to phenotypic individual differences and a component of unknown constitution which does not involve individual differences. Illustrations are given using simulated data and repeatedly measured weight obtained in a sample of 82 female twin pairs on sbc occasions. KEY WORDS: repeated measures; genetic and environmental covariance structure; mean trend; longitudinal twin data; genetic simplex mode; LISREL

Framing research on school principals' identities

This paper provides a basis for a tentative framework for guiding future research into principals’ identity construction and development. It is situated in the context of persisting emphases placed by government policies on the need for technocratic competencies in principals as a means of demonstrating success defined largely as compliance with demands for the improvement in student test scores. Often this emphasis is at the expense of forwarding a broader view of the need, alongside these, for clear educational values, beliefs and practices that are associated with these. The framework is informed by the theoretical work of Wenger and Bourdieu as well as recent empirical research on the part played by professional identity and emotions in school leadership. In the paper, we highlight different lines of inquiry and the issues they raise for researchers. We argue that the constructions of school leadership identities are located in time, space and place, and emotions reflect complex leadership identities situated within social hierarchies which are part of wider structures and social relations of power and control

Structures of (5′S)-8,5′-Cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine Mismatched with dA or dT

pubs.acs.org/cr

Predicting invasions of North American basses in Japan using native range data and a genetic algorithm

Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and smallmouth bass M. dolomieu have been introduced into freshwater habitats in Japan, with potentially serious consequences for native fish populations. In this paper we apply the technique of ecological niche modeling using the genetic algorithm for rule-set prediction (GARP) to predict the potential distributions of these two species in Japan. This algorithm constructs a niche model based on point occurrence records and ecological coverages. The model can be visualized in geographic space, yielding a prediction of potential geographic range. The model can then be tested by determining how well independent point occurrence data are predicted according to the criteria of sensitivity and specificity provided by receiver–operator curve analysis. We ground-truthed GARP’s ability to forecast the geographic occurrence of each species in its native range. The predictions were statistically significant for both species (P , 0.001). We projected the niche models onto the Japanese landscape to visualize the potential geographic ranges of both species in Japan. We tested these predictions using known occurrences from introduced populations of largemouth bass, both in the aggregate and by habitat type. All analyses robustly predicted known Japanese occurrences (P , 0.001). The number of smallmouth bass in Japan was too small for statistical tests, but the 10 known occurrences were predicted by the majority of models

Robust Modal Filtering and Control of the X-56A Model with Simulated Fiber Optic Sensor Failures

The X-56A aircraft is a remotely-piloted aircraft with flutter modes intentionally designed into the flight envelope. The X-56A program must demonstrate flight control while suppressing all unstable modes. A previous X-56A model study demonstrated a distributed-sensing-based active shape and active flutter suppression controller. The controller relies on an estimator which is sensitive to bias. This estimator is improved herein, and a real-time robust estimator is derived and demonstrated on 1530 fiber optic sensors. It is shown in simulation that the estimator can simultaneously reject 230 worst-case fiber optic sensor failures automatically. These sensor failures include locations with high leverage (or importance). To reduce the impact of leverage outliers, concentration based on a Mahalanobis trim criterion is introduced. A redescending M-estimator with Tukey bisquare weights is used to improve location and dispersion estimates within each concentration step in the presence of asymmetry (or leverage). A dynamic simulation is used to compare the concentrated robust estimator to a state-of-the-art real-time robust multivariate estimator. The estimators support a previously-derived mu-optimal shape controller. It is found that during the failure scenario, the concentrated modal estimator keeps the system stable

Poboljšana elektromagnetska kompatibilnost (EMC) sklopnog energetskog pretvarača sa slučajnom modulacijom

This paper surveys some analytical and experimental results concerning different randomized modulation strategies in switched-mode power converters (SMPCs). After a short review of practical experiences within the literature it presents the benefits of several randomized schemes for power converters (i.e. reduced electromagnetic interference - EMI, and lower acoustic noise). It also introduces the mathematical background for dealing with randomized modulation within the medium-frequency range: power spectrum density (PSD). Finally, the EMI measurements confirm the improved EMC performances of the randomized boost rectifier, as also in the DC-DC buck converter.Ovaj članak istražuje analitičke i eksperimentalne rezultate različitih slučajnih strategija modulacije u sklopnim energetskim pretvaračima (SMPCs). Nakon kratkog pregleda praktičnih iskustava iz literature, predstavljene su prednosti nekoliko slučajnih shema za energetske pretvarače (smanjena elektromagnetska interferencija - EMI, i niži akustični šum). Također, uvedena je matematička podloga za rad sa slučajnom modulacijom u području srednjih frekvencija: spektralna gustoća snage (PSD). Konačno, EMI mjerenja potvrđuju poboljšanja EMC performansi slučajnih uzlaznih ispravljača, kao i DC-DC silaznih pretvarača