Discontinuities without discontinuity: The Weakly-enforced Slip Method

Tectonic faults are commonly modelled as Volterra or Somigliana dislocations in an elastic medium. Various solution methods exist for this problem. However, the methods used in practice are often limiting, motivated by reasons of computational efficiency rather than geophysical accuracy. A typical geophysical application involves inverse problems for which many different fault configurations need to be examined, each adding to the computational load. In practice, this precludes conventional finite-element methods, which suffer a large computational overhead on account of geometric changes. This paper presents a new non-conforming finite-element method based on weak imposition of the displacement discontinuity. The weak imposition of the discontinuity enables the application of approximation spaces that are independent of the dislocation geometry, thus enabling optimal reuse of computational components. Such reuse of computational components renders finite-element modeling a viable option for inverse problems in geophysical applications. A detailed analysis of the approximation properties of the new formulation is provided. The analysis is supported by numerical experiments in 2D and 3D.Comment: Submitted for publication in CMAM

Mapping the systematic literature studies about software ecosystems

There is a need to improve the definition and development of technological ecosystems in order to solve the main problems detected in previous studies. To achieve this goal, it is required to identify and analyse the solutions available in the literature in the field of software engineering applied to ecosystems. The research in software ecosystems is a relatively young research area, but there are already several works that analyse the literature associated. To conduct a new systematic literature review is necessary to ensure that there are no studies that do the same, namely, that do not answer the same research questions. The identification of the need for a review was done through a study focused on systematic literature reviews and mapping studies about software ecosystems. This work aims to describe the mapping conducted as part of that study. It provides a global state of the art of this kind of studies in the area of software ecosystems

Effect of chemical disorder on NiMnSb investigated by Appearance Potential Spectroscopy: a theoretical study

The half-Heusler alloy NiMnSb is one of the local-moment ferromagnets with unique properties for future applications. Band structure calculations predict exclusively majority bands at the Fermi level, thus indicating {100%} spin polarization there. As one thinks about applications and the design of functional materials, the influence of chemical disorder in these materials must be considered. The magnetization, spin polarization, and electronic structure are expected to be sensitive to structural and stoichiometric changes. In this contribution, we report on an investigation of the spin-dependent electronic structure of NiMnSb. We studied the influence of chemical disorder on the unoccupied electronic density of states by use of the ab-initio Coherent Potential Approximation method. The theoretical analysis is discussed along with corresponding spin-resolved Appearance Potential Spectroscopy measurements. Our theoretical approach describes the spectra as the fully-relativistic self-convolution of the matrix-element weighted, orbitally resolved density of states.Comment: JPD submitte

Managing professional jurisdiction and domestic energy use

Professionals involved in organizing and undertaking domestic works, such as extensions, maintenance and refurbishment, have an important role in influencing how homes are configured and how occupants live within them. Despite this, the professional identities of these actors, and their impact on domestic energy use, is often overlooked. In response, this paper argues that one useful way of examining their influence is to consider how professional identities shape everyday working practices in relation to clients. Data from two UK interview and observation studies are combined: one with heating installers and the other with architects. The data are analysed using concepts from Abbott’s ‘system of professions’ framework that focuses on how the routine working practices of professional groups are born of how they see themselves and the tasks for which they are responsible. This comparison provides insights into how these two groups manage their professional ‘jurisdictions’ during their client interactions and what this means for policy-makers and industry representatives hoping to influence their work in pursuit of less carbon-intensive living. It also points to the value of further in-depth studies that explore how the routine management of professional jurisdiction impacts upon domestic energy use in a range of contexts

Surface Properties of the Half- and Full-Heusler Alloys

Using a full-potential \textit{ab-initio} technique I study the electronic and magnetic properties of the (001) surfaces of the half-Heusler alloys, NiMnSb, CoMnSb and PtMnSb and of the full-Heusler alloys Co$_2$MnGe, Co$_2$MnSi and Co$_2$CrAl. The MnSb terminated surfaces of the half-Heusler compounds present properties similar to the bulk compounds and, although the half-metallicity is lost, an important spin-polarisation at the Fermi level. In contrast to this the Ni terminated surface shows an almost zero net spin-polarisation. While the bulk Co$_2$MnGe and Co$_2$MnSi are almost half-ferromagnetic, their surfaces lose the half-metallic character and the net spin-polarisation at the Fermi level is close to zero. Contrary to these compounds the CrAl terminated (001) surface of Co$_2$CrAl shows a spin polarisation of about 84%.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Spacelab Science Results Study

Beginning with OSTA-1 in November 1981 and ending with Neurolab in March 1998, a total of 36 Shuttle missions carried various Spacelab components such as the Spacelab module, pallet, instrument pointing system, or mission peculiar experiment support structure. The experiments carried out during these flights included astrophysics, solar physics, plasma physics, atmospheric science, Earth observations, and a wide range of microgravity experiments in life sciences, biotechnology, materials science, and fluid physics which includes combustion and critical point phenomena. In all, some 764 experiments were conducted by investigators from the U.S., Europe, and Japan. The purpose of this Spacelab Science Results Study is to document the contributions made in each of the major research areas by giving a brief synopsis of the more significant experiments and an extensive list of the publications that were produced. We have also endeavored to show how these results impacted the existing body of knowledge, where they have spawned new fields, and if appropriate, where the knowledge they produced has been applied

Metabolic and hormonal studies of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients after successful pancreas and kidney transplantation

Long-term normalization of glucose metabolism is necessary to prevent or ameliorate diabetic complications. Although pancreatic grafting is able to restore normal blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin, the degree of normalization of the deranged diabetic metabolism after pancreas transplantation is still questionable. Consequently glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide responses to oral glucose and i.v. arginine were measured in 36 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic recipients of pancreas and kidney allografts and compared to ten healthy control subjects. Despite normal HbA1 (7.2±0.2%; normal <8%) glucose disposal was normal only in 44% and impaired in 56% of the graft recipients. Normalization of glucose tolerance was achieved at the expense of hyperinsulinaemia in 52% of the subjects. C-peptide and glucagon were normal, while pancreatic polypeptide was significantly higher in the graft recipients. Intravenous glucose tolerance (n=21) was normal in 67% and borderline in 23%. Biphasic insulin release was seen in patients with normal glucose tolerance. Glucose tolerance did not deteriorate up to 7 years post-transplant. In addition, stress hormone release (cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin, glucagon, catecholamines) to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was examined in 20 graft recipients and compared to eight healthy subjects. Reduced blood glucose decline indicates insulin resistance, but glucose recovery was normal, despite markedly reduced catecholamine and glucagon release. These data demonstrate the effectiveness of pancreatic grafting in normalizing glucose metabolism, although hyperinsulinaemia and deranged counterregulatory hormone response are observed frequently

Metabolic View on Human Healthspan: A Lipidome-Wide Association Study.

As ageing is a major risk factor for the development of non-communicable diseases, extending healthspan has become a medical and societal necessity. Precise lipid phenotyping that captures metabolic individuality could support healthspan extension strategies. This study applied 'omic-scale lipid profiling to characterise sex-specific age-related differences in the serum lipidome composition of healthy humans. A subset of the COmPLETE-Health study, composed of 73 young (25.2 ± 2.6 years, 43% female) and 77 aged (73.5 ± 2.3 years, 48% female) clinically healthy individuals, was investigated, using an untargeted liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry approach. Compared to their younger counterparts, aged females and males exhibited significant higher levels in 138 and 107 lipid species representing 15 and 13 distinct subclasses, respectively. Percentage of difference ranged from 5.8% to 61.7% (females) and from 5.3% to 46.0% (males), with sphingolipid and glycerophophospholipid species displaying the greatest amplitudes. Remarkably, specific sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid species, previously described as cardiometabolically favourable, were found elevated in aged individuals. Furthermore, specific ether-glycerophospholipid and lyso-glycerophosphocholine species displayed higher levels in aged females only, revealing a more favourable lipidome evolution in females. Altogether, age determined the circulating lipidome composition, while lipid species analysis revealed additional findings that were not observed at the subclass level