Stochastic Hard-Sphere Dynamics for Hydrodynamics of Non-Ideal Fluids

A novel stochastic fluid model is proposed with non-ideal structure factor consistent with compressibility, and adjustable transport coefficients. This Stochastic Hard Sphere Dynamics (SHSD) algorithm is a modification of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) algorithm and has several computational advantages over event-driven hard-sphere molecular dynamics. Surprisingly, SHSD results in an equation of state and pair correlation function identical to that of a deterministic Hamiltonian system of penetrable spheres interacting with linear core pair potentials. The fluctuating hydrodynamic behavior of the SHSD fluid is verified for the Brownian motion of a nano-particle suspended in a compressible solvent.Comment: This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 (LLNL-JRNL-401745). To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. 200

Increasing rate of hospitalizations for food-induced anaphylaxis in Italian children: an analysis of the Italian Ministry of Health database.

emerged regarding other day-to-day issues. Physicians were overall misinformed about the availability of epinephrine in both restaurants and ambulances. When questioned regarding quality of life, only 10% of family practitioners and 31% of pediatricians believed that ‘‘severe allergies’’ have a major impact on quality of life. This differs markedly from results of previous studies about patients’ perceptions regarding the effects of food allergy on quality of life.10 More pediatric A/I specialists (78%) than others (P 5 .03) believed that life-threatening allergic reactions today are more common than 10 years ago, consistent with published data,11 and most physicians in all groups recognized that asthma is a risk factor for severe reactions. Similar to our surveys of patients and the general public, this study clearly demonstrates the need for ongoing education regarding anaphylaxis. As with previous studies, knowledge gaps are especially apparent for primary care and emergency physicians, who are most often the physicians on the front line in the treatment of this common and life-threatening condition

Crystal structure of liganded and unliganded forms of bovine plasma retinol-binding protein.

The three-dimensional structures of bovine plasma retinol-binding protein (bRBP) complexed with retinol (space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 46.08, b = 49.12, c = 76.10 A) and of the unliganded protein prepared in vitro by extracting retinol with ethyl ether (space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 46.55, b = 48.97, c = 76.87 A) have been solved at 1.9 and 1.7 A resolution, respectively. The final crystallographic R factors are 0.190 for holobRBP and 0.196 for the unliganded bRBP. The model for the bovine holoprotein is quite similar to that of the human protein, with which it exhibits 92% sequence similarity. The root mean square deviation between the alpha-carbons in the two proteins is 0.31 A. The retinol binding site is almost completely preserved. The loops that surround the opening of the beta-barrel are also particularly conserved, in contrast with the presence of several substitutions in parts of the RBP molecule opposite the opening of the calyx that binds retinol. Despite the fact that unliganded bovine RBP was prepared and crystallized using procedures completely different from those used to obtain the unliganded human RBP, the conformational differences between unliganded and liganded forms of bRBP are almost identical to those found previously between the same forms of human RBP. They mainly involve a few residues in the region extending from amino acid residues 32 to 37. Therefore, similar differences are very likely to exist between holoRBP and the physiologically occurring apoprotein. A not yet identified electron density, different in shape and orientation from retinol, also occupies the central cavity of the beta-barrel in the unliganded bRBP, as found for unliganded human RBP. The functional consequences of the conformational change induced by the removal of retinol on the interaction between RBP and transthyretin, coupled with the conservation of the entrance loops of the beta-barrel in mammalian RBPs, are consistent with their participation in molecular interactions

Experimental Investigation of the Evolution of Gaussian Quantum Discord in an Open System

Gaussian quantum discord is a measure of quantum correlations in Gaussian systems. Using Gaussian discord we quantify the quantum correlations of a bipartite entangled state and a separable two-mode mixture of coherent states. We experimentally analyze the effect of noise addition and dissipation on Gaussian discord and show that the former noise degrades the discord while the latter noise for some states leads to an increase of the discord. In particular, we experimentally demonstrate the near-death of discord by noisy evolution and its revival through dissipation.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

A vision-based monitoring system for very early automatic detection of forest fires

Trabajo presentado a la "I International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Forest Fires" celebrada en Toledo del 17 al 19 de Septiembre de 2008.International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Forest Fires I This paper describes a system capable of detecting smoke at the very beginning of a forest fire with a precise spatial resolution. The system is based on a wireless vision sensor network. Each sensor monitors a small area of vegetation by running on-site a tailored vision algorithm to detect the presence of smoke. This algorithm examines chromaticity changes and spatio-temporal patterns in the scene that are characteristic of the smoke dynamics at early stages of propagation. Processing takes place at the sensor nodes and, if that is the case, an alarm signal is transmitted through the network along with a reference to the location of the triggered zone - without requiring complex GIS systems. This method improves the spatial resolution on the surveilled area and reduces the rate of false alarms. An energy efficient implementation of the sensor/processor devices is crucial as it determines the autonomy of the network nodes. At this point, we have developed an ad hoc vision algorithm, adapted to the nature of the problem, to be integrated into a single-chip sensor/processor. As a first step to validate the feasibility of the system, we applied the algorithm to smoke sequences recorded with commercial cameras at real-world scenarios that simulate the working conditions of the network nodes. The results obtained point to a very high reliability and robustness in the detection process.This work is funded by Junta de Andalucía (CICE) through project 2006-TIC-2352.Peer Reviewe

Delphinapterus Leucas\u27 Spatial Use and Social Behavior: The Study of a Managed Care Environment

Little is known about belugas in managed care. Previous studies evaluated socio-sexual behavior in belugas across multiple facilities, but little data has been collected on their spatial use within a habitat (i.e., Hill, et al., 2015)

Evaluation of the single jet flow rate for a multi-hole GDI nozzle

Fuel injectors featuring differentiated hole-to-hole dimensions improve the fuel distribution in the cylinder ensuring a more efficient and cleaner combustion for GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engines. A proper diagnostic system able to detect the actual fuel flow rate exiting each hole of a GDI nozzle is requested in order to optimize the matching between the spray and the combustion chamber. Measuring the spray impact force of a single plume allows the detection of the momentum flux exiting the single hole and, under appropriate hypotheses, the evaluation of the corresponding mass flow rate time-profile. In this paper two methodologies for the hole-specific flow rate evaluation, both based on the spray momentum technique, were applied to two different GDI nozzles, one featuring equal hole dimensions and one with two larger holes. Three different energizing times at 100 bar of fuel pressure were tested in order to cover a wide range of operating conditions. The results were validated in terms of injected mass by means of a proper device able to collect and weigh the fuel injected by each single nozzle hole, and in terms of mass flow rate using a Zeuch-method flow meter as reference. Both the proposed methodologies showed an excellent accuracy in the fuel amount detection with percentage error lower than 5% for standard energizing times and lower than 10% for very short injections working in ballistic conditions. The mass flow rate time-profile proved a good accuracy in the detection of the start and end of injection and the static flow rate level