2,505 research outputs found
Outdoor Thermal Environments and Activities in Open Space: An Experiment Study in Humid Subtropical Climates
The outdoor thermal environment correlates with occupant behaviors in open spaces. The appropriate range of thermal environment that is conducive to outdoor activities, however, remains inadequately defined. Existing studies fail to characterize the behavioral responses to thermal environments in important dimensions including activity types, age or gender. We conducted field studies on six open spaces in Wuhan, China, a city with humid subtropical climate and ideal for this research. Data based on field observations, questionnaires, and measurement were collected under a variety of weather conditions over 4 years. We renovated a playground by adding shading shelters and vegetation cover to reduce summertime heat stress. On-site thermal environment were assessed using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). Findings are as following: the outdoor thermal environment is a strong predictor of mean attendance over a period of time, but not spontaneous occupancy at a specific time or space; the Optimum Thermal Environment (OTE), defined as the range in which an open space is well-attended (attendance above 90% of peak value), is more consistent than the self-reported Thermal Acceptable Range (TAR) in this study. Behavioral responses to thermal environment differ by gender, age, and types of activities. The experiment confirmed the causality between outdoor thermal environment and activities: the renovated playground attracted 80% more occupants in summer; people stayed longer, reported less heat stress, and interacted with each other more often. Results remained significant after controlling for weather, air quality, daily and weekly routines. Findings had implications for the design of open spaces.postprin
Nonthermal gamma-ray and X-ray flashes from shock breakout in gamma-ray bursts/supernovae
Thermal X-ray emission which is simultaneous with the prompt gamma-rays has
been detected for the first time from a supernova connected with a gamma-ray
burst (GRB), namely GRB060218/SN2006aj. It has been interpreted as arising from
the breakout of a mildly relativistic, radiation-dominated shock from a dense
stellar wind surrounding the progenitor star. There is also evidence for the
presence of a mildly relativistic ejecta in GRB980425/SN1998bw, based on its
X-ray and radio afterglow. Here we study the process of repeated bulk Compton
scatterings of shock breakout thermal photons by the mildly relativistic
ejecta. During the shock breakout process, a fraction of the thermal photons
would be repeatedly scattered between the pre-shock material and the shocked
material as well as the mildly relativistic ejecta and, as a result, the
thermal photons get boosted to increasingly higher energies. This bulk motion
Comptonization mechanism will produce nonthermal gamma-ray and X-ray flashes,
which could account for the prompt gamma-ray burst emission in low-luminosity
supernova-connected GRBs, such as GRB060218. A Monte Carlo code has been
developed to simulate this repeated scattering process, which confirms that a
significant fraction of the thermal photons get "accelerated" to form a
nonthermal component, with a dominant luminosity. This interpretation for the
prompt nonthermal emission of GRB060218 may imply that either the usual
internal shock emission from highly relativistic jets in these low-luminosity
GRBs is weak, or alternatively, that there are no highly relativistic jets in
this peculiar class of bursts.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; Introduction expanded, references
added, conclusions unchanged; total 7 pages including 2 color figures and 1
tabl
Generation of 3-Dimensional graph state with Josephson charge qubits
On the basis of generations of 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional graph states,
we generate a 3-dimensional N3-qubit graph state based on the Josephson charge
qubits. Since any two charge qubits can be selectively and effectively coupled
by a common inductance, the controlled phase transform between any two-qubit
can be performed. Accordingly, we can generate arbitrary multi-qubit graph
states corresponding to arbitrary shape graph, which meet the expectations of
various quantum information processing schemes. All the devices in the scheme
are well within the current technology. It is a simple, scalable and feasible
scheme for the generation of various graph states based on the Josephson charge
qubits.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Scaling of the Equilibrium Magnetization in the Mixed State of Type-II Superconductors
We discuss the analysis of mixed-state magnetization data of type-II
superconductors using a recently developed scaling procedure. It is based on
the fact that, if the Ginzburg-Landau parameter kappa does not depend on
temperature, the magnetic susceptibility is a universal function of H/H_c2(T),
leading to a simple relation between magnetizations at different temperatures.
Although this scaling procedure does not provide absolute values of the upper
critical fieldH_c2(T), its temperature variation can be established rather
accurately. This provides an opportunity to validate theoretical models that
are usually employed for the evaluation of H_c2(T) from equilibrium
magnetization data. In the second part of the paper we apply this scaling
procedure for a discussion of the notorious first order phase transition in the
mixed state of high temperature superconductors. Our analysis, based on
experimental magnetization data available in the literature, shows that the
shift of the magnetization accross the transition may adopt either sign,
depending on the particular chosen sample. We argue that this observation is
inconsistent with the interpretation that this transition always represents the
melting transition of the vortex lattice.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure
Model-driven mapping of transcriptional networks reveals the circuitry and dynamics of virulence regulation
Key steps in understanding a biological process include identifying genes that are involved and determining how they are regulated. We developed a novel method for identifying transcription factors (TFs) involved in a specific process and used it to map regulation of the key virulence factor of a deadly fungusâits capsule. The map, built from expression profiles of 41 TF mutants, includes 20 TFs not previously known to regulate virulence attributes. It also reveals a hierarchy comprising executive, midlevel, and âforemanâ TFs. When grouped by temporal expression pattern, these TFs explain much of the transcriptional dynamics of capsule induction. Phenotypic analysis of TF deletion mutants revealed complex relationships among virulence factors and virulence in mice. These resources and analyses provide the first integrated, systems-level view of capsule regulation and biosynthesis. Our methods dramatically improve the efficiency with which transcriptional networks can be analyzed, making genomic approaches accessible to laboratories focused on specific physiological processes
The Intratubular and Intracrine Renin-Angiotensin System in the Proximal Tubules of the Kidney and Its Roles in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension
The kidney plays a fundamental role in the physiological regulation of basal blood pressure and the development of hypertension. Although the mechanisms underlying hypertension are very complex, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the kidney, especially intratubular and intracellular RAS, undoubtedly plays a critical role in maintaining basal blood pressure homeostasis and the development of angiotensin II (ANG II)-dependent hypertension. In the proximal tubules, ANG II activates two G protein-coupled receptors, AT1 and AT2, to exert powerful effects to regulate proximal tubular sodium and fluid reabsorption by activating cell surface as well as intracellular AT1 receptors. Increased production and actions of ANG II in the proximal tubules may cause salt and fluid retention, impair the pressure-natriuresis response, and consequently increase blood pressure in hypertension. The objectives of this chapter are to critically review and discuss our current understanding of intratubular and intracellular RAS in the kidney, and their contributions to basal blood pressure homeostasis and the development of ANG II-dependent hypertension. The new knowledge will likely help uncover novel renal mechanisms of hypertension, and develop kidney- or proximal tubule-specific strategies or drugs to prevent and treat hypertension in humans
On War: The Dynamics of Vicious Civilizations
The dynamics of ``vicious'', continuously growing civilizations (domains),
which engage in ``war'' whenever two domains meet, is investigated. In the war
event, the smaller domain is annihilated, while the larger domain is reduced in
size by a fraction \e of the casualties of the loser. Here \e quantifies
the fairness of the war, with \e=1 corresponding to a fair war with equal
casualties on both side, and \e=0 corresponding to a completely unfair war
where the winner suffers no casualties. In the heterogeneous version of the
model, evolution begins from a specified initial distribution of domains, while
in the homogeneous system, there is a continuous and spatially uniform input of
point domains, in addition to the growth and warfare. For the heterogeneous
case, the rate equations are derived and solved, and comparisons with numerical
simulations are made. An exact solution is also derived for the case of equal
size domains in one dimension. The heterogeneous system is found to coarsen,
with the typical cluster size growing linearly in time and the number
density of domains decreases as . For the homogeneous system, two
different long-time behaviors arise as a function of \e. When 1/2<\e\leq 1
(relatively fair wars), a steady state arises which is characterized by
egalitarian competition between domains of comparable size. In the limiting
case of \e=1, rate equations which simultaneously account for the
distribution of domains and that of the intervening gaps are derived and
solved. The steady state is characterized by domains whose age is typically
much larger than their size. When 0\leq\e<1/2 (unfair wars), a few
``superpowers'' ultimately dominate. Simulations indicate that this coarsening
process is characterized by power-law temporal behavior, with non-universalComment: 43 pages, plain TeX, 12 figures included, gzipped and uuencode
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