1,176 research outputs found
Trajectory Synthesis for Fisher Information Maximization
Estimation of model parameters in a dynamic system can be significantly
improved with the choice of experimental trajectory. For general, nonlinear
dynamic systems, finding globally "best" trajectories is typically not
feasible; however, given an initial estimate of the model parameters and an
initial trajectory, we present a continuous-time optimization method that
produces a locally optimal trajectory for parameter estimation in the presence
of measurement noise. The optimization algorithm is formulated to find system
trajectories that improve a norm on the Fisher information matrix. A
double-pendulum cart apparatus is used to numerically and experimentally
validate this technique. In simulation, the optimized trajectory increases the
minimum eigenvalue of the Fisher information matrix by three orders of
magnitude compared to the initial trajectory. Experimental results show that
this optimized trajectory translates to an order of magnitude improvement in
the parameter estimate error in practice.Comment: 12 page
A Calibrated Time Domain Envelope Measurement System for the Behavioral Modeling of Power Amplifiers
This paper presents a set-up which enables the generation and the calibrated time domain measurements of complex envelopes of modulated signals at both ports of non linear microwave power amplifiers. The architecture of the characterization tool is given. Examples of error corrected time domain envelopes at the input / output RF ports of a 36 dBm output power – 30dB power gain L-band SSPA are shown. Futhermore, the use of this characterization tool and a suitable processing of measurement data are applied to a novel measurement based behavioral modeling approach of non linear devices accounting for memory effects
Human hypocretin and melanin-concentrating hormone levels are linked to emotion and social interaction.
The neurochemical changes underlying human emotions and social behaviour are largely unknown. Here we report on the changes in the levels of two hypothalamic neuropeptides, hypocretin-1 and melanin-concentrating hormone, measured in the human amygdala. We show that hypocretin-1 levels are maximal during positive emotion, social interaction and anger, behaviours that induce cataplexy in human narcoleptics. In contrast, melanin-concentrating hormone levels are minimal during social interaction, but are increased after eating. Both peptides are at minimal levels during periods of postoperative pain despite high levels of arousal. Melanin-concentrating hormone levels increase at sleep onset, consistent with a role in sleep induction, whereas hypocretin-1 levels increase at wake onset, consistent with a role in wake induction. Levels of these two peptides in humans are not simply linked to arousal, but rather to specific emotions and state transitions. Other arousal systems may be similarly emotionally specialized
Anisotropic Hall Effect in Single Crystal Heavy Fermion YbAgGe
Temperature- and field-dependent Hall effect measurements are reported for
YbAgGe, a heavy fermion compound exhibiting a field-induced quantum phase
transition, and for two other closely related members of the RAgGe series: a
non-magnetic analogue, LuAgGe and a representative, ''good local moment'',
magnetic material, TmAgGe. Whereas the temperature dependent Hall coefficient
of YbAgGe shows behavior similar to what has been observed in a number of heavy
fermion compounds, the low temperature, field-dependent measurements reveal
well defined, sudden changes with applied field; in specific for a
clear local maximum that sharpens as temperature is reduced below 2 K and that
approaches a value of 45 kOe - a value that has been proposed as the
quantum critical point. Similar behavior was observed for where a
clear minimum in the field-dependent Hall resistivity was observed at low
temperatures. Although at our base temperatures it is difficult to distinguish
between the field-dependent behavior predicted for (i) diffraction off a
critical spin density wave or (ii) breakdown in the composite nature of the
heavy electron, for both field directions there is a distinct temperature
dependence of a feature that can clearly be associated with a field-induced
quantum critical point at persisting up to at least 2 K.Comment: revised versio
First direct mass-measurement of the two-neutron halo nucleus 6He and improved mass for the four-neutron halo 8He
The first direct mass-measurement of He has been performed with the
TITAN Penning trap mass spectrometer at the ISAC facility. In addition, the
mass of He was determined with improved precision over our previous
measurement. The obtained masses are (He) = 6.018 885 883(57) u and
(He) = 8.033 934 44(11) u. The He value shows a deviation from
the literature of 4. With these new mass values and the previously
measured atomic isotope shifts we obtain charge radii of 2.060(8) fm and
1.959(16) fm for He and He respectively. We present a detailed
comparison to nuclear theory for He, including new hyperspherical harmonics
results. A correlation plot of the point-proton radius with the two-neutron
separation energy demonstrates clearly the importance of three-nucleon forces.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
First Penning-trap mass measurement in the millisecond half-life range: the exotic halo nucleus 11Li
In this letter, we report a new mass for Li using the trapping
experiment TITAN at TRIUMF's ISAC facility. This is by far the shortest-lived
nuclide, , for which a mass measurement has ever been
performed with a Penning trap. Combined with our mass measurements of
Li we derive a new two-neutron separation energy of 369.15(65) keV: a
factor of seven more precise than the best previous value. This new value is a
critical ingredient for the determination of the halo charge radius from
isotope-shift measurements. We also report results from state-of-the-art
atomic-physics calculations using the new mass and extract a new charge radius
for Li. This result is a remarkable confluence of nuclear and atomic
physics.Comment: Formatted for submission to PR
“Anything that benefits the workers should benefit the client”: Opportunities and Constraints in Self-Directed Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses.Self-directed care (SDC) models allow Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) consumers to direct their own care, thus supporting flexible, person-centered care. There are many benefits to the SDC model but access to resources is essential to successful outcomes. Considering the autonomy and flexibility associated with SDC, it is important to understand how SDC responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resources available to help manage this situation. We conducted 54 in-depth interviews with HCBS consumers, direct support workers, family caregivers, and providers to examine the impact of COVID-19 on HCBS services in Kansas. Findings illuminate how self-directed consumers carried a lot of employer responsibility, with limited resources and systemic barriers constraining self-determination and contributing to unmet care needs, stress, and burden. Policy flexibilities expanding the hiring of family members were beneficial but insufficient to address under-resourced working conditions and labor shortages that were exacerbated by the pandemic
GPM-DPR Observations on TGFs Producing Storms
Unique spaceborne measurements of the three-dimensional structure of convective
clouds producing terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) were performed using both active and passive
microwave sensors on board the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)-Core Observatory satellite,
finding coherent features for nine TGF-producing storms. The delineation of cloud structure using the
radar reflectivity factor shows convective cells with significant vertical development and thick layers with
high ice content. Compared to other cumulonimbus clouds in the tropics, the TGFs counterparts have
higher reflectivity values above 3 and 8 km altitude showing in all cases a cumulonimbus tower and the
TGFs locations are very close, or coincident, to these high Z columns, where reflectivity exceeds 50dBz.
Using the GPM Microwave Imager radiometer, most thunderstorms show a very strong depression of
polarization corrected temperature (PCT) at channel 89GHz, indicating a strong scattering signal by ice
in the upper cloud layers. At channel 166GHZ, the difference between vertical and horizontal brightness
temperature signal always returns positive values, from 0.2 up to 13.7K indicating a complex structure
with randomly/vertically oriented ice particles. The PCT was used to characterize the analyzed storms
in terms of hydrometeor types, confirming in 7/9 cases a high likelihood of hail/graupel presence. To
perform analysis on the TGFs parent flashes, radio atmospherics data from the Earth Networks Total
Lightning Network lightning network were used. Waveform data indicate that all cases are intra-cloud
events and TGFs typically take place during the peak of flash rate production. Finally, the analysis of the
most intense event is shown
Trapped-ion decay spectroscopy towards the determination of ground-state components of double-beta decay matrix elements
A new technique has been developed at TRIUMF's TITAN facility to perform
in-trap decay spectroscopy. The aim of this technique is to eventually measure
weak electron capture branching ratios (ECBRs) and by this to consequently
determine GT matrix elements of decaying nuclei. These branching
ratios provide important input to the theoretical description of these decays.
The feasibility and power of the technique is demonstrated by measuring the
ECBR of Cs.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure
Clostridium difficile Toxin B causes epithelial cell necrosis through an autoprocessing-independent mechanism
Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated nosocomial infection in the United States. C. difficile secretes two homologous toxins, TcdA and TcdB, which are responsible for the symptoms of C. difficile associated disease. The mechanism of toxin action includes an autoprocessing event where a cysteine protease domain (CPD) releases a glucosyltransferase domain (GTD) into the cytosol. The GTD acts to modify and inactivate Rho-family GTPases. The presumed importance of autoprocessing in toxicity, and the apparent specificity of the CPD active site make it, potentially, an attractive target for small molecule drug discovery. In the course of exploring this potential, we have discovered that both wild-type TcdB and TcdB mutants with impaired autoprocessing or glucosyltransferase activities are able to induce rapid, necrotic cell death in HeLa and Caco-2 epithelial cell lines. The concentrations required to induce this phenotype correlate with pathology in a porcine colonic explant model of epithelial damage. We conclude that autoprocessing and GTD release is not required for epithelial cell necrosis and that targeting the autoprocessing activity of TcdB for the development of novel therapeutics will not prevent the colonic tissue damage that occurs in C. difficile - associated disease
- …