A Versatile Pseudo-Random Noise Generator

A detailed design is presented for a digital pseudo-random noise generator. The instrument is built with standard integrated circuits. It produces both binary noise (pseudo-random binary sequences) and white Gaussian noise of variable bandwidth. By setting front panel switches to match tabulated octal codes, one may select a vast number of independent noise programs

Conflict Resolution and Goal Maintenance Components of Executive Attention are Impaired in Persons With Aphasia: Evidence from the Picture-Word Interference Task

The relationship between language processing and attention has been a topic of research in linguistics, psychology and speech-language pathology for a very long time. Following the hypothesis that attention (e.g., Kahneman, 1973) may be related to impaired language performance in aphasia (McNeil, 1982), researchers have increasingly investigated this hypothesis (McNeil, Odell, & Tseng, 1991; Murray, 1999; Robin & Rizzo, 1989; Tseng, McNeil, & Milenkovic, 1993)

Scalable Focused Ion Beam Creation of Nearly Lifetime-Limited Single Quantum Emitters in Diamond Nanostructures

The controlled creation of defect center---nanocavity systems is one of the outstanding challenges for efficiently interfacing spin quantum memories with photons for photon-based entanglement operations in a quantum network. Here, we demonstrate direct, maskless creation of atom-like single silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers in diamond nanostructures via focused ion beam implantation with $\sim 32$ nm lateral precision and $< 50$ nm positioning accuracy relative to a nanocavity. Moreover, we determine the Si+ ion to SiV center conversion yield to $\sim 2.5\%$ and observe a 10-fold conversion yield increase by additional electron irradiation. We extract inhomogeneously broadened ensemble emission linewidths of $\sim 51$ GHz, and close to lifetime-limited single-emitter transition linewidths down to $126 \pm13$ MHz corresponding to $\sim 1.4$-times the natural linewidth. This demonstration of deterministic creation of optically coherent solid-state single quantum systems is an important step towards development of scalable quantum optical devices

Morphological and hemodynamical alterations in brachial artery and cephalic vein. An image‐based study for preoperative assessment for vascular access creation

The current study aims to computationally evaluate the effect of right upper arm position on the geometric and hemodynamic characteristics of the brachial artery (BA) and cephalic vein (CV) and, furthermore, to present in detail the methodology to characterise morphological and hemodynamical healthy vessels. Ten healthy volunteers were analysed in two configurations, the supine (S) and the prone (P) position. Lumen 3D surface models were constructed from images acquired from a non-contrast MRI sequence. Then, the models were used to numerically compute the physiological range of geometric (n = 10) and hemodynamic (n = 3) parameters in the BA and CV. Geometric parameters such as curvature and tortuosity, and hemodynamic parameters based on wall shear stress (WSS) metrics were calculated with the use of computational fluid dynamics. Our results highlight that changes in arm position had a greater impact on WSS metrics of the BA by altering the mean and maximum blood flow rate of the vessel. Whereas, curvature and tortuosity were found not to be significantly different between positions. Inter-variability was associated with antegrade and retrograde flow in BA, and antegrade flow in CV. Shear stress was low and oscillatory shear forces were negligible. This data suggests that deviations from this state may contribute to the risk of accelerated intimal hyperplasia of the vein in arteriovenous fistulas. Therefore, preoperative conditions coupled with post-operative longitudinal data will aid the identification of such relationships

Beef production from feedstuffs conserved using new technologies to reduce negative environmental impacts

End of project reportMost (ca. 86%) Irish farms make some silage. Besides directly providing feed for livestock, the provision of grass silage within integrated grassland systems makes an important positive contribution to effective grazing management and improved forage utilisation by grazing animals, and to effective feed budgeting by farmers. It can also contribute to maintaining the content of desirable species in pastures, and to livestock not succumbing to parasites at sensitive times of the year. Furthermore, the optimal recycling of nutrients collected from housed livestock can often be best achieved by spreading the manures on the land used for producing the conserved feed. On most Irish farms, grass silage will remain the main conserved forage for feeding to livestock during winter for the foreseeable future. However, on some farms high yields of whole-crop (i.e. grain + straw) cereals such as wheat, barley and triticale, and of forage maize, will be an alternative option provided that losses during harvesting, storage and feedout are minimised and that input costs are restrained. These alternative forages have the potential to reliably support high levels of animal performance while avoiding the production of effluent. Their production and use however will need to advantageously integrate into ruminant production systems. A range of technologies can be employed for crop production and conservation, and for beef production, and the optimal options need to be identified. Beef cattle being finished indoors are offered concentrate feedstuffs at rates that range from modest inputs through to ad libitum access. Such concentrates frequently contain high levels of cereals such as barley or wheat. These cereals are generally between 14% to 18% moisture content and tend to be rolled shortly before being included in coarse rations or are more finely processed prior to pelleting. Farmers thinking of using ‘high-moisture grain’ techniques for preserving and processing cereal grains destined for feeding to beef cattle need to know how the yield, conservation efficiency and feeding value of such grains compares with grains conserved using more conventional techniques. European Union policy strongly encourages a sustainable and multifunctional agriculture. Therefore, in addition to providing European consumers with quality food produced within approved systems, agriculture must also contribute positively to the conservation of natural resources and the upkeep of the rural landscape. Plastics are widely used in agriculture and their post-use fate on farms must not harm the environment - they must be managed to support the enduring sustainability of farming systems. There is an absence of information on the efficacy of some new options for covering and sealing silage with plastic sheeting and tyres, and an absence of an inventory of the use, re-use and post-use fate of plastic film on farms. Irish cattle farmers operate a large number of beef production systems, half of which use dairy bred calves. In the current, continuously changing production and market conditions, new beef systems must be considered. A computer package is required that will allow the rapid, repeatable simulation and assessment of alternate beef production systems using appropriate, standardised procedures. There is thus a need to construct, evaluate and utilise computer models of components of beef production systems and to develop mathematical relationships to link system components into a network that would support their integration into an optimal system model. This will provide a framework to integrate physical and financial on-farm conditions with models for estimating feed supply and animal growth patterns. Cash flow and profit/loss results will be developed. This will help identify optimal systems, indicate the cause of failure of imperfect systems and identify areas where applied research data are currently lacking, or more basic research is required

The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011: Dynamical Modeling of the Broad-Line Region

We present models of the H$\beta$-emitting broad-line region (BLR) in seven Seyfert 1 galaxies from the Lick AGN (Active Galactic Nucleus) Monitoring Project 2011 sample, drawing inferences on the BLR structure and dynamics as well as the mass of the central supermassive black hole. We find that the BLR is generally a thick disk, viewed close to face-on, with preferential emission back toward the ionizing source. The dynamics in our sample range from near-circular elliptical orbits to inflowing or outflowing trajectories. We measure black hole masses of $\log_{10}(M_{\rm BH}/M_\odot) = 6.48^{+0.21}_{-0.18}$ for PG 1310$-$108, $7.50^{+0.25}_{-0.18}$ for Mrk 50, $7.46^{+0.15}_{-0.21}$ for Mrk 141, $7.58^{+0.08}_{-0.08}$ for Mrk 279, $7.11^{+0.20}_{-0.17}$ for Mrk 1511, $6.65^{+0.27}_{-0.15}$ for NGC 4593, and $6.94^{+0.14}_{-0.14}$ for Zw 229$-$015. We use these black hole mass measurements along with cross-correlation time lags and line widths to recover the scale factor $f$ used in traditional reverberation mapping measurements. Combining our results with other studies that use this modeling technique, bringing our sample size to 16, we calculate a scale factor that can be used for measuring black hole masses in other reverberation mapping campaigns. When using the root-mean-square (rms) spectrum and using the line dispersion to measure the line width, we find $\log_{10}(f_{{\rm rms},\sigma})_{\rm pred} = 0.57 \pm 0.19$. Finally, we search for correlations between $f$ and other AGN and BLR parameters and find marginal evidence that $f$ is correlated with $M_{\rm BH}$ and the BLR inclination angle, but no significant evidence of a correlation with the AGN luminosity or Eddington ratio.Comment: 26 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap