Dynamical heterogeneity in soft particle suspensions under shear

We present experimental measurements of dynamical heterogeneities in a dense system of microgel spheres, sheared at different rates and at different packing fractions in a microfluidic channel, and visualized with high speed digital video microscopy. A four-point dynamic susceptibility is deduced from video correlations, and is found to exhibit a peak that grows in height and shifts to longer times as the jamming transition is approached from two different directions. In particular, the time for particle-size root-mean square relative displacements is found to scale as $\tau^* \sim (\dot \gamma \Delta \phi^4)^{-1}$ where $\dot\gamma$ is the strain rate and $\Delta\phi=|\phi-\phi_c|$ is the distance from the random close packing volume fraction. The typical number of particles in a dynamical heterogeneity is deduced from the susceptibility peak height and found to scale as $n^* \sim (\dot \gamma \Delta \phi^4)^{-0.3}$. Exponent uncertainties are less than ten percent. We emphasize that the same power-law behavior is found at packing fractions above and below $\phi_c$. Thus, our results considerably extend a previous observation of $n^* \sim \dot\gamma^{-0.3}$ for granular heap flow at fixed packing below $\phi_c$. Furthermore, the implied result $n^*\sim (\tau^*)^{0.3}$ compares well with expectation from mode-coupling theory and with prior observations for driven granular systems

Conceptual design study of advanced acoustic-composite nacelles

Conceptual studies were conducted to assess the impact of incorporating advanced technologies in the nacelles of a current wide-bodied transport and an advanced technology transport. The improvement possible in the areas of fuel consumption, flyover noise levels, airplane weight, manufacturing costs, and airplane operating cost were evaluated for short and long-duct nacelles. Use of composite structures for acoustic duct linings in the fan inlet and exhaust ducts was considered as well as for other nacelle components. For the wide-bodied transport, the use of a long-duct nacelle with an internal mixer nozzle in the primary exhaust showed significant improvement in installed specific fuel consumption and airplane direct operating costs compared to the current short-duct nacelle. The long-duct mixed-flow nacelle is expected to achieve significant reductions in jet noise during takeoff and in turbo-machinery noise during landing approach. Recommendations were made of the technology development needed to achieve the potential fuel conservation and noise reduction benefits

Neural mechanisms underlying target detection in a dragonfly centrifugal neuron

© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007Visual identification of targets is an important task for many animals searching for prey or conspecifics. Dragonflies utilize specialized optics in the dorsal acute zone, accompanied by higher-order visual neurons in the lobula complex, and descending neural pathways tuned to the motion of small targets. While recent studies describe the physiology of insect small target motion detector (STMD) neurons, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie their exquisite sensitivity to target motion. Lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs), a group of neurons in dipteran flies selective for wide-field motion, have been shown to take input from local motion detectors consistent with the classic correlation model developed by Hassenstein and Reichardt in the 1950s. We have tested the hypothesis that similar mechanisms underlie the response of dragonfly STMDs. We show that an anatomically characterized centrifugal STMD neuron (CSTMD1) gives responses that depend strongly on target contrast, a clear prediction of the correlation model. Target stimuli are more complex in spatiotemporal terms than the sinusoidal grating patterns used to study LPTCs, so we used a correlation-based computer model to predict response tuning to velocity and width of moving targets. We show that increasing target width in the direction of travel causes a shift in response tuning to higher velocities, consistent with our model. Finally, we show how the morphology of CSTMD1 allows for impressive spatial interactions when more than one target is present in the visual field.Bart R. H. Geurten, Karin Nordström, Jordanna D. H. Sprayberry, Douglas M. Bolzon and David C. O'Carrol

Spin-dynamic field coupling in strongly THz driven semiconductors : local inversion symmetry breaking

We study theoretically the optics in undoped direct gap semiconductors which are strongly driven in the THz regime. We calculate the optical sideband generation due to nonlinear mixing of the THz field and the near infrared probe. Starting with an inversion symmetric microscopic Hamiltonian we include the THz field nonperturbatively using non-equilibrium Green function techniques. We find that a self induced relativistic spin-THz field coupling locally breaks the inversion symmetry, resulting in the formation of odd sidebands which otherwise are absent.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Microfluidic rheology of soft colloids above and below jamming

The rheology near jamming of a suspension of soft colloidal spheres is studied using a custom microfluidic rheometer that provides stress versus strain rate over many decades. We find non-Newtonian behavior below the jamming concentration and yield stress behavior above it. The data may be collapsed onto two branches with critical scaling exponents that agree with expectations based on Hertzian contacts and viscous drag. These results support the conclusion that jamming is similar to a critical phase transition, but with interaction-dependent exponents.Comment: 4 pages, experimen

The biological activity of serum bacterial lipopolysaccharides associates with disease activity and likelihood of achieving remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Peer reviewe

The biological activity of serum bacterial lipopolysaccharides associates with disease activity and likelihood of achieving remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Peer reviewe

Sulfur geochemistry of hydrothermal waters in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. III. An anion-exchange resin technique for sampling and preservation of sulfoxyanions in natural waters

A sampling protocol for the retention, extraction, and analysis of sulfoxyanions in hydrothermal waters has been developed in the laboratory and tested at Yellowstone National Park and Green Lake, NY. Initial laboratory testing of the anion-exchange resin Bio-Rad™ AG1-X8 indicated that the resin was well suited for the sampling, preservation, and extraction of sulfate and thiosulfate. Synthetic solutions containing sulfate and thiosulfate were passed through AG1-X8 resin columns and eluted with 1 and 3 M KCl, respectively. Recovery ranged from 89 to 100%. Comparison of results for water samples collected from five pools in Yellowstone National Park between on-site 1C analysis (U.S. Geological Survey mobile lab) and IC analysis of resin-stored sample at SUNY-Stony Brook indicates 96 to 100% agreement for three pools (Cinder, Cistern, and an unnamed pool near Cistern) and 76 and 63% agreement for two pools (Sulfur Dust and Frying Pan). Attempts to extract polythionates from the AG1-X8 resin were made using HCl solutions, but were unsuccessful. Bio-Rad™ AG2-X8, an anion-exchange resin with weaker binding sites than the AG1-X8 resin, is better suited for polythionate extraction. Sulfate and thiosulfate extraction with this resin has been accomplished with KCl solutions of 0.1 and 0.5 M, respectively. Trithionate and tetrathionate can be extracted with 4 M KCl. Higher polythionates can be extracted with 9 M hydrochloric acid. Polythionate concentrations can then be determined directly using ion chromatographic methods, and laboratory results indicate recovery of up to 90% for synthetic polythionate solutions using AG2-X8 resin columns

First Principles Study of Zn-Sb Thermoelectrics

We report first principles LDA calculations of the electronic structure and thermoelectric properties of $\beta$-Zn$_{4}$Sb$_{3}$. The material is found to be a low carrier density metal with a complex Fermi surface topology and non-trivial dependence of Hall concentration on band filling. The band structure is rather covalent, consistent with experimental observations of good carrier mobility. Calculations of the variation with band filling are used to extract the doping level (band filling) from the experimental Hall number. At this band filling, which actually corresponds to 0.1 electrons per 22 atom unit cell, the calculated thermopower and its temperature dependence are in good agreement with experiment. The high Seebeck coefficient in a metallic material is remarkable, and arises in part from the strong energy dependence of the Fermiology near the experimental band filling. Improved thermoelectric performance is predicted for lower doping levels which corresponds to higher Zn concentrations.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Improved Screening of Fall Risk using Free-Living based Accelerometer Data

Falls are one of the most costly population health issues. Screening of older adults for fall risks can allow for earlier interventions and ultimately lead to better outcomes and reduced public health spending. This work proposes a solution to limitations in existing fall screening techniques by utilizing a hip-based accelerometer worn in free-living conditions. The work proposes techniques to extract fall risk features from periods of free-living ambulatory activity. Analysis of the proposed techniques is conducted and compared with existing screening methods using Functional Tests and Lab-based Gait Analysis. 1705 Older Adults from Umea (Sweden) were assessed. Data consisted of 1 Week of hip worn accelerometer data, gait measurements and performance metrics for 3 functional tests. Retrospective and Prospective fall data were also recorded based on the incidence of falls occurring 12 months before and after the study commencing respectively. Machine learning based experiments show accelerometer based measures perform best when predicting falls. Prospective falls had a sensitivity and specificity of 0.61 and 0.66 respectively while retrospective falls had a sensitivity and specificity of 0.61 and 0.68 respectively