671 research outputs found
Existence of infinite-energy and discretely self-similar global weak solutions for 3D MHD equations
This paper deals with the existence of global weak solutions for 3D MHD equations when the initial data belong to the weighted spaces , with and . Moreover, we prove the existence of discretely self-similar solutions for 3D MHD equations for discretely self-similar initial data which are locally square integrable. Our methods are inspired of a recent work of P. Fern\'aidez-Dalgo and P.G. Lemarié-Rieusset for the 3D Navier-Stokes equations
Neural Task Programming: Learning to Generalize Across Hierarchical Tasks
In this work, we propose a novel robot learning framework called Neural Task
Programming (NTP), which bridges the idea of few-shot learning from
demonstration and neural program induction. NTP takes as input a task
specification (e.g., video demonstration of a task) and recursively decomposes
it into finer sub-task specifications. These specifications are fed to a
hierarchical neural program, where bottom-level programs are callable
subroutines that interact with the environment. We validate our method in three
robot manipulation tasks. NTP achieves strong generalization across sequential
tasks that exhibit hierarchal and compositional structures. The experimental
results show that NTP learns to generalize well to- wards unseen tasks with
increasing lengths, variable topologies, and changing objectives.Comment: ICRA 201
Fluctuations of the Fermi condensate in ideal gases
We calculate numerically and analytically the fluctuations of the fermionic
condensate and of the number of particles above the condensate for systems of
constant density of states. We compare the canonical fluctuations, obtained
from the equivalent Bose condensate fluctuation, with the grandcanonical
fermionic calculation. The fluctuations of the condensate are almost the same
in the two ensembles, with a small correction comming from the total particle
number fluctuation in the grandcanonical ensemble. On the other hand the number
of particles above the condensate and its fluctuation is insensitive to the
choice of ensemble.Comment: 10 pages with 3 figs. IOP styl
C ion-implanted TiO2 thin film for photocatalytic applications
Third-generation TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by implantation of C+ ions into 110 nm thick TiO2 films. An accurate structural investigation was performed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, Raman-luminescence spectroscopy, and UV/VIS optical characterization. The C doping locally modified the TiO2 pure films, lowering the band-gap energy from 3.3 eV to a value of 1.8 eV, making the material sensitive to visible light. The synthesized materials are photocatalytically active in the degradation of organic compounds in water under both UV and visible light irradiation, without the help of any additional thermal treatment. These results increase the understanding of the C-doped titanium dioxide, helpful for future environmental applications. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC
Heuristic-based firefly algorithm for bound constrained nonlinear binary optimization
Firefly algorithm (FA) is a metaheuristic for global optimization. In this paper,we address the practical testing of aheuristic-based FA (HBFA) for computing optimaof discrete nonlinear optimization problems,where the discrete variables are of binary type. An important issue in FA is the formulation of attractiveness of each firefly which in turn affects its movement in the search space. Dynamic updating schemes are proposed for two parameters, one from the attractiveness term and the other from the randomization term. Three simple heuristics capable of transforming real continuous variables into binary ones are analyzed. A new sigmoid ‘erf’ function is proposed. In the context of FA, three different implementations to incorporate the heuristics for binary variables into the algorithm are proposed. Based on a set of benchmark problems, a comparison is carried out with other binary dealing metaheuristics. The results demonstrate that the proposed HBFA is efficient and outperforms binary versions of differential evolution (DE) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The HBFA also compares very favorably with angle modulated version of DE and PSO. It is shown that the variant of HBFA based on the sigmoid ‘erf’ function with ‘movements in continuous space’ is the best, both in terms of computational requirements and accuracy.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT
Cyclic structural analyses of anisotropic turbine blades for reusable space propulsion systems
Turbine blades for reusable space propulsion systems are subject to severe thermomechanical loading cycles that result in large inelastic strains and very short lives. These components require the use of anisotropic high-temperature alloys to meet the safety and durability requirements of such systems. To assess the effects on blade life of material anisotropy, cyclic structural analyses are being performed for the first stage high-pressure fuel turbopump blade of the space shuttle main engine. The blade alloy is directionally solidified MAR-M 246 alloy. The analyses are based on a typical test stand engine cycle. Stress-strain histories at the airfoil critical location are computed using the MARC nonlinear finite-element computer code. The MARC solutions are compared to cyclic response predictions from a simplified structural analysis procedure developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center
Intrinsic Motivation, Job Autonomy and Turnover Intention in the Italian Healthcare: The mediating role of Affective Commitment
Drawing on Self-Determination and Work Characteristics theories, we hypothesized that job
autonomy and intrinsic motivation were key exogenous variables positively related to
affective commitment, which in turn is negatively related to turnover intention, by
performing a mediating role. A sample of 442 nurses has been involved in this research.
Through the cross-validation technique, the results showed that the hypotheses of this study
were supported and affective commitment completely mediated the relationships between job
autonomy, intrinsic work motivation and turnover intention. These findings have important implications for
healthcare organizations by helping to promote effective work environments and major opportunities of
responsibility to workers to develop their own activity. Conclusions were examined considering practical
implications for organizations, employees and the need for further researches
Identification of an acetyl esterase in the supernatant of the environmental strain Bacillus sp. HR21-6
Bacillus sp. HR21-6 is capable of the chemo- and regioselective synthesis of lipophilic partially acetylated phenolic compounds derived from olive polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants important in the formulation of functional foods. In this work, an acetyl esterase was identified in the secretome of this strain by non-targeted proteomics, and classified in the GDSL family (superfamily SGNH). The recombinant protein was expressed and purified from Escherichia coli in the soluble form, and biochemically characterized. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed to understand the role of different amino acids that are conserved among GDSL superfamily of esterases. Mutation of Ser-10, Gly-45 or His-185 abolished the enzyme activity, while mutation of Asn-77 or Thr-184 altered the substrate specificity of the enzyme. This new enzyme is able to perform chemoselective conversions of olive phenolic compounds with great interest in the food industry, such as hydroxytyrosol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, and oleuropein.Junta de Andalucía P11-CVI-7427 M
Performance and genome-centric metagenomics of thermophilic single and two-stage anaerobic digesters treating cheese wastes
The present research is the first comprehensive study regarding the thermophilic anaerobic degradation of cheese wastewater, which combines the evaluation of different reactor configurations (i.e. single and two-stage continuous stirred tank reactors) on the process efficiency and the in-depth characterization of the microbial community structure using genome-centric metagenomics. Both reactor configurations showed acidification problems under the tested organic loading rates (OLRs) of 3.6 and 2.4 g COD/L-reactor day and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 15 days. However, the two-stage design reached a methane yield equal to 95% of the theoretical value, in contrast with the single stage configuration, which reached a maximum of 33% of the theoretical methane yield. The metagenomic analysis identified 22 new population genomes and revealed that the microbial compositions between the two configurations were remarkably different, demonstrating a higher methanogenic biodiversity in the two-stage configuration. In fact, the acidogenic reactor of the serial configuration was almost solely composed by the lactose degrader Bifidobacterium crudilactis UC0001. The predictive functional analyses of the main population genomes highlighted specific metabolic pathways responsible for the AD process and the mechanisms of main intermediates production. Particularly, the acetate accumulation experienced by the single stage configuration was mainly correlated to the low abundant syntrophic acetate oxidizer Tepidanaerobacter acetatoxydans UC0018 and to the absence of aceticlastic methanogens
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