Multi-Modal Synthesis and Variable Modulus Effects in Resonant Column Tests by Random Excitations

To extend current measurement and data synthesis techniques for resonant column testing, random vibration transfer functions measured using a modified 6 inch (152.4 mm) diameter Drnevich free-free resonant column device are evaluated against viscoelastic theories of homogeneous and heterogeneous soil models. By means of the transfer function approach, it is found that the first four resonant peaks of the soil column response can be captured experimentally with some instrumental adaptations. By calibration against theoretical transfer functions, the ability to characterize the modulus and damping properties of the soil samples over a broad range of frequencies is demonstrated. As a generalization of the analytical theory for resonant column tests to a number of practical applications, the sensitivity of the experimental procedure to the specimen’s vertical material heterogeneity is examined for a linear variation in shear modulus. The feasibility of applying the experimental and analytical techniques to investigations of the frequency-dependence of damping properties is demonstrated. Calibration of theoretical models against measured resonant column soil behavior over a wide range of frequencies is anticipated to lead to more accurate material characterization across the spectrum of frequencies encountered in seismic and foundation vibration applications

Partial fillings of the bosonic E8E_8 quantum Hall state

We study bosonic topological phases constructed from electrons. In addition to a bulk excitation energy gap, these bosonic phases also have a fermion energy gap, below which all local excitations in the bulk and on the edge are even combinations of electrons. We focus on chiral phases, in which all low-energy edge excitations move in the same direction, that arise from the short-range entangled $E_8$ quantum Hall state, the bosonic analog of the filled lowest Landau level of electrons. The $E_8$ edge-state theory features an $E_8$ Kac-Moody symmetry that can be decomposed into ${\cal G}_A \times {\cal G}_B$ subalgebras, such as $SU(3) \times E_6$, $SO(M) \times SO(16-M)$, and $G_2 \times F_4$. (Here, $\{SO(M) \}$, $\{SU(N)\}$, and $\{E_8, G_2, F_4 \}$ denote orthogonal, unitary, and exceptional Lie algebras.) Using these symmetry decompositions, we construct exactly solvable coupled-wire model Hamiltonians for families of long-range entangled ${\cal G}_A$ or ${\cal G}_B$ bosonic fractional quantum Hall states that ``partially fill" the $E_8$ state and are pairwise related by a generalized particle-hole symmetry. These long-range entangled states feature either Abelian or non-Abelian topological order. Some support the emergence of non-local Dirac and Majorana fermions, Ising anyons, metaplectic anyons, Fibonacci anyons, as well as deconfined $\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge fluxes and charges.Comment: 48 pages, 6 figure

Renal-Stone Risk Assessment During Space Shuttle Flights

The metabolic and environmental factors influencing renal stone formation before, during, and after Space Shuttle flights were assessed. We established the contributing roles of dietary factors in relationship to the urinary risk factors associated with renal stone formation. 24-hr urine samples were collected prior to, during space flight, and following landing. Urinary factors associated with renal stone formation were analyzed and the relative urinary supersaturation ratios of calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate (brushite), sodium urate, struvite and uric acid were calculated. Food and fluid consumption was recorded for a 48-hr period ending with the urine collection. Urinary composition changed during flight to favor the crystallization of stone-forming salts. Factors that contributed to increased potential for stone formation during space flight were significant reductions in urinary pH and increases in urinary calcium. Urinary output and citrate, a potent inhibitor of calcium-containing stones, were slightly reduced during space flight. Dietary intakes were significantly reduced for a number of variables, including fluid, energy, protein, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. This is the first in-flight characterization of the renal stone forming potential in astronauts. With the examination of urinary components and nutritional factors, it was possible to determine the factors that contributed to increased risk or protected from risk. In spite of the protective components, the negative contributions to renal stone risk predominated and resulted in a urinary environment that favored the supersaturation of stone-forming salts. The importance of the hypercalciuria was noted since renal excretion was high relative to the intake

Fluctuations of the number of participants and binary collisions in AA interactions at fixed centrality in the Glauber approach

In the framework of the classical Glauber approach, the analytical expressions for the variance of the number of wounded nucleons and binary collisions in AA interactions at a given centrality are presented. Along with the optical approximation term, they contain additional contact terms arising only in the case of nucleus-nucleus collisions. The magnitude of the additional contributions, e.g., for PbPb collisions at SPS energies, is larger than the contribution of the optical approximation at some values of the impact parameter. The sum of the additional contributions is in good agreement with the results of independent Monte Carlo simulations of this process. Due to these additional terms, the variance of the total number of participants for peripheral PbPb collisions and the variance of the number of collisions at all values of the impact parameter exceed several multiples of the Poisson variances. The correlator between the numbers of participants in colliding nuclei at fixed centrality is also analytically calculated.Comment: updated version; as published by Phys. Rev.

Probing the isospin dependent mean field and nucleon nucleon cross section in the medium by the nucleon emissions

We study the isospin effects of the mean field and two-body collision on the nucleon emissions at the intermediate energy heavy ion collisions by using an isospin dependent transport theory. The calculated results show that the nucleon emission number $N_{n}$ depends sensitively the isospin effect of nucleon nucleon cross section and weakly on the isospin dependent mean field for neutron-poor system in higher beam energy region . In particular, the correlation between the medium correction of two-body collision and the momentum dependent interaction enhances the dependence of nucleon emission number $N_{n}$ on the isospin effect of nucleon nucleon cross section. On the contrary, the ratio of the neutron proton ratio of the gas phase to the neutron proton ratio of the liquid phase, i.e., the degree of isospin fractionation $_{b}/_{b}$ depends sensitively on the isospin dependent mean field and weakly on the isospin effect of two-body collision for neutron-rich system in the lower beam energy region. In this case, $N_{n}$ and $_{b}/_{b}$ are the probes for extracting the information about the isospin dependent nucleon nucleon cross section in the medium and the isospin dependent mean field,respectively.Comment: 4 pages,4 figure

Evaluation of an Internet–Short Message Service–Based Intervention for Promoting Physical Activity in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescent School Children: A Pilot Study

Evaluation of acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet and short message service (SMS) intervention for promoting physical activity (PA) in Hong Kong Chinese school children. An 8-week quasi-experimental study non-randomly assigned 78 school children (mean age=12.8 years) to (a) an intervention group that received a stage-matched, Internet PA program two times a week and tailored SMS messages daily; or (b) a no-treatment control. Data were collected from September 2008 until June 2009. Acceptability measures included exposure rate and participant\u27s satisfaction. Efficacy measures were changes in stage of motivational readiness (SMR) and self-reported PA level. Intervention participants demonstrated significant pre-post increments in SMR (Z=−2.558, p=0.011) and self-reported PA level [F(1, 76)=4.50, p=0.04]. There was a non-significant trend between groups in both SMR (p=0.24) and PA (p=0.13). Despite the similar ratings of satisfaction between Internet (M=3.12±0.74) and SMS (M=3.12±0.84), participants displayed distinct patterns of exposure with 66% exhibiting a weekly login rate of 0.5 times/person and an average of 3.75 minutes/visit/person. In contrast, 79% of participants read an average of 1.3 SMS/person/week and 47% voluntarily replied to 3.8 SMS/person. These findings demonstrate the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet-SMS-based intervention for promoting PA in Hong Kong school children. The divergent exposure rates between the Internet and SMS may be a unique pattern for adolescents in early SMR. Future research should be cognizant of the importance of SMR since it may influence utilization and/or adherence

CemOrange2 fusions facilitate multifluorophore subcellular imaging in C. elegans

Due to its ease of genetic manipulation and transparency, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has become a preferred model system to study gene function by microscopy. The use of Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to proteins or targeting sequences of interest, further expanded upon the utility of C. elegans by labeling subcellular structures, which enables following their disposition during development or in the presence of genetic mutations. Fluorescent proteins with excitation and emission spectra different from that of GFP accelerated the use of multifluorophore imaging in real time. We have expanded the repertoire of fluorescent proteins for use in C. elegans by developing a codon-optimized version of Orange2 (CemOrange2). Proteins or targeting motifs fused to CemOrange2 were distinguishable from the more common fluorophores used in the nematode; such as GFP, YFP, and mKate2. We generated a panel of CemOrange2 fusion constructs, and confirmed they were targeted to their correct subcellular addresses by colocalization with independent markers. To demonstrate the potential usefulness of this new panel of fluorescent protein markers, we showed that CemOrange2 fusion proteins could be used to: 1) monitor biological pathways, 2) multiplex with other fluorescent proteins to determine colocalization and 3) gain phenotypic knowledge of a human ABCA3 orthologue, ABT-4, trafficking variant in the C. elegans model organism