Event-driven message passing and parallel simulation of global illumination

Tomáš PlachetkaPaderborn, Univ., Diss., 200

Evaluation of physical activity of women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy using the standardized PPAQ questionnaire-a pilot study

Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman's life, so every pregnant woman should be aware of the importance of physical exercise during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity of women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The standardized Physical Activity Questionnaire for Pregnant Women (PPAQ-PL) was used to achieve the purpose of the study. Thirty women in the age range of 18-35 years (28 years±3.54) participated in the study. Analysis of the results showed that higher values of total weekly energy expenditure were obtained by the group of women in the third trimester of pregnancy (206.37 MET/h/week) compared to pregnant women in the second trimester (140.42MET/h/week). The women differed in terms of energy expenditure in activities such as housework (in women in the second trimester 49.1% of total activity, in the third trimester 56.7%), passive rest (24.1% and 14.5%), professional work (12.9% and 7.7%), sports and exercise (2.8% and 6.6%), and moving around (10.6% and 14.5%). In both women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, a low level of activity intensity prevailed (58.08% and 55.64%). Energy expenditure on sports and exercise consistent with the recommended for the second trimester (≥28 MET/h/week) was declared by only 6% of the women surveyed, while in the third trimester the recommended energy expenditure on physical activity (≥16 MET/h/week) was fulfilled by 29% of pregnant women. There is an ongoing need to educate women about the benefits of systematic prenatal activity

Voice pitch modulation in human mate choice

Inter-individual differences in human fundamental frequency (F0, perceived as voice pitch) predict mate quality and reproductive success, and affect listeners' social attributions. Although humans can readily and volitionally manipulate their vocal apparatus and resultant voice pitch, for instance, in the production of speech sounds and singing, little is known about whether humans exploit this capacity to adjust the non-verbal dimensions of their voices during social (including sexual) interactions. Here, we recorded full-length conversations of 30 adult men and women taking part in real speed-dating events and tested whether their voice pitch (mean, range and variability) changed with their personal mate choice preferences and the overall desirability of each dating partner. Within-individual analyses indicated that men lowered the minimum pitch of their voices when interacting with women who were overall highly desired by other men. Men also lowered their mean voice pitch on dates with women they selected as potential mates, particularly those who indicated a mutual preference (matches). Interestingly, although women spoke with a higher and more variable voice pitch towards men they selected as potential mates, women lowered both voice pitch parameters towards men who were most desired by other women and whom they also personally preferred. Between-individual analyses indicated that men in turn preferred women with lower-pitched voices, wherein women's minimum voice pitch explained up to 55% of the variance in men's mate preferences. These results, derived in an ecologically valid setting, show that individual- and group-level mate preferences can interact to affect vocal behaviour, and support the hypothesis that human voice modulation functions in non-verbal communication to elicit favourable judgements and behaviours from others, including potential mates

Устройство защиты оборудования автоматизации от сверхкоротких электромагнитных импульсов

Цель работы – разработка и совершенствование нового устройства защиты оборудования автоматизации от сверхкоротких импульсов путем проведения вычислительных и натурных экспериментов при различных параметрах устройства. В данной выпускной квалификационной работе был разработан прототип устройства защиты оборудования автоматизации от СКИ, проведено экспериментальное подтверждение результатов моделирования его электрических характеристик. Исследован способ уменьшения времени моделирования. Выявлена схема включения устройства, обладающая бо?льшим коэффициентом ослабления помехового импульса. Выявлена закономерность в моментах прихода импульсов на выходе устройства, которые не наблюдались ранее.The purpose of the work is the development and improvement of a new device for protecting automation equipment against ultrashort pulses by performing computational and full-scale experiments at various device parameters. In this final qualifying work, a prototype of the protection device for automation equipment from the SRS was developed, and experimental results of simulation of its electrical characteristics were verified. A method for reducing simulation time has been studied. A circuit for switching on the device is revealed, which has a large coefficient of attenuation of the interference pulse. A regularity is revealed in the moments of arrival of pulses at the output of the device, which were not observed earlier

Graphene coating of Nafion(R)^{(R)} membranes for enhanced fuel cell performance

Electrochemically exfoliated graphene (e-G) thin films on Nafion$^{(R)}$ membranes exhibit a selective barrier effect against undesirable fuel crossover. The approach combines the high proton conductivity of state-of-the-art Nafion$^{(R)}$ and the ability of e-G layers to effectively block the transport of methanol and hydrogen. Nafion$^{(R)}$ membranes are coated with aqueous dispersions of e-G on the anode side, making use of a facile and scalable spray process. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) confirm the formation of a dense percolated graphene flake network which acts as diffusion barrier. The maximum power density in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) operation with e-G coated Nafion$^{(R)}$ N115 is 3.9 times higher than the Nafion$^{(R)}$ N115 reference (39 vs. 10 mW cm$^{-2}$ @ 0.3 V) at 5M methanol feed concentration. This suggests the application of e-G coated Nafion$^{(R)}$ membranes for portable DMFCs, where the use of highly concentrated methanol is desirable

Memoria 1987

La memoria que presentamos trata de significar, con criterios lo más objetivos posible, los hechos más destacados de la actividad científica y técnica del CSIC a lo largo del año 1987 El hecho más destacado del año es sin duda la aprobación del Programa Sectorial del CSIC por la Junta de Gobierno, en su reunión del día 8 de Mayo. Este Programa enlaza con las anteriores programaciones trianuales que han enmarcado la actividad del Organismo durante 1982-1984 y 1985-1987, y su objetivo es contribuir, mediante la investigación científica y el desarrollo tecnológico, a la consecución de los objetivos de interés general que establece el artículo 2 de la Ley de la Ciencia. También merece señalarse la creación de la Oficina de Relaciones con la Comunidad Económica Europea, adscrita al Gabinete de Estudios de la Presidencia, que obedece a la necesidad de canalizar la participación del CSIC en el Programa Marco 1 y D de la Comunidad Europea. En el mes de Diciembre se fallaron los Premios de Periodismo Científico, en su segunda edición; galardones que fueron creados el año anterior para reconocer la labor de los profesionales de la información, —personas y empresas periodísticas—, que han realizado una tarea relevante en el campo de la divulgación científica y técnica en los medios de comunicación españoles. Por último, cabe reseñar que toda la documentación recogida en esta publicación se ha dividido en dos partes bien diferenciadas. En la primera, que tiene un carácter más conceptual, se exponen datos globales relativos a la información general del organismo, en tanto que la segunda parte —con datos más individualizados—, se dedica exclusivamente a la información o actividad científica acontecida en los distintos Centros o Institutos.N