7,352 research outputs found
The legacy of the corporatist state : explaining workers' responses to economic liberalisation in Egypt
Extreme-value statistics from Lagrangian convex hull analysis for homogeneous turbulent Boussinesq convection and MHD convection
We investigate the utility of the convex hull of many Lagrangian tracers to
analyze transport properties of turbulent flows with different anisotropy. In
direct numerical simulations of statistically homogeneous and stationary
Navier-Stokes turbulence, neutral fluid Boussinesq convection, and MHD
Boussinesq convection a comparison with Lagrangian pair dispersion shows that
convex hull statistics capture the asymptotic dispersive behavior of a large
group of passive tracer particles. Moreover, convex hull analysis provides
additional information on the sub-ensemble of tracers that on average disperse
most efficiently in the form of extreme value statistics and flow anisotropy
via the geometric properties of the convex hulls. We use the convex hull
surface geometry to examine the anisotropy that occurs in turbulent convection.
Applying extreme value theory, we show that the maximal square extensions of
convex hull vertices are well described by a classic extreme value
distribution, the Gumbel distribution. During turbulent convection,
intermittent convective plumes grow and accelerate the dispersion of Lagrangian
tracers. Convex hull analysis yields information that supplements standard
Lagrangian analysis of coherent turbulent structures and their influence on the
global statistics of the flow.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, preprin
On the complexity of curve fitting algorithms
We study a popular algorithm for fitting polynomial curves to scattered data
based on the least squares with gradient weights. We show that sometimes this
algorithm admits a substantial reduction of complexity, and, furthermore, find
precise conditions under which this is possible. It turns out that this is,
indeed, possible when one fits circles but not ellipses or hyperbolas.Comment: 8 pages, no figure
Early warning biomarkers in major depressive disorder: a strategic approach to a testing question
Energy Potential of Cattails (Typha spp.) and Productivity in Managed Stands
Because of their high productivity in both natural and managed stands, cattails are being considered as a potential energy crop . Yields of 40 tons per hectare, including above and below ground biomass, have been reported (Moss et al., 1977). Yields from plants grown in managed paddies on peat are generally 20-30 percent lower. The maximum shoot weight occurs in August while maximum below ground biomass is reached in October. Total biomass increased with increasing rates of fertilizer application but differences were not significant. Differences between the initial nutrient contents of the two peat types used were more important than fertilizer levels. Significant differences in yield were obtained by increasing the planting rate from 12 to 48 rhizomes per plot. Further studies on natural stands are under way at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Area
A system of relational syllogistic incorporating full Boolean reasoning
We present a system of relational syllogistic, based on classical
propositional logic, having primitives of the following form:
Some A are R-related to some B;
Some A are R-related to all B;
All A are R-related to some B;
All A are R-related to all B.
Such primitives formalize sentences from natural language like `All students
read some textbooks'. Here A and B denote arbitrary sets (of objects), and R
denotes an arbitrary binary relation between objects. The language of the logic
contains only variables denoting sets, determining the class of set terms, and
variables denoting binary relations between objects, determining the class of
relational terms. Both classes of terms are closed under the standard Boolean
operations. The set of relational terms is also closed under taking the
converse of a relation. The results of the paper are the completeness theorem
with respect to the intended semantics and the computational complexity of the
satisfiability problem.Comment: Available at
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10849-012-9165-
Reuse as heuristic : from transmission to nurture in learning activity design
In recent years a combination of ever more flexible and sophisticated Web technologies and an explosion in the quantity of online content has sparked learning technologists around the world to pursue the promise of the 'reusable learning object' or RLO with the idea that RLOs could be reused in different educational contexts, thereby providing greater overall flexibility and return on investment. In 2002 the ACETS Project undertook a three-year study in the UK to investigate whether RLOs worked in practice and how the pursuit of reuse affected the teacher and their teaching. Teachers working in healthcare-related subjects in Higher and Further Education were asked to create an original learning design or activity from third-party digital resources and to reflect both on the process and its outcomes. The expectation was that teachers would be the ones selecting and reusing third-party materials. This paper describes how one of the ACETS exemplifiers reinterpreted this remit, challenged the anticipated transmissive model of learning, and instead, gave their students an opportunity to create their own original learning designs and learning activities from third-party digital resources. By describing the educational enhancements, the resulting heightened levels of critical thinking, and sensitivity to patient needs, 'reuse' will be shown to be an effective heuristic for student self-direction and professional development
Hydrogen Dissociation and Diffusion on Ni and Ti -doped Mg(0001) Surfaces
It is well known, both theoretically and experimentally, that alloying
MgH with transition elements can significantly improve the thermodynamic
and kinetic properties for H desorption, as well as the H intake by Mg
bulk. Here we present a density functional theory investigation of hydrogen
dissociation and surface diffusion over Ni-doped surface, and compare the
findings to previously investigated Ti-doped Mg(0001) and pure Mg(0001)
surfaces. Our results show that the energy barrier for hydrogen dissociation on
the pure Mg(0001) surface is high, while it is small/null when Ni/Ti are added
to the surface as dopants. We find that the binding energy of the two H atoms
near the dissociation site is high on Ti, effectively impeding diffusion away
from the Ti site. By contrast, we find that on Ni the energy barrier for
diffusion is much reduced. Therefore, although both Ti and Ni promote H
dissociation, only Ni appears to be a good catalyst for Mg hydrogenation,
allowing diffusion away from the catalytic sites. Experimental results
corroborate these theoretical findings, i.e. faster hydrogenation of the Ni
doped Mg sample as opposed to the reference Mg or Ti doped Mg.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, to appear in Journal of Chemical Physic
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