Experimental measurement of focused wave group and solitary wave overtopping

Prediction of individual wave overtopping events is important in assessing danger to life and property, but data are sparse and hydrodynamic understanding is lacking. Laboratory-scale waves of three distinct types were generated at the Coastal Research Facility to model extreme waves overtopping a trapezoidal embankment. These comprised wave groups of compact form, wave groups embedded in a background wave field, and a solitary wave. The inshore wave propagation was measured and the time variation of overtopping rate estimated. The total volume overtopped was measured directly. The experiments provide well-defined data without uncertainty due to the effect of reflection on the incident wave train. The dependence of overtopping on a range of wave shapes is thus determined and the influence of wave-wave interactions on overtopping assessed. It was found that extreme overtopping may arise from focused waves with deep troughs rather than large crests. Furthermore, overtopping waves can be generated from small wave packets without affecting the applicability of results to cases in which there are surrounding waves. Finally, overtopping from a solitary wave is comparable with overtopping from focused wave groups of the same amplitude. © 2011 Copyright International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research

"Life at the full": The idea of the natural in English and French theatre, 1815-1848

The study investigates the development of theatre in England and France between 1815 and 1848, concentrating on a number of attempts to create a serious and poetic dramatic experience which reflected the artistic concerns of the time. It examines the general state of theatre and drama in London and Paris, and takes particular note of the reactions of one country's critics to the productions of the other. The central issue discussed is the idea of the natural, especially in terms of acting style and mise en scene. The study analyses some of the efforts of authors and producers to reconcile the demands and potential of Romantic dramaturgy with the expectations of the audience. The crucial problem may be described, in Bulwer Lytton's terms, as the attempt to fuse the simple and the magnificent, or, alternatively, the natural and the theatrical.The study outlines the organization, repertory, mise en scene and acting style in England and France at the start of the period (Chapters 1 and 2). It discusses the difficulties confronting the English Romantics as potential dramatists, with particular attention to Marino Faliero (Chapter 3). Chapter 4 describes the 1827-28 visit to Paris of the The&acirc;tre-Anglais, specifically the impact of Shakespeare productions upon French critical consciousness. The effect of that impact is discussed with reference to selected productions of French Romantic drama (Chapter 5). Chapter 6 outlines the incidence and influence of French theatrical practice in London, emphasising the natural acting style of the comediens and the high quality of mise en scene. Chapter 7 describes the growth in England of the idea of the unified production, and assesses the importance of Macready as a producer. In Chapter 8, the difficulty of achieving a satisfactory balance between the style of acting and the increasinglyelaborate physical context is examined, and it is argued that the idea of the natural was more capable of realisation in musical drama, especially ballet.<p

Low Energy Supersymmetry from the Heterotic Landscape

We study possible correlations between properties of the observable and hidden sectors in heterotic string theory. Specifically, we analyze the case of the Z6-II orbifold compactification which produces a significant number of models with the spectrum of the supersymmetric standard model. We find that requiring realistic features does affect the hidden sector such that hidden sector gauge group factors SU(4) and SO(8) are favoured. In the context of gaugino condensation, this implies low energy supersymmetry breaking.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

A Mini-Landscape of Exact MSSM Spectra in Heterotic Orbifolds

We explore a ``fertile patch'' of the heterotic landscape based on a Z_6-II orbifold with SO(10) and E_6 local GUT structures. We search for models allowing for the exact MSSM spectrum. Our result is that of order 100 out of a total 3\times 10^4 inequivalent models satisfy this requirement.Comment: 13 pages, for associated information see http://www.th.physik.uni-bonn.de/nilles/Z6IIorbifold/, v2: matches version published in PL

Analyzing networks of phenotypes in complex diseases: methodology and applications in COPD

Background: The investigation of complex disease heterogeneity has been challenging. Here, we introduce a network-based approach, using partial correlations, that analyzes the relationships among multiple disease-related phenotypes. Results: We applied this method to two large, well-characterized studies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We also examined the associations between these COPD phenotypic networks and other factors, including case-control status, disease severity, and genetic variants. Using these phenotypic networks, we have detected novel relationships between phenotypes that would not have been observed using traditional epidemiological approaches. Conclusion: Phenotypic network analysis of complex diseases could provide novel insights into disease susceptibility, disease severity, and genetic mechanisms

Stringy origin of non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetries

We study the origin of non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetries in superstring theory. We classify all possible non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetries which can appear in heterotic orbifold models. These symmetries include D_4 and Delta(54). We find that the symmetries of the couplings are always larger than the symmetries of the compact space. This is because they are a consequence of the geometry of the orbifold combined with the space group selection rules of the string. We also study possible breaking patterns. Our analysis yields a simple geometric understanding of the realization of non-Abelian flavor symmetries.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures, v2: matches version published in Nuclear Physics

A Supersymmetric SO(10) Model with Inflation and Cosmic Strings

We have built a supersymmetric SO(10) model consistent with cosmological observations. The model gives rise to a false vacuum hybrid inflationary scenario which solves the monopole problem. We argue that this type of inflationary scenario is generic in supersymmetric SO(10) model, and arises naturally from the theory. Neither any external field nor any external symmetry has to be added. It can just be a consequence of the theory. In our specific model, at the end of inflation, cosmic strings form. The properties of the strings are presented. The cosmic background radiation anisotropies induced by the inflationary perturbations and the cosmic strings are estimated. The model produces a stable lightest superparticle and a very light left-handed neutrino which may serve as the cold and hot dark matter. The properties of a mixed cosmic string-inflationary large scale structure formation scenario are discussed.Comment: 32 pages, uses RevTex. Misprint in a referenc

Teachers’ system construction and the balanced development of compulsory education

内容摘要义务教育发展的地区间严重失衡，已经成为我国当前教育改革不得不认真面对并要切实采取措施予以缓解和最终解决的紧迫课题，因而也理所当然地成为当前理论研究中一个亟待深入探讨的热点问题。现阶段，义务教育“普九”目标已基本实现，义务教育的非均衡发展主要体现在教育资源的非均衡配置上。由于教师在教育中的主导地位，要促进义务教育区域均衡发展，首要任务是保证区域间教师资源的相对均衡，从而为学生提供公平的受教育机会。本文试图从师资制度建设的视角，对我国当前的义务教育师资制度作以系统地探讨，并且在分析了现行制度缺陷的基础上，对如何加快义务教育师资制度建设，推进义务教育区域均衡发展作了探索。本文共分四个部分：第...Abstract The development of compulsory education in a serious imbalance between regions has become China’s current education reform to seriously face and to take practical measures to be eased and the urgency of a final settlement class that, which is, of course, become a theoretical studies need to explore in depth the hot issues. This stage of compulsory education “pujiu”goal has been basically ...学位：管理学硕士院系专业：公共事务学院公共管理系_行政管理学号：20040601

SUSYGEN 2.2 - A Monte Carlo Event Generator for MSSM Sparticle Production at e+ e- Colliders

SUSYGEN is a Monte Carlo program designed for computing distributions and generating events for MSSM sparticle production in e+ e- collisions. The Supersymmetric (SUSY) mass spectrum may either be supplied by the user, or can alternatively be calculated in two different models of SUSY Breaking: gravity mediated supersymmetry breaking (SUGRA), and gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking (GMSB). The program incorporates the most important production processes and decay modes, including the full set of R-parity violating decays, and the decays to the gravitino in GMSB models. Initial state radiation corrections take into account pT/pL effects in the Structure Function formalism, and an optimised hadronisation interface to JETSET 7.4 including final state radiation is also provided.Comment: 68 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Comp. Phys. Commu

Therapeutic targeting of chronic kidney disease-associated DAMPs differentially contributing to vascular pathology

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation, a hallmark of both CKD and CV diseases (CVD), is believed to drive this association. Pro-inflammatory endogenous TLR agonists, Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs), have been found elevated in CKD patients’ plasma and suggested to promote CVD, however, confirmation of their involvement, the underlying mechanism(s), the extent to which individual DAMPs contribute to vascular pathology in CKD and the evaluation of potential therapeutic strategies, have remained largely undescribed. A multi-TLR inhibitor, soluble TLR2, abrogated chronic vascular inflammatory responses and the increased aortic atherosclerosis-associated gene expression observed in nephropathic mice, without compromising infection clearance. Mechanistically, we confirmed elevation of 4 TLR DAMPs in CKD patients’ plasma, namely Hsp70, Hyaluronic acid, HMGB-1 and Calprotectin, which displayed different abilities to promote key cellular responses associated with vascular inflammation and progression of atherosclerosis in a TLR-dependent manner. These included loss of trans-endothelial resistance, enhanced monocyte migration, increased cytokine production, and foam cell formation by macrophages, the latter via cholesterol efflux inhibition. Calprotectin and Hsp70 most consistently affected these functions. Calprotectin was further elevated in CVD-diagnosed CKD patients and strongly correlated with the predictor of CV events CRP. In nephropathic mice, Calprotectin blockade robustly reduced vascular chronic inflammatory responses and pro-atherosclerotic gene expression in the blood and aorta. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the critical extent to which the DAMP-TLR pathway contributes to vascular inflammatory and atherogenic responses in CKD, revealed the mechanistic contribution of specific DAMPs and described two alternatives therapeutic approaches to reduce chronic vascular inflammation and lower CV pathology in CKD