569 research outputs found
Mixed Reality-Based Simulator for Training on Imageless Navigation Skills in Total Hip Replacement Procedures
Imageless navigation systems (INS) in orthopaedics have been used to improve the outcomes of several orthopaedic procedures such as total hip replacement [1, 2]. However, the increased surgical times and the associate learning curve discourage surgeons from using navigation systems in their theatres [2]. This paper presents a Mixed Reality (MR) simulator that helps surgeons acquire the infrared based navigation skills before performing it in reality. A group of 7 hip surgeons tried the application, expressing their satisfaction with all the features and confirmed that the simulator represents a cheaper and faster option to train surgeons in the use of INS than the current learning methods
Collapse of a semiflexible polymer in poor solvent
We investigate the dynamics and the pathways of the collapse of a single,
semiflexible polymer in a poor solvent via 3-D Brownian Dynamics simulations.
Earlier work indicates that the condensation of semiflexible polymers
generically proceeds via a cascade through metastable racquet-shaped,
long-lived intermediates towards the stable torus state. We investigate the
rate of decay of uncollapsed states, analyze the preferential pathways of
condensation, and describe likelihood and lifespan of the different metastable
states. The simulation are performed with a bead-stiff spring model with
excluded volume interaction and exponentially decaying attractive potential.
The semiflexible chain collapse is studied as functions of the three relevant
length scales of the phenomenon, i.e., the total chain length , the
persistence length and the condensation length , where is a measure of the attractive potential per unit
length. Two dimensionless ratios, and , suffice to describe
the decay rate of uncollapsed states, which appears to scale as . The condensation sequence is described in terms of the time series
of the well separated energy levels associated with each metastable collapsed
state. The collapsed states are described quantitatively through the spatial
correlation of tangent vectors along the chain. We also compare the results
obtained with a locally inextensible bead-rod chain and with a phantom
bead-spring model. Finally, we show preliminary results on the effects of
steady shear flow on the kinetics of collapse.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure
Birth weight variants are associated with variable fetal intrauterine growth from 20 weeks of gestation
Two-point microrheology and the electrostatic analogy
The recent experiments of Crocker et al. suggest that microrheological
measurements obtained from the correlated fluctuations of widely-separatedprobe
particles determine the rheological properties of soft, complex materials more
accurately than do the more traditional particle autocorrelations. This
presents an interesting problem in viscoelastic dynamics. We develop an
important, simplifing analogy between the present viscoelastic problem and
classical electrostatics. Using this analogy and direct calculation we analyze
both the one and two particle correlations in a viscoelastic medium in order to
explain this observation
The Wolf-Rayet binaries of the nitrogen sequence in the Large Magellanic Cloud: spectroscopy, orbital analysis, formation, and evolution
Massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars dominate the radiative and mechanical energy
budget of galaxies and probe a critical phase in the evolution of massive stars
prior to core-collapse. It is not known whether core He-burning WR stars
(classical WR, cWR) form predominantly through wind-stripping (w-WR) or binary
stripping (b-WR). With spectroscopy of WR binaries so-far largely avoided due
to its complexity, our study focuses on the 44 WR binaries / binary candidates
of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC, metallicity Z~0.5 Zsun), identified on the
basis of radial velocity variations, composite spectra, or high X-ray
luminosities. Relying on a diverse spectroscopic database, we aim to derive the
physical and orbital parameters of our targets, confronting evolution models of
evolved massive stars at sub-solar metallicity, and constraining the impact of
binary interaction in forming them. Spectroscopy is performed using the Potsdam
Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code and cross-correlation techniques. Disentanglement is
performed using the code Spectangular or the shift-and-add algorithm.
Evolutionary status is interpreted using the Binary Population and Spectral
Synthesis (BPASS) code, exploring binary interaction and chemically-homogeneous
evolution.
No obvious dichotomy in the locations of apparently-single and binary WN
stars on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is apparent. According to commonly
used stellar evolution models (BPASS, Geneva), most apparently-single WN stars
could not have formed as single stars, implying that they were stripped by an
undetected companion. Otherwise, it must follow that pre-WR mass-loss/mixing
(e.g., during the red supergiant phase) are strongly underestimated in standard
stellar evolution models.Comment: accepted to A&A on 10.05.2019; 69 pages (25 main paper + 44
appendix); Corrigendum: Shenar et al. 2020, A&A, 641, 2: An unfortunate typo
in the implementation of the "transformed radius" caused errors of up to
~0.5dex in the derived mass-loss rates. This has now been correcte
OrCaCel - OrganoCat plant and pulping combinations for the full valorisation of lignocellulose from marginal land grown perennial plants
Linear and nonlinear rheology of wormlike micelles
Several surfactant molecules self-assemble in solution to form long,
cylindrical, flexible wormlike micelles. These micelles can be entangled with
each other leading to viscoelastic phases. The rheological properties of such
phases are very interesting and have been the subject of a large number of
experimental and theoretical studies in recent years. We shall report on our
recent work on the macrorheology, microrheology and nonlinear flow behaviour of
dilute aqueous solutions of a surfactant CTAT (Cetyltrimethylammonium
Tosilate). This system forms elongated micelles and exhibits strong
viscoelasticity at low concentrations ( 0.9 wt%) without the addition of
electrolytes. Microrheology measurements of have been done using
diffusing wave spectroscopy which will be compared with the conventional
frequency sweep measurements done using a cone and plate rheometer. The second
part of the paper deals with the nonlinear rheology where the measured shear
stress is a nonmonotonic function of the shear rate . In
stress-controlled experiments, the shear stress shows a plateau for
larger than some critical strain rate, similar to the earlier
reports on CPyCl/NaSal system. Cates et al have proposed that the plateau is a
signature of mechanical instability in the form of shear bands. We have carried
out extensive experiments under controlled strain rate conditions, to study the
time-dependence of shear stress. The measured time series of shear stress has
been analysed in terms of correlation integrals and Lyapunov exponents to show
unambiguously that the behaviour is typical of low dimensional dynamical
systems.Comment: 15 pages, 10 eps figure
Genetic predisposition to adiposity is associated with increased objectively assessed sedentary time in young children.
Increased sedentariness has been linked to the growing prevalence of obesity in children, but some longitudinal studies suggest that sedentariness may be a consequence rather than a cause of increased adiposity. We used Mendelian randomization to examine the causal relations between body mass index (BMI) and objectively assessed sedentary time and physical activity in 3-8 year-old children from one Finnish and two Danish cohorts [NTOTAL=679]. A genetic risk score (GRS) comprised of 15 independent genetic variants associated with childhood BMI was used as the instrumental variable to test causal effects of BMI on sedentary time, total physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). In fixed effects meta-analyses, the GRS was associated with 0.05 SD/allele increase in sedentary time (P=0.019), but there was no significant association with total physical activity (beta=0.011 SD/allele, P=0.58) or MVPA (beta=0.001 SD/allele, P=0.96), adjusting for age, sex, monitor wear-time and first three genome-wide principal components. In two-stage least squares regression analyses, each genetically instrumented one unit increase in BMI z-score increased sedentary time by 0.47 SD (P=0.072). Childhood BMI may have a causal influence on sedentary time but not on total physical activity or MVPA in young children. Our results provide important insights into the regulation of movement behaviour in childhood
The influence of transmitted and non-transmitted parental BMI-associated alleles on the risk of overweight in childhood
Overweight in children is strongly associated with parental body mass index (BMI) and overweight. We assessed parental transmitted and non-transmitted genetic contributions to overweight in children from the Danish National Birth Cohort by constructing genetic risk scores (GRSs) from 941 common genetic variants associated with adult BMI and estimating associations of transmitted maternal/paternal and non-transmitted maternal GRS with child overweight. Maternal and paternal BMI (standard deviation (SD) units) had a strong association with childhood overweight [Odds ratio (OR): 2.01 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74; 2.34) and 1.64 (95% CI 1.43; 1.89)]. Maternal and paternal transmitted GRSs (SD-units) increased odds for child overweight equally [OR: 1.30 (95% CI 1.16; 1.46) and 1.30 (95% CI 1.16; 1.47)]. However, both the parental phenotypic and the GRS associations may depend on maternal BMI, being weaker among mothers with overweight. Maternal non-transmitted GRS was not associated with child overweight [OR 0.98 (95% CI 0.88; 1.10)] suggesting no specific influence of maternal adiposity as such. In conclusion, parental transmitted GRSs, based on adult BMI, contribute to child overweight, but in overweight mothers other genetic and environmental factors may play a greater role.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access it via the publisher's site.WT104150/Wellcome Trust (Wellcome)published version, accepted version, submitted versio
VLT/SPHERE deep insight of NGC 3603's core: Segregation or confusion?
We present new near-infrared photometric measurements of the core of the
young massive cluster NGC 3603 obtained with extreme adaptive optics. The data
were obtained with the SPHERE instrument mounted on ESO Very Large Telescope,
and cover three fields in the core of this cluster. We applied a correction for
the effect of extinction to our data obtained in the J and K broadband filters
and estimated the mass of detected sources inside the field of view of
SPHERE/IRDIS, which is 13.5"x13.5". We derived the mass function (MF) slope for
each spectral band and field. The MF slope in the core is unusual compared to
previous results based on Hubble space telescope (HST) and very large telescope
(VLT) observations. The average slope in the core is estimated as
-1.06^{+0.26}_{-0.26} for the main sequence stars with 3.5 Msun < M < 120
Msun.Thanks to the SPHERE extreme adaptive optics, 814 low-mass stars were
detected to estimate the MF slope for the pre-main sequence stars with 0.6
Msun< M < 3.5 Msun , Gamma = -0.54^{+0.11}_{-0.11} in the K-band images in two
fields in the core of the cluster. For the first time, we derive the mass
function of the very core of the NGC 3603 young cluster for masses in the range
0.6 - 120 Msun. Previous studies were either limited by crowding, lack of
dynamic range, or a combination of both
- …