Development of rheometer for semi-solid highmelting point alloys

A rheometer for semi-solid high-melting point alloys was developed based on the principle of a double-bucket rheometer, with which the solidifying of semi-solid high-melting point alloy melt could be effectively controlled by the control of temperature and the outer force-field; and different microstructures have also been obtained. This rheometer can be used to investigate the rheological behavior under different conditions by changing the Theological parameters. By way of full-duplex communication between the computer and each sensor, automatic control of the test equipment and real- timemeasurement of rheological parameters were realized. Finally, the influencing factors on torque are also quantitatively analyzed

Central Engine-Powered Bright X-ray Flares in Short Gamma-Ray Bursts: A Hint of Black Hole-Neutron Star Merger?

Short gamma-ray bursts may originate from the merger of double neutron stars (NS) or that of a black hole (BH) and an NS. We propose that the bright X-ray flare related to the central engine reactivity may hint a BH-NS merger, since such a merger can provide more fall-back materials and therefore a more massive accretion disk than the NS-NS merger. Based on the observed 49 short bursts with Swift/X-ray Telescope follow-up observations, we find that three bursts have bright X-ray flares, among which three flares from two bursts are probably related to the central engine reactivity. We argue that these two bursts may originate from the BH-NS merger rather than the NS-NS merger. Our suggested link between the central engine-powered bright X-ray flare and the BH-NS merger event can be checked by the future gravitational wave detections from advanced LIGO and Virgo.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Radial Angular Momentum Transfer and Magnetic Barrier for Short-Type Gamma-Ray Burst Central Engine Activity

Soft extended emission (EE) following initial hard spikes up to 100 seconds was observed with {\em Swift}/BAT for about half of short-type gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs). This challenges the conversional central engine models of SGRBs, i.e., compact star merger models. In the framework of the black hole-neutron star merger models, we study the roles of the radial angular momentum transfer in the disk and the magnetic barrier around the black hole for the activity of SGRB central engines. We show that the radial angular momentum transfer may significantly prolong the lifetime of the accretion process and multiple episodes may be switched by the magnetic barrier. Our numerical calculations based on the models of the neutrino-dominated accretion flows suggest that the disk mass is critical for producing the observed EE. In case of the mass being $\sim 0.8M_{\odot}$, our model can reproduce the observed timescale and luminosity of both the main and EE episodes in a reasonable parameter set. The predicted luminosity of the EE component is lower than the observed EE with about one order of magnitude and the timescale is shorter than 20 seconds if the disk mass being $\sim 0.2M_{\odot}$. {\em Swift}/BAT-like instruments may be not sensitive enough to detect the EE component in this case. We argue that the EE component would be a probe for merger process and disk formation for compact star mergers.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Influence of Socioeconomic Factors, Gender and Indigenous Status on Smoking in Taiwan.

The indigenous Austronesian minority of Taiwan is heavily affected by health disparities which may include suffering from a greater burden of the tobacco epidemic. While a lack of representative data has historically precluded an investigation of the differences in smoking between Taiwanese ethnicities, these data have recently become available through an annual population-based telephone survey conducted by the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare (previously known as the Bureau of Health Promotion (BHP), Department of Health). We used the BHP monitoring data to observe the prevalence of smoking and environmental tobacco smoke exposure among indigenous and non-indigenous Taiwanese surrounding a tobacco welfare tax increase in 2006, investigate ethnic differences in smoking prevalence and environmental tobacco smoke exposure each year between 2005 and 2008, and perform multiple logistic regression to estimate measures of association between potential risk factors and smoking status. Despite significant ethnic and gender differences in smoking prevalence, smoking status was not found to be significantly associated with ethnicity after controlling for socioeconomic and demographic factors

Effectiveness of Low Electrical Sensory Stimulation from Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Promoting Upper Extremity Functionality of Two Individuals Post-stroke

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of low sensory electrical stimulation provided by a TENS unit on improving hand functionality in the treatment of patients post-stroke. An A-B-A single-subject design was used and two subjects participated in this study; one was a 70-year-old female who was 6 years post-stroke and one was a 63-year-old male 2 years post-stroke. For participant 1, there was no significant change in active extension of the first three digits but significant improvement in little finger active extension was shown when the intervention was introduced. The large light object subtest from the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test was modified for participant 1 and the time she required to perform this subtest varied. There was no significant change in the Action Research Arm Test for participant 1. For participant 2, there was a significant improvement in index finger extension in the B phase and no significant change in active extension of other fingers. There was no significant change in finger flexion for all fingers except the little finger. There was no significant change in the large light objects subtest and there was significant change in the A2 phase in the writing subtest from the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test. There was no significant change in the Action Research Arm Test grip subtest. There was significant change in the Action Research Arm Test pinch subtest. However, there were many internal and external factors contributing to the study results. The findings from this study suggest that future study is needed to achieve a better understanding of the low sensory stimulation provided by a TENS unit on promoting upper extremity function in clients post-stroke