Stabilized lowest order finite element approximation for linear three-field poroelasticity

A stabilized conforming mixed finite element method for the three-field (displacement, fluid flux and pressure) poroelasticity problem is developed and analyzed. We use the lowest possible approximation order, namely piecewise constant approximation for the pressure and piecewise linear continuous elements for the displacements and fluid flux. By applying a local pressure jump stabilization term to the mass conservation equation we ensure stability and avoid pressure oscillations. Importantly, the discretization leads to a symmetric linear system. For the fully discretized problem we prove existence and uniqueness, an energy estimate and an optimal a-priori error estimate, including an error estimate for the divergence of the fluid flux. Numerical experiments in 2D and 3D illustrate the convergence of the method, show the effectiveness of the method to overcome spurious pressure oscillations, and evaluate the added mass effect of the stabilization term.Comment: 25 page

AlScN: A III-V semiconductor based ferroelectric

Ferroelectric switching is unambigiously demonstrated for the first time in a III-V semiconductor based material: AlScN -- A discovery which could help to satisfy the urgent demand for thin film ferroelectrics with high performance and good technological compatibility with generic semiconductor technology which arises from a multitude of memory, micro/nano-actuator and emerging applications based on controlling electrical polarization. The appearance of ferroelectricity in AlScN can be related to the continuous distortion of the original wurtzite-type crystal structure towards a layered-hexagonal structure with increasing Sc content and tensile strain, which is expected to be extendable to other III-nitride based solid solutions. Coercive fields which are systematically adjustable by more than 3 MV/cm, high remnant polarizations in excess of 100 \mu C/cm$^2$ which constitute the first experimental estimate of the previously inaccessible spontaneous polarization in a III-nitride based material, an almost ideally square-like hysteresis resulting in excellent piezoelectric linearity over a wide strain interval from -0.3% to +0.4% as well as a paraelectric transition temperature in excess of 600{\deg}C are confirmed. This intriguing combination of properties is to our knowledge as of now unprecedented in the field of polycrystalline ferroelectric thin films and promises to significantly advance the commencing integration of ferroelectric functionality to micro- and nanotechnology, while at the same time providing substantial insight to one of the central open questions of the III-nitride semiconductors - that of their actual spontaneous polarization

Model Order Reduction for (Stochastic-) Delay Equations With Error Bounds

We analyze a structure-preserving model order reduction technique for delay and stochastic delay equations based on the balanced truncation method and provide a system theoretic interpretation. Transferring error bounds based on Hankel operators to delay systems, we find error estimates for the difference between the dynamics of the full and reduced model. This analysis also yields new error bounds for bilinear systems and stochastic systems with multiplicative noise and non-zero initial states

Reference Points and Effort Provision

A key open question for theories of reference-dependent preferences is what determines the reference point. One candidate is expectations: what people expect could affect how they feel about what actually occurs. In a real-effort experiment, we manipulate the rational expectations of subjects and check whether this manipulation influences their effort provision. We find that effort provision is significantly different between treatments in the way predicted by models of expectation-based reference-dependent preferences: if expectations are high, subjects work longer and earn more money than if expectations are low

A poroelastic model coupled to a fluid network with applications in lung modelling

Here we develop a lung ventilation model, based a continuum poroelastic representation of lung parenchyma and a 0D airway tree flow model. For the poroelastic approximation we design and implement a lowest order stabilised finite element method. This component is strongly coupled to the 0D airway tree model. The framework is applied to a realistic lung anatomical model derived from computed tomography data and an artificially generated airway tree to model the conducting airway region. Numerical simulations produce physiologically realistic solutions, and demonstrate the effect of airway constriction and reduced tissue elasticity on ventilation, tissue stress and alveolar pressure distribution. The key advantage of the model is the ability to provide insight into the mutual dependence between ventilation and deformation. This is essential when studying lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis. Thus the model can be used to form a better understanding of integrated lung mechanics in both the healthy and diseased states

Optimization of street lane usage

This paper contributes to discussion on introduction of exclusive lane for public transport. Analyses of results have been presented on effectiveness of usage of a 4 - lane and a 6 - lane street with and without an exclusive lane for buses. Two basic sub-models have been applied: - the binary logit model for modal split estimation; it takes into consideration the relation of travel time performed by private cars to public transport, - the polynomial model for predicting link impedance; the real travel time is affected by relation of traffic volume to the design capacity The parameters of both sub-models have been calibrated for the Polish conditions. The relationships are determined between number of person trips and traffic volume of buses/private cars, market share of public transport in motorised trips, average travel time lost in trips, average operation cost. An iterative technique addresses a feedback between the modal split and traffic volumes. Numerical calculations by use of EXCEL and MATLAB were carried out. Typical values of corridor length, occupancy rate of passenger car, design capacity of the bus, access and egress time to and from the parking/bus-stop in urban areas were applied. On the basis of the estimated results, the marginal parameter values: number of people carried at which separated lane for buses is most effective , traffic volume for private cars, traffic volume for buses and share of public transport in trips have been got by consideration of the average travel time lost and operational cost as criteria: Then introduction of street lanes with and without exclusive lane for buses in relation to number of person trips can be optimized

Intragenic meiotic recombination in Schizosaccharomyces pombe is sensitive to environmental temperature changes

Open Access via the Springer Compact Agreement Acknowledgments We are grateful to Miguel G. Ferreira, Jürg Kohli, Josef Loidl, Fekret Osman, Gerald R. Smith, Walter W. Steiner, and Matthew Whitby for providing strains. We thank Josef Loidl for critically reading an earlier version of this manuscript. This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council UK (BBSRC) [grant number BB/F016964/1], and the University of Aberdeen (College of Life Sciences and Medicine Start-up grant to AL).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A mollified Ensemble Kalman filter

It is well recognized that discontinuous analysis increments of sequential data assimilation systems, such as ensemble Kalman filters, might lead to spurious high frequency adjustment processes in the model dynamics. Various methods have been devised to continuously spread out the analysis increments over a fixed time interval centered about analysis time. Among these techniques are nudging and incremental analysis updates (IAU). Here we propose another alternative, which may be viewed as a hybrid of nudging and IAU and which arises naturally from a recently proposed continuous formulation of the ensemble Kalman analysis step. A new slow-fast extension of the popular Lorenz-96 model is introduced to demonstrate the properties of the proposed mollified ensemble Kalman filter.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures. Minor revisions, added algorithmic summary and extended appendi