Positional games on random graphs

We introduce and study Maker/Breaker-type positional games on random graphs. Our main concern is to determine the threshold probability $p_{F}$ for the existence of Maker's strategy to claim a member of $F$ in the unbiased game played on the edges of random graph $G(n,p)$, for various target families $F$ of winning sets. More generally, for each probability above this threshold we study the smallest bias $b$ such that Maker wins the $(1\:b)$ biased game. We investigate these functions for a number of basic games, like the connectivity game, the perfect matching game, the clique game and the Hamiltonian cycle game

Electron backscatter diffraction in materials characterization

Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) is a powerful technique that captures electron diffraction patterns from crystals, constituents of material. Captured patterns can then be used to determine grain morphology, crystallographic orientation and chemistry of present phases, which provide complete characterization of microstructure and strong correlation to both properties and performance of materials. Key milestones related to technological developments of EBSD technique have been outlined along with possible applications using modern EBSD system. Principles of crystal diffraction with description of crystallographic orientation, orientation determination and phase identification have been described. Image quality, resolution and speed, and system calibration have also been discussed. Sample preparation methods were reviewed and EBSD application in conjunction with other characterization techniques on a variety of materials has been presented for several case studies. In summary, an outlook for EBSD technique was provided

On Geometric Form Genesis Directed by Buildings' Efficency- Canton Tower Case Study

Lately, energy efficency in architecture and urbanism has played a crucial role. Wind and facade exposure to sun, being important elements of energy efficency particularly in the sense of energy renewability, might produce significant obstacles if not properly estimated in the process of designing and up building. Thus the creation of optimal geometric form is very important for further proper functioning of the building. The final geometric form when created applying various geometric transformations or deformations from starting basic forms (such as prisms, cylinders, cones, etc .) might be easily investigated in the sense of sunlit and its constructive stability under wind influence using any various software, for example VASARI for the sake of effecient energy consumption. In the paper we discuss the process of deriving the geometric form of the Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China, with respect to insolation and wind gust following the change of iso-photes and wind iso-gust lines in accordance with the geometric form derivation

Responsive Systems and Surfaces in Architecture - Design and Challenges

In the last two decades, the impact of digital technologies has dramatically changed the way of thinking in architecture. Following the overall development of digital media and computation, the process of generating forms has become more automated, with the use of algorithms and scripts. Moreover, computational design approach created new groundwork for the new, time-depended systems in architecture - responsive facades and structures. Responsive systems react to the surrounding by changing its surface in order to adapt the architectural form according to predefined influences. An example of such design approach are media facades, artistic based installations etc.Challenges are mainly oriented towards forming a user-architecture connection. Such bonds are formed between sensors and actuators, via programming board and language. Adaptive qualities of such systems are based on sustainability principles as well, utilizing alternative energy sources in situ. In this paper, design and challenges of responsive systems are analyzed, evaluated and applied on a case study in particular.Simultaneous use of above approaches is applied in the design of the structure that is located in Novi Sad's central core. The structure is optimized to use the maximum input of solar energy and adapt to it, while limiting the spatial openness of public squares and increasing human interaction. Resulting design is presented in this paper. Further exploration of responsive generative systems can contribute to financial benefit and better quality of given architectural solutions in the near future

Teaching Intercultural Communication Competence in the Healthcare Context

The purpose of this project was to design a training program focused on intercultural communication competence in the health care industry. While international students make an important link between different cultures, serve as great resource in the exchange of cultures and ideas, and make large contributions to the U.S. economy; international students also pose new challenges for higher education. One of the challenges that came up as a result of the diversification of U.S. campuses has to do with intercultural competence, which is an important quality for anyone who wishes to competently and effectively navigate intercultural interactions. Along these lines, it is important to equip college staff with intercultural skills to competently navigate intercultural interactions. Health care service is one of the college service providers, that is used by international students to large extent. Providing intercultural communication competence training to health care providers on U.S. campuses will not only help higher education staff and service providers to competently interact with students and scholars from other cultures, but this will also assist easier integration of international students and scholars into U.S. college life. Intercultural challenges are especially great in the health care industry, because this setting often requires the sharing of sensitive personal and private information about a patient, which relates to cultural norms of disclosure and behavior. I designed the training on intercultural communication competence for the Curry Health Care Center (CHC), which is the primary health care provider at the University of Montana. Working with CHC on this project will hopefully not only help health providers be able to effectively interact with international students, but will also raise the awareness of how important it has become to be interculturaly competent in contemporary workplaces. The integration of intercultural communication competence as a core value in health care industries will not only prepare staff to competently interact with international patients, but will also send a strong message about the organizations’ commitment to provide equal access to all patients

Long-term effects of LPS and high-fat diet on dopaminergic neurodegeneration

Mounting evidence suggests that inflammation is involved in the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. It has been reported that the long-term effect of five doses of lipopolysaccharide from Gram-negative bacteria in mice caused activation of microglia and dopaminergic neurodegeneration that was reflected as decreased locomotor activity. In the current study, it is hypothesized that IL-1 beta, a potent proinflammatory cytokine synthesized and released by glia cells, could be mediating the LPS-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration and that the chronic low-grade inflammatory state caused by diet-induced obesity would exacerbate LPS-induced neurodegeneration. To ascertain the participation of IL-1 beta, three strains of mice were employed: a control [wild type (WT)], a strain lacking the endogenous antagonist of IL-1, namely IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra-/-), and a mouse strain deficient in caspase-1 (Casp-1-/-), a protease that cleaves the immature IL-1 beta into the mature, biologically active form. Mice of the three genotypes were fed a regular diet (RD) and additionally WT mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD). All mouse groups were challenged with intraperitoneal injections of either saline or LPS (5 mg/kg; one or five times on a monthly basis). Significant genotype and diet effects were observed in behavioral, metabolic and inflammatory outcomes over a period of 9 to 15 months, whereas the effect of LPS was modest or undetectable. Compared to WT mice, Casp-1-/- mice preserved their locomotor activities, while IL-1ra-/- mice showed a time-dependent decline in motor and coordinative abilities. Non-motor symptoms included age-related development of anxiety-like behavior in IL-1ra-/- mice. Impairment of cognitive function was observed in Casp-1-/- mice. Since insulin and leptin may modulate dopamine neurotransmission, plasma levels of these two hormones were assessed. Casp-1-/- mice had increased plasma insulin levels but were not glucose intolerant, whereas IL-1ra-/- mice were hypoinsulinemic, but insulin sensitive. Leptin levels were reduced in both genotypes (Casp-1-/- and IL-1ra-/-). Casp-1-/- mice had intact dopamine neurons and less activated microglia cells. Dopamine neurodegeneration was observed in IL-1ra-/- mice and accompanied by higher, but non-significant activation of microglia. The connection between peripheral and central inflammation was assessed by plasma level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Plasma MCP-1 tended to be increased by repeated LPS injections in WT mice and surprisingly it was reduced by single and repeated LPS injections in both Casp-1-/- and IL-1ra-/- mice. Significant differences in final outcomes were observed between the two diet-fed groups of mice. LPS treatments did not induce motor decline in RD and HFD-fed mice during nine months of experiments. However, HFD mice showed symptoms of akinesia, bradykinesia, dyskinesia and reduced coordinative abilities. Non-motor symptoms observed in HFD mice were anxiety-like behavior in novelty suppressed feeding test, cognitive and partial memory impairment. HFD mice displayed glucose intolerance, high levels of leptin and insulin. Dopamine neurons were not affected by HFD and significant decreases were induced by repeated LPS injections. Loss of neurons was not accompanied with increased activation of microglia cells and MCP-1. Overall, the data shown here emphasized the importance of the IL-1 signaling pathway in dopaminergic neurodegeneration

New Receiver Coil for Enhanced Misalignment Tolerance in Wireless Charging of Hybrid/Electric Vehicles

With the emergence and development of hybrid and electric vehicles in recent years, the technology known as wireless charging has caught the attention of many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). Convenience, safety and cost reduction are just some of the many benefits of this emerging technology. However, one of the current challenges associated with the development and implementation of wireless charging is the misalignment tolerance between the emitter and receiver coil. Values of magnetic coupling between these two can help improve the efficiency of the entire system, but the rate of variation of the same when coils get misaligned determines the available charging zone. If the coupling variation is large, the charging zone gets smaller

Microstructure evolution in deformed and recrystallized electrical steel

A processing route has been developed for recovering the desired lambda fiber in ironsilicon electrical steel needed for superior magnetic properties in electric-motor application. The lambda fiber texture is available in directionally solidified iron-silicon steel with the columnar grains but was lost after heavy rolling and recrystallization required for motor laminations. Two steps of light rolling each followed by recrystallization were found to largely restore the desired fiber texture. This strengthening of the fiber texture had been predicted on the basis of the strain induced boundary migration mechanism during recrystallization of lightly rolled steel from existing grains of near the ideal orientation, due to postulated low stored energies. Taylor and finite element models supported the idea of the low stored energy of the lambda fiber grains. A novel methodology has been developed for converting the nanoindentation loaddisplacement data into indentation stress-strain curves and extracting the elastic and postelastic behavior. Extracted variations of effective indentation modulus with orientation were in excellent agreement with previously developed model. Furthermore, an intrinsic orientation dependence of indentation yield strength was extracted in a strain-free material. Developed nanoindentation methodology was successfully used for characterization of microstructure evolution in terms of stored energy variation with orientation during plane strain compression. Variations in stored energy at the grain-scale level were extracted from an increment in indentation yield due to increase in dislocation density. It was found that nanoindentation yield strength is about 2 times the yield strength of homogeneous compression. Moreover, higher indentation yield strength was observed in regions that have rotated during deformation to non-lambda orientations with higher Taylor factors. Experimental results have supported idea of correlation between the Taylor factor and stored energy that was used in multistage processing for successful recovery of lambda texture. Hypothesis for observed much higher strain hardening in nanoindentation than in homogeneous plane strain compression is that the rate of generation of new dislocations is dependent on the dislocation density alone while the rate of annihilation of dislocation is strongly dependent on both dislocation density and the type of dislocations being generated which can be influenced by deformation mode.Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering -- Drexel University, 200