4,077 research outputs found
Thermal energy transformer
For use in combination with a heat engine, a thermal energy transformer is presented. It is comprised of a flux receiver having a first wall defining therein a radiation absorption cavity for converting solar flux to thermal energy, and a second wall defining an energy transfer wall for the heat engine. There is a heat pipe chamber interposed between the first and second walls having a working fluid disposed within the chamber and a wick lining the chamber for conducting the working fluid from the second wall to the first wall. Thermal energy is transferred from the radiation absorption cavity to the heat engine
The Vector Valued Quartile Operator
Certain vector-valued inequalities are shown to hold for a Walsh analog of
the bilinear Hilbert transform. These extensions are phrased in terms of a
recent notion of quartile type of a UMD (Unconditional Martingale Differences)
Banach space X. Every known UMD Banach space has finite quartile type, and it
was recently shown that the Walsh analog of Carleson's Theorem holds under a
closely related assumption of finite tile type. For a Walsh model of the
bilinear Hilbert transform however, the quartile type should be sufficiently
close to that of a Hilbert space for our results to hold. A full set of
inequalities is quantified in terms of quartile type.Comment: 32 pages, 5 figures, incorporates referee's report, to appear in
Collect. Mat
Thin film evolution equations from (evaporating) dewetting liquid layers to epitaxial growth
In the present contribution we review basic mathematical results for three
physical systems involving self-organising solid or liquid films at solid
surfaces. The films may undergo a structuring process by dewetting,
evaporation/condensation or epitaxial growth, respectively. We highlight
similarities and differences of the three systems based on the observation that
in certain limits all of them may be described using models of similar form,
i.e., time evolution equations for the film thickness profile. Those equations
represent gradient dynamics characterized by mobility functions and an
underlying energy functional.
Two basic steps of mathematical analysis are used to compare the different
system. First, we discuss the linear stability of homogeneous steady states,
i.e., flat films; and second the systematics of non-trivial steady states,
i.e., drop/hole states for dewetting films and quantum dot states in epitaxial
growth, respectively. Our aim is to illustrate that the underlying solution
structure might be very complex as in the case of epitaxial growth but can be
better understood when comparing to the much simpler results for the dewetting
liquid film. We furthermore show that the numerical continuation techniques
employed can shed some light on this structure in a more convenient way than
time-stepping methods.
Finally we discuss that the usage of the employed general formulation does
not only relate seemingly not related physical systems mathematically, but does
as well allow to discuss model extensions in a more unified way
Pointwise convergence of vector-valued Fourier series
We prove a vector-valued version of Carleson's theorem: Let Y=[X,H]_t be a
complex interpolation space between a UMD space X and a Hilbert space H. For
p\in(1,\infty) and f\in L^p(T;Y), the partial sums of the Fourier series of f
converge to f pointwise almost everywhere. Apparently, all known examples of
UMD spaces are of this intermediate form Y=[X,H]_t. In particular, we answer
affirmatively a question of Rubio de Francia on the pointwise convergence of
Fourier series of Schatten class valued functions.Comment: 26 page
Enhancement of laser-driven ion acceleration in non-periodic nanostructured targets
Using particle-in-cell simulations, we demonstrate an improvement of the
target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) of protons in non-periodically
nanostructured targets with micron-scale thickness. Compared to standard flat
foils, an increase in the proton cutoff energy by up to a factor of two is
observed in foils coated with nanocones or perforated with nanoholes. The
latter nano-perforated foils yield the highest enhancement, which we show to be
robust over a broad range of foil thicknesses and hole diameters. The
improvement of TNSA performance results from more efficient hot-electron
generation, caused by a more complex laser-electron interaction geometry and
increased effective interaction area and duration. We show that TNSA is
optimized for a nanohole distribution of relatively low areal density and that
is not required to be periodic, thus relaxing the manufacturing constraints.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
"Drinking in the Dark" (DID): a simple mouse model of binge-like alcohol intake
One of the greatest challenges that scientists face when studying the neurobiology and/or genetics of alcohol (ethanol) consumption is that most preclinical animal models do not voluntarily consume enough ethanol to achieve pharmacologically meaningful blood ethanol concentrations (BECs). Recent rodent models have been developed that promote binge-like levels of ethanol consumption associated with high BECs (i.e., ≥100 mg/dl). This unit describes procedures for an animal model of binge-like ethanol drinking which has come to be called "drinking in the dark" (DID). The "basic" variation of DID involves replacing the water bottle with a bottle containing 20% ethanol for 2 to 4 hr, beginning 3 hr into the dark cycle, on cages of singly-housed C57BL/6J mice. Using this procedure, mice typically consume enough ethanol to achieve BECs >100 mg/dl and to exhibit behavioral evidence of intoxication. An alternative two-bottle (ethanol and water) procedure is also described
Influence of strain on magnetization and magnetoelectric effect in La0.7A0.3MnO3 / PMN-PT(001) (A = Sr; Ca)
We investigate the influence of a well-defined reversible biaxial strain
<=0.12 % on the magnetization (M) of epitaxial ferromagnetic manganite films. M
has been recorded depending on temperature, strain and magnetic field in 20 -
50 nm thick films. This is accomplished by reversibly compressing the isotropic
in-plane lattice parameter of the rhombohedral piezoelectric 0.72PMN-0.28PT
(001) substrates by application of an electric field E <= 12 kV cm-1. The
magnitude of the total variable in-plane strain has been derived.
Strain-induced shifts of the ferromagnetic Curie temperature (Tc) of up to 19 K
were found in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films and are
quantitatively analysed for LSMO within a cubic model. The observed large
magnetoelectric coupling coefficient alpha=mu0 dM/dE <= 6 10-8 s m-1 at ambient
temperature results from the strain-induced M change in the
magnetic-film-ferroelectric-substrate system. It corresponds to an enhancement
of mu0 DeltaM <= 19 mT upon biaxial compression of 0.1 %. The extraordinary
large alpha originates from the combination of three crucial properties: (i)
the strong strain dependence of M in the ferromagnetic manganites, (ii) large
piezo-strain of the PMN-PT substrates and (iii) effective elastic coupling at
the film-substrate interface.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl
Dewetting of thin films on heterogeneous substrates: Pinning vs. coarsening
We study a model for a thin liquid film dewetting from a periodic
heterogeneous substrate (template). The amplitude and periodicity of a striped
template heterogeneity necessary to obtain a stable periodic stripe pattern,
i.e. pinning, are computed. This requires a stabilization of the longitudinal
and transversal modes driving the typical coarsening dynamics during dewetting
of a thin film on a homogeneous substrate. If the heterogeneity has a larger
spatial period than the critical dewetting mode, weak heterogeneities are
sufficient for pinning. A large region of coexistence between coarsening
dynamics and pinning is found.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Acute clinical deterioration and consumer escalation in the hospital setting: a literature review
BACKGROUND: Consumer escalation systems that allow patients and/or their family/carers to escalate concerns about clinical deterioration have been proposed as a way of enhancing patient safety. However, evidence to guide implementation or to support system effectiveness remains unclear. AIM: To critically evaluate the current evidence surrounding consumer escalation within the context of clinical deterioration to identify the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in existing knowledge, essential themes, and directions for further investigation. METHOD: Database searches were conducted within Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library for articles directly relating to consumer escalation systems published, in English, within the previous 10 year-period. Titles and abstracts were screened and relevant full-text articles included. Content was examined to identify breadth of knowledge, essential themes, and the effectiveness of current systems. RESULTS: 27 articles, containing a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative findings, were identified. Within the context of limitations in the overall depth and quality of current evidence, four key areas (relating to consumer understanding and awareness of clinical deterioration, confidence and ability to escalate concerns, education, and staff attitudes) were identified as potentially critical to the foundation, functioning, and success of consumer escalation systems. Consumer escalation processes may contribute positive effects beyond mortality rates; however, an agreed method of assessing effectiveness remains undetermined. CONCLUSIONS: The ability of consumer escalation processes to achieve their underlying goals is still to be adequately assessed. Further research is required to inform how to best implement, support and optimise consumer escalation systems.Lisa Thiele, Arthas Flabouris, Campbell Thompso
Interplay between magnetic anisotropy and interlayer coupling in nanosecond magnetization reversal of spin-valve trilayers
The influence of magnetic anisotropy on nanosecond magnetization reversal in
coupled FeNi/Cu/Co trilayers was studied using a photoelectron emission
microscope combined with x-ray magnetic circular dicroism. In quasi-isotropic
samples the reversal of the soft FeNi layer is determined by domain wall
pinning that leads to the formation of small and irregular domains. In samples
with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, the domains are larger and the influence of
local interlayer coupling dominates the domain structure and the reversal of
the FeNi layer
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