Optimal branching asymmetry of hydrodynamic pulsatile trees

Most of the studies on optimal transport are done for steady state regime conditions. Yet, there exists numerous examples in living systems where supply tree networks have to deliver products in a limited time due to the pulsatile character of the flow. This is the case for mammals respiration for which air has to reach the gas exchange units before the start of expiration. We report here that introducing a systematic branching asymmetry allows to reduce the average delivery time of the products. It simultaneously increases its robustness against the unevitable variability of sizes related to morphogenesis. We then apply this approach to the human tracheobronchial tree. We show that in this case all extremities are supplied with fresh air, provided that the asymmetry is smaller than a critical threshold which happens to fit with the asymmetry measured in the human lung. This could indicate that the structure is adjusted at the maximum asymmetry level that allows to feed all terminal units with fresh air.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Potential and Limits of Pesticide Free Apple Growing by a Self-Regulating Orchard Set-Up: Project Presentation and First Experiences

Different research groups have already proven that flowering plants in orchards can enhance beneficial arthropods. Even within the tree rows different beneficial can be supported by selected plant species. In most experimental work done to stabilize the apple production system only single interaction effects were tested. However until now, no research group has quantified the additive effects of multiple measures on systembiodiversity and on the production economy. Our experiment combines all known measures of indirect pest and disease control measures in a near-to practical production model orchard without the use of any pesticide (not even organic ones). The orchard is split in 4 blocks: in two of them bio-control measures e.g. application of Granulosis Virus against codling moth (C. Pomonella) are applied; in the other two blocks no bio-control is applied. Standard commercial organic and integrated orchards with the disease-susceptible cultivar Gala in the vicinity of the model orchard are assessed by the same methods and serve as reference. Our intermediate results reveal that the self-regulating orchard developed already in the 2nd and 3rd leaf a clearly higher flora and fauna biodiversity compared to the reference orchards. The same happened in relation to the specific fruit beneficial e.g. the populations of aphid predators. In the self-regulating orchard they were capable to keep the aphid damages – in particular of the powdery apple aphid (D. plantaginea) - on trees and fruits under a commercially relevant level although the initial abundance of aphid colonies in spring was by far over the common threshold value. It is planned to continue the experiment until 2016

Toric varieties, monoid schemes and cdhcdh descent

We give conditions for the Mayer-Vietoris property to hold for the algebraic K-theory of blow-up squares of toric varieties in any characteristic, using the theory of monoid schemes. These conditions are used to relate algebraic K-theory to topological cyclic homology in characteristic p. To achieve our goals, we develop for monoid schemes many notions from classical algebraic geometry, such as separated and proper maps.Comment: v2 changes: field of positive characteristic replaced by regular ring containing such a field at appropriate places. Minor changes in expositio

A negative answer to a question of Bass

In this companion paper to arXiv:0802.1928 we provide an example of an isolated surface singularity $R$ over a number field such that $K_0(R) = K_0(R[t])$ but $K_0(R) \neq K_0(R[t_1,t_2])$. This answers, negatively, a question of Bass.Comment: The paper was previously part of arXiv:0802.192

Osmolality, pH, and titratable acidity of sports drinks on the Swiss market

The regular consumption of acidic drinks can erode dental enamel and promote caries. As many sports drinks on the market feature critically low pH values, it is possible that athletes with regular sports drink consumption harm their oral health. As neither pH nor osmolality values must be labeled on products, it is difficult for athletes to make informed choices. We screened the Swiss market for sports drinks and gels for domestic and international brands and products and analyzed products for their pH, titratable acidity, and osmolality. For all analyzed parameters, the results varied widely. We identified several products with a neutral pH and or low titratable acidity. On the other hand, there are still many products on the market with a critically low pH and significant titratable acid content. Acidity was not only variable between different products, but also between different flavors of the same product. Osmolality also featured significant variability, with some products showing dedicated hypotonic osmolality and a few products exceeding 300 mosmol/kg. Overall, osmolality values have clearly dropped since our last market screening in 2006. Today, athletes can choose from a variety of products with low acidity and optimized osmolality. Athletes who prefer drinks with a high dental erosive potential should consider a special focus on dental hygiene and health. Keywords: Sports nutrition, gel, carbohydrates, oral health, dental erosion, carie

Safety Considerations for Operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the National Airspace System

There is currently a broad effort underway in the United States and internationally by several organizations to craft regulations enabling the safe operation of UAVs in the NAS. Current federal regulations governing unmanned aircraft are limited in scope, and the lack of regulations is a barrier to achieving the full potential benefit of UAV operations. To inform future FAA regulations, an investigation of the safety considerations for UAV operation in the NAS was performed. Key issues relevant to operations in the NAS, including performance and operating architecture were examined, as well as current rules and regulations governing unmanned aircraft. In integrating UAV operations in the NAS, it will be important to consider the implications of different levels of vehicle control and autonomous capability and the source of traffic surveillance in the system. A system safety analysis was performed according to FAA system safety guidelines for two critical hazards in UAV operation: midair collision and ground impact. Event-based models were developed describing the likelihood of ground fatalities and midair collisions under several assumptions. From the models, a risk analysis was performed calculating the expected level of safety for each hazard without mitigation. The variation of expected level of safety was determined based on vehicle characteristics and population density for the ground impact hazard, and traffic density for midair collisions. The results of the safety analysis indicate that it may be possible to operate small UAVs with few operational and size restrictions over the majority of the United States. As UAV mass increases, mitigation measures must be utilized to further reduce both ground impact and midair collision risks to target levels from FAA guidance. It is in the public interest to achieve the full benefits of UAV operations, while still preserving safety through effective mitigation of risks with the least possible restrictions. Therefore, a framework was presented under which several potential mitigation measures were introduced and could be evaluated. It is likely that UAVs will be significant users of the future NAS, and this report provides an analytical basis for evaluating future regulatory decisions