Efficient polar optimization of transport aircraft in transonic RANS flow using adjoint gradient based approach

A major design requirement for transport aircraft is efficient cruise flight in the transonic region. From the aerodynamic viewpoint, this is achieved by favorable lift-to-drag ratio of the aircraft, both at the main design point and at off-design conditions. We therefore present a method to efficiently perform a multi-point optimization of a representative wing-body configuration. Designs are evaluated with RANS CFD simulations, the wing is parametrized using 40 free-form deformation control points, and a gradient-based method is used to drive the optimization. The gradient of cost functions is computed with a discrete adjoint approach, in which flow and mesh adjoint equations are solved. Compared to single-point optimization, with multi-point optimization we obtain a design with slightly lower best lift-to-drag ratio, but which has improved lift-to-drag polar over the whole range of practical lift coefficients compared to the baseline design

UserTesting.com: A Tool for Usability Testing of Online Resources

Extension educators are increasingly using online resources in their program design and delivery. Usability testing is essential for ensuring that these resources are relevant and useful to learners. On the basis of our experiences with iteratively developing products using a testing service called UserTesting, we promote the use of fee-based online usability testing services as an easy and efficient method for improving online resources. We present steps for conducting usability testing and recommendations for best practices. This approach has implications for Extension educators, administrators, and program evaluators who design and evaluate educational programming that involves web or online resources

Estimating population density distribution from network-based mobile phone data

In this study we address the problem of leveraging mobile phone network-based data for the task of estimating population density distribution at pan-European level. The primary goal is to develop a methodological framework for the collection and processing of network-based data that can be plausibly applied across multiple MNOs. The proposed method exploits more extensive network topology information than is considered in most state-of-the-art literature, i.e., (approximate) knowledge of cell coverage areas is assumed instead of merely cell tower locations. A distinguishing feature of the proposed methodology is the capability of taking in input a combination of cell-level and Location Area-level data, thus enabling the integration of data from Call Detail Records (CDR) with other network-based data sources, e.g., Visitor Location Register (VLR). Different scenarios are considered in terms of input data availability at individual MNOs (CDR only, VLR only, combinations of CDR and VLR) and for multi-MNO data fusion, and the relevant tradeoff dimensions are discussed. At the core of the proposed method lies a novel formulation of the population distribution estimation as a Maximum Likelihood estimation problem. The proposed estimation method is validated for consistency with synthetically generated data in a simplified simulation scenario.JRC.H.6-Digital Earth and Reference Dat

Cool Companions to White Dwarf Stars from the Two Micron All Sky Survey All Sky Data Release

We present the culmination of our near-infrared survey of the optically spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars from the McCook and Sion catalog, conducted using photometric data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey final All Sky Data Release. The color selection technique, which identifies candidate binaries containing a white dwarf and a low-mass stellar (or substellar) companion via their distinctive locus in the near-infrared color-color diagram, is demonstrated to be simple to apply and to yield candidates with a high rate of subsequent confirmation. We recover 105 confirmed binaries, and identify 27 firm candidates (19 of which are new to this work) and 21 tentative candidates (17 of which are new to this work) from the 2MASS data. Only a small number of candidates from our survey have likely companion spectral types later than M5, none of which is an obvious L-type (i.e., potential brown dwarf) companion. Only one previously known white dwarf + brown dwarf binary is detected. This result is discussed in the context of the 2MASS detection limits, as well as other recent observational surveys that suggest a very low rate of formation (or survival) for binary stars with extreme mass ratios

“Orchestral Pianism”

This paper discusses the concept of "orchestral pianism" as a quality of composition that utilizes the piano's capability of imitating orchestral and vocal sounds. Patrick Widhalm explores the history of the concept, its roots, and the major composers whose writing employed this capability

Safety risk studies when using coercive means

Předložená bakalářská práce se zabývá analýzou rizik, která hrozí při používání donucovacích prostředků. V první teoretické části této práce jsou popsána základní zákonná ustanovení, jež mají s problematikou tohoto tématu bližší souvislost. Dále je charakterizováno členění policejních oddílu a v poslední teoretické části jsou popsány jednotlivé donucovací prostředky, které jsou stanoveny zákonem. Praktickou část tvoří podrobnější bezpečnostní analýza, podle které se zjišťují rizika hrozící zasahujícímu policistovi vůči osobě konající protiprávní činnost, a také rizika, která hrozí právě této osobě, vůči které se při zásahu použijí donucovací prostředky. Cílem této práce je najít pomocí praktické části rizika, která hrozí a v případě jejich nalezení navrhnout opatření, kterými tato rizika odstraníme nebo je alespoň snížíme na přípustnou úroveň.Presented bachelor thesis deals with analysis of risks, which can be a threat while using coercive measures. The first theoretical part of this work describes the basic legal provisions that are closely related to the issues of this topic. Further, there is a characterization of police units divisions, and in the last theoretical part the individual means of coercion are described. The practical part consists of a detailed security analysis, which identifies the risks to the police officer, who is intervening against the person performing the illegal activity, as well as the risks that threaten this person, against whom coercive means are used in the intervention. The aim of this work is to use the practical part to find risks which can be a threat to the police officer and to propose measures to eliminate these risks or at least to reduce them to an acceptable level.060 - Katedra bezpečnostních služebvýborn

Macht und Herrschaft durch Subjektivierung anhand der Maquiladora-Industrie in Mexiko

Thema dieser Arbeit ist die Maquiladora-Industrie Mexikos. Mittels der Konzepte der Anrufung (Althusser) und Disziplinarmacht (Foucault) wird gezeigt, wie Subjektivierung in den Maquiladoras stattfindet und wie dadurch Machtverhältnisse und Produktionsbedingungen (re-)produziert werden. Um dies zu beweisen, wird auf ExpertInneninterviews mit Maquiladora-ArbeiterInnen, interne Arbeitsverordnungen der Maquiladoras, sowie bereits vorhandene Studien zurückgegriffen werden. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Kontrolle und Disziplinierung der ArbeiterInnen über die Reglementierung von Raum und Zeit, die Zuteilung und Hierarchisierung von Tätigkeiten sowie Sanktionen und Überwachungsformen erreicht wird. Weiteres wichtiges Element ist die Produktion sowie der Einsatz von Weiblichkeit und Männlichkeit, um die ArbeiterInnen ihren Plätzen zuzuordnen, gewinnbringende Identitäten zu konstruieren, Arbeitshierarchien zu festigen und so das Funktionieren der Maquiladora-Industrie zu sichern.This thesis deals with the Maquiladora industry in Mexico. Using the concepts of interpellation (Althusser) and disciplinary power (Foucault), this paper points out how subjectivation works within the Maquiladora industry and how power relations and production conditions are (re-)produced. In order to prove this, expert interviews with Maquiladora workers, intern work regulations of the Maquiladoras and other available studies will be analysed. It becomes apparent that the control and disciplination of the workers works via regimentation of space and time, assignment and hierarchization of activities as well as via sanctions and forms of surveillance. Furthermore, production as well as the use of femininity and masculinity to assign workers to their places, to construct profitable identities and fix working hierarchies, are important factors in order to guarantee the working of the Maquiladora industry