Shell Cracking In Investment Casting with Laser Stereolithography Patterns

This paper presents an investigation of ceramic shell cracking during the burnout process in investment casting with internally webbed laser stereolithography patterns. We hypothesize that shell cracking will occur when the rupture temperature of the ceramic shell is lower than both the glass transition temperature of the pattern material and the web· link buckling temperature. The hypothesis is validated by our experimental observations which confirm the numerical predictions from our fillite element analysis. This provides a basis for design of the internal web geometry of a lithography pa.tternand evaluation ofthe burnolltprocesswithsuch a pattern. We show the shell cracking and web link buckling temperatures to be functiollsofthe pattern geometry (including the cross~sectional dimensions and span length of the web link) and the shell thickness.Mechanical Engineerin

U-Spin Tests of the Standard Model and New Physics

Within the standard model, a relation involving branching ratios and direct CP asymmetries holds for the B-decay pairs that are related by U-spin. The violation of this relation indicates new physics (NP). In this paper, we assume that the NP affects only the Delta S = 1 decays, and show that the NP operators are generally the same as those appearing in B -> pi K decays. The fit to the latest B -> pi K data shows that only one NP operator is sizeable. As a consequence, the relation is expected to be violated for only one decay pair: Bd -> K0 pi0 and Bs -> Kbar0 pi0.Comment: 12 pages, latex, no figures. References changed to follow MPL guidelines; info added about U-spin breaking and small NP strong phases; discussion added about final-state pi-K rescattering; analysis and conclusions unaltere

Invisible Z decay width bounds on active-sterile neutrino mixing in the (3+1) and (3+2) models

In this work we consider the standard model extended with singlet sterile neutrinos with mass in the eV range and mixed with the active neutrinos. The active-sterile neutrino mixing renders new contributions to the invisible Z decay width which, in the case of light sterile neutrinos, depends on the active-sterile mixing matrix elements only. We then use the current experimental value of the invisible Z decay width to obtain bounds on these mixing matrix elements for both (3+1) and (3+2) models.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

A review of microgrid development in the United States – A decade of progress on policies, demonstrations, controls, and software tools

Microgrids have become increasingly popular in the United States. Supported by favorable federal and local policies, microgrid projects can provide greater energy stability and resilience within a project site or community. This paper reviews major federal, state, and utility-level policies driving microgrid development in the United States. Representative U.S. demonstration projects are selected and their technical characteristics and non-technical features are introduced. The paper discusses trends in the technology development of microgrid systems as well as microgrid control methods and interactions within the electricity market. Software tools for microgrid design, planning, and performance analysis are illustrated with each tool's core capability. Finally, the paper summarizes the successes and lessons learned during the recent expansion of the U.S. microgrid industry that may serve as a reference for other countries developing their own microgrid industries

Tree FCNC and non-unitarity of CKM matrix

We discuss possible signatures of the tree level FCNC, which results from the non-unitarity of CKM matrix. We first define the unitaity step-by-step, and possible test of the non-unitaity through the 4-value-KM parametrization. We, then, show how the phase angle of the unitary triangle would change in case of the vector-like down quark model. As another example of tree FCNC, we investigate the leptophobic $Z'$ model and its application to the recent $B_s$ mixing measurements.Comment: Talk given at Neutrino Masses and Mixings 2006 (NMM2006), Shizuoka, Japan (December 2006

Tensor coupling effects on spin symmetry in anti-Lambda spectrum of hypernuclei

The effects of $\bar\Lambda\bar\Lambda\omega$-tensor coupling on the spin symmetry of $\bar{\Lambda}$ spectra in $\bar{\Lambda}$-nucleus systems have been studied with the relativistic mean-field theory. Taking $^{12}$C+$\bar{\Lambda}$ as an example, it is found that the tensor coupling enlarges the spin-orbit splittings of $\bar\Lambda$ by an order of magnitude although its effects on the wave functions of $\bar{\Lambda}$ are negligible. Similar conclusions has been observed in $\bar{\Lambda}$-nucleus of different mass regions, including $^{16}$O+$\bar{\Lambda}$, $^{40}$Ca+$\bar{\Lambda}$ and $^{208}$Pb+$\bar{\Lambda}$. It indicates that the spin symmetry in anti-lambda-nucleus systems is still good irrespective of the tensor coupling.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures

Fos co-operation with PTEN loss elicits keratoacanthoma not carcinoma due to p53/p21^WAF-induced differentiation triggered by GSK3b inactivation and reduced AKT activity

To investigate gene synergism in multistage skin carcinogenesis, the RU486-inducible cre/lox system was employed to ablate PTEN function [K14.cre/D5PTENflx] in mouse epidermis expressing activated v-fos [HK1.fos]. RU486-treated HK1.fos/D5PTENflx mice exhibited hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis and tumours that progressed to highly differentiated keratoacanthomas rather than carcinomas, due to re-expression of high p53 and p21WAF levels. Despite elevated MAP kinase activity, cyclin D1/E2 over expression and increased AKT activity forming areas of highly proliferative, papillomatous keratinocytes, increasing levels of GSK3b inactivation exceeded a threshold that induced p53/p21WAF expression to halt proliferation and accelerate differentiation, giving the hallmark keratosis of keratoacanthomas. A pivotal facet to this GSK3b-triggered mechanism centred on increasing p53 expression in basal layer keratinocytes. This reduced activated AKT expression and released inhibition of p21WAF, which accelerated keratinocyte differentiation, as indicated by unique basal layer expression of differentiation-specific keratin K1, alongside premature filaggrin and loricrin expression. Thus, fos synergism with PTEN loss elicited a benign tumour context where GSK3b-induced, p53/p21WAF expression continually switched AKT-associated proliferation into one of differentiation, preventing further progression. This putative compensatory mechanism required the critical availability of normal p53 and/or p21WAF otherwise deregulated fos, Akt and GSK3b associate with malignant progression