99 research outputs found
Enabling Workflows in GridSolve: Request Sequencing and Service Trading
International audienceGridSolve employs a RPC-based client-agent-server model for solving computational problems. There are two deficiencies associated with GridSolve when a computational problem essentially forms a workflow consisting of a sequence of tasks with data dependencies between them. First, intermediate results are always passed through the client, resulting in unnecessary data transport. Second, since the execution of each individual task is a separate RPC session, it is difficult to enable any potential parallelism among tasks. This paper presents a request sequencing technique that addresses these deficiencies and enables workflow executions. Building on the request sequencing work, one way to generate workflows is by taking higher level service requests and decomposing them into a sequence of simpler service requests using a technique called service trading. A service trading component is added to GridSolve to take advantage of the new dynamic request sequencing. The features described here include automatic DAG construction and data dependency analysis, direct interserver data transfer, parallel task execution capabilities, and a service trading component
Sensitivity of aerofoil self noise reductions to serration flap angles
The serration amplitude and serration wavelength are traditionally regarded as the primary geometrical variables that can affect the noise performance of an add-on, flat plate type serrated trailing edge. This experimental study investigates another serration geometrical variable, namely the serration flap angle that could potentially affect the self-noise reduction of an aerofoil. The experiment was carried out at Brunel aeroacoustic facility, on a NACA65(12)–10 aerofoil. The serrated flat plates were manufactured to form in several flap angles: ±15°,±10°,±5° and ±0° as the reference. Preliminary investigation on the effect of serration amplitude, without the flap angle, confirms with other findings that the largest level of broadband noise reduction is achieved when the amplitude of the serrated flat plate is large. It is also worth reporting that broadband noise can already be reduced even by attaching a large chord length of unserrated, straight flat plate. When the serrated flat plate contains a flap angle, it is generally observed that a flap-up position (positive flap angle) is more favourable for broadband noise reduction, while the opposite is true for the flap-down position (negative flap angle). The best flap-up position is when the positive flap angle is small, at around +5°. Unfortunately, a small flap-down position, i.e. -5° is the worst performer amongst the test cases (lowest level of broadband noise reduction at low frequency, and highest noise increase at high frequency). Therefore, even a small misalignment of the trailing edge serration due to the manufacturing defect could potentially degrade (or enhance) the overall aerofoil self-noise reduction because the serration is found to be sensitive to small flap angles
Directional point-contact spectroscopy of MgB2 single crystals in magnetic fields: two-band superconductivity and critical fields
The results of the first directional point-contact measurements in MgB2
single crystals, in the presence of magnetic fields up to 9 T either parallel
or perpendicular to the ab planes, are presented. By applying suitable magnetic
fields, we separated the partial contributions of the sigma and pi bands to the
total Andreev-reflection conductance. Their fit with the BTK model allowed a
very accurate determination of the temperature dependency of the gaps
(Delta_sigma and Delta_pi), that resulted in close agreement with the
predictions of the two-band models for MgB2. We also obtained, for the first
time with point-contact spectroscopy, the temperature dependence of the
(anisotropic) upper critical field of the sigma band and of the (isotropic)
upper critical field of the pi band.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of M2S-HTSC-VII conference, Rio de
Janeiro (May 2003
Non-ohmic critical fluctuation conductivity of layered superconductors in magnetic field
Thermal fluctuation conductivity for a layered superconductor in
perpendicular magnetic field is treated in the frame of the self-consistent
Hartree approximation for an arbitrarily strong in-plane electric field. The
simultaneous application of the two fields results in a slightly stronger
suppression of the superconducting fluctuations, compared to the case when the
fields are applied individually.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to be published in Phys. Rev.
Systemic and stratum corneum biomarkers of severity in infant atopic dermatitis include markers of innate and T helper cell-related immunity and angiogenesis
BACKGROUND: Biomarkers of atopic dermatitis (AD) are largely lacking, especially in infant AD. Those that have been examined to date have focused mostly on serum cytokines with few on non-invasive biomarkers in the skin. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore biomarkers obtainable from non-invasive sampling of infant skin. We compared these to plasma biomarkers and structural and functional measures of the skin barrier. METHODS: We recruited 100 infants at first presentation with AD, who were treatment naïve to topical or systemic anti-inflammatory therapies and 20 healthy children. We sampled clinically unaffected skin by tape stripping the stratum corneum (SC). Multiple cytokines and chemokines and natural moisturizing factors (NMF) were measured in the SC and plasma. We recorded disease severity and skin barrier function. RESULTS: 19 SC and 12 plasma biomarkers showed significant difference between healthy and AD skin. Some biomarkers were common to both the SC and plasma, and others were compartment-specific. Identified biomarkers of AD severity included Th2 skewed markers (IL-13, CCL17, CCL22, IL-5), markers of innate activation (IL-18, Il-1α, IL1β, CXCL8), angiogenesis (Flt-1, VEGF) and others (sICAM-1, vCAM-1, IL-16, IL-17A). CONCLUSIONS: We identified clinically relevant biomarkers of AD, including novel markers, easily sampled and typed in infants. These markers may provide objective assessment of disease severity and suggest new therapeutic targets, or response measurement targets for AD. Future studies will be required to determine if these biomarkers, seen in very early AD, can predict disease outcomes or comorbidities
Fluctuation conductivity in superconductors in strong electric fields
We study the effect of a strong electric field on the fluctuation
conductivity within the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory for the case of
arbitrary dimension. Our results are based on the analytical derivation of the
velocity distribution law for the fluctuation Cooper pairs, from the Boltzmann
equation. Special attention is drawn to the case of small nonlinearity of
conductivity, which can be investigated experimentally. We obtain a general
relation between the nonlinear conductivity and the temperature derivative of
the linear Aslamazov-Larkin conductivity, applicable to any superconductor. For
the important case of layered superconductors we derive an analogous relation
between the small nonlinear correction for the conductivity and the
fluctuational magnetoconductivity. On the basis of these relations we provide
new experimental methods for determining both the lifetime constant of
metastable Cooper pairs above T_c and the coherence length. A systematic
investigation of the 3rd harmonic of the electric field generated by a harmonic
current can serve as an alternative method for the examination of the
metastable Cooper-pair relaxation time.Comment: 18 pages, REVTeX, submitted to Phys. Rev.
On the Easy Use of Scientific Computing Services for Large Scale Linear Algebra and Parallel Decision Making with the P-Grade Portal
International audienceScientific research is becoming increasingly dependent on the large-scale analysis of data using distributed computing infrastructures (Grid, cloud, GPU, etc.). Scientific computing (Petitet et al. 1999) aims at constructing mathematical models and numerical solution techniques for solving problems arising in science and engineering. In this paper, we describe the services of an integrated portal based on the P-Grade (Parallel Grid Run-time and Application Development Environment) portal (http://www.p-grade.hu) that enables the solution of large-scale linear systems of equations using direct solvers, makes easier the use of parallel block iterative algorithm and provides an interface for parallel decision making algorithms. The ultimate goal is to develop a single sign on integrated multi-service environment providing an easy access to different kind of mathematical calculations and algorithms to be performed on hybrid distributed computing infrastructures combining the benefits of large clusters, Grid or cloud, when needed
Local Electronic Structure of a Single Magnetic Impurity in a Superconductor
The electronic structure near a single classical magnetic impurity in a
superconductor is determined using a fully self-consistent Koster-Slater
algorithm. Localized excited states are found within the energy gap which are
half electron and half hole. Within a jellium model we find the new result that
the spatial structure of the positive-frequency (electron-like) spectral weight
(or local density of states), can differ strongly from that of the negative
frequency (hole-like) spectral weight. The effect of the impurity on the
continuum states above the energy gap is calculated with good spectral
resolution for the first time. This is also the first three-dimensional
self-consistent calculation for a strong magnetic impurity potential.Comment: 13 pages, RevTex, change in heuristic picture, no change in numerical
result
Non linear excess conductivity of BiSrCaCuO (n = 1,2), thin films
The suppression of excess conductivity with electric field is studied for
BiSrCaCuO ( = 1, 2) thin films. A pulse-probe
technique is used, which allows for an estimate of the sample temperature. The
characteristic electric field for fluctuations suppression is found well below
the expected value for all samples. For the material, a scaling of the
excess conductivity with electric field and temperature is obtained, similar to
the scaling under strong magnetic field
Critical fluctuation conductivity in layered superconductors in strong electric field
The paraconductivity, originating from critical superconducting
order-parameter fluctuations in the vicinity of the critical temperature in a
layered superconductor is calculated in the frame of the self-consistent
Hartree approximation, for an arbitrarily strong electric field and zero
magnetic field. The paraconductivity diverges less steep towards the critical
temperature in the Hartree approximation than in the Gaussian one and it shows
a distinctly enhanced variation with the electric field. Our results indicate
that high electric fields can be effectively used to suppress order-parameter
fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.
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