734 research outputs found
A Model for the Ultrasonic Scattering from Multi-Branched Cracks
The ultrasonic detection (discrimination from geometrical reflectors) and sizing of intergranular stress corrosion cracks (IGSCC’s) is an essential element in the continued safe operation of nuclear power plants. Unfortunately, these ultrasonic tests are rendered difficult by the complex topography of the cracks, which may include multiple facets and branches which scatter ultrasound in a nearly independent fashion. Thus, the waveforms reflected from such flaws exhibit complex shapes which may not be related to the overall extent of the flaw in a simple fashion
Robust Stochastic Bandit Algorithms under Probabilistic Unbounded Adversarial Attack
The multi-armed bandit formalism has been extensively studied under various
attack models, in which an adversary can modify the reward revealed to the
player. Previous studies focused on scenarios where the attack value either is
bounded at each round or has a vanishing probability of occurrence. These
models do not capture powerful adversaries that can catastrophically perturb
the revealed reward. This paper investigates the attack model where an
adversary attacks with a certain probability at each round, and its attack
value can be arbitrary and unbounded if it attacks. Furthermore, the attack
value does not necessarily follow a statistical distribution. We propose a
novel sample median-based and exploration-aided UCB algorithm (called
med-E-UCB) and a median-based -greedy algorithm (called
med--greedy). Both of these algorithms are provably robust to the
aforementioned attack model. More specifically we show that both algorithms
achieve pseudo-regret (i.e., the optimal regret without
attacks). We also provide a high probability guarantee of
regret with respect to random rewards and random occurrence of attacks. These
bounds are achieved under arbitrary and unbounded reward perturbation as long
as the attack probability does not exceed a certain constant threshold. We
provide multiple synthetic simulations of the proposed algorithms to verify
these claims and showcase the inability of existing techniques to achieve
sublinear regret. We also provide experimental results of the algorithm
operating in a cognitive radio setting using multiple software-defined radios.Comment: Published at AAAI'2
Dispersion interaction between crossed conducting wires
We compute the Van der Waals (nonretarded Casimir) interaction energy
between two infinitely long, crossed conducting wires separated by a
minimum distance much greater than their radius. We find that, up to a
logarithmic correction factor,
where is a smooth bounded function of the angle between
the wires. We recover a conventional result of the form when we include an electronic energy gap
in our calculation. Our prediction of gap-dependent energetics may be
observable experimentally for carbon nanotubes, either via AFM detection of the
vdW force or torque, or indirectly via observation of mechanical oscillations.
This shows that strictly parallel wires, as assumed in previous predictions,
are not needed to see a novel effect of this type.Comment: 4 pp, 1 fig, 1 tabl
Different atmospheric moisture divergence responses to extreme and moderate El Niños
On seasonal and inter-annual time scales, vertically integrated moisture divergence provides a useful measure of the tropical atmospheric hydrological cycle. It reflects the combined dynamical and thermodynamical effects, and is not subject to the limitations that afflict observations of evaporation minus precipitation. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the tropical Pacific moisture divergence fields calculated from the ERA-Interim reanalysis reveals the dominant effects of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on inter-annual time scales. Two EOFs are necessary to capture the ENSO signature, and regression relationships between their Principal Components and indices of equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) demonstrate that the transition from strong La Niña through to extreme El Niño events is not a linear one. The largest deviation from linearity is for the strongest El Niños, and we interpret that this arises at least partly because the EOF analysis cannot easily separate different patterns of responses that are not orthogonal to each other. To overcome the orthogonality constraints, a self-organizing map (SOM) analysis of the same moisture divergence fields was performed. The SOM analysis captures the range of responses to ENSO, including the distinction between the moderate and strong El Niños identified by the EOF analysis. The work demonstrates the potential for the application of SOM to large scale climatic analysis, by virtue of its easier interpretation, relaxation of orthogonality constraints and its versatility for serving as an alternative classification method. Both the EOF and SOM analyses suggest a classification of “moderate” and “extreme” El Niños by their differences in the magnitudes of the hydrological cycle responses, spatial patterns and evolutionary paths. Classification from the moisture divergence point of view shows consistency with results based on other physical variables such as SST
Genome sequence of an Australian kangaroo, Macropus eugenii, provides insight into the evolution of mammalian reproduction and development.
BACKGROUND: We present the genome sequence of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, which is a member of the kangaroo family and the first representative of the iconic hopping mammals that symbolize Australia to be sequenced. The tammar has many unusual biological characteristics, including the longest period of embryonic diapause of any mammal, extremely synchronized seasonal breeding and prolonged and sophisticated lactation within a well-defined pouch. Like other marsupials, it gives birth to highly altricial young, and has a small number of very large chromosomes, making it a valuable model for genomics, reproduction and development. RESULTS: The genome has been sequenced to 2 × coverage using Sanger sequencing, enhanced with additional next generation sequencing and the integration of extensive physical and linkage maps to build the genome assembly. We also sequenced the tammar transcriptome across many tissues and developmental time points. Our analyses of these data shed light on mammalian reproduction, development and genome evolution: there is innovation in reproductive and lactational genes, rapid evolution of germ cell genes, and incomplete, locus-specific X inactivation. We also observe novel retrotransposons and a highly rearranged major histocompatibility complex, with many class I genes located outside the complex. Novel microRNAs in the tammar HOX clusters uncover new potential mammalian HOX regulatory elements. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of these resources enhance our understanding of marsupial gene evolution, identify marsupial-specific conserved non-coding elements and critical genes across a range of biological systems, including reproduction, development and immunity, and provide new insight into marsupial and mammalian biology and genome evolution
Cosmological parameters from SDSS and WMAP
We measure cosmological parameters using the three-dimensional power spectrum
P(k) from over 200,000 galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) in
combination with WMAP and other data. Our results are consistent with a
``vanilla'' flat adiabatic Lambda-CDM model without tilt (n=1), running tilt,
tensor modes or massive neutrinos. Adding SDSS information more than halves the
WMAP-only error bars on some parameters, tightening 1 sigma constraints on the
Hubble parameter from h~0.74+0.18-0.07 to h~0.70+0.04-0.03, on the matter
density from Omega_m~0.25+/-0.10 to Omega_m~0.30+/-0.04 (1 sigma) and on
neutrino masses from <11 eV to <0.6 eV (95%). SDSS helps even more when
dropping prior assumptions about curvature, neutrinos, tensor modes and the
equation of state. Our results are in substantial agreement with the joint
analysis of WMAP and the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, which is an impressive
consistency check with independent redshift survey data and analysis
techniques. In this paper, we place particular emphasis on clarifying the
physical origin of the constraints, i.e., what we do and do not know when using
different data sets and prior assumptions. For instance, dropping the
assumption that space is perfectly flat, the WMAP-only constraint on the
measured age of the Universe tightens from t0~16.3+2.3-1.8 Gyr to
t0~14.1+1.0-0.9 Gyr by adding SDSS and SN Ia data. Including tensors, running
tilt, neutrino mass and equation of state in the list of free parameters, many
constraints are still quite weak, but future cosmological measurements from
SDSS and other sources should allow these to be substantially tightened.Comment: Minor revisions to match accepted PRD version. SDSS data and ppt
figures available at http://www.hep.upenn.edu/~max/sdsspars.htm
Modern microwave methods in solid state inorganic materials chemistry: from fundamentals to manufacturing
No abstract available
Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) for the Subaru Telescope: Overview, recent progress, and future perspectives
PFS (Prime Focus Spectrograph), a next generation facility instrument on the
8.2-meter Subaru Telescope, is a very wide-field, massively multiplexed,
optical and near-infrared spectrograph. Exploiting the Subaru prime focus, 2394
reconfigurable fibers will be distributed over the 1.3 deg field of view. The
spectrograph has been designed with 3 arms of blue, red, and near-infrared
cameras to simultaneously observe spectra from 380nm to 1260nm in one exposure
at a resolution of ~1.6-2.7A. An international collaboration is developing this
instrument under the initiative of Kavli IPMU. The project is now going into
the construction phase aiming at undertaking system integration in 2017-2018
and subsequently carrying out engineering operations in 2018-2019. This article
gives an overview of the instrument, current project status and future paths
forward.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Proceeding of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and
Instrumentation 201
Landscape Mapping of Functional Proteins in Insulin Signal Transduction and Insulin Resistance: A Network-Based Protein-Protein Interaction Analysis
The type 2 diabetes has increased rapidly in recent years throughout the world. The insulin signal transduction mechanism gets disrupted sometimes and it's known as insulin-resistance. It is one of the primary causes associated with type-2 diabetes. The signaling mechanisms involved several proteins that include 7 major functional proteins such as INS, INSR, IRS1, IRS2, PIK3CA, Akt2, and GLUT4. Using these 7 principal proteins, multiple sequences alignment has been created. The scores between sequences also have been developed. We have constructed a phylogenetic tree and modified it with node and distance. Besides, we have generated sequence logos and ultimately developed the protein-protein interaction network. The small insulin signal transduction protein arrangement shows complex network between the functional proteins
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