5,553 research outputs found

    Coriolis effects during pitch and roll maneuvers in a piloted flight simulator

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    Effect of suprathreshold value of Coriolis acceleration on pilot of flight simulator - reference to perception of illusory motion and position in spac

    Classical turning surfaces in solids: When do they occur, and what do they mean?

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    Classical turning surfaces of Kohn-Sham potentials, separating classically-allowed regions (CARs) from classically-forbidden regions (CFRs), provide a useful and rigorous approach to understanding many chemical properties of molecules. Here we calculate such surfaces for several paradigmatic solids. Our study of perfect crystals at equilibrium geometries suggests that CFRs are absent in metals, rare in covalent semiconductors, but common in ionic and molecular crystals. A CFR can appear at a monovacancy in a metal. In all materials, CFRs appear or grow as the internuclear distances are uniformly expanded. Calculations with several approximate density functionals and codes confirm these behaviors. A classical picture of conduction suggests that CARs should be connected in metals, and disconnected in wide-gap insulators. This classical picture is confirmed in the limits of extreme uniform compression of the internuclear distances, where all materials become metals without CFRs, and extreme expansion, where all materials become insulators with disconnected and widely-separated CARs around the atoms.Comment: Added supplemental information (63 pages), was missing in original submission. Minor typo corrections in Tables I and III for Eps_HO - vs(r) column (and CFR % volume for Pt monovacancy) for PBE data onl

    Determining concentric and eccentric force–velocity profiles during squatting.

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    The force–velocity relationship of muscular contraction has been extensively studied. However, previous research has focussed either on isolated muscle or single-joint movements, whereas human movement consists of multi-joint movements (e.g. squatting). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the force–velocity relationship of isovelocity squatting. Fifteen male participants (24±2 years, 79.8±9.1 kg, 177.5±6 cm) performed isovelocity squats on a novel motorised isovelocity device (Kineo Training System) at three concentric (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 m s−1) and three eccentric velocities (−0.25, −0.5, and −0.75 m s−1). Peak vertical ground reaction forces, that occurred during the isovelocity phase, were collected using dual force plates (2000 Hz) (Kistler, Switzerland). The group mean squat force–velocity profile conformed to the typical in vivo profile, with peak vertical ground reaction forces during eccentric squatting being 9.5 ± 19% greater than isometric (P = 0.037), and occurring between −0.5 and −0.75 m s−1. However, large inter-participant variability was identified (0.84–1.62 × isometric force), with some participants being unable to produce eccentric forces greater than isometric. Sub-group analyses could not identify differences between individuals who could/could not produce eccentric forces above isometric, although those who could not tended to be taller. These finding suggest that variability exists between participants in the ability to generate maximum eccentric forces during squatting, and the magnitude of eccentric increase above isometric cannot be predicted solely based on a concentric assessment. Therefore, an assessment of eccentric capabilities may be required prior to prescribing eccentric-specific resistance training

    Experimental evidence of a natural parity state in 26^{26}Mg and its impact to the production of neutrons for the s process

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    We have studied natural parity states in 26^{26}Mg via the 22^{22}Ne(6^{6}Li,d)26^{26}Mg reaction. Our method significantly improves the energy resolution of previous experiments and, as a result, we report the observation of a natural parity state in 26^{26}Mg. Possible spin-parity assignments are suggested on the basis of published γ\gamma-ray decay experiments. The stellar rate of the 22^{22}Ne(α\alpha,γ\gamma)26^{26}Mg reaction is reduced and may give rise to an increase in the production of s-process neutrons via the 22^{22}Ne(α\alpha,n)25^{25}Mg reaction.Comment: Published in PR

    Common Representation of Information Flows for Dynamic Coalitions

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    We propose a formal foundation for reasoning about access control policies within a Dynamic Coalition, defining an abstraction over existing access control models and providing mechanisms for translation of those models into information-flow domain. The abstracted information-flow domain model, called a Common Representation, can then be used for defining a way to control the evolution of Dynamic Coalitions with respect to information flow

    A cognitive approach to user perception of multimedia quality: An empirical investigation

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    Whilst multimedia technology has been one of the main contributing factors behind the Web's success, delivery of personalized multimedia content has been a desire seldom achieved in practice. Moreover, the perspective adopted is rarely viewed from a cognitive styles standpoint, notwithstanding the fact that they have significant effects on users’ preferences with respect to the presentation of multimedia content. Indeed, research has thus far neglected to examine the effect of cognitive styles on users’ subjective perceptions of multimedia quality. This paper aims to examine the relationships between users’ cognitive styles, the multimedia quality of service delivered by the underlying network, and users’ quality of perception (understood as both enjoyment and informational assimilation) associated with the viewed multimedia content. Results from the empirical study reported here show that all users, regardless of cognitive style, have higher levels of understanding of informational content in multimedia video clips (represented in our study by excerpts from television programmes) with weak dynamism, but that they enjoy moderately dynamic clips most. Additionally, multimedia content was found to significantly influence users’ levels of understanding and enjoyment. Surprisingly, our study highlighted the fact that Bimodal users prefer to draw on visual sources for informational purposes, and that the presence of text in multimedia clips has a detrimental effect on the knowledge acquisition of all three cognitive style groups

    A multiple-beam CLEAN for imaging intra-day variable radio sources

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    The CLEAN algorithm, widely used in radio interferometry for the deconvolution of radio images, performs well only if the raw radio image (dirty image) is, to good approximation, a simple convolution between the instrumental point-spread function (dirty beam) and the true distribution of emission across the sky. An important case in which this approximation breaks down is during frequency synthesis if the observing bandwidth is wide enough for variations in the spectrum of the sky to become significant. The convolution assumption also breaks down, in any situation but snapshot observations, if sources in the field vary significantly in flux density over the duration of the observation. Such time-variation can even be instrumental in nature, for example due to jitter or rotation of the primary beam pattern on the sky during an observation. An algorithm already exists for dealing with the spectral variation encountered in wide-band frequency synthesis interferometry. This algorithm is an extension of CLEAN in which, at each iteration, a set of N `dirty beams' are fitted and subtracted in parallel, instead of just a single dirty beam as in standard CLEAN. In the wide-band algorithm the beams are obtained by expanding a nominal source spectrum in a Taylor series, each term of the series generating one of the beams. In the present paper this algorithm is extended to images which contain sources which vary over both frequency and time. Different expansion schemes (or bases) on the time and frequency axes are compared, and issues such as Gibbs ringing and non-orthogonality are discussed. It is shown that practical considerations make it often desirable to orthogonalize the set of beams before commencing the cleaning. This is easily accomplished via a Gram-Schmidt technique.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

    Characterization of herpes simplex virus clinical isolate Y3369 as a glycoprotein G variant and its bearing on virus typing

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Herpes simplex viruses exist as two major serotypes, type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Determination of type, either HSV-1 or HSV-2, is important in accurate diagnosis and clinical control of transmission. Several tests are available for typing HSV, including a monoclonal antibody specific for glycoprotein G and several PCR assays.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>A clinical isolate was identified as herpes simplex virus, but tested negative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 antigens using type-specific monoclonal antibody assays. The isolate was determined to be HSV-1 by PCR analysis. A mutation which likely caused the monoclonal antibody non-reactivity was found in glycoprotein G. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two groups of HSV, one with the mutation and one without. Three population studies examining mutations in HSV-1 glycoprotein G were analyzed by chi-squared test. To this point, the epitope which the monoclonal antibody recognizes was only found in HSV-1 isolates from human European populations (<it>p </it>< 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings suggest that the PCR-based methods for HSV typing may be more useful than the standard monoclonal antibody test in areas of the world where the variant in glycoprotein G is more prevalent.</p

    Evolution of a Sexually Dimorphic Trait in a Broadly Distributed Topminnow (Fundulus Olivaceus)

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    Understanding the interaction between sexual and natural selection within variable environments is crucial to our understanding of evolutionary processes. The handicap principle predicts females will prefer males with exaggerated traits provided those traits are indicators of male quality to ensure direct or indirect female benefits. Spatial variability in ecological factors is expected to alter the balance between sexual and natural selection that defines the evolution of such traits. Male and female blackspotted topminnows (Fundulidae: Fundulus olivaceus) display prominent black dorsolateral spots that are variable in number across its broad range. We investigated variability in spot phenotypes at 117 sites across 13 river systems and asked if the trait was sexually dimorphic and positively correlated with measures of fitness (condition and gonadosomatic index [GSI]). Laboratory and mesocosm experiments assessed female mate choice and predation pressure on spot phenotypes. Environmental and community data collected at sampling locations were used to assess predictive models of spot density at the individual, site, and river system level. Greater number of spots was positively correlated with measures of fitness in males. Males with more spots were preferred by females and suffered greater mortality due to predation. Water clarity (turbidity) was the best predictor of spot density on the drainage scale, indicating that sexual and natural selection for the trait may be mediated by local light environments

    Evolution of a Sexually Dimorphic Trait In a Broadly Distributed Topminnow (\u3ci\u3eFundulus olivaceus\u3c/i\u3e)

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    Understanding the interaction between sexual and natural selection within variable environments is crucial to our understanding of evolutionary processes. The handicap principle predicts females will prefer males with exaggerated traits provided those traits are indicators of male quality to ensure direct or indirect female benefits. Spatial variability in ecological factors is expected to alter the balance between sexual and natural selection that defines the evolution of such traits. Male and female blackspotted topminnows (Fundulidae: Fundulus olivaceus) display prominent black dorsolateral spots that are variable in number across its broad range. We investigated variability in spot phenotypes at 117 sites across 13 river systems and asked if the trait was sexually dimorphic and positively correlated with measures of fitness (condition and gonadosomatic index [GSI]). Laboratory and mesocosm experiments assessed femalemate choice and predation pressure on spot phenotypes. Environmental and community data collected at sampling locations were used to assess predictive models of spot density at the individual, site, and river system level. Greater number of spots was positively correlated with measures of fitness in males. Males with more spots were preferred by females and suffered greater mortality due to predation. Water clarity (turbidity) was the best predictor of spot density on the drainage scale, indicating that sexual and natural selection for the trait may be mediated by local light environments
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