3,725 research outputs found
Perturbation damage indicators based on complex modes
The papers focusing on dynamic identification of structural damages usually rely on the comparison of two or more responses of the structure; the measure of damage is related to the differences of the vibration signals. Almost all literature methods assume damping proportionality to mass and stiffness; however, this is acceptable for new, undamaged structures, but not for existing, potentially damaged structures, especially when localised damages occur. It is well-known that in non-proportionally damped systems the modes are no longer the same of the undamped system: thus, some authors proposed to use modal complexity as a damage indicator. This contribution presents a perturbation approach that can easily reveal such a modal complexity
Investigating the free-floating planet mass by Euclid observations
The detection of anomalies in gravitational microlensing events is nowadays
one of the main goals among the microlensing community. In the case of
single-lens events, these anomalies can be caused by the finite source effects,
that is when the source disk size is not negligible, and by the Earth rotation
around the Sun (the so-called parallax effect). The finite source and parallax
effects may help to define the mass of the lens, uniquely. Free-floating
planets (FFPs) are extremely dim objects, and gravitational microlensing
provides at present the exclusive method to investigate these bodies. In this
work, making use of a synthetic population algorithm, we study the possibility
of detecting the finite source and parallax effects in simulated microlensing
events caused by FFPs towards the Galactic bulge, taking into consideration the
capabilities of the space-based Euclid telescope. We find a significant
efficiency for detecting the parallax effect in microlensing events with
detectable finite source effect, that turns out to be about 51% for mass
function index .Comment: Astrophysics and Space Science 201
Estimating Finite Source Effects in Microlensing Events due to Free-Floating Planets with the Euclid Survey
In recent years free-loating planets (FFPs) have drawn a great interest among
astrophysicists. Gravitational microlensing is a unique and exclusive method
for their investigation which may allow obtaining precious information about
their mass and spatial distribution. The planned Euclid space-based observatory
will be able to detect a substantial number of microlensing events caused by
FFPs towards the Galactic bulge. Making use of a synthetic population
algorithm, we investigate the possibility of detecting finite source effects in
simulated microlensing events due to FFPs. We find a significant efficiency for
finite source effect detection that turns out to be between 20% and 40% for a
FFP power law mass function index in the range [0.9, 1.6]. For many of such
events it will also be possible to measure the angular Einstein radius and
therefore constrain the lens physical parameters. These kinds of observations
will also offer a unique possibility to investigate the photosphere and
atmosphere of Galactic bulge stars.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, published in Advances in Astronomy, Volume 2015,
Article ID 40230
Starspot induced effects in microlensing events with rotating source star
We consider the effects induced by the presence of hot and cold spots on the
source star in the light curves of simulated microlensing events due to either
single or binary lenses taking into account the rotation of the source star and
the orbital motion of the lens system. Our goal is to study the anomalies
induced by these effects on simulated microlensing light curves.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Patchy sticky hard spheres: analytical study and Monte Carlo simulations
We consider a fluid of hard spheres bearing one or two uniform circular
adhesive patches, distributed so as not to overlap. Two spheres interact via a
``sticky'' Baxter potential if the line joining the centers of the two spheres
intersects a patch on each sphere, and via a hard sphere potential otherwise.
We analyze the location of the fluid-fluid transition and of the percolation
line as a function of the size of the patch (the fractional coverage of the
sphere's surface) and of the number of patches within a virial expansion up to
third order and within the first two terms (C0 and C1) of a class of closures
Cn hinging on a density expansion of the direct correlation function. We find
that the locations of the two lines depend sensitively on both the total
adhesive coverage and its distribution. The treatment is almost fully
analytical within the chosen approximate theory. We test our findings by means
of specialized Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and find the main qualitative
features of the critical behaviour to be well captured in spite of the low
density perturbative nature of the closure. The introduction of anisotropic
attractions into a model suspension of spherical particles is a first step
towards a more realistic description of globular proteins in solution.Comment: 47 pages, 18 figures, to appear on J. Chem. Phy
A virtual reality input device for sports-related rehabilitation
Abstract. This work entails the hardware design, manufacturing and implementation of a VR controller device tailored for people with specific sports-related injuries. The target case of this thesis is the tennis elbow injury, where the designed controller helps them interface easily to the VR environment that is designed for their therapy.
The sensors used are carefully selected in order to adequately capture the therapy exercise movements related to this kind of injury. For example, the use FSRs (Force Sensitive Resistors) that are put on the surface of a test object helps to detect a grasp during the exercise.
The hardware design and manufacturing was done for a VR controller device that would give the desired performance, using Arduino IDE for its software development. In addition to this, the design of the VR environment allowed for an immersive VR experience for the rehabilitation.
An experiment was carried out with eight participants, where they were asked to perform two exercises that involve grasping the test object. A series of questions were asked to them as part of the experimental evaluation. The results showed positive indications about the participants’ experience
Perturbation methods for bifurcation analysis from multiple nonresonant complex eigenvalues
It is shown that the logical bases of the static perturbation method, which is currently used in static bifurcation analysis, can also be applied to dynamic bifurcations. A two-time version of the Lindstedt–Poincare ́ Method and the Multiple Scale Method are employed to analyze a bifurcation problem of codimension two. It is found that the Multiple Scale Method furnishes, in a straightforward way, amplitude modulation equations equal to normal form equations available in literature. With a remarkable computational improvement, the description of the central manifold is avoided. The Lindstedt–Poincare ́ Method can also be employed if only steady-state solutions have to be determined. An application is illustrated for a mechanical system subjected to aerodynamic excitation
Homozygous mutation in the prokineticin-receptor2 gene (Val274Asp) presenting as reversible Kallmann syndrome and persistent oligozoospermia: case report.
Prokineticin 2 (Prok2) or prokineticin-receptor2 (Prok-R2) gene mutations are associated with Kallmann syndrome
(KS). We describe a new homozygous mutation of Prok-R2 gene in a man displaying KS with an apparent reversal of
hypogonadism. The proband, offspring of consanguineous parents, presented at age 19 years with absent puberty, no
sense of smell, low testosterone and gonadotrophin levels. Magnetic resonance imaging showed olfactory bulb absence.
The patient achieved virilization and spermatogenesis with gonadotrophin administration. Two years after discontinuing
hormonal therapy, he maintained moderate oligozoospermia and normal testosterone levels. Prok2 and Prok-
R2 gene sequence analyses were performed. The proband had a homozygous mutation in Prok-R2 exon 2 that harbours
the c.T820>A base substitution, causing the introduction of an aspartic acid in place of valine at position 274
(Val274Asp). His mother had the same mutation in heterozygous state. This report describes a novel homozygous
mutation of Prok-R2 gene in a man with variant KS, underlying the role of Prok-R2 gene in the olfactory and reproductive
system development in humans. Present findings indicate that markedly delayed activation of gonadotrophin
secretion may occur in some KS cases with definite gene defects, and that oligozoospermia might result from a variant
form of reversible hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism
Does p63RhoGEF, a new key mediator of angiotensin II signalling, play a role in blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular remodelling in humans?
Corresponding author: Lorenzo A Calo, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Clinica Medica 4, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2 35128 Padova, Italy. Email: [email protected] Journal of the Renin-AngiotensinAldosterone System 12(4) 634 –636 © The Author(s) 2011 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1470320311407232 jra.sagepub.com Letter to the Edito
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