NASTRAN maintenance and enhancement experiences

The current capability is described which includes isoparametric elements, optimization of grid point sequencing, and eigenvalue routine. Overlay and coding errors were corrected for cyclic symmetry, transient response, and differential stiffness rigid formats. Error corrections and program enhancements are discussed along with developments scheduled for the current year and a brief description of analyses being performed using the program

Control of a flexible robot arm

Exact equations of motion of an arm with known parameters were developed and analyzed preparatory to designing control systems for robotic manipulators. The design of an experimental one-link arm for testing control designs is presented

Gate-capacitance extraction from RF C-V measurements

In this work, a full two-port analysis of an RF C-V measurement set-up is given. This two-port analysis gives insight on the limitations of the commonly used gate capacitance extraction, based on the Y/sub 11/ parameter of the device. It is shown that the parasitics of the device can disturb the extracted gate capacitance and a new extraction scheme, based on the Z-matrix, is introduced that eliminates the effect of these parasitics. Measurement results prove the validity of this new extraction scheme, under different conditions

In Absolute or Relative Terms? How Framing Prices Affects the Consumer Price Sensitivity of Health Plan Choice

This paper provides field evidence on (a) how price framing affects consumers' decision to switch health insurance plans and (b) how the price elasticity of demand for health insurance can be influenced by policymakers through simple regulatory efforts. In 2009, in order to foster competition among health insurance companies, German federal regulation required health insurance companies to express price differences between health plans in absolute Euro values rather than percentage point payroll tax differences. Using individual-level panel data, as well as aggregated health plan-level panel data, we find that the reform led to a sixfold increase in an individual's switching probability and a threefold demand elasticity increase.health insurance, health plan switching, price competition, price elasticity, SOEP

Acoustically swept rotor

Impulsive noise reduction is provided in a rotor blade by acoustically sweeping the chord line from root to tip so that the acoustic radiation resulting from the summation of potential singularities used to model the flow about the blade tend to cancel for all times at an observation point in the acoustic far field

Application of the CINGEN program a thermal network data generator

The application of the CINGEN computer program and two of its supporting programs for the evaluation of structural and thermal performance of physical systems was described. The CINGEN program was written and implemented to avoid the duplication effort of performing a finite element approach for structural analysis and a finite differencing technique for thermal analysis, as well as the desire for a geometrical representation of the thermal model to reduce modeling errors. The program simplifies the thermal modeling process by performing all of the capacitance and conductance calculations normally done by the analyst. Each solid element is divided into five tetrahedrons, allowing the total volume to be calculated precisely. A sample problem was illustrated

THE REAL RATE OF PROTECTION: THE STABILIZING EFFECT OF PRICE POLICIES AND DIRECT PAYMENTS

Traditional indicators of protection refer to the level effect of price policies on income and ignore the stabilizing effect. We derive a measure of the real rate of protection which incorporates these dual dimensions. The income stabilizing effects of price policy protection lead to a greater level of real protection than would be measured conventionally. Computed real protection rates for the European Union wheat market over the pre- and post-MacSharry reform periods were found to be some 3-5 percent greater than traditional indicators. Moreover, the compensatory payments to farmers following the 1992 reforms had a major risk reducing impact.International Relations/Trade,

Optical spectroscopy study on pressure-induced phase transitions in the three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd3_3As2_2

We report a room-temperature optical reflectivity study performed on [112]-oriented Cd$_3$As$_2$ single crystals over a broad energy range under external pressure up to 10 GPa. The abrupt drop of the band dispersion parameter ($z$-parameter) and the interruption of the gradual redshift of the bandgap at $\sim$4~GPa confirms the structural phase transition from a tetragonal to a monoclinic phase in this material. The pressure-induced increase of the overall optical conductivity at low energies and the continuous redshift of the high-energy bands indicate that the system evolves towards a topologically trivial metallic state, although a complete closing of the band gap could not be observed in the studied pressure range. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of the low-pressure regime suggests the possible existence of an intermediate state between 2 and 4~GPa , that might be a precursor of the structural phase transition or due to the lifted degeneracy of the Dirac nodes. Several optical parameters show yet another anomaly at 8~GPa, where low-temperature superconductivity was found in an earlier study.Comment: submitted to PR