Discussion on `Characterization of 1-3 piezoelectric polymer composites - a numerical and analytical evaluation procedure for thickness mode vibrations' by C.V. Madhusudhana Rao, G. Prasad, Condens. Matter Phys., 2010, Vol.13, No.1, 13703

In the paper entitled "Characterization of 1-3 piezoelectric polymer composites - a numerical and analytical evaluation procedure for thickness mode vibrations", the dependence of the thickness electromechanical coupling coefficient on the aspect ratio of piezoceramic fibers is studied by finite element simulation for various volume fractions of piezoceramic fibers in a 1-3 composite. The accuracy of the results is questionable because the boundary condition claiming that `predefined displacements are applied perpendicularly on $C^+$ plane on all nodes' is not suitable for the analysis of 1-3 composite with comparatively large aspect ratio from 0.2 to 1. A discussion regarding this problem and the suggested corrections are presented in this paper.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Vision-based hand gesture interaction using particle filter, principle component analysis and transition network

Vision-based human-computer interaction is becoming important nowadays. It offers natural interaction with computers and frees users from mechanical interaction devices, which is favourable especially for wearable computers. This paper presents a human-computer interaction system based on a conventional webcam and hand gesture recognition. This interaction system works in real time and enables users to control a computer cursor with hand motions and gestures instead of a mouse. Five hand gestures are designed on behalf of five mouse operations: moving, left click, left-double click, right click and no-action. An algorithm based on Particle Filter is used for tracking the hand position. PCA-based feature selection is used for recognizing the hand gestures. A transition network is also employed for improving the accuracy and reliability of the interaction system. This interaction system shows good performance in the recognition and interaction test

Dynamics of urban sprawl

This paper introduces a framework for understanding the dynamics of urban growth,particularly the continuing problem of urban sprawl. The models we present are based on transitions from vacant land to established development. We propose that the essential mechanism of transition is analogous to the way an epidemic is generated within a susceptible population, with waves of development being generated from the conversion of available land to new development and redevelopment through the aging process. We first outline the standard aggregate model in differential equation form, showing how different variants (including logistic, exponential, predator-prey models) can be derived for various urban growth situations. We then generalize the model to a spatial system and show how sprawl can be conceived as a process of both interaction/reaction and diffusion. We operationalize the model as a cellular automata (CA) which implies that diffusion is entirely local, and we then illustrate how waves of development and redevelopment characterizing both sprawl and aging of the existing urban stock, can be simulated.Finally we show how the model can be adapted to a real urban situation - the AnnArbor area in Eastern Michigan - where we demonstrate how waves of development are absorbed and modified by particular historical contingencies associated with the re-existing urban structure

Shock wave boundary layer interaction studied by high-speed schlieren

Shock wave boundary layer interactions at compression ramps have been examined by high-speed schlieren. A total of six ramps with angles ranging from 20 deg to 30 deg, the ramp angle effect on the SWBLI is thus studied. The present high-speed schlieren with a frame rate of 20 kHz generates a large ensemble of 9000 images, which secures the convergence of the statistics of the schlieren intensity. The rms of the schlieren intensity is of great interest, as it enables visualisation of the flow features that are not observable in the raw schlieren images, such as the corner separation/low momentum region, the spot of strong flow unsteadiness right after the shock wave and the location of the peak fluctuation over the ramp. Through the present systematic experimental investigation of SWBLI, the highspeed schlieren is demonstrated to be of great capability for SWBLI study

On the nature of the lightest scalar resonances

We briefly review the recent progresses in the new unitarization approach being developed by us. Especially we discuss the large $N_c$ $\pi\pi$ scatterings by making use of the partial wave $S$ matrix parametrization form. We find that the $\sigma$ pole may move to the negative real axis on the second sheet of the complex $s$ plane, therefore it raises the interesting question that this `$\sigma$' pole may be related to the $\sigma$ in the linear $\sigma$ model.Comment: Talk presented by Zheng at ``Quark Confinement and Hadron Spectroscopy VI'', 21--25 Sept. 2004, Cagliari, Italy. 3 pages with 2 figure

Intestinal histomorphology, autochthonous microbiota and growth performance of the oscar (Astronotus ocellatus Agassiz, 1831) following dietary administration of xylooligosaccharide

The present study investigates the changes in intestinal histomorphology, autochthonous microbiota and growth performance of the oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, following dietary administration of different levels of xylooligosaccharide (XOS). One hundred forty-four oscars (8.88 ± 0.23 g; n = 144) were randomly stocked in 12 aquaria (100-L) assigned to four treatments repeated in triplicate. Fish were fed a commercial diet, Biomar, supplemented with different levels (0 control, 0.5, 1, 2%) of XOS for 8 weeks. Treatments were investigated under static aerated water conditions with a 70% daily water exchange. Evaluation of intestinal histomorphology (villus height, enterocytes height and thickness of the tunica muscularis) revealed no significant differences between XOS-fed groups and the control treatment (P > 0.05). However, administration of XOS in the oscar diet increased the total autochthonous intestinal heterotrophic bacteria significantly (P < 0.05). Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria levels were also significantly elevated in XOS-fed groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary XOS remarkably increased growth performance (control: 22.76 ± 2.79, 2% XOS: 29.13 ± 2. 8; n = 12) parameters of the oscar (P < 0.05). These results demonstrated the beneficial effects of XOS on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota of A. ocellatus. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH