Fast-convergent iterative scheme for filtering velocity signals and finding Kolmogorov scales

The present fundamental knowledge of fluid turbulence has been established primarily from hot- and cold-wire measurements. Unfortunately, however, these measurements necessarily suffer from contamination by noise since no certain method has previously been available to optimally filter noise from the measured signals. This limitation has impeded our progress of understanding turbulence profoundly. We address this limitation by presenting a simple, fast-convergent iterative scheme to digitally filter signals optimally and find Kolmogorov scales definitely. The great efficacy of the scheme is demonstrated by its application to the instantaneous velocity measured in a turbulent jet.

A study of the interaction between operator style and machine capability for a hydraulic mining excavator

This paper presents a case study that explores how operator digging style juxtaposes with mechanical capability for a class of hydraulic mining excavators. The relationships between actuator and digging forces are developed and these are used to identify the excavator's capability to apply forces in various directions. Two distinct modes of operation are examined to see how they relate to the mechanical capabilities of the linkage and to establish if one has merit over the other. It is found that one of these styles results in lower loading of the machine.

Optimal quantum trajectories for discrete measurements

Using the method of quantum trajectories we show that a known pure state can be optimally monitored through time when subject to a sequence of discrete measurements. By modifying the way that we extract information from the measurement apparatus we can minimize the average algorithmic information of the measurement record, without changing the unconditional evolution of the measured system. We define an optimal measurement scheme as one which has the lowest average algorithmic information allowed. We also show how it is possible to extract information about system operator averages from the measurement records and their probabilities. The optimal measurement scheme, in the limit of weak coupling, determines the statistics of the variance of the measured variable directly. We discuss the relevance of such measurements for recent experiments in quantum optics.

Immunogenicity and tolerability of a virosome influenza vaccine compared to split influenza vaccine in patients with sickle cell anemia

The immunogenicity and tolerability of virosome and of split influenza vaccines in patients with sickle cell anemia (SS) were evaluated Ninety SS patients from 8 to 34 years old were randomly assigned to receive either virosome (n = 43) or split vaccine (n = 47) Two blood samples were collected, one before and one 4-6 weeks after vaccination Antibodies against viral strains (2006) A/New Caledonia (H1N1), A/California (H3N2), B/Malaysia were determined using the hemagglutinin inhibition test Post-vaccine reactions were recorded over 7 days Seroconversion rates for HI NI, H3N2 and B were 65 1%. 60 4% and 83 7% for virosome vaccine, and 68 0%, 61 7% and 68 0% for split vaccine Seroprotection rates for HI NI, H3N2 e B were 100%. 97 6% and 69.7% for virosome. and 97 8%, 97 8% and 76 6% for split vaccine No severe adverse reactions were recorded Virosome and split vaccines in patients with sickle cell anemia were equally Immunogenic. with high seroconversion and seroprotection rates Both vaccines were well tolerated (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved

Laryngeal split and rib cartilage interpositional grafting: Treatment option for glottic/subglottic stenosis in adults

Objectives: Severe glottic/subglottic stenosis (complex laryngotracheal stenosis) is a rare but challenging complication of endotracheal intubation. Laryngotracheal reconstruction with cartilage graft and an intralaryngeal stent is a procedure described for complex laryngotracheal stenosis management in children; however, for adults, few options remain. Our aim was to analyze the results of laryngotracheal reconstruction as a treatment for complex laryngotracheal stenosis in adults, considering postoperative and long-term outcome. Methods: Laryngotracheal reconstruction (laryngeal split with anterior and posterior interposition of a rib cartilage graft) has been used in our institution to manage glottic/subglottic stenosis restricted to the larynx; laryngotracheal reconstruction associated with cricotracheal resection has been used to treat glottic/subglottic/upper tracheal stenosis (extending beyond the second tracheal ring). A retrospective study was conducted, including all patients with complex laryngotracheal stenosis treated surgically in our institution from January of 2002 until December of 2005. Results: Twenty patients (10 male and 10 female patients; average age, 36.13 years; age range, 18-54 years) were included. There were no deaths, and the postoperative complications were as follows: dysphonia, 25%; subcutaneous emphysema, 10%; tracheocutaneous fistula, 20%; wound infection, 15%; and bleeding, 5.0%. Eighty percent of the patients were completely decannulated after a mean of 23.4 months of follow-up (range, 4 -55 months). Conclusions: Laryngeal split with anterior and posterior cartilage graft interposition as an isolated procedure or associated with a cricotracheal resection is a feasible and low-morbidity alternative for complex laryngotracheal stenosis treatment.

Asymmetric page split generalized index search trees for formal concept analysis

Formal Concept Analysis is an unsupervised machine learning technique that has successfully been applied to document organisation by considering documents as objects and keywords as attributes. The basic algorithms of Formal Concept Analysis then allow an intelligent information retrieval system to cluster documents according to keyword views. This paper investigates the scalability of this idea. In particular we present the results of applying spatial data structures to large datasets in formal concept analysis. Our experiments are motivated by the application of the Formal Concept Analysis idea of a virtual filesystem [11,17,15]. In particular the libferris [1] Semantic File System. This paper presents customizations to an RD-Tree Generalized Index Search Tree based index structure to better support the application of Formal Concept Analysis to large data sources.

Renormalizing the kinetic energy operator in elementary quantum mechanics

In this paper, we consider solutions to the three-dimensional Schrodinger equation of the form psi(r) = u(r)/r, where u(0) not equal 0. The expectation value of the kinetic energy operator for such wavefunctions diverges. We show that it is possible to introduce a potential energy with an expectation value that also diverges, exactly cancelling the kinetic energy divergence. This renormalization procedure produces a self-adjoint Hamiltonian. We solve some problems with this new Hamiltonian to illustrate its usefulness.

Willingness of Sri Lankan farmers to pay for a scheme to conserve elephants: An empirical analysis

This paper explores the feasibility of adopting an integrated economic approach to raise farmers’ tolerance of the presence of elephants on their farming lands. Responses to this approach were sought from a sample of farmers in the areas affected by human elephant conflict in the northwestern province of Sri Lanka. Results from a contingent valuation survey of their willingness to pay for a scheme to conserve elephants are also reported. Two separate logit regression analyses were undertaken to examine the factors that influence the farmers’ responses for the payment principle question and their opinions on the integrated economic approach. Although found that the majority of the respondents expressed their willingness to pay for the proposed scheme and supported for the implementation of the integrated approach, we have insufficient data yet to determine if their support and financial contribution would be sufficient to set up this programme and also to predict its economic viability. Nevertheless, the overall finding of this study provides an improved economic assessment of the farmers’ attitudes towards the wild elephant in Sri Lanka. At the same time the study shows that, contrary to commonly held assumptions, farmers in this developing country, do support wildlife conservation.