High stability multiplexed fiber interferometer and its application on absolute displacement measurement and on-line surface metrology

We propose a self-reference multiplexed fibre interferometer (MFI) by using a tunable laser and fibre Bragg grating (FBG). The optical measurement system multiplexes two Michelson fibre interferometers with shared optical path in the main part of optical system. One fibre optic interferometer is used as a reference interferometer to monitor and control the high accuracy of the measurement system under environmental perturbations. The other is used as a measurement interferometer to obtain information from the target. An active phase tracking homodyne (APTH) technique is applied for signal processing to achieve high resolution. MFI can be utilised for high precision absolute displacement measurement with different combination of wavelengths from the tuneable laser. By means of Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing (WDM) technique, MFI is also capable of realising on-line surface measurement, in which traditional stylus scanning is replaced by spatial light-wave scanning so as to greatly improve the measurement speed and robustness.

Formant-frequency variation and its effects on across-formant grouping in speech perception

How speech is separated perceptually from other speech remains poorly understood. In a series of experiments, perceptual organisation was probed by presenting three-formant (F1+F2+F3) analogues of target sentences dichotically, together with a competitor for F2 (F2C), or for F2+F3, which listeners must reject to optimise recognition. To control for energetic masking, the competitor was always presented in the opposite ear to the corresponding target formant(s). Sine-wave speech was used initially, and different versions of F2C were derived from F2 using separate manipulations of its amplitude and frequency contours. F2Cs with time-varying frequency contours were highly effective competitors, whatever their amplitude characteristics, whereas constant-frequency F2Cs were ineffective. Subsequent studies used synthetic-formant speech to explore the effects of manipulating the rate and depth of formant-frequency change in the competitor. Competitor efficacy was not tuned to the rate of formant-frequency variation in the target sentences; rather, the reduction in intelligibility increased with competitor rate relative to the rate for the target sentences. Therefore, differences in speech rate may not be a useful cue for separating the speech of concurrent talkers. Effects of competitors whose depth of formant-frequency variation was scaled by a range of factors were explored using competitors derived either by inverting the frequency contour of F2 about its geometric mean (plausibly speech-like pattern) or by using a regular and arbitrary frequency contour (triangle wave, not plausibly speech-like) matched to the average rate and depth of variation for the inverted F2C. Competitor efficacy depended on the overall depth of frequency variation, not depth relative to that for the other formants. Furthermore, the triangle-wave competitors were as effective as their more speech-like counterparts. Overall, the results suggest that formant-frequency variation is critical for the across-frequency grouping of formants but that this grouping does not depend on speech-specific constraints.

Leadership in high-value services for manufacturers:advanced services and their impact on vertical integration

The debate about services-led competitive strategies continues to grow with much interest emerging around the differing practices between production and servitised operations. This paper contributes to this discussion byinvestigating the vertical integration practice (in particular the micro-vertical integration otherwise known as the supply chain position)of manufacturers who are successful in their adoption of servitization.Although these are preliminary findings from a longer-term research programme, through this technical note we seek to simultaneously contribute to the debate in the research community and offer guidance to practitioners exploring the consequences of servitization. Keyword: Servitization, Product-Service Systems, Through-life Services.

Blastocyst environment and its influence on offspring cardiovascular health:the heart of the matter

The development of adult-onset diseases such as type II diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease is traditionally attributed to adult lifestyle characteristics such as a lack of physical exercise, poor diet and smoking. However, evidence from both human and animal model studies has demonstrated that environmental factors such as an imbalance or reduction in maternal nutrition during gestation can have adverse effects on offspring metabolism and cardiovascular health. The severity and nature of the phenotypic changes induced in offspring is influenced by the period of gestation manipulated. In particular, the mammalian preimplantation embryo in different animal models displays particular sensitivity to environmental factors, either in vivo (maternal diet) or in vitro (embryo culture) that is associated with the onset of cardiovascular dysfunction in adult life. The detailed mechanisms by which environmental conditions can alter postnatal cardiovascular physiology are poorly understood. However, various factors including endothelial function, vascular responsiveness, the renin-angiotensin system, kidney structure and early postnatal growth dynamics have all been recognize as potential contributors. Here, we review the relationship between preimplantation embryo environment and postnatal cardiovascular disease risk, and consider biochemical, molecular, genetic and physiological pathways implicated in this association. © 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Ash control methods to limit biomass inorganic content and its effect on fast pyrolysis bio-oil stability

This research investigates specific ash control methods to limit inorganic content within biomass prior to fast pyrolysis and effect of specific ash components on fast pyrolysis processing, mass balance yields and bio-oil quality and stability. Inorganic content in miscanthus was naturally reduced over the winter period from June (7.36 wt. %) to February (2.80 wt. %) due to a combination of senescence and natural leaching from rain water. September harvest produced similar mass balance yields, bio-oil quality and stability compared to February harvest (conventional harvest), but nitrogen content in above ground crop was to high (208 kg ha.-1) to maintain sustainable crop production. Deionised water, 1.00% HCl and 0.10% Triton X-100 washes were used to reduce inorganic content of miscanthus. Miscanthus washed with 0.10% Triton X-100 resulted in the highest total liquid yield (76.21 wt. %) and lowest char and reaction water yields (9.77 wt. % and 8.25 wt. % respectively). Concentrations of Triton X-100 were varied to study further effects on mass balance yields and bio-oil stability. All concentrations of Triton X-100 increased total liquid yield and decreased char and reaction water yields compared to untreated miscanthus. In terms of bio-oil stability 1.00% Triton X-100 produced the most stable bio-oil with lowest viscosity index (2.43) and lowest water content index (1.01). Beech wood was impregnated with potassium and phosphorus resulting in lower liquid yields and increased char and gas yields due to their catalytic effect on fast pyrolysis product distribution. Increased potassium and phosphorus concentrations produced less stable bio-oils with viscosity and water content indexes increasing. Fast pyrolysis processing of phosphorus impregnated beech wood was problematic as the reactor bed material agglomerated into large clumps due to char formation within the reactor, affecting fluidisation and heat transfer.

Formant-frequency variation and its effects on across-formant grouping in speech perception

How speech is separated perceptually from other speech remains poorly understood. In a series of experiments, perceptual organisation was probed by presenting three-formant (F1+F2+F3) analogues of target sentences dichotically, together with a competitor for F2 (F2C), or for F2+F3, which listeners must reject to optimise recognition. To control for energetic masking, the competitor was always presented in the opposite ear to the corresponding target formant(s). Sine-wave speech was used initially, and different versions of F2C were derived from F2 using separate manipulations of its amplitude and frequency contours. F2Cs with time-varying frequency contours were highly effective competitors, whatever their amplitude characteristics, whereas constant-frequency F2Cs were ineffective. Subsequent studies used synthetic-formant speech to explore the effects of manipulating the rate and depth of formant-frequency change in the competitor. Competitor efficacy was not tuned to the rate of formant-frequency variation in the target sentences; rather, the reduction in intelligibility increased with competitor rate relative to the rate for the target sentences. Therefore, differences in speech rate may not be a useful cue for separating the speech of concurrent talkers. Effects of competitors whose depth of formant-frequency variation was scaled by a range of factors were explored using competitors derived either by inverting the frequency contour of F2 about its geometric mean (plausibly speech-like pattern) or by using a regular and arbitrary frequency contour (triangle wave, not plausibly speech-like) matched to the average rate and depth of variation for the inverted F2C. Competitor efficacy depended on the overall depth of frequency variation, not depth relative to that for the other formants. Furthermore, the triangle-wave competitors were as effective as their more speech-like counterparts. Overall, the results suggest that formant-frequency variation is critical for the across-frequency grouping of formants but that this grouping does not depend on speech-specific constraints. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013.

High stability multiplexed fibre interferometer and its application on absolute displacement measurement and on-line surface metrology

We propose a self-reference multiplexed fibre interferometer (MFI) by using a tunable laser and fibre Bragg grating (FBG). The optical measurement system multiplexes two Michelson fibre interferometers with shared optical path in the main part of optical system. One fibre optic interferometer is used as a reference interferometer to monitor and control the high accuracy of the measurement system under environmental perturbations. The other is used as a measurement interferometer to obtain information from the target. An active phase tracking homodyne (APTH) technique is applied for signal processing to achieve high resolution. MFI can be utilised for high precision absolute displacement measurement with different combination of wavelengths from the tuneable laser. By means of Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing (WDM) technique, MFI is also capable of realising on-line surface measurement, in which traditional stylus scanning is replaced by spatial light-wave scanning so as to greatly improve the measurement speed and robustness. © 2004 Optical Society of America.

Keyboard warriors in cyberfights:conflict in online communities of consumption and its effects on community resources

Conflicts are very common in Online Consumption Communities (OCC) and numerous expressions have developed to describe them. Prior research indicates contradictory effects on community resources, namely social capital and culture. One stream finds that online conflict dissolves social capital and community culture (cf. De Valck 2007) while another stream finds it enhances them (cf. Ewing, Wagstaff, and Power 2013). Therefore, the effect of OCC conflict on community resources is unclear. In this paper, we (1) investigate conflict in OCC to develop a typology, and (2) delineate how each type of OCC conflict impacts community resources. This research contributes to our understanding of OCC conflicts and to the literature on value formation in OCC.

The Methodology of the Subsistence Minimum Calculation for Developing Countries and its Computation on the Georgian Example

This article shows the social importance of subsistence minimum in Georgia. The methodology of its calculation is also shown. We propose ways of improving the calculation of subsistence minimum in Georgia and how to extend it for other developing countries. The weights of food and non-food expenditures in the subsistence minimum baskets are essential in these calculations. Daily consumption value of the minimum food basket has been calculated too. The average consumer expenditures on food supply and the other expenditures to the share are considered in dynamics. Our methodology of the subsistence minimum calculation is applied for the case of Georgia. However, it can be used for similar purposes based on data from other developing countries, where social stability is achieved, and social inequalities are to be actualized. ACM Computing Classification System (1998): H.5.3, J.1, J.4, G.3.

A dual definition for the factor content of trade and its effect on factor rewards in US manufacturing sector

We introduce a dual definition of the Factor Content of Trade (FCT) using the concept of the Equivalent Autarky Equilibrium. Estimating a symmetric normalized quadratic revenue function for the U.S. manufacturing sector between 1965 and 1991, we find that the FCT for capital is positive, while the FCT for skilled and unskilled labor is negative, suggesting that the Leontief Paradox is not present. Then the growth rate of the factor rewards is decomposed to the FCT, endowments, and technological change effects. We find that technological change is the most important determinant in explaining wage inequality between skilled and unskilled labor.

Political polarization and its consequences on democratic accountability

This paper first explores the polarizationthesis, according to which between 1990-2010 political polarization increased to a large extent in the Hungarian political elite and among citizens, although it did not undermine the stability of the political system. Second, it gives an endogenousexplanation for this phenomenon. Third, through theoretical discussion and empirical examples taken from Hungarian politics it is revealed that although growing polarization has not generated regime instability, it reduces, or might reduce, the efficiency of the operation of democracy. Five mechanisms of the effects of ideological polarization which weaken democratic accountability are explored.

Federal tax deductibility for local taxes and its effect on local revenue policies

This dissertation analyzes whether and how changes in federal tax policy affect local tax policies, specifically, the elimination of the federal deductibility of state and local taxes for individual taxpayers by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA86) in 59 California cities. Two methods are used in the study: a survey of local revenue officials and a time event time-series/cross sectional sales tax reliance study.^ The reliance study uses a covariance model to pool cross-section and time-series observations. The results of the reliance study indicate a statistically significant overall decline in sales tax reliance after 1986. The results of the survey indicate that local policy makers generally do not believe that federal deductibility is an important factor when considering raising local sales taxes. Further analysis shows that local revenue officials claiming federal deductibility is not an important factor are associated mostly with cities that registered no significant decline in sales tax reliance after 1986. Similarly, local revenue officials claiming federal deductibility is an important factor when considering local tax policy are associated mostly with cities that suffered a significant decline in sales tax reliance after 1986.^ Of that group, further analysis shows that the declines in sales tax reliance are associated mostly with cities located in the southwestern part of the state. When compared to other cities in the state, an analysis of variance reveals that there are a series of statistically significant factors associated with southwestern cities which may contribute to the decline in sales tax reliance following the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. ^