Steady state and dynamic modelling of nitrogen in the River Kennet: impacts of land use change since the 1930s

Steady state and dynamic models have been developed and applied to the River Kennet system. Annual nitrogen exports from the land surface to the river have been estimated based on land use from the 1930s and the 1990s. Long term modelled trends indicate that there has been a large increase in nitrogen transport into the river system driven by increased fertiliser application associated with increased cereal production, increased population and increased livestock levels. The dynamic model INCA Integrated Nitrogen in Catchments. has been applied to simulate the day-to-day transport of N from the terrestrial ecosystem to the riverine environment. This process-based model generates spatial and temporal data and reproduces the observed instream concentrations. Applying the model to current land use and 1930s land use indicates that there has been a major shift in the short term dynamics since the 1930s, with increased river and groundwater concentrations caused by both non-point source pollution from agriculture and point source discharges. �

Non-steady state heat conduction in composite walls

The problem of heat conduction in one-dimensional piecewise homogeneous composite materials is examined by providing an explicit solution of the one-dimensional heat equation in each domain. The location of the interfaces is known, but neither temperature nor heat flux are prescribed there. Instead, the physical assumptions of their continuity at the interfaces are the only conditions imposed. The problem of two semi-infinite domains and that of two finite-sized domains are examined in detail. We indicate also how to extend the solution method to the setting of one finite-sized domain surrounded on both sides by semi-infinite domains, and on that of three finite-sized domains.

A comparison of GOCE and drifter-based estimates of the North Atlantic steady-state surface circulation

Over the last decade, due to the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission and, more recently, the Gravity and steady state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission, our ability to measure the ocean’s mean dynamic topography (MDT) from space has improved dramatically. Here we use GOCE to measure surface current speeds in the North Atlantic and compare our results with a range of independent estimates that use drifter data to improve small scales. We find that, with filtering, GOCE can recover 70% of the Gulf Steam strength relative to the best drifter-based estimates. In the subpolar gyre the boundary currents obtained from GOCE are close to the drifter-based estimates. Crucial to this result is careful filtering which is required to remove small-scale errors, or noise, in the computed surface. We show that our heuristic noise metric, used to determine the degree of filtering, compares well with the quadratic sum of mean sea surface and formal geoid errors obtained from the error variance–covariance matrix associated with the GOCE gravity model. At a resolution of 100 km the North Atlantic mean GOCE MDT error before filtering is 5 cm with almost all of this coming from the GOCE gravity model.

Fast Acquisition of (13)C NMR Spectra using the Steady-state Free Precession Sequence

In this paper, we show that the steady-state free precession sequence can be used to acquire (13)C high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and applied to qualitative analysis. The analysis of brucine sample using this sequence with 60 degrees flip angle and time interval between pulses equal to 300 ms (acquisition time, 299.7 ms; recycle delay, 300 ms) resulted in spectrum with twofold enhancement in signal-to-noise ratio, when compared to standard (13)C sequence. This gain was better when a much shorter time interval between pulses (100 ms) was applied. The result obtained was more than fivefold enhancement in signal-to-noise ratio, equivalent to more than 20-fold reduction in total data recording time. However, this short time interval between pulses produces a spectrum with severe phase and truncation anomalies. We demonstrated that these anomalies can be minimized by applying an appropriate apodization function and plotting the spectrum in the magnitude mode.

Undersökning av steady state och utvärdering av valskraft och friktion vid kallvalsning av aluminium

The purpose with this thesis was to examine the cold rolling mill located at Högskolan Dalarna and to stabilize the rolling process, to achieve steady state. Experiments with cold rolling of an aluminium strip have given results for rolling force, friction, reduction, strip tension and strain hardening. Results show that steady state has been found for the experiments with roll force and strain hardening, and not been found for the experiments with friction and reduction. Results show that increased strip tension gives lower roll forces. The roll force equation of Stone shows comparable results with reality for dry contact with reductions up to 30 %, but starts being incomparable with higher reductions. The roll force equation of Stone shows a bit higher roll forces than reality gave, but was comparable within reductions from 13 to 50 %. Experiments have shown that the aluminium strip has gone through strain hardening. Experiments show how the set roll gap did not yield the desired thickness reduction, there for the elastic spring constant for the rolling mill was examined and determined to be 417 N / mm for the specific alloy band. The influence of tension strip for roll force was examined and Results confirm the theory about how the roll force is decreased by increasing tension strip. The work rolls started to slip against the alumina strip as high tension strip; 70 N/mm2, gave low roll force; < 15kN.

A generalization of judds method of out-steady-state comparisons in perfect foresight models

We show that Judd (1982)’s method can be applied to any finite system, contrary to what he claimed in 1987. An example shows how to employ the technic to study monetary models in presence of capital accumulation.

Setting the preheating and steady-state operation of electronic ballasts, considering electrodes of hot-cathode fluorescent lamps

This paper presents a new methodology for the adjustment of the preheating process and steady-state operation of electronic ballasts intended for hot-cathode fluorescent lamps. The classical series-resonant parallel-loaded half-bridge inverter is the power stage analyzed in this paper. In addition, the preheating process is based on the imposition of a constant rms current through the electrodes, in order to provide a proper value of the R-h/R-c ratio before the lamp start. According to the proposed methodology, it is possible to set suitable operating points for, the electronic ballast, considering optimal conditions for the lamps electrodes. Therefore, the proposed methodology for setting the preheating and steady-state operation is a complete platform to the design of electronic ballasts for hot-cathode fluorescent lamps.

Effect of soccer training on the running speed and the blood lactate concentration at the lactate minimum test

Tegtbur et al. [23] devised a new method able to estimate the intensity at maximal lactate steady state termed lactate minimum test. According to Billat et al. [7], no studies have yet been published on the affect of training on highest blood lactate concentration that can be maintained over time without continual blood lactate accumulation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to verify the effect of soccer training on the running speed and the blood lactate concentration (BLC) at the lactate minimum test (Lac(min)). Thirteen Brazilian male professional soccer players, all members of the same team playing at National level, volunteered for this study. Measurements were carried out before (pre) and after (post) eight weeks of soccer training. The Lac(min) test was adapted to the procedures reported by Tegtbur et al. [23]. The running speed at the Lac(min) test was taken when the gradient of the line was zero. Differences in running speed and blood lactate concentration at the Lac(min) test before (pre) and after (post) the training program were evaluated by Student's paired t-test. The training program increased the running speed at the Lac(min) test (14.94 +/- 0.21 vs. 15.44 +/- 0.42* km(.)h(-1)) and the blood lactate concentration (5.11 +/- 2.31 vs. 6.93 +/- 1.33* mmol(.)L(-1)). The enhance in the blood lactate concentration may be explained by an increase in the lactate/H+ transport capacity of human skeletal muscle verified by other authors.

Determination of anaerobic threshold in rats using the lactate minimum test

The break point of the curve of blood lactate vs exercise load has been called anaerobic threshold (AT) and is considered to be an important indicator of endurance exercise capacity in human subjects. There are few studies of AT determination in animals. We describe a protocol for AT determination by the lactate minimum test in rats during swimming exercise. The test is based on the premise that during an incremental exercise test, and after a bout of maximal exercise, blood lactate decreases to a minimum and then increases again. This minimum value indicates the intensity of the AT. Adult male (90 days) Wistar rats adapted to swimming for 2 weeks were used. The initial state of lactic acidosis was obtained by making the animals jump into the water and swim while carrying a load equivalent to 50% of body weight for 6 min (30-s exercise interrupted by a 30-s rest). After a 9-min rest, blood was collected and the incremental swimming test was started. The test consisted of swimming while supporting loads of 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 7.0% of body weight. Each exercise load lasted 5 min and was followed by a 30-s rest during which blood samples were taken. The blood lactate minimum was determined from a zero-gradient tangent to a spline function fitting the blood lactate vs workload curve. AT was estimated to be 4.95 ± 0.10% of body weight while interpolated blood lactate was 7.17 ± 0.16 mmol/l. These results suggest the application of AT determination in animal studies concerning metabolism during exercise.

Efficiency of extrinsic and intrinsic charge-carrier photogeneration processes obtained from the steady-state photocurrent action spectra of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effective thermal conductivity of beans via a steady-state method

Steady-state concentric cylinder equipment was used to determine the effective thermal conductivity of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The measuring cell had no heated end guards and its length to diameter ratio was 10.5. Glass beads were employed to assess the accuracy and repeatability of the experimental system under heat transfer conditions. The results agree well with those reported in the literature so that the system can be considered reliable. Corn was used to verify the system's accuracy under heat and mass transfer conditions. Again the results were satisfactory. Moisture migration was observed and measured during the tests with beans, but this behavior does not compromise thermal conductivity values if both thermal and mass transfer steady-states are correctly interpreted. The effective thermal conductivity increases linearly with increasing grain moisture content. Statistical regression leads to good estimates of the fitted parameters.

Crystallographic and pre-steady-state kinetics studies on binding of NADH to wild-type and isoniazid-resistant enoyl-ACP(CoA) reductase enzymes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

An understanding of isoniazid (INH) drug resistance mechanism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis should provide significant insight for the development of newer anti-tubercular agents able to control INH-resistant tuberculosis (TB). The inhA-encoded 2-trans enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase enzyme (InhA) has been shown through biochemical and genetic studies to be the primary target for INH. In agreement with these results, mutations in the inhA structural gene have been found in INH-resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. In addition, the InhA mutants were shown to have higher dissociation constant values for NADH and lower values for the apparent first-order rate constant for INH inactivation as compared to wild-type InhA. Here, in trying to identify structural changes between wild-type and INH-resistant InhA enzymes, we have solved the crystal structures of wild-type and of S94A, I47T and I21V InhA proteins in complex with NADH to resolutions of, respectively, 2.3 angstrom, 2.2 angstrom, 2.0 angstrom, and 1.9 angstrom. The more prominent structural differences are located in, and appear to indirectly affect, the dinucleotide binding loop structure. Moreover, studies on pre-steady-state kinetics of NADH binding have been carried out. The results showed that the limiting rate constant values for NADH dissociation from the InhA-NADH binary complexes (k(off)) were eleven, five, and tenfold higher for, respectively, I21V, I47T and S94A INH-resistant mutants of InhA as compared to INH-sensitive wildtype InhA. Accordingly, these results are proposed to be able to account for the reduction in affinity for NADH for the INH-resistant InhA enzymes. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THEORY OF NON-STEADY-STATE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF METAL-INSULATOR-METAL STRUCTURES WITH SCHOTTKY BARRIERS AND UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED INTERFACE IMPURITY STATES

The metal-insulator (or amorphous semiconductor) blocking contact is still not well understood. In the present paper, we discuss the non steady state characteristics of Metal-lnsulator-Metal Structure with non-intimate blocking contacts (i.e. Metal-Oxide-Insulator-Metal Structure). We consider a uniform distribution (in energy) of impurity states in addition to impurity states at a single energy level within the depletion region. We discuss thermal as well as isothermal characteristics and present expressions for the temperature of maximum current (T-m) and a method to calculate the density of uniformly distributed impurity states. The variation of mobility with electrical field has also been considered. Finally we plot the theoretical curves under different conditions. The present results are closing into available experimental results.

Using transient and steady state considerations to investigate the mechanism of loss of stability of a dynamical system

This work presents the complete set of features for solutions of a particular non-ideal mechanical system near the fundamental and near to a secondary resonance region. The system comprises a pendulum with a horizontally moving suspension point. Its motion is the result of a non-ideal rotating power source (limited power supply), acting oil the Suspension point through a crank mechanism. Main emphasis is given to the loss of stability, which occurs by a sequence of events, including intermittence and crisis, when the system reaches a chaotic attractor. The system also undergoes a boundary-crisis, which presents a different aspect in the bifurcation diagram due to the non-ideal supposition. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

A steady-state model for heat pipes of circular or rectangular cross-sections

The objective of this paper is to present a generalized analytical-numerical model of the internal flow in heat pipes. The model formulation is based on two-dimensional formulation of the energy and momentum equations in the vapour and liquid regions and also in the metallic tube. The numerical solution of the model is obtained by using the descretization scheme LOAD and the SIMPLE numerical code. The flow fields, as well as the pressure fields, for different geometries were obtained and discussed. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.