A simple method for weight estimation of whole herring (Clupea harengus) using planar X-ray imaging

Fish weight is one of the key parameters used in commercial sorting of fresh fish. The capability of on-line and accurate estimation of the weight of each individual fish has a direct impact on profitability for the fish processors. Planar X-ray images of whole herring (n=16) were taken using a commercial medical X-ray apparatus. The integral intensity of all pixels in each image was calculated and correlated with the weight of the respective fish producing a linear relationship with a high correlation factor (R2=0.992) and a calculated mean prediction error of 2.5%. Planar X-ray imaging combined with simple image processing was successfully used to predict weight of whole herring. The technique has a potential to be used industrially for on-line weight estimation in sorting/grading systems.     

利用贴片式保险丝实现过流保护

本文介绍了贴片式保险丝的原理、性能参数,说明其稳定性和可重复性中存在的问题,并给出了一种采用薄膜技术生产贴片式保险丝以克服以上问题的方法。     

Flux rates of atmospheric lead pollution within soils of a small catchment in northern Sweden and their implications for future stream water quality

It is not well-known how the accumulated pool of atmospheric lead pollution in the boreal forest soil will affect the groundwater and surface water chemistry in the future as this lead migrates through the soil profile. This study uses stable lead isotopes (206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/ 207Pb ratios) to trace the transport of atmospheric lead pollution within the soil of a small catchment and predict future lead level changes in a stream draining the catchment. Low 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb ratios for the lead in the soil water (1.16 +/- 0.02; 2.43 +/- 0.03) and streamwater (1.18 +/- 0.03; 2.42 +/- 0.03) in comparison to that of the mineral soil (>1.4; >2.5) suggest that atmospheric pollution contributes by about 90% (65-100%) to the lead pool found in these matrixes. Calculated transport rates of atmospheric lead along a soil transect indicate that the mean residence time of lead in organic and mineral soil layers is at a centennial to millennial time scale. A maximum release of the present pool of lead pollution in the soil to the stream is predicted to occur within 200-800 years. Even though the uncertainty of the prediction is large, it emphasizes the magnitude of the time lag between the accumulation of atmospheric lead pollution in soils and the subsequent response in streamwater quality.     

RDX and HMX with Reduced Sensitivity Towards Shock Initiation–RS‐RDX and RS‐HMX

Reduced Sensitivity RDX (RS‐RDX) has received a lot of attention and interest from the explosive community in the recent years. There are several producers of RS‐RDX, most of them using a direct nitration (Woolwich process) for the RDX synthesis, while Chemring Nobel uses the Bachmann process. The processes for obtaining the RS properties probably differ between the various producers. Chemring Nobel has also developed an HMX quality that shows Reduced Sensitivity (RS‐HMX) of different particle size distributions. The shock sensitivity is at the same level as for RS‐RDX in comparable compositions. Reduced shock sensitivity has been obtained for RS‐RDX and Reduced Sensitivity (RS‐HMX) in both pressable and cast‐cured compositions. By using a pressable composition, it is possible to get the results from a BICT gap test faster than from a cast‐cured composition that has to go through a curing process. Chemring Nobel in cooperation with FFI have performed an extensive accelerated ageing testing of RS‐RDX produced by the Bachmann process. The samples have been aged at 60 and 70 °C and the shock sensitivity tested by two different gap tests. The results demonstrate that the Chemring Nobel RS‐RDX retain the insensitivity towards shock during ageing and show no degradation at all. Accelerated ageing testing of RS‐HMX has also been performed and shows no degradation in the shock sensitivity.     

Faraday modulation spectrometry of nitric oxide addressing its electronic X2Π - A2Σ+ band: I. Theory

We give a simple two-transition model of Faraday modulation spectrometry (FAMOS) addressing the electronic X(2)Π(ν(') = 0) - A(2)Σ(+)(ν(') = 0) band in nitric oxide. The model is given in terms of the integrated line strength, S, and first Fourier coefficients for the magnetic-field-modulated dispersive line shape function. Although the two states addressed respond differently to the magnetic field (they adhere to the dissimilar Hund coupling cases), it is shown that the technique shares some properties with FAMOS when rotational-vibrational Q-transitions are targeted: the line shapes have a similar form and the signal strength has an analogous magnetic field and pressure dependence. The differences are that the maximum signal appears for larger magnetic field amplitudes and pressures, ～1500 G and ～200 Torr, respectively.     

Biased recognition of positive faces in aging and amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

We investigated age differences in biased recognition of happy, neutral, or angry faces in 4 experiments. Experiment 1 revealed increased true and false recognition for happy faces in older adults, which persisted even when changing each face’s emotional expression from study to test in Experiment 2. In Experiment 3, we examined the influence of reduced memory capacity on the positivity-induced recognition bias, which showed the absence of emotion-induced memory enhancement but a preserved recognition bias for positive faces in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment compared with older adults with normal memory performance. In Experiment 4, we used semantic differentials to measure the connotations of happy and angry faces. Younger and older participants regarded happy faces as more familiar than angry faces, but the older group showed a larger recognition bias for happy faces. This finding indicates that older adults use a gist-based memory strategy based on a semantic association between positive emotion and familiarity. Moreover, older adults’ judgments of valence were more positive for both angry and happy faces, supporting the hypothesis of socioemotional selectivity. We propose that the positivity-induced recognition bias might be based on fluency, which in turn is based on both positivity-oriented emotional goals and on preexisting semantic associations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specifying control and data in the design of educational software

When using the computer as a tool for learning, it is useful to distinguish between the contents and the realization aspects of an interactive session. We describe an approach which makes this distinction explicit to the author by viewing the programming process as one of giving independent specifications of: (a) data. i.e. what is to be learned, and (b) control, i.e. the particulars of the dialogue.A system. MEDICS, for training medical students in clinical decision making is presented as an illustration of the approach. We stress the importance of providing an interactive environment supporting powerful editing operations as the primary tool for the author. The paper specifically describes the MEDICS environment for construction of medical simulations and how control of execution is specified.     

Background signals in wavelength-modulation spectrometry with frequency-doubled diode-laser light. I. Theory

Various types of background signals appear when wavelength-modulated (WM) diode-laser light is frequency doubled. We present a theoretical analysis of such background signals in terms of a previously derived formalism for WM spectrometry that is based on a Fourier series. Explicit expressions for various nf harmonics of the background signals are derived. The analysis shows that 2f detection will be plagued by significant background signals when frequency-doubled WM diode-laser light is used. It also demonstrates that 4f and 6f detection will experience background signals but not, however, to the same extent as 2f detection. The analysis illustrates clearly how the various nf harmonics of the background signals depend on entities such as modulation amplitude, associated intensity modulation, dispersion of the frequency-doubling material, laser power, and detuning. The background signals can take both positive and negative values, depending on the relation between these entities. Guidelines for how to minimize these background signals are given.     

Invalidity of the spectral Fokker–Planck equation for Cauchy noise driven Langevin equation

The standard Langevin equation is a first order stochastic differential equation where the driving noise term is a Brownian motion. The marginal probability density is a solution to a linear partial differential equation called the Fokker–Planck equation. If the Brownian motion is replaced by so-called -stable noise (or Lévy noise) the Fokker–Planck equation no longer exists as a partial differential equation for the probability density because the property of finite variance is lost. Instead it has been attempted to formulate an equation for the characteristic function (the Fourier transform) corresponding to the density function. This equation is frequently called the spectral Fokker–Planck equation.

This paper raises doubt about the validity of the spectral Fokker–Planck equation in its standard formulation. The equation can be solved with respect to stationary solutions in the particular case where the noise is Cauchy noise and the drift function is a polynomial that allows the existence of a stationary probability density solution. The solution shows paradoxic properties by not being unique and only in particular cases having one of its solutions closely approximating the solutions to a corresponding Langevin difference equation. Similar doubt can be traced Grigoriu's work [Stochastic Calculus (2002)].     

Generalizing the safety factor approach

Safety factors (uncertainty factors) are used to avoid failure in a wide variety of practices and disciplines, in particular engineering design and toxicology. Although these two areas have similar problems in their use of safety factors, there are no signs of previous communication between the two disciplines.The present contribution aims at initiating such communications by pointing out parallel practices and joint issues between the two disciplines. These include the distinction between probabilistic variability and epistemic uncertainty, the importance of distribution tails, and the problem of countervailing risks. In conclusion, it is proposed that future research in this area should be interdisciplinary and make use of experiences from the various areas in which safety factors are used.