The MITRE E3 family of models structure and results

A family of energy/economic/environmental (E³) models is presented as a mechanism for analysing national policy issues. The family consists of discrete models which are designed to be run in an integrated manner. The outputs of certain models provide the inputs to the next. This structure allows the analyst to readily incorporate an understanding of regional factors such as local energy prices, concerns over air quality, water availability, or attitudes towards construction of new energy facilities, into national assessments of energy policies. This paper reviews the analytic framework within which energy policy issues are currently addressed. The initial family of E³ models is described with the emphasis on the data linkages and feedback which are provided when these models are run sequentially. The ongoing MITRE research programme with the E³ family of models is presented and plans and opportunities for future work are outlined.     

Thermodynamic analysis of solar photovoltaic cell systems

The thermodynamic characteristics of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells are investigated from a perspective based on exergy. A new efficiency is developed that is useful in studying PV performance and possible improvements. Exergy analysis is applied to a PV system and its components, and exergy flows, losses and efficiencies are evaluated. Energy efficiency is seen to vary between 7% and 12% during the day. In contrast, exergy efficiencies, which incorporate the second law of thermodynamics and account for solar irradiation exergy values, are lower for electricity generation using the considered PV system, ranging from 2% to 8%. Values of “fill factors” are determined for the system and observed to be similar to values of exergy efficiency.     

An investigation of gold/ceramic and gold/glass interfaces

This paper describes how various characterisation methods can be used to investigate the physicochemical and spectral properties of gold films in contact with glass or ceramic. The interface between the metal and substrate has been given special attention. The examples chosen to illustrate this include: liquid gold films (decorated and fired) or inlayed gold layers on ceramic wares and “sandwich” gold foils between two glass sheets for mosaic application. Characterisation methods include: microanalytical scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ion beam analyses (PIXE: particle induced X-ray emission; RBS: Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry), photo-spectrometry and colorimetry. The adhesion mechanism and colour behaviour of the coated objects is discussed.     

Envelope glycoprotein gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 alters ion transport in astrocytes: implications for AIDS dementia complex

Infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is often complicated by a variety of neurological abnormalities. The most common clinical syndrome, termed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) dementia complex, presents as a subcortical dementia with cognitive, motor, and behavioral disturbances and is unique to HIV-1 infection. The pathogenesis of this syndrome is poorly understood but is believed to involve interactions among virally infected macrophages/microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. In this study, we show that exposure of primary rat and human astrocytes to heat-activated HIV-1 virions, or to eukaryotically expressed HIV-1 and HIV-2 envelope glycoproteins (gp120) stimulates amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ antiport, potassium conductance, and glutamate efflux. These effects are blocked specifically by amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ antiport and by the selective removal of gp120 with immobilized monoclonal antibody. As a result of modulation of astrocytic function by gp120, the ensuing neuronal depolarization and glutamate exposure could activate both voltage-gated and N-methyl-D-aspartate-regulated Ca2+ channels, leading to increases in intraneuronal Ca2+ and neuronal death. These findings implicate the astrocyte directly in the pathogenesis of AIDS dementia complex.     

Scharnhauser公园学校和体育馆,奥斯特菲尔登

这个综合学校包括一个主建筑,一个体育馆和各种户外设施,朝向一片处在前军事基地上的住宅开发区。整个主建筑沿纵向被一个由顶部采光的回廊从中间分开,由此可以进入两侧的教室,回廊局部变宽的部分构成一个公共空间。这个构想与将城市设计理论运用于建筑内部设计的概念相符合:街道、广场和建筑被看成了建筑内部空间部分。虽然这个建筑从外部看来是个大体块,但内部空间却设计流畅,通道有的通向楼层的各个角落,也有的依着倾斜的地势因势而建。由墙面反射的散射光线加强了内部空间的肃穆和厚重感。在具有宗教感的整体风格下,整个学校的设计和装饰也显得古香古色,如一部宽阔的观光楼梯、两个塔形和壁炉形的建筑构成元素等。不同历史风格建筑的叠加给这个校区带来一种复杂的味道,堪比阿尔多·罗西(Aldo Rossi)的设计或泰辛(Tessin)新理性主义的代表作。     

Routine Highway Bridge Inspection Condition Documentation Accuracy and Reliability

Routine inspection is the most common form of highway bridge inspection to satisfy the requirements of the National Bridge Inspection Standards. The accuracy and reliability of documentation generated during these inspections are critical to the allocation of Department of Transportation construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation resources. Routine inspections are typically completed using only the visual inspection technique and rely heavily on subjective assessments made by bridge inspectors. In light of this, and given the fact that visual inspection may have other limitations that influence its reliability, the Federal Highway Administration initiated an investigation to examine the reliability of visual inspection as it is currently applied to bridges in the United States. This paper will summarize results from this study related to the accuracy and reliability of routine inspection documentation. A number of important conclusions were developed from the experimental study. Generally, it was found that all structural condition documentation is collected with significant variability. Specifically, 95% of primary element condition ratings for individual bridge components will vary within two rating points of the average and only 68% will vary within one point. Documentation generally collected to support condition ratings also has significant variability as exemplified by the number and types of field notes and photographs taken by inspectors. With respect to the use of element-level inspections, it was found that element usage was generally consistent with the Commonly Recognized Element Guide. However, there is significant variability in the condition state assignments of those elements and in some cases the condition states are not applied correctly to particular elements.     

ON THE INVERTIBILITY OF PERIODIC MOVING-AVERAGE MODELS

Abstract. A sufficient condition for the invertibility of univariate periodic moving-average models has been given by Cipra and Ghysels and Hall. We show that this condition is not a necessary one, and provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the general m -variate, d -periodical moving-average MA( q ) case.     

Penile responses of rats (Rattus norvegicus) in extended ex copula tests.

Conducted prolonged tests of male Long-Evans rats' penile responses outside the context of copulation (ex copula) to facilitate analysis of these penile components of copulatory behavior. Penile erections and flips were evoked for 1 hr following penile sheath retraction (SR), and Ss were retested for 30 min after a rest interval of 5 min to 4 hr. The number of penile responses declined sharply over the course of 1 hr. Following a 5-min rest, there was little likelihood of additional responses. Within 2 hrs, some measures of penile response potential approached their original high asymptotes: other measures were still depressed after the 4-hr rest. In control tests, the penile sheath was unretracted (SU) during the 1st 60 min, and hence few or no penile responses occurred. This condition caused no reduction in the number of erections and flips in the subsequent 30-min SR test; hence, the reduction in response to potential during and after SR tests was due to the responses displayed, not to the conditions of restraint. Ejaculation occurred frequently in the SU condition but rarely in SR tests. These results suggest that SR may normally inhibit ejaculation in ex copula tests and during copulation. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Elastomeric alloys of PVC

The performance standards for flexible PVC compounds continue to become more demanding as manufacturers pursue more value-added applications traditionally dominated by rubbers and thermoplastic elastomers. Blending of PVC with other polymers has proven to be a viable approach in developing higher performance flexible PVC-based materials. This paper will review some of the typical approaches to producing PVC-based elastomers, and show how these standard flexible PVC blends compare to a newly developed family of PVC alloys. The advantages of these materials will be discussed, and some examples of commercial materials and their application will also be reviewed.