Uncertainty Analysis Techniques Applied to Rotating Machines

This chapter presents the modeling procedure, numerical application, and experimental validation of uncertain quantification techniques applied to flexible rotor systems. The uncertainty modeling is based both on the stochastic and fuzzy approaches. The stochastic approach creates a representative model for the flexible rotor system by using the stochastic finite element method. In this case, the uncertain parameters of the rotating machine are characterized by homogeneous Gaussian random fields expressed in a spectral form by using the Karhunen-Loève (KL) expansion. The fuzzy approach uses the fuzzy finite element method, which is based on the α-level optimization. A comparative study regarding the numerical and experimental results obtained from a flexible rotor test rig is analyzed for the stochastic and fuzzy approaches

Exploring the relationship between video game expertise and fluid intelligence

Hundreds of millions of people play intellectually-demanding video games every day. What does individual performance on these games tell us about cognition? Here, we describe two studies that examine the potential link between intelligence and performance in one of the most popular video games genres in the world (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas: MOBAs). In the first study, we show that performance in the popular MOBA League of Legends' correlates with fluid intelligence as measured under controlled laboratory conditions. In the second study, we also show that the age profile of performance in the two most widely-played MOBAs (League of Legends and DOTA II) matches that of raw fluid intelligence. We discuss and extend previous videogame literature on intelligence and videogames and suggest that commercial video games can be useful as 'proxy' tests of cognitive performance at a global population level

TET proteins regulate the lineage specification and TCR-mediated expansion of iNKT cells

TET proteins oxidize 5-methylcytosine in DNA to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and other oxidation products. We found that simultaneous deletion of Tet2 and Tet3 in mouse CD4+CD8+ double-positive thymocytes resulted in dysregulated development and proliferation of invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells). Tet2-Tet3 double-knockout (DKO) iNKT cells displayed pronounced skewing toward the NKT17 lineage, with increased DNA methylation and impaired expression of genes encoding the key lineage-specifying factors T-bet and ThPOK. Transfer of purified Tet2-Tet3 DKO iNKT cells into immunocompetent recipient mice resulted in an uncontrolled expansion that was dependent on the nonclassical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) protein CD1d, which presents lipid antigens to iNKT cells. Our data indicate that TET proteins regulate iNKT cell fate by ensuring their proper development and maturation and by suppressing aberrant proliferation mediated by the T cell antigen receptor (TCR)

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Alignment of the ALICE Inner Tracking System with cosmic-ray tracks

37 pages, 15 figures, revised version, accepted by JINSTALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiment devoted to investigating the strongly interacting matter created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies. The ALICE ITS, Inner Tracking System, consists of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors with three different technologies; in the outward direction: two layers of pixel detectors, two layers each of drift, and strip detectors. The number of parameters to be determined in the spatial alignment of the 2198 sensor modules of the ITS is about 13,000. The target alignment precision is well below 10 micron in some cases (pixels). The sources of alignment information include survey measurements, and the reconstructed tracks from cosmic rays and from proton-proton collisions. The main track-based alignment method uses the Millepede global approach. An iterative local method was developed and used as well. We present the results obtained for the ITS alignment using about 10^5 charged tracks from cosmic rays that have been collected during summer 2008, with the ALICE solenoidal magnet switched off.Peer reviewe

Propiedades psicométricas del “cuestionario de cinco facetas de la conciencia plena” (five facet mindfulness questionnaire, FFMQ-M) en México

Este trabajo pretende analizar las propiedades psicométricas del “Cuestionario de cinco facetas de la conciencia plena” (FFMQ-M) en México respondiendo a limitaciones metodológicas previas. Participaron 1210 estudiantes mexicanos y se realizaron análisis factoriales confirmatorios multigrupos. El análisis factorial en la muestra de calibración (n1= 620) mostró como mejor modelo cuatro factores de primer orden (Ausencia de reacción, Ausencia de juicio, Actuación consciente y Descripción), sin la dimensión de Observación, agrupados en un factor de segundo orden (conciencia plena) con un total de 19 ítems. El análisis factorial con la muestra de validación (n2= 590) replicó el buen ajuste de este modelo y el análisis de invarianza indicó invarianza estricta. Finalmente, se analizó la validez concurrente de la conciencia plena con medidas de autoinforme de calidad y satisfacción con la vida, afecto positivo y depresivo y la percepción de situaciones/estímulos estresantes académicos. Estos resultados informan sobre los componentes de la conciencia plena en personas no meditadoras y su relación con diferentes indicadores de salud y bienestar.The aim of the present study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire in Mexico (FFMQ-M) solving previous methodological limitations. A transversal study was carried out with 1210 Mexican students and a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was performed in Mplus 7.0. A confirmatory factor analysis in the calibration sample (n1= 620) indicated as best model a total of 19 items structured into four first order factors (Nonreacting against internal experiences, Nonjudging internal experiences, Acting with awareness, Describing own experiences), without Observing dimension, loading in a second order factor (mindfulness). This model also exhibited good model fit in a second confirmatory factor analysis in the validation sample (n2= 590). The invariance test indicated the existence of strict invariance. Finally, the concurrent validity between the indicators of mindfulness and the self-reported measures of life quality, life satisfaction, positive and depressive affect and the perception academic stressors was analyzed. These results provide information about the components of mindfulness and their relationship with health

Dynamics of spiral spin waves in magnetic nanopatches: influence of thickness and shape

This is the final version. Available from American Physical Society via the DOI in this record. We explore the dynamics of spiral spin waves in permalloy nanoelements with variable aspect ratio of geometric dimensions, and their potential use as improved spin wave emitters with no or little biasing field required. Numerical results show that above a certain thickness, propagating spiral waves can be obtained in circular and square shaped elements in a flux closure state. VNA-FMR experiments on 20-nm (thin) and 80-nm (thick) samples confirm two type of spectra corresponding to different dispersions for thinner and thicker elements. We show that, for the thicker films, the vortex core region acts as a source of large amplitude spiral spin waves, which dominate over other modes. In case of the thinner elements, these modes are critically damped. For different shapes of the patch, we show that a rich collection of confined propagating modes can also be excited, modifying the final wave front and enriching the potential of the nanodot as a spin wave emitter. We give an explanation for the intense spiral modes from the perspective of a balance of dipolar and exchange energies in the sample.EPSRCSpanish MINECOComunidad de Madri

Impact of sports on health of former professional soccer players in Brazil

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the social, economic and health aspects related to former professional soccer players in Brazil.METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study with the participation of 100 male Brazilian former professional soccer players. For characterization of the sample variables such as age, current and past weight, height, BMI (Body Mass Index) and player position were evaluated. In all analyzes it was considered P <0.05.RESULTS:In the group of former players evaluated, 78% were overweight and 4% were considered obese. During their careers, 54% of now ex-soccer players underwent drugs infiltration in the knee. Currently, former athletes presented on average 5.4 points on the VAS pain scale, with 97% of ex-players complaining of knee pain.CONCLUSION:The results of this study show that these individuals had large weight gain after retirement, high frequency of drug injections in the knee during their careers and chronic pain in this joint after retirement. Level of Evidence III, Cross-Sectional Study.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of Orthopedics and TraumatologyUNIFESP, Department of Orthopedics and TraumatologySciEL

Is heart failure misdiagnosed in hospitalized patients with preserved ejection fraction? From the European Society of Cardiology - Heart Failure Association EURObservational Research Programme Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

AIMS: In hospitalized patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), the aims of this study were (i) to assess the proportion meeting the 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) HFpEF criteria and (ii) to compare patients with restrictive/pseudonormal mitral inflow pattern (MIP) vs. patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included hospitalized participants of the ESC-Heart Failure Association (HFA) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) HF Long-Term Registry who had echocardiogram with ejection fraction (EF) ≥ 50% during index hospitalization. As no data on e', E/e' and left ventricular (LV) mass index were gathered in the registry, the 2016 ESC HFpEF definition was modified as follows: elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (≥100 pg/mL for acute HF) and/or N-terminal pro-BNP (≥300 pg/mL) and at least one of the echocardiographic criteria: (i) presence of LV hypertrophy (yes/no), (ii) left atrial volume index (LAVI) of >34 mL/m2 ), or (iii) restrictive/pseudonormal MIP. Next, all patients were divided into four groups: (i) patients with restrictive/pseudonormal MIP on echocardiography [i.e. with presumably elevated left atrial (LA) pressure], (ii) patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal (i.e. with presumably normal LA pressure), (iii) atrial fibrillation (AF) group, and (iv) 'grey area' (no consistent description of MIP despite no report of AF). Of 6365 hospitalized patients, 1848 (29%) had EF ≥ 50%. Natriuretic peptides were assessed in 28%, LV hypertrophy in 92%, LAVI in 13%, and MIP in 67%. The 2016 ESC HFpEF criteria could be assessed in 27% of the 1848 patients and, if assessed, were met in 52%. Of the 1848 patients, 19% had restrictive/pseudonormal MIP, 43% had MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal, 18% had AF and 20% were grey area. There were no differences in long-term all-cause or cardiovascular mortality, or all-cause hospitalizations or HF rehospitalizations between the four groups. Despite fewer non-cardiac comorbidities reported at baseline, patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal (i.e. with presumably normal LA pressure) had more non-cardiovascular (14.0 vs. 6.7 per 100 patient-years, P < 0.001) and cardiovascular non-HF (13.2 vs. 8.0 per 100 patient-years, P = 0.016) hospitalizations in long-term follow-up than patients with restrictive/pseudonormal MIP. CONCLUSIONS: Acute HFpEF diagnosis could be assessed (based on the 2016 ESC criteria) in only a quarter of patients and confirmed in half of these. When assessed, only one in three patients had restrictive/pseudonormal MIP suggestive of elevated LA pressure. Patients with MIP other than restrictive/pseudonormal (suggestive of normal LA pressure) could have been misdiagnosed with acute HFpEF or had echocardiography performed after normalization of LA pressure. They were more often hospitalized for non-HF reasons during follow-up. Symptoms suggestive of acute HFpEF may in some patients represent non-HF comorbidities

Optimization of the Balanced Steady State Free Precession (bSSFP) Pulse Sequence for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Mouse Prostate at 3T

INTRODUCTION: MRI can be used to non-invasively monitor tumour growth and response to treatment in mouse models of prostate cancer, particularly for longitudinal studies of orthotopically-implanted models. We have optimized the balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) pulse sequence for mouse prostate imaging. METHODS: Phase cycling, excitations, flip angle and receiver bandwidth parameters were optimized for signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio of the prostate. The optimized bSSFP sequence was compared to T1- and T2-weighted spin echo sequences. RESULTS: SNR and CNR increased with flip angle. As bandwidth increased, SNR, CNR and artifacts such as chemical shift decreased. The final optimized sequence was 4 PC, 2 NEX, FA 50°, BW ±62.5 kHz and took 14-26 minutes with 200 µm isotropic resolution. The SNR efficiency of the bSSFP images was higher than for T1WSE and T2WSE. CNR was highest for T1WSE, followed closely by bSSFP, with the T2WSE having the lowest CNR. With the bSSFP images the whole body and organs of interest including renal, iliac, inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes were visible. CONCLUSION: We were able to obtain fast, high-resolution, high CNR images of the healthy mouse prostate with an optimized bSSFP sequence