A hypothetical photon mass m_(γ) can produce a frequency-dependent vacuum dispersion of light, which leads to an additional time delay between photons with different frequencies when they propagate through a fixed di...A hypothetical photon mass m_(γ) can produce a frequency-dependent vacuum dispersion of light, which leads to an additional time delay between photons with different frequencies when they propagate through a fixed distance. The dispersion measure and redshift measurements of fast radio bursts(FRBs) have been widely used to constrain the rest mass of the photon. However, all current studies analyzed the effect of the frequency-dependent dispersion for massive photons in the standard ΛCDM cosmological context. In order to alleviate the circularity problem induced by the presumption of a specific cosmological model based on the fundamental postulate of the masslessness of photons, here we employ a new model-independent smoothing technique, artificial neural network(ANN), to reconstruct the Hubble parameter H(z) function from 34 cosmic-chronometer measurements.By combining observations of 32 well-localized FRBs and the H(z) function reconstructed by ANN, we obtain an upper limit of m_(γ) ≤ 3.5 × 10^(-51)kg, or equivalently m_(γ) ≤ 2.0 × 10^(-15)eV/c^(2)(m_(γ) ≤ 6.5 × 10^(-51)kg, or equivalently m_(γ) ≤ 3.6 × 10^(-15)eV/c_(2)) at the 1σ(2σ) confidence level. This is the first cosmology-independent photon mass limit derived from extragalactic sources.展开更多
Because of the various elements that come into play in natural soil formation, the impact of varied proportions of mineral composition and fines amount on Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of soils is no...Because of the various elements that come into play in natural soil formation, the impact of varied proportions of mineral composition and fines amount on Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of soils is not well known. Three distinct soil samples were used in this investigation. The findings indicated the effect of varied mineral composition proportions and fines amount on the liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index as assessed by the Casagrande test and hand-rolling method. The fluctuation of maximum dry density and optimal moisture content with these three soils has also been studied. Furthermore, correlations were established to indicate the compaction parameters and the amount of minerals and particles in the soil. The data show that the mineral content of the soil has a direct impact on the Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics. Soils containing larger percentages of expansive minerals, such as montmorillonite, have more flexibility and volume change capability. Mineral composition influences compaction parameters such as maximum dry density, ideal water content, axial strain, and axial stress. Soils with a larger proportion of fines, such as Soil 2 and Soil 3, have stronger flexibility and lower compaction qualities, with higher ideal water content and lower maximum dry density. Soil 1 has moderate flexibility and intermediate compaction qualities due to its low fines percentage. The effect of different mineral compositions and fines on the Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of soils can be used to predict the behavior of compacted soils encountered in engineering practices, reducing the time and effort required to assess soil suitability for engineering use.展开更多
Significantly increasing temperature since the 1980s in China has become a consensus under the background of global climate change and how climate change affects agriculture or even cropping systems has attracted more...Significantly increasing temperature since the 1980s in China has become a consensus under the background of global climate change and how climate change affects agriculture or even cropping systems has attracted more and more attention from Chinese government and scientists. In this study, the possible effects of climate warming on the national northern limits of cropping systems, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation in China from 1981 to 2007 were analyzed. Also, the possible change of crop yield caused by planting limits displacement during the periods 1950s-1981 and 1981-2007 was compared and discussed. The recognized calculation methods of agricultural climatic indices were employed. According to the indices of climatic regionalization for cropping systems, the national northern limits of cropping systems, winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation during two periods, including the 1950s-1980 and 1981-2007, were drawn with ArcGIS software. Compared with the situation during the 1950s- 1980, the northern limits of double cropping system during 1981-2007 showed significant spatial displacement in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Liaoning provinces and Beijing municipality, China. The northern limits of triple cropping system showed the maximum spatial displacement in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces, China. Without considering variety change and social economic factors, the per unit area grain yield of main planting patterns would increase about 54-106% if single cropping system was replaced by double cropping system, which turned out to be 27- 58% if double cropping system was replaced by triple cropping system. In Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia autonomous regions, China, the northern limits of winter wheat during 1981-2007 moved northward and expanded westward in different degrees, compared with those during the 1950s-1980. Taking Hebei Province as an example, the northern limits of winter wheat moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would averagely increase about 25% in the change region if the spring wheat was replaced by winter wheat. In Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, China, the planting northern limits of double rice moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would increase in different degrees only from the perspective of heat resource. The stable- yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward in most regions, which was caused by the decrease of local precipitation in recent years. During the past 50 yr, climate warming made the national northern limits of cropping systems move northward in different degrees, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice both moved northward, and the cropping system change would cause the increase of per unit area grain yield in the change region. However, the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward due to the decrease of precipitation.展开更多
To determine suitable thresholds for deficit irrigation of winter wheat in the well-irrigated area of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain,we investigated the effects of different deficit irrigation lower limits and quotas on the...To determine suitable thresholds for deficit irrigation of winter wheat in the well-irrigated area of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain,we investigated the effects of different deficit irrigation lower limits and quotas on the photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat.Four irrigation lower limits were set for initiating irrigation(i.e.,light drought(LD,50%,55%,60%and 50%of field holding capacity(FC)at the seedling-regreening,jointing,heading and filling-ripening stages,respectively),medium drought(MD,40%,50%,55%and 45%of FC at the same stages,respectively),adequate moisture(CK1,60%,65%,70%and 60%of FC at the same stages,respectively),heavy drought(CK2,35%,40%,45%and 40%of FC at the same stages,respectively))and five irrigation quota per event(30,60,90,120 and 180 mm)were set for each lower limit.We found that the increase of drought stress is conducive to normal photosynthesis of winter wheat leaves which is supported by the following findings.First,photosynthetic rate(Pn)of LD60 treatment was higher than that of LD30,LD90,LD120,LD180,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120 and MD180.Then,Under the 90 mm irrigation quota treatment,the yield of winter wheat basically increased with the increase of irrigation’s lower limit.Moreover,With the increase in irrigation quota,the yield of winter wheat increased,and the water use efficiency(WUE)of winter wheat increased at first and then decreased.In addition,compared with the LD30,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120,and MD180,the yield of winter wheat in LD60 treatment increased by about 3.23%(3-year average),32.3%,19.9%,11.7%,10.1%,and 14.6%.At the same time,the WUE with LD60 treatment of winter wheat was significantly higher than LD90,LD120,LD180,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120,MD180 treatments.There was a positive correlation between soil volumetric water content and Pn and between yield and Pn.The key period for yield formation in winter wheat is 180 days after sowing.In conclusion,to achieve the dual goals of stable winter wheat yield and efficient utilization of water resources in this region,the suitable threshold for initiating deficit irrigation of winter wheat is the LD60 treatment.This conclusion provides data support for water-saving and stable yield of winter wheat in this area.展开更多
Purpose-It is quite universal for high-speed turnouts to be exposed to the wear of the stock rail of the switch rail during the service process.The wear will cause the change of railhead profile and the relative posit...Purpose-It is quite universal for high-speed turnouts to be exposed to the wear of the stock rail of the switch rail during the service process.The wear will cause the change of railhead profile and the relative positions of the switch rail and the stock rail,which will directly affect the wheel-rail contact state and wheel load transition when a train passes the turnout and will further impose serious impacts on the safety and stability of train operation.The purpose of this paper is to provide suggestions for wear management of high-speed turnout.Design/methodology/approach-The actual wear characteristics of switch rails of high-speed turnouts in different guiding directions were studied based on the monitoring results on site;the authorized wear limits for the switch rails of high-speed turnout were studied through derailment risk analysis and switch rail strength analysis.Findings-The results show that:the major factor for the service life of a curved switch rail is the lateral wear.The wear characteristics of the curved switch rail of a facing turnout are significantly different from those of a trailing turnout.To be specific,the lateral wear of the curved switch rail mainly occurs in the narrower section at its front end for a trailing turnout,but in the wider section at its rear end when for a facing turnout.The maximum lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a trailing turnout is found on the 15-mm wide section and is 3.9 mm,which does not reach the specified limit of 6 mm.For comparison,the lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a facing turnout is found from the 35-mm wide section to the full-width section and is greater than 7.5 mm,which exceeds the specified limit.Based on this,in addition to meeting the requirements of maintenance rules,the allowed wear of switch rails of high-speed turnout shall be so that the dangerous area with a tangent angle of wheel profile smaller than 43.68 will not contact the switch rail when the wheel is lifted by 2 mm.Accordingly,the lateral wear limit at the 5-mm wide section of the curved switch rail shall be reduced from 6 mm(as specified)to 3.5 mm.Originality/value-The work in this paper is of reference significance to the research on the development law of rail wear in high-speed turnout area and the formulation of relevant standards.展开更多
This article provides a brief overview of various approaches that may be utilized for the analysis of human semen test results. Reference intervals are the most widely used tool for the interpretation of clinical labo...This article provides a brief overview of various approaches that may be utilized for the analysis of human semen test results. Reference intervals are the most widely used tool for the interpretation of clinical laboratory results. Reference interval development has classically relied on concepts elaborated by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Expert Panel on Reference Values during the 1980s. These guidelines involve obtaining and classifying samples from a healthy population of at least 120 individuals and then identifying the outermost 5% of observations to use in defining limits for two-sided or one-sided reference intervals. More recently, decision limits based on epidemiological outcome analysis have also been introduced to aid in test interpretation. The reference population must be carefully defined on the basis of the intended clinical use of the underlying test. To determine appropriate reference intervals for use in male fertility assessment, a reference population of men with documented time to pregnancy of 〈 12 months would be most suitable. However, for epidemiological assessment of semen testing results, a reference population made up ofunselected healthy men would be preferred. Although reference and decision limits derived for individual semen analysis test results will undoubtedly be the interpretational tools of choice in the near future, in the long term, multivariate methods for the interpretation of semen analysis alone or in combination with information from the female partner seem to represent better means for assessing the likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy in a subfertile couple.展开更多
In order to reduce the number of accidents due to explosions of flammable gases in the goaf of coalmines,the conditions for explosion of flammable gases and their explosion limits,affected to a considerable extent by ...In order to reduce the number of accidents due to explosions of flammable gases in the goaf of coalmines,the conditions for explosion of flammable gases and their explosion limits,affected to a considerable extent by CO2,are explored.With the use of our experimental equipment suitable for the study of explosion of polybasic explosive gas mixtures,we investigated the effect of CH4/H2=10/1 and CH4/C2H4=10/1 gases mixed with CO2 on their explosion limits.The results indicate that after adding CO2,the explosion limit of the CH4/H2(or C2H4) =10/1 gas mixtures decreased markedly with increasing amounts of CO2.When the amount of CO2 exceeded 25%,the CH4/C2H4=10/1 flammable gas mixture did not lead to explosions.Similar results were obtained when the amount of CO2 exceeded 23% in the CH4/H2=10/1 flammable gas mixture.We also compared the explosion limits and the explosion suppression effect of N2 or CO2 on the explosion limits of the CH4+CO and CH4+C2H4 dual explosive gas mixtures.Along with the increases in the amounts of CO2 or N2,the area of the explosion limits of gas mixtures decreased.Under the same conditions,the explosion suppression effect of CO2 was greater than that of N2.CO2 has clearly the better suppression effect on the explosion of flammable gases in goafs.展开更多
Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A nove...Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A novel approach to develop scientifically defensible levels of safety concern is presented and an example to determine acute and chronic pesticide food safety standard (PFSS) levels for the fungicide captan on strawberries is provided. Using this approach, the chronic PFSS level for captan on strawberries was determined to be 2 000 mg kg-1 and the acute PFSS level was determined to be 250 mg kg-1. Both levels are far above the existing tolerance and MRLs that commonly range from 3 to 20 mg kg-~, and provide evidence that captan residues detected at levels greater than the tolerance or MRLs are not of acute or chronic health concern even though they represent violative residues. The benefits of developing the PFSS approach to serve as a companion to existing tolerances/MRLs include a greater understanding concerning the health significance, if any, from exposure to violative pesticide residues. In addition, the PFSS approach can be universally applied to all potential pesticide residues on all food commodities, can be modified by specific jurisdictions to take into account differences in food consumption practices, and can help prioritize food residue monitoring by identifying the pesticide/commodity combinations of the greatest potential food safety concern and guiding development of field level analytical methods to detect pesticide residues on prioritized pesticide/commodity combinations.展开更多
Direct propylene epoxidation with H2 and O2,an attractive process to produce propylene oxide(PO),has a potential explosion danger due to the coexistence of flammable gases(i.e.,C3 H6 and H2)and oxidizer(i.e.,O2).The u...Direct propylene epoxidation with H2 and O2,an attractive process to produce propylene oxide(PO),has a potential explosion danger due to the coexistence of flammable gases(i.e.,C3 H6 and H2)and oxidizer(i.e.,O2).The unknown explosion limits of the multi-component feed gas mixture make it difficult to optimize the reaction process under safe operation conditions.In this work,a distribution method is proposed and verified to be effective by comparing estimated and experimental explosion limits of more than 200 kinds of flammable gas mixture.Then,it is employed to estimate the explosion limits of the feed gas mixture,some results of which are also validated by the classic Le Chatelier’s Rule and flammable resistance method.Based on the estimated explosion limits,process optimization is carried out using commercially high and inherently safe reactant concentrations to enhance reaction performance.The promising results are directly obtained through the interface called gOPT in gPROMS only by using a simple,easy-constructed and mature packed-bed reactor,such as the PO yield of 13.3%,PO selectivity of 85.1%and outlet PO fraction of 1.8%.These results can be rationalized by indepth analyses and discussion about the effects of the decision variables on the operation safety and reaction performance.The insights revealed here could shed new light on the process development of the PO production based on the estimation of the explosion limits of the multi-component feed gas mixture containing flammable gase s,inert gas and O2,followed by process optimization.展开更多
From the view of both objective and subjective factors,the indoor air quality(IAQ)evaluation was considered.Carbon dioxide(CO2)and formaldehyde(HCHO)were selected as the typical contaminants of indoor air,and the eval...From the view of both objective and subjective factors,the indoor air quality(IAQ)evaluation was considered.Carbon dioxide(CO2)and formaldehyde(HCHO)were selected as the typical contaminants of indoor air,and the evaluation method of logarithmic index was adopted as the evaluation means of IAQ.Then the recommended limits(RL)of typical contaminants CO2 and HCHO were given through analysis and calculation.The limits of CO2 and HCHO in Indoor Air Quality Standard of China or other existing standards probably correspond to the level of PD=25(%).The result shows that the existing standards fail to meet the requirement of the definition of "acceptable indoor air quality",that is to say,less than 20% of the people express dissatisfaction.When PD=20%,RL of CO2 and HCHO are 728×10-6 and 0.068×10-6 respectively,which are stricter than the limits in the existing standards.The method proposed in this paper is applicable to 13.1%≤PD≤86.7%.展开更多
In this study, we analyze factors affecting the explosion limits of flammable refrigerants. We conclude that any method used for measuring flammable refrigerant explosion limits has its conditional restrictions. Flamm...In this study, we analyze factors affecting the explosion limits of flammable refrigerants. We conclude that any method used for measuring flammable refrigerant explosion limits has its conditional restrictions. Flammable refrigerants in the atmosphere can also explode under certain conditions, when the concentration is approaching the explosion limits. An experimental study on the explosion limits of six kinds of flammable refrigerants is carried out with a mixture of refrigerant and combustible refrigerant, which has a similar effect to a flame retardant. An experimental apparatus was designed to test the explosion limits of mixtures made from three different nonflammable refrigerants and six different flammable refrigerants. Two practical models were developed to estimate the critical concentration for inhibiting explosion of refrigerant mixtures: one was made up of two flammable components with one nonflammable component, and the second was made up of one flammable component with two nonflammable components.展开更多
Structural analysis of steel frames is typically performed using beam elements. Since these elements are unable to explicitly capture the local buckling behavior of steel cross-sections, traditional steel design speci...Structural analysis of steel frames is typically performed using beam elements. Since these elements are unable to explicitly capture the local buckling behavior of steel cross-sections, traditional steel design specifications use the concept of cross-section classification to determine the extent to which the strength and deformation capacity of a cross-section are affected by local buckling. The use of plastic design methods are restricted to Class 1 cross-sections, which possess sufficient rotation capacity for plastic hinges to develop and a collapse mechanism to form. Local buckling prevents the development of plastic hinges with such rotation capacity for cross-sections of higher classes and, unless computationally demanding shell elements are used, elastic analysis is required. However, this article demonstrates that local buckling can be mimicked effectively in beam elements by incorporating the continuous strength method (CSM) strain limits into the analysis. Furthermore, by performing an advanced analysis that accounts for both geometric and material nonlinearities, no additional design checks are required. The positive influence of the strain hardening observed in stocky cross-sections can also be harnessed, provided a suitably accurate stress–strain relationship is adopted;a quad-linear material model for hot-rolled steels is described for this purpose. The CSM strain limits allow cross-sections of all slenderness to be analyzed in a consistent advanced analysis framework and to benefit from the appropriate level of load redistribution. The proposed approach is applied herein to individual members, continuous beams, and frames, and is shown to bring significant benefits in terms of accuracy and consistency over current steel design specifications.展开更多
Presents the equations established for the reactive power output of generators varying with terminal voltage with field and stator current limits taken into consideration, from which an algorithm is developed for calc...Presents the equations established for the reactive power output of generators varying with terminal voltage with field and stator current limits taken into consideration, from which an algorithm is developed for calculation of power flow, and the static voltage stability analysis conducted by combining this algorithm with the continuous power flow method, and the comparison of simulation results with those obtained with fixed reactive power limits.展开更多
The length of the transit region of a Gunn diode determines the natural frequency at which it operates in fundamental mode-the shorter the device,the higher the frequency of operation.The long-held view on Gunn diode ...The length of the transit region of a Gunn diode determines the natural frequency at which it operates in fundamental mode-the shorter the device,the higher the frequency of operation.The long-held view on Gunn diode design is that for a functioning device the minimum length of the transit region is about 1.5μm,limiting the devices to fundamental mode operation at frequencies of roughly 60 GHz.The authors posit that this theoretical restriction is a consequence of limits of the hydrodynamic models by which it was determined.Study of these devices by more advanced Monte Carlo techniques,which simulate the ballistic transport and electron-phonon interactions that govern device behaviour,offers a new lower bound of 0.5μm,which is already being approached by the experimental evidence shown in planar and vertical devices exhibiting Gunn operation at 0.6μm and 0.7μm.It is shown that the limits for Gunn domain operation are determined by the device length required for the transferred electron effect to occur(approximately 0.15μm,which as demonstrated is largely field independent)and the fundamental size of the domain(approximately 0.3μm).At this new length,operation in fundamental mode at much higher frequencies becomes possible-the Monte Carlo model used predicts power output at frequencies over 300 GHz.展开更多
The speed of evolution of a qubit undergoing a nonequilibrium environment with spectral density of general ohmic form is investigated. First we reveal non-Markovianity of the model, and find that the non-Markovianity ...The speed of evolution of a qubit undergoing a nonequilibrium environment with spectral density of general ohmic form is investigated. First we reveal non-Markovianity of the model, and find that the non-Markovianity quantified by information backflow of Breuer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 210401(2009)] displays a nonmonotonic behavior for different values of the ohmicity parameter s in fixed other parameters and the maximal non-Markovianity can be achieved at a specified value s. We also find that the non-Markovianity displays a nonmonotonic behavior with the change of a phase control parameter. Then we further discuss the relationship between quantum speed limit(QSL) time and non-Markovianity of the open-qubit system for any initial states including pure and mixed states. By investigation, we find that the QSL time of a qubit with any initial states can be expressed by a simple factorization law: the QSL time of a qubit with any qubitinitial states are equal to the product of the coherence of the initial state and the QSL time of maximally coherent states,where the QSL time of the maximally coherent states are jointly determined by the non-Markovianity, decoherence factor and a given driving time. Moreover, we also find that the speed of quantum evolution can be obviously accelerated in the wide range of the ohmicity parameter, i.e., from sub-Ohmic to Ohmic and super-Ohmic cases, which is different from the thermal equilibrium environment case.展开更多
In this work,multivariate detection limits(MDL)estimator was obtained based on the microelectro-mechanical systems–near infrared(MEMS–NIR)technology coupled with two sampling accessories to assess the detection capa...In this work,multivariate detection limits(MDL)estimator was obtained based on the microelectro-mechanical systems–near infrared(MEMS–NIR)technology coupled with two sampling accessories to assess the detection capability of four quality parameters(glycyrrhizic acid,liquiritin,liquiritigenin and isoliquiritin)in licorice from di®erent geographical regions.112 licorice samples were divided into two parts(calibration set and prediction set)using Kennard–Stone(KS)method.Four quality parameters were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method according to Chinese pharmacopoeia and previous studies.The MEMS–NIR spectra were acquired from¯ber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere,then the partial least squares(PLS)model was obtained using the optimum processing method.Chemometrics indicators have been utilized to assess the PLS model performance.Model assessment using chemometrics indicators is based on relative mean prediction error of all concentration levels,which indicated relatively low sensitivity for low-content analytes(below 1000 parts per million(ppm)).Therefore,MDL estimator was introduced with alpha error and beta error based on good prediction characteristic of low concentration levels.The result suggested that MEMS–NIR technology coupled with fiber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere was able to detect minor analytes.The result further demonstrated that integrating sphere mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.22%)was more robust than FOP mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.48%).In conclusion,this research proposed that MDL method was helpful to determine the detection capabilities of low-content analytes using MEMS–NIR technology and successful to compare two sampling accessories.展开更多
It is widely held that irrational numbers can be represented by infinite digit-sequences. We will show that this is not possible. A digit sequence is only an abbreviated notation for an infinite sequence of rational p...It is widely held that irrational numbers can be represented by infinite digit-sequences. We will show that this is not possible. A digit sequence is only an abbreviated notation for an infinite sequence of rational partial sums. As limits of sequences, irrational numbers are incommensurable with any grid of decimal fractions.展开更多
Harbour porpoises in the North Sea are protected under national and EU legislation, and under the regional agreement ASCOBANS, within the UN Convention on Migratory Species. As yet, no methods exist to quantify the cu...Harbour porpoises in the North Sea are protected under national and EU legislation, and under the regional agreement ASCOBANS, within the UN Convention on Migratory Species. As yet, no methods exist to quantify the cumulative impacts of direct anthropogenic mortality (e.g. by-catch) and indirect effects of human activities (e.g. contaminants) on porpoise populations. However, procedures do exist for assessing whether total anthropogenic mortality may result in failure to meet conservation objectives. While the ultimate aim is to reduce the number of such deaths to zero, ASCOBANS has an interim objective to reduce anthropogenic mortality to a level that will allow recovery of populations. Several different criteria have been proposed as limits to anthropogenic mortality that may still allow conservation objectives to be met. These criteria include simple percentages of the best population abundance estimate and more complex procedures that account for uncertainty and other information about the population. In this paper, we report new estimates of abundance for porpoises in Dutch waters, and we apply several methods to calculate maximum anthropogenic mortality limits from these estimates. We considered whether these mortality limits would meet the objective of the ASCOBANS agreement and other international obligations, and how these limits may be applied at a national level rather than the biological population level. The current simple approach of a limit of 1.7% of the best abundance estimate may not satisfy conservation objectives. We recommend the use of management procedures for setting mortality limits that take into account available data including associated uncertainties and biases, and whose performance has been extensively tested through simulation.展开更多
The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional nea...The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional near-infrared spectros-copy. The study group included six right-handed, healthy female volunteers (range: 19, 20 years). The optical imaging device comprised 16 opto-des designed to provide 24-channel recording of changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. We meas-ured the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the frontal region when subjects per-ceived reachability in a standing position. Com- pared with those in other regions, the oxygen-ated hemoglobin levels in the right frontal region compatible with the right prefrontal cortex sig-nificantly increased. This result suggests that brain activities in the right prefrontal cortex are related to perception of reachability. Overesti-mation of postural limits has been reported as one of the risk factor for falling. This overesti-mation might be induced by dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in a failure to inhibit a motor program that would have caused a loss of balance in reaching. Activation of the right prefrontal cortex may be a key factor for pre-venting accidental falls in the elderly and in pa-tients with neurological disorders.展开更多
In this paper, we prove that the best rational approximation of a given analytic function in Orlicz space L~*(G), where G = {|z|≤∈}, converges to the Pade approximants of the function as the measure of G approaches ...In this paper, we prove that the best rational approximation of a given analytic function in Orlicz space L~*(G), where G = {|z|≤∈}, converges to the Pade approximants of the function as the measure of G approaches zero.展开更多
基金supported by the National SKA Program of China (2022SKA0130100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12373053, 12321003, and 12041306)+4 种基金the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. ZDBSLY-7014)the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences for Grand Challenges (Grant No. 114332KYSB20210018)the CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research (Grant No. YSBR-063)the CAS Organizational Scientific Research Platform for National Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure: Cosmic Transients with FASTthe Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. BK20221562)。
文摘A hypothetical photon mass m_(γ) can produce a frequency-dependent vacuum dispersion of light, which leads to an additional time delay between photons with different frequencies when they propagate through a fixed distance. The dispersion measure and redshift measurements of fast radio bursts(FRBs) have been widely used to constrain the rest mass of the photon. However, all current studies analyzed the effect of the frequency-dependent dispersion for massive photons in the standard ΛCDM cosmological context. In order to alleviate the circularity problem induced by the presumption of a specific cosmological model based on the fundamental postulate of the masslessness of photons, here we employ a new model-independent smoothing technique, artificial neural network(ANN), to reconstruct the Hubble parameter H(z) function from 34 cosmic-chronometer measurements.By combining observations of 32 well-localized FRBs and the H(z) function reconstructed by ANN, we obtain an upper limit of m_(γ) ≤ 3.5 × 10^(-51)kg, or equivalently m_(γ) ≤ 2.0 × 10^(-15)eV/c^(2)(m_(γ) ≤ 6.5 × 10^(-51)kg, or equivalently m_(γ) ≤ 3.6 × 10^(-15)eV/c_(2)) at the 1σ(2σ) confidence level. This is the first cosmology-independent photon mass limit derived from extragalactic sources.
文摘Because of the various elements that come into play in natural soil formation, the impact of varied proportions of mineral composition and fines amount on Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of soils is not well known. Three distinct soil samples were used in this investigation. The findings indicated the effect of varied mineral composition proportions and fines amount on the liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index as assessed by the Casagrande test and hand-rolling method. The fluctuation of maximum dry density and optimal moisture content with these three soils has also been studied. Furthermore, correlations were established to indicate the compaction parameters and the amount of minerals and particles in the soil. The data show that the mineral content of the soil has a direct impact on the Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics. Soils containing larger percentages of expansive minerals, such as montmorillonite, have more flexibility and volume change capability. Mineral composition influences compaction parameters such as maximum dry density, ideal water content, axial strain, and axial stress. Soils with a larger proportion of fines, such as Soil 2 and Soil 3, have stronger flexibility and lower compaction qualities, with higher ideal water content and lower maximum dry density. Soil 1 has moderate flexibility and intermediate compaction qualities due to its low fines percentage. The effect of different mineral compositions and fines on the Atterberg limits and compaction characteristics of soils can be used to predict the behavior of compacted soils encountered in engineering practices, reducing the time and effort required to assess soil suitability for engineering use.
基金funded by the Mode Construction of Modern Farming System and Supporting Technology Research and Demonstration, China (200803028)
文摘Significantly increasing temperature since the 1980s in China has become a consensus under the background of global climate change and how climate change affects agriculture or even cropping systems has attracted more and more attention from Chinese government and scientists. In this study, the possible effects of climate warming on the national northern limits of cropping systems, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation in China from 1981 to 2007 were analyzed. Also, the possible change of crop yield caused by planting limits displacement during the periods 1950s-1981 and 1981-2007 was compared and discussed. The recognized calculation methods of agricultural climatic indices were employed. According to the indices of climatic regionalization for cropping systems, the national northern limits of cropping systems, winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation during two periods, including the 1950s-1980 and 1981-2007, were drawn with ArcGIS software. Compared with the situation during the 1950s- 1980, the northern limits of double cropping system during 1981-2007 showed significant spatial displacement in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Liaoning provinces and Beijing municipality, China. The northern limits of triple cropping system showed the maximum spatial displacement in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces, China. Without considering variety change and social economic factors, the per unit area grain yield of main planting patterns would increase about 54-106% if single cropping system was replaced by double cropping system, which turned out to be 27- 58% if double cropping system was replaced by triple cropping system. In Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia autonomous regions, China, the northern limits of winter wheat during 1981-2007 moved northward and expanded westward in different degrees, compared with those during the 1950s-1980. Taking Hebei Province as an example, the northern limits of winter wheat moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would averagely increase about 25% in the change region if the spring wheat was replaced by winter wheat. In Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, China, the planting northern limits of double rice moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would increase in different degrees only from the perspective of heat resource. The stable- yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward in most regions, which was caused by the decrease of local precipitation in recent years. During the past 50 yr, climate warming made the national northern limits of cropping systems move northward in different degrees, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice both moved northward, and the cropping system change would cause the increase of per unit area grain yield in the change region. However, the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward due to the decrease of precipitation.
基金supported jointly by the Natural Science Foundation of China (No.41807041)the Ninth Batch of Key Disciplines in Henan Province—Mechanical Design,Manufacturing and Automation (JG[2018]No.119).
文摘To determine suitable thresholds for deficit irrigation of winter wheat in the well-irrigated area of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain,we investigated the effects of different deficit irrigation lower limits and quotas on the photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat.Four irrigation lower limits were set for initiating irrigation(i.e.,light drought(LD,50%,55%,60%and 50%of field holding capacity(FC)at the seedling-regreening,jointing,heading and filling-ripening stages,respectively),medium drought(MD,40%,50%,55%and 45%of FC at the same stages,respectively),adequate moisture(CK1,60%,65%,70%and 60%of FC at the same stages,respectively),heavy drought(CK2,35%,40%,45%and 40%of FC at the same stages,respectively))and five irrigation quota per event(30,60,90,120 and 180 mm)were set for each lower limit.We found that the increase of drought stress is conducive to normal photosynthesis of winter wheat leaves which is supported by the following findings.First,photosynthetic rate(Pn)of LD60 treatment was higher than that of LD30,LD90,LD120,LD180,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120 and MD180.Then,Under the 90 mm irrigation quota treatment,the yield of winter wheat basically increased with the increase of irrigation’s lower limit.Moreover,With the increase in irrigation quota,the yield of winter wheat increased,and the water use efficiency(WUE)of winter wheat increased at first and then decreased.In addition,compared with the LD30,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120,and MD180,the yield of winter wheat in LD60 treatment increased by about 3.23%(3-year average),32.3%,19.9%,11.7%,10.1%,and 14.6%.At the same time,the WUE with LD60 treatment of winter wheat was significantly higher than LD90,LD120,LD180,MD30,MD60,MD90,MD120,MD180 treatments.There was a positive correlation between soil volumetric water content and Pn and between yield and Pn.The key period for yield formation in winter wheat is 180 days after sowing.In conclusion,to achieve the dual goals of stable winter wheat yield and efficient utilization of water resources in this region,the suitable threshold for initiating deficit irrigation of winter wheat is the LD60 treatment.This conclusion provides data support for water-saving and stable yield of winter wheat in this area.
基金supported by the Fund of China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (Grant Nos.2022YJ177 and 2022YJ088).
文摘Purpose-It is quite universal for high-speed turnouts to be exposed to the wear of the stock rail of the switch rail during the service process.The wear will cause the change of railhead profile and the relative positions of the switch rail and the stock rail,which will directly affect the wheel-rail contact state and wheel load transition when a train passes the turnout and will further impose serious impacts on the safety and stability of train operation.The purpose of this paper is to provide suggestions for wear management of high-speed turnout.Design/methodology/approach-The actual wear characteristics of switch rails of high-speed turnouts in different guiding directions were studied based on the monitoring results on site;the authorized wear limits for the switch rails of high-speed turnout were studied through derailment risk analysis and switch rail strength analysis.Findings-The results show that:the major factor for the service life of a curved switch rail is the lateral wear.The wear characteristics of the curved switch rail of a facing turnout are significantly different from those of a trailing turnout.To be specific,the lateral wear of the curved switch rail mainly occurs in the narrower section at its front end for a trailing turnout,but in the wider section at its rear end when for a facing turnout.The maximum lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a trailing turnout is found on the 15-mm wide section and is 3.9 mm,which does not reach the specified limit of 6 mm.For comparison,the lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a facing turnout is found from the 35-mm wide section to the full-width section and is greater than 7.5 mm,which exceeds the specified limit.Based on this,in addition to meeting the requirements of maintenance rules,the allowed wear of switch rails of high-speed turnout shall be so that the dangerous area with a tangent angle of wheel profile smaller than 43.68 will not contact the switch rail when the wheel is lifted by 2 mm.Accordingly,the lateral wear limit at the 5-mm wide section of the curved switch rail shall be reduced from 6 mm(as specified)to 3.5 mm.Originality/value-The work in this paper is of reference significance to the research on the development law of rail wear in high-speed turnout area and the formulation of relevant standards.
文摘This article provides a brief overview of various approaches that may be utilized for the analysis of human semen test results. Reference intervals are the most widely used tool for the interpretation of clinical laboratory results. Reference interval development has classically relied on concepts elaborated by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Expert Panel on Reference Values during the 1980s. These guidelines involve obtaining and classifying samples from a healthy population of at least 120 individuals and then identifying the outermost 5% of observations to use in defining limits for two-sided or one-sided reference intervals. More recently, decision limits based on epidemiological outcome analysis have also been introduced to aid in test interpretation. The reference population must be carefully defined on the basis of the intended clinical use of the underlying test. To determine appropriate reference intervals for use in male fertility assessment, a reference population of men with documented time to pregnancy of 〈 12 months would be most suitable. However, for epidemiological assessment of semen testing results, a reference population made up ofunselected healthy men would be preferred. Although reference and decision limits derived for individual semen analysis test results will undoubtedly be the interpretational tools of choice in the near future, in the long term, multivariate methods for the interpretation of semen analysis alone or in combination with information from the female partner seem to represent better means for assessing the likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy in a subfertile couple.
基金provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50874088)the Project of Creative Team by the Ministry of Education of China (No.IRT0856)+1 种基金the Excellent Talent Project of the New Century supported by the Ministry of Education of China (No.NECT050874)the Natural Science Foundation of the Education Department of Shaanxi Province (No.08JK351)
文摘In order to reduce the number of accidents due to explosions of flammable gases in the goaf of coalmines,the conditions for explosion of flammable gases and their explosion limits,affected to a considerable extent by CO2,are explored.With the use of our experimental equipment suitable for the study of explosion of polybasic explosive gas mixtures,we investigated the effect of CH4/H2=10/1 and CH4/C2H4=10/1 gases mixed with CO2 on their explosion limits.The results indicate that after adding CO2,the explosion limit of the CH4/H2(or C2H4) =10/1 gas mixtures decreased markedly with increasing amounts of CO2.When the amount of CO2 exceeded 25%,the CH4/C2H4=10/1 flammable gas mixture did not lead to explosions.Similar results were obtained when the amount of CO2 exceeded 23% in the CH4/H2=10/1 flammable gas mixture.We also compared the explosion limits and the explosion suppression effect of N2 or CO2 on the explosion limits of the CH4+CO and CH4+C2H4 dual explosive gas mixtures.Along with the increases in the amounts of CO2 or N2,the area of the explosion limits of gas mixtures decreased.Under the same conditions,the explosion suppression effect of CO2 was greater than that of N2.CO2 has clearly the better suppression effect on the explosion of flammable gases in goafs.
基金the Chilean Government and the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) for supporting this work through the Becas Chile Scholarships
文摘Allowable levels for pesticide residues in foods, known as tolerances in the US and as maximum residue limits (MRLs) in much of the world, are widely yet inappropriately perceived as levels of safety concern. A novel approach to develop scientifically defensible levels of safety concern is presented and an example to determine acute and chronic pesticide food safety standard (PFSS) levels for the fungicide captan on strawberries is provided. Using this approach, the chronic PFSS level for captan on strawberries was determined to be 2 000 mg kg-1 and the acute PFSS level was determined to be 250 mg kg-1. Both levels are far above the existing tolerance and MRLs that commonly range from 3 to 20 mg kg-~, and provide evidence that captan residues detected at levels greater than the tolerance or MRLs are not of acute or chronic health concern even though they represent violative residues. The benefits of developing the PFSS approach to serve as a companion to existing tolerances/MRLs include a greater understanding concerning the health significance, if any, from exposure to violative pesticide residues. In addition, the PFSS approach can be universally applied to all potential pesticide residues on all food commodities, can be modified by specific jurisdictions to take into account differences in food consumption practices, and can help prioritize food residue monitoring by identifying the pesticide/commodity combinations of the greatest potential food safety concern and guiding development of field level analytical methods to detect pesticide residues on prioritized pesticide/commodity combinations.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91434117,21776077)the Shanghai Rising-Star Program(17QA1401200)+1 种基金the Program for Professor of Special Appointment(Eastern Scholar)at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learningthe Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering(SKL-Che-15C03).
文摘Direct propylene epoxidation with H2 and O2,an attractive process to produce propylene oxide(PO),has a potential explosion danger due to the coexistence of flammable gases(i.e.,C3 H6 and H2)and oxidizer(i.e.,O2).The unknown explosion limits of the multi-component feed gas mixture make it difficult to optimize the reaction process under safe operation conditions.In this work,a distribution method is proposed and verified to be effective by comparing estimated and experimental explosion limits of more than 200 kinds of flammable gas mixture.Then,it is employed to estimate the explosion limits of the feed gas mixture,some results of which are also validated by the classic Le Chatelier’s Rule and flammable resistance method.Based on the estimated explosion limits,process optimization is carried out using commercially high and inherently safe reactant concentrations to enhance reaction performance.The promising results are directly obtained through the interface called gOPT in gPROMS only by using a simple,easy-constructed and mature packed-bed reactor,such as the PO yield of 13.3%,PO selectivity of 85.1%and outlet PO fraction of 1.8%.These results can be rationalized by indepth analyses and discussion about the effects of the decision variables on the operation safety and reaction performance.The insights revealed here could shed new light on the process development of the PO production based on the estimation of the explosion limits of the multi-component feed gas mixture containing flammable gase s,inert gas and O2,followed by process optimization.
文摘From the view of both objective and subjective factors,the indoor air quality(IAQ)evaluation was considered.Carbon dioxide(CO2)and formaldehyde(HCHO)were selected as the typical contaminants of indoor air,and the evaluation method of logarithmic index was adopted as the evaluation means of IAQ.Then the recommended limits(RL)of typical contaminants CO2 and HCHO were given through analysis and calculation.The limits of CO2 and HCHO in Indoor Air Quality Standard of China or other existing standards probably correspond to the level of PD=25(%).The result shows that the existing standards fail to meet the requirement of the definition of "acceptable indoor air quality",that is to say,less than 20% of the people express dissatisfaction.When PD=20%,RL of CO2 and HCHO are 728×10-6 and 0.068×10-6 respectively,which are stricter than the limits in the existing standards.The method proposed in this paper is applicable to 13.1%≤PD≤86.7%.
文摘In this study, we analyze factors affecting the explosion limits of flammable refrigerants. We conclude that any method used for measuring flammable refrigerant explosion limits has its conditional restrictions. Flammable refrigerants in the atmosphere can also explode under certain conditions, when the concentration is approaching the explosion limits. An experimental study on the explosion limits of six kinds of flammable refrigerants is carried out with a mixture of refrigerant and combustible refrigerant, which has a similar effect to a flame retardant. An experimental apparatus was designed to test the explosion limits of mixtures made from three different nonflammable refrigerants and six different flammable refrigerants. Two practical models were developed to estimate the critical concentration for inhibiting explosion of refrigerant mixtures: one was made up of two flammable components with one nonflammable component, and the second was made up of one flammable component with two nonflammable components.
文摘Structural analysis of steel frames is typically performed using beam elements. Since these elements are unable to explicitly capture the local buckling behavior of steel cross-sections, traditional steel design specifications use the concept of cross-section classification to determine the extent to which the strength and deformation capacity of a cross-section are affected by local buckling. The use of plastic design methods are restricted to Class 1 cross-sections, which possess sufficient rotation capacity for plastic hinges to develop and a collapse mechanism to form. Local buckling prevents the development of plastic hinges with such rotation capacity for cross-sections of higher classes and, unless computationally demanding shell elements are used, elastic analysis is required. However, this article demonstrates that local buckling can be mimicked effectively in beam elements by incorporating the continuous strength method (CSM) strain limits into the analysis. Furthermore, by performing an advanced analysis that accounts for both geometric and material nonlinearities, no additional design checks are required. The positive influence of the strain hardening observed in stocky cross-sections can also be harnessed, provided a suitably accurate stress–strain relationship is adopted;a quad-linear material model for hot-rolled steels is described for this purpose. The CSM strain limits allow cross-sections of all slenderness to be analyzed in a consistent advanced analysis framework and to benefit from the appropriate level of load redistribution. The proposed approach is applied herein to individual members, continuous beams, and frames, and is shown to bring significant benefits in terms of accuracy and consistency over current steel design specifications.
文摘Presents the equations established for the reactive power output of generators varying with terminal voltage with field and stator current limits taken into consideration, from which an algorithm is developed for calculation of power flow, and the static voltage stability analysis conducted by combining this algorithm with the continuous power flow method, and the comparison of simulation results with those obtained with fixed reactive power limits.
文摘The length of the transit region of a Gunn diode determines the natural frequency at which it operates in fundamental mode-the shorter the device,the higher the frequency of operation.The long-held view on Gunn diode design is that for a functioning device the minimum length of the transit region is about 1.5μm,limiting the devices to fundamental mode operation at frequencies of roughly 60 GHz.The authors posit that this theoretical restriction is a consequence of limits of the hydrodynamic models by which it was determined.Study of these devices by more advanced Monte Carlo techniques,which simulate the ballistic transport and electron-phonon interactions that govern device behaviour,offers a new lower bound of 0.5μm,which is already being approached by the experimental evidence shown in planar and vertical devices exhibiting Gunn operation at 0.6μm and 0.7μm.It is shown that the limits for Gunn domain operation are determined by the device length required for the transferred electron effect to occur(approximately 0.15μm,which as demonstrated is largely field independent)and the fundamental size of the domain(approximately 0.3μm).At this new length,operation in fundamental mode at much higher frequencies becomes possible-the Monte Carlo model used predicts power output at frequencies over 300 GHz.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants Nos.61505053 and 61475045)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China(Grant No.2015JJ3092)+2 种基金the School Foundation from the Hunan University of Arts and Science(Grant No.14ZD01)the Fund from the Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Information Integration and Optical Manufacturing Technology of Hunan Province,Chinathe Construction Program of the Key Discipline in Hunan University of Arts and Science(Optics)
文摘The speed of evolution of a qubit undergoing a nonequilibrium environment with spectral density of general ohmic form is investigated. First we reveal non-Markovianity of the model, and find that the non-Markovianity quantified by information backflow of Breuer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 210401(2009)] displays a nonmonotonic behavior for different values of the ohmicity parameter s in fixed other parameters and the maximal non-Markovianity can be achieved at a specified value s. We also find that the non-Markovianity displays a nonmonotonic behavior with the change of a phase control parameter. Then we further discuss the relationship between quantum speed limit(QSL) time and non-Markovianity of the open-qubit system for any initial states including pure and mixed states. By investigation, we find that the QSL time of a qubit with any initial states can be expressed by a simple factorization law: the QSL time of a qubit with any qubitinitial states are equal to the product of the coherence of the initial state and the QSL time of maximally coherent states,where the QSL time of the maximally coherent states are jointly determined by the non-Markovianity, decoherence factor and a given driving time. Moreover, we also find that the speed of quantum evolution can be obviously accelerated in the wide range of the ohmicity parameter, i.e., from sub-Ohmic to Ohmic and super-Ohmic cases, which is different from the thermal equilibrium environment case.
基金This work was financially supported fromthe National Natural Science Foundation of China(81303218)Doctoral Fund of China (20130013120006)Special Fund of Outstanding Young Teachers and Innovation Team.
文摘In this work,multivariate detection limits(MDL)estimator was obtained based on the microelectro-mechanical systems–near infrared(MEMS–NIR)technology coupled with two sampling accessories to assess the detection capability of four quality parameters(glycyrrhizic acid,liquiritin,liquiritigenin and isoliquiritin)in licorice from di®erent geographical regions.112 licorice samples were divided into two parts(calibration set and prediction set)using Kennard–Stone(KS)method.Four quality parameters were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method according to Chinese pharmacopoeia and previous studies.The MEMS–NIR spectra were acquired from¯ber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere,then the partial least squares(PLS)model was obtained using the optimum processing method.Chemometrics indicators have been utilized to assess the PLS model performance.Model assessment using chemometrics indicators is based on relative mean prediction error of all concentration levels,which indicated relatively low sensitivity for low-content analytes(below 1000 parts per million(ppm)).Therefore,MDL estimator was introduced with alpha error and beta error based on good prediction characteristic of low concentration levels.The result suggested that MEMS–NIR technology coupled with fiber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere was able to detect minor analytes.The result further demonstrated that integrating sphere mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.22%)was more robust than FOP mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.48%).In conclusion,this research proposed that MDL method was helpful to determine the detection capabilities of low-content analytes using MEMS–NIR technology and successful to compare two sampling accessories.
文摘It is widely held that irrational numbers can be represented by infinite digit-sequences. We will show that this is not possible. A digit sequence is only an abbreviated notation for an infinite sequence of rational partial sums. As limits of sequences, irrational numbers are incommensurable with any grid of decimal fractions.
文摘Harbour porpoises in the North Sea are protected under national and EU legislation, and under the regional agreement ASCOBANS, within the UN Convention on Migratory Species. As yet, no methods exist to quantify the cumulative impacts of direct anthropogenic mortality (e.g. by-catch) and indirect effects of human activities (e.g. contaminants) on porpoise populations. However, procedures do exist for assessing whether total anthropogenic mortality may result in failure to meet conservation objectives. While the ultimate aim is to reduce the number of such deaths to zero, ASCOBANS has an interim objective to reduce anthropogenic mortality to a level that will allow recovery of populations. Several different criteria have been proposed as limits to anthropogenic mortality that may still allow conservation objectives to be met. These criteria include simple percentages of the best population abundance estimate and more complex procedures that account for uncertainty and other information about the population. In this paper, we report new estimates of abundance for porpoises in Dutch waters, and we apply several methods to calculate maximum anthropogenic mortality limits from these estimates. We considered whether these mortality limits would meet the objective of the ASCOBANS agreement and other international obligations, and how these limits may be applied at a national level rather than the biological population level. The current simple approach of a limit of 1.7% of the best abundance estimate may not satisfy conservation objectives. We recommend the use of management procedures for setting mortality limits that take into account available data including associated uncertainties and biases, and whose performance has been extensively tested through simulation.
文摘The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional near-infrared spectros-copy. The study group included six right-handed, healthy female volunteers (range: 19, 20 years). The optical imaging device comprised 16 opto-des designed to provide 24-channel recording of changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. We meas-ured the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the frontal region when subjects per-ceived reachability in a standing position. Com- pared with those in other regions, the oxygen-ated hemoglobin levels in the right frontal region compatible with the right prefrontal cortex sig-nificantly increased. This result suggests that brain activities in the right prefrontal cortex are related to perception of reachability. Overesti-mation of postural limits has been reported as one of the risk factor for falling. This overesti-mation might be induced by dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in a failure to inhibit a motor program that would have caused a loss of balance in reaching. Activation of the right prefrontal cortex may be a key factor for pre-venting accidental falls in the elderly and in pa-tients with neurological disorders.
基金This research is suported by National Science foundation Grant.
文摘In this paper, we prove that the best rational approximation of a given analytic function in Orlicz space L~*(G), where G = {|z|≤∈}, converges to the Pade approximants of the function as the measure of G approaches zero.