Abstract:
Viral contamination in water samples is detected using a medium which includes both a substrate for .beta.-galactosidase and E. coli with elevated levels of intracellular .beta.-galactosidase. The substrate is chosen to undergo a detectable change (e.g., colorimetric, fluorometric, photometric, etc.) upon cleavage by .beta.-galactosidase. A water sample to be tested for viral contamination is added to the medium. If coliphages are present in the water sample, they will infect, multiply within, and subsequently lyse the E. coli host. Lysis of the E. coli will allow the release of the intracellular .beta.-galactosidase into the media, whereupon the enzyme will cleave the substrate for a detectable reaction. In one particular application, a colorimetric reagent that serves as a substrate for .beta.-galactosidase is dissolved or dispersed within an agar medium, and in another particular application, a colorimetric reagent that serves as a substrate for .beta.-galactosidase is dissolved or dispersed within a liquid medium. Color changes which result from lytic cell infection of the E. coli hosts are easily monitored by researchers or laboratory technicians. The presence of coliphages in a water sample is indicative of the presence of harmful human and animal enteric viruses in the water.
Abstract:
An active noise control system using a compact sound source is effective to reduce aircraft engine duct noise. The fan noise from a turbofan engine is controlled using an adaptive filtered-x LMS algorithm. Single multi channel control systems are used to control the fan blade passage frequency (BPF) tone and the BPF tone and the first harmonic of the BPF tone for a plane wave excitation. A multi channel control system is used to control any spinning mode. The multi channel control system to control both fan tones and a high pressure compressor BPF tone simultaneously. In order to make active control of turbofan inlet noise a viable technology, a compact sound source is employed to generate the control field. This control field sound source consists of an array of identical thin, cylindrically curved panels with an inner radius of curvature corresponding to that of the engine inlet. These panels are flush mounted inside the inlet duct and sealed on all edges to prevent leakage around the panel and to minimize the aerodynamic losses created by the addition of the panels. Each panel is driven by one or more piezoelectric force transducers mounted on the surface of the panel. The response of the panel to excitation is maximized when it is driven at its resonance; therefore, the panel is designed such that its fundamental frequency is near the tone to be canceled, typically 2000-4000 Hz.
Abstract:
This disclosure provides a thermal diode including a first plate having a first surface defining a wick structure. The thermal diode can include a second plate having a smooth surface facing the wick structure, the smooth surface and the wick structure defining a chamber for accommodating a phase-change liquid. The thermal diode also can include a separator positioned between the first plate and the second plate to separate the wick structure from the smooth surface by a gap that is less than a capillary length of the phase-change liquid.
Abstract:
A turbomachine having an air flow measurement system. The system comprises a plurality of acoustic sensors upstream a compressor of the turbomachine. The acoustic sensors comprise at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform through an intake airflow to an acoustic receiver. The acoustic sensors are located in a single plane and mounted at angular spacing about a central axis of an intake.
Abstract:
Described herein are porous carbon fibers, methods of making the porous carbon fibers, and methods of using the porous carbon fibers. In some aspects, the porous carbon fibers can have a hierarchical distribution of uniformly distributed meso- and micropores, wherein the micropores and mesopores can be interconnected. In aspects, the porous carbon fibers can have mesopores with a uniform pore size.
Abstract:
An article of manufacture for predicting the popularity of media may include at least one processor readable storage medium and instructions stored on the at least one medium. The instructions may be configured to be readable from the at least one medium by at least one processor and may thereby cause the at least one processor to operate so as to determine a publication time associated with digital media, set a predetermined time threshold based on the publication time, analyze the digital media to determine at least one feature associated with the digital media, compile the determined at least one feature, predict a popularity associated with the digital media based on the compiled at least one feature, and output the predicted popularity. The at least one feature associated with the digital media may be determined before the predetermined time threshold.
Abstract:
A system and method of non-intrusive anemometry. The system comprises an acoustic transmitter disposed at a boundary of fluid flow and first and second acoustic receivers adapted to receive transmissions from the acoustic transmitter. A processor is coupled to the acoustic receivers to determine the time of arrival of the transmission at the acoustic receivers. The acoustic transmitter and acoustic receivers are arranged such that the acoustic transmitter is upstream from the first acoustic receiver which is in turn upstream from the second acoustic transmitter.
Abstract:
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for generating a data set are provided. One method includes generating a data set based on input data using a plurality of brokers. The method further includes receiving a request from a user and determining whether the request can be fulfilled using data currently in the data set. When the request can be fulfilled using data currently in the data set, the data is accessed using broker(s) configured to provide access to data within the data set. When the request cannot be fulfilled using data currently in the data set, at least one new broker is spawned using existing broker(s) and additional data needed to fulfill the request is added to the data set using the new broker. The method further includes generating a response to the request using one or more of the plurality of brokers.
Abstract:
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for generating a data set are provided. One method includes generating a data set based on input data using a plurality of brokers. The method further includes receiving a request from a user and determining whether the request can be fulfilled using data currently in the data set. When the request can be fulfilled using data currently in the data set, the data is accessed using broker(s) configured to provide access to data within the data set. When the request cannot be fulfilled using data currently in the data set, at least one new broker is spawned using existing broker(s) and additional data needed to fulfill the request is added to the data set using the new broker. The method further includes generating a response to the request using one or more of the plurality of brokers.
Abstract:
A system for generating a representation of a situation is disclosed. The system comprises one or more computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors to implement a method of generating a representation of a situation. The method comprises receiving input data regarding a target population. The method further comprises constructing a synthetic data set including a synthetic population based on the input data. The synthetic population includes a plurality of synthetic entities. Each synthetic entity has a one-to-one correspondence with an entity in the target population. Each synthetic entity is assigned one or more attributes based on information included in the input data. The method further comprises receiving activity data for a plurality of entities in the target population.