• Title/Summary/Keyword: Mechanisms

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Clustering of extreme winds in the mixed climate of South Africa

  • Kruger, A.C.;Goliger, A.M.;Retief, J.V.;Sekele, S.S.
    • Wind and Structures
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.87-109
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    • 2012
  • A substantial part of South Africa is subject to more than one strong wind source. The effect of that on extreme winds is that higher quantiles are usually estimated with a mixed strong wind climate estimation method, compared to the traditional Gumbel approach based on a single population. The differences in the estimated quantiles between the two methods depend on the values of the Gumbel distribution parameters for the different strong wind mechanisms involved. Cluster analysis of the distribution parameters provides a characterization of the effect of the relative differences in their values, and therefore the dominance of the different strong wind mechanisms. For gusts, cold fronts tend to dominate over the coastal and high-lying areas, while other mechanisms, especially thunderstorms, are dominant over the lower-lying areas in the interior. For the hourly mean wind speeds cold fronts are dominant in the south-west, south and east of the country. On the West Coast the ridging of the Atlantic Ocean high-pressure system dominate in the south, while the presence of a deep trough or coastal low pressure system is the main strong wind mechanism in the north. In the central interior cold fronts tend to share their influence almost equally with other synoptic-scale mechanisms.

Fault-tolerance Performance Evaluation of Fieldbus for NPCS Network of KNGR

  • Jung, Hyun-Gi;Seong, Poong-Hyun
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.33 no.1
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    • pp.1-11
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    • 2001
  • In contrast with conventional fieldbus researches which are focused merely on real-time performance, this study aims to evaluate the real-time performance of the communication system including fault-tolerant mechanisms Maintaining performance in presence of recoverable faults is very important in case that the communication network is applied to a highly reliable system such as next generation Nuclear. Power. Plant (NPP). If the tie characteristics meet the requirements of the system, the faults will be recovered by fieldbus recovery mechanisms and the system will be safe. If the time characteristics can not meet the requirements, the faults in the fieldbus can propagate to the system failure. In this study, for the purpose of investigating the time characteristics of fieldbus, the recoverable faults are classified and then the formulas that represent delays including recovery mechanisms are developed. In order to validate the proposed approach, we have developed a simulation model that represents the Korea Next Generation Reactor (KNGR) NSSS Process Control System (NPCS). The results of the simulation show us the reasonable delay characteristics of the fault cases with recovery mechanisms. Using the simulation results and the system requirements, we also can calculate the failure propagation probability from fieldbus to outer system.

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Reproductive Isolation between Moroco oxycephalus and M. lagowskii (Pisces; Cyprinidae) in Korea

  • Kang, Young-Jin;Min, Mi-Sook;Yang, Suh-Yung
    • Animal cells and systems
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.109-115
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    • 2000
  • To clarify taxonomic status of the two sibling species, Moroco oxycephalus and M. lagowskii reproductive isolation mechanisms were investigated at sympatric area located in Kansung-up, Kosung-gun, Kangwon-do, Korea. Genetic analysis was performed to reveal mating system and intensity of Hybridization between the two species. The frequencies of hybrids were increased since 1989, and then the observed hybrid frequencies ($H_O$) did not significantly differ from the expected hybrid ($H_E$) in 1998 and 1999. However, based on histological analysis of two parents and their hybrid s gonads, the hybridizations between M. oxycephalus and M. lagowskii produced mostly fertile females but sterile males in accordance with Haldane s rule. Although it was suspected that pre- and postmating isolation mechanisms were affected between the two species, M. oxycephalus and M. lagowskii seemed to be strongly isolated with microhabitat at sympatry until 1997. Since 1998, hybrid frequencies were increased by habitat disturbance. However, their hybrid frequencies would be reduced by postmating isolation mechanisms. Therefore, the two species are considered to be distinct species recently diverged.

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Topology Optimization for Large-displacement Compliant Mechanisms Using Element Free Galerkin Method

  • Du, Yixian;Chen, Liping
    • International Journal of CAD/CAM
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.1-10
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    • 2009
  • This paper presents a topology optimization approach using element-free Galerkin method (EFGM) for the optimal design of compliant mechanisms with geometrically non-linearity. Meshless method has an advantage over the finite element method(FEM) because it is more capable of handling large deformation resulted from geometrical nonlinearity. Therefore, in this paper, EFGM is employed to discretize the governing equations and the bulk density field. The sensitivity analysis of the optimization problem is performed by incorporating the adjoint approach with the meshless method. The Lagrange multipliers method adjusted for imposition of both the concentrated and continuous essential boundary conditions in the EFGM is proposed in details. The optimization mathematical formulation is developed to convert the multi-criteria problem to an equivalent single-objective problem. The popularly applied interpolation scheme, solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP), is used to indicate the dependence of material property upon on pseudo densities discretized to the integration points. A well studied numerical example has been applied to demonstrate the proposed approach works very well and the non-linear EFGM can obtain the better topologies than the linear EFGM to design large-displacement compliant mechanisms.

Mechanisms of herbicide resistance in weeds

  • Bo, Aung Bo;Won, Ok Jae;Sin, Hun Tak;Lee, Jeung Joo;Park, Kee Woong
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.44 no.1
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    • pp.1-15
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    • 2017
  • In major field crops, synthetic herbicides have been used to control weeds worldwide. Globally, herbicide resistance in weeds should be minimized because it is a major limiting factor for food security. Cross resistance can occur with herbicides within the same or in different herbicide families and with the same or different sites of action. Multiple resistance refers to evolved mechanisms of resistance to more than one herbicide (e.g., resistance to both ALS-inhibitors and ACCase-inhibitors) and this resistance was brought about by separate selection processes. Target site resistance could occur from changes at the biochemical site of action of one herbicide. Non target site resistance occurs through mechanisms which reduce the number of herbicide molecules that reach the herbicide target site. There are currently 480 unique cases (species ${\times}$ site of action) of herbicide resistance globally in 252 plant species (145 dicots and 105 monocots). To date, resistance in weeds has been reported to 161 different herbicides, involving 23 of the 26 known herbicide sites of action. Finally, it can be concluded that we can protect crops associated to herbicide resistant weeds by applications of biochemical, genetic and crop control strategies.

A study on the control-in-the-small characteristics of a planar parallel mechanism (평면형 병렬 메카니즘의 국소적 제어 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Whee-kuk;Cho, Whang;Kim, Jae-Seoub
    • Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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    • v.4 no.3
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    • pp.360-371
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    • 1998
  • In this paper, output precision characteristics of a planar 6 degree-of-freedom parallel mechanisms are investigated, where the 6 degree-of-freedom mechanism is formed by adding an additional link along with an actuated joint in each serial subchain of the planar 3 degree-of-freedom parallel mechanism. Kinematic analysis for the parallel mechanism is performed, and its first-order kinematic characteristics are examined via kinematic isotropic index, maximum and minimum input-output velocity transmission ratios of the mechanisms. Based on this analysis, two types of planar 6 degrees-of-freedom parallel manipulators are selected. Then, dynamic characteristics of the two selected planar 6 degree-of-freedom parallel mechanisms, via Frobenius norms of inertia matrix and power modeling array, are investigated to compare the magnitudes of required control efforts of both three large actuators and three small actuators when the link lengths of three additional links are changed. It can be concluded from the analysis results that each of these two planar 6 degrees-of-freedom parallel mechanisms has an excellent control-in-the-small characteristics and therefore, it can be very effectively employed as a high-precision macro-micro manipulator when both its link lengths and locations of small and large actuators are properly chosen.

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Mechanisms Underlying Plk1 Polo-Box Domain-Mediated Biological Processes and Their Physiological Significance

  • Lee, Kyung S.;Park, Jung-Eun;Kang, Young Hwi;Kim, Tae-Sung;Bang, Jeong K.
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.286-294
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    • 2014
  • Mammalian polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) has been studied intensively as a key regulator of various cell cycle events that are critical for proper M-phase progression. The polobox domain (PBD) present in Plk1's C-terminal noncatalytic region has been shown to play a central role in targeting the N-terminal kinase domain of Plk1 to specific subcellular locations. Subsequent studies reveal that PBD binds to a phosphorylated motif generated by one of the two mechanisms - self-priming by Plk1 itself or non-self-priming by a Pro-directed kinase, such as Cdc2. Here, we comparatively review the differences in the biochemical steps of these mechanisms and discuss their physiological significance. Considering the diverse functions of Plk1 during the cell cycle, a better understanding of how the catalytic activity of Plk1 functions in concert with its cisacting PBD and how this coordinated process is intricately regulated to promote Plk1 functions will be important for providing new insights into different mechanisms underlying various Plk1-mediated biological events that occur at the multiple stages of the cell cycle.

Three Possible Mechanisms for Stomatal Opening in Response to Light

  • Lee, Joon-Sang
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.105-112
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    • 2005
  • Environmental factors such as light and low $CO_2$ concentrations trigger events which may result in stomatal opening. Stomatal aperature is largely controlled by the solute contents of guard cells, but not exclusively, by through changes in their content of potassium salts, with $K^+$ balanced either by $Cl^-$ or malate, depending on the species and conditions. However, how these signals are sensed and how they are transduced into driving the ion fluxes that control stomatal movements is not still fully understood. The basic role of stomata is regulating transpiration and photosynthesis. Photosynthesis plays a central role in the physiology of plants and an understanding of its response to light is, therefore, critical to any discussion of how plants sense and respond to light. It had been proposed that the evidences pointed three possible mechanisms for the light response. Firstly, there is a direct response of stomata to light. Secondly. there is an indirect response of stomata to light through the effect of $CO_2$. Lastly, there are some evidences for a third effect of light on stomata. However, attempts to investigate how these three possible mechanisms explained in detail in response to light have not been made. Therefore, this study is examined the differences among these three possible mechanisms.

A Fast and Scalable Inter-Domain MPLS Protection Mechanism

  • Huang, Chang-Cheng;Messier, Donald
    • Journal of Communications and Networks
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.60-67
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    • 2004
  • With the fast growth of Internet and a new widespread interest in optical networks, the unparalleled potential of Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is leading to further research and development efforts. One of those areas of research is Path Protection Mechanism. It is widely accepted that layer three protection and recovery mechanisms are too slow for today’s reliability requirements. Failure recovery latencies ranging from several seconds to minutes, for layer three routing protocols, have been widely reported. For this reason, a recovery mechanism at the MPLS layer capable of recovering from failed paths in 10’s of milliseconds has been sought. In light of this, several MPLS based protection mechanisms have been proposed, such as end-to-end path protection and local repair mechanism. Those mechanisms are designed for intra-domain recoveries and little or no attention has been given to the case of non-homogenous independent inter-domains. This paper presents a novel solution for the setup and maintenance of independent protection mechanisms within individual domains and merged at the domain boundaries. This innovative solution offers significant advantages including fast recovery across multiple nonhomogeneous domains and high scalability. Detailed setup and operation procedures are described. Finally, simulation results using OPNET are presented showing recovery times of a few milliseconds.

Rediscovery of Nefopam for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

  • Kim, Kyung Hoon;Abdi, Salahadin
    • The Korean Journal of Pain
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.103-111
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    • 2014
  • Nefopam (NFP) is a non-opioid, non-steroidal, centrally acting analgesic drug that is derivative of the nonsedative benzoxazocine, developed and known in 1960s as fenazocine. Although the mechanisms of analgesic action of NFP are not well understood, they are similar to those of triple neurotransmitter (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) reuptake inhibitors and anticonvulsants. It has been used mainly as an analgesic drug for nociceptive pain, as well as a treatment for the prevention of postoperative shivering and hiccups. Based on NFP's mechanisms of analgesic action, it is more suitable for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Intravenous administration of NFP should be given in single doses of 20 mg slowly over 15-20 min or with continuous infusion of 60-120 mg/d to minimize adverse effects, such as nausea, cold sweating, dizziness, tachycardia, or drowsiness. The usual dose of oral administration is three to six times per day totaling 90-180 mg. The ceiling effect of its analgesia is uncertain depending on the mechanism of pain relief. In conclusion, the recently discovered dual analgesic mechanisms of action, namely, a) descending pain modulation by triple neurotransmitter reuptake inhibition similar to antidepressants, and b) inhibition of long-term potentiation mediated by NMDA from the inhibition of calcium influx like gabapentinoid anticonvulsants or blockade of voltage-sensitive sodium channels like carbamazepine, enable NFP to be used as a therapeutic agent to treat neuropathic pain.