Search

According to Thirring's condition, the thermodynamic equilibrium is not possible between two systems with negative heat capacities. Since the existence of negative heat capacity is a rule rather an exception in astrophysics, we would like to analyze the possibility of the thermodynamic equilibrium for a paradigmatic astrophysical situation: the binary system. The possible explanation arises after decomposing the dynamical variables into internal and collective degrees of freedom, which enables us to reinterpret binary systems as two systems A and B that interact between them through a third low dimensional system C. Our central result is the derivation of a Langevin equation to describe the dynamics of the collective degrees of freedom. Our preliminary analysis evidences that the proposed framework is able not only to describe the system stability, but also unstable processes, such as escape or collapse of the binary system. These processes crucially depend on the angular momentum, the quadrupole–orbit coupling among internal and collective degrees of freedom, as well as internal temperatures of each system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) offers improved visualisation and dexterity compared to laparoscopy. As a result, RAS is considered an attractive option for performing rectopexy, particularly in the confines of the lower pelvis. The aim of this study was to explore the benefits of RAS in rectopexy by analysing the views of a group of surgeons will have published on robotic rectopexy. Methods: A three-round Delphi process was performed. Combined qualitative, Likert scale and binary responses were utilised in rounds one and two with binary responses seeking overall consensus in round two and three. Particular areas that were studied included: clinical aspects of patient selection, technical aspects of using RAS to perform rectopexy, ergonomic factors, training, and consideration of the 'learning-curve'. Consensus was defined as agreement > 80% among participants. Potential experienced RAS rectopexy surgeons were identified using PubMed where authors of studies reporting outcomes from RAS rectopexy were searched and invited. Results: Twenty surgeons participated from the following countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, and USA. Participants had median operative experience of 75 (range 20–450) rectopexies (all techniques) and 11(range 0–300) robotic-rectopexies for all indications. All participants agreed that patient-reported functional outcomes and improved quality-of-life were the most important outcomes following rectopexy. Participants agreed the most significant benefits offered by RAS for rectopexy were improved precision due to better visualisation (80%), improved dexterity (90%) and improved overall accuracy e.g., for suture placement (90%). Ninety percent agreed that the superior ergonomics of RAS rectopexy improved their performance on several steps of the operation, in particular: mesh fixation (85%) and rectovaginal dissection (80%). Consensus on the learning curve for RAS abdominal rectopexy was not achieved: forty-five percent (n = 9) reported the learning curve as 11–20 cases and 55% (n = 11) as 21–30 cases. Conclusions: A panel of surgeons who had published on RAS view that it positively improves performance of rectopexy in terms of technical skills, improved dexterity and visualisation and ergonomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of optimized trigger threshold on 40-keV pancreatic phase images acquired with a dual-energy CT (DECT) protocol.A cohort of 69 consecutive participants (median age, 72 years) undergoing a pancreatic protocol DECT examination between September to December 2021 were prospectively randomized into two protocols: conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU (Group A, n = 34) and optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU (Group B, n = 35). Pancreatic phase image acquisition was performed with fixed delay of 20 s from the trigger threshold. Two radiologists assessed the 40-keV pancreatic phase images for scan timing adequacy using a binary scale (adequate or inadequate). The proportions of these classifications were compared in the two groups using the Fisher’s test.The median times to achieve the aortic attenuation of 30 HU and 100 HU were 16.3 s and 22.3 s in Group A, respectively, and was 17.8 s for 30 HU in Group B. The median time difference from 30 HU to 100 HU was 4.5 s in Group A. The scan timing adequacies of pancreatic phase images were classified as adequate (50.0% and 74.3%) or inadequate (50.0% and 25.7%) in Group A and Group B (P = 0.049).An optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU allows consistent acquisition of adequate pancreatic phase images compared to the conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU for pancreatic protocol DECT at 40-keV which might lead to improved pancreatic lesion conspicuity.Methods: To evaluate the impact of optimized trigger threshold on 40-keV pancreatic phase images acquired with a dual-energy CT (DECT) protocol.A cohort of 69 consecutive participants (median age, 72 years) undergoing a pancreatic protocol DECT examination between September to December 2021 were prospectively randomized into two protocols: conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU (Group A, n = 34) and optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU (Group B, n = 35). Pancreatic phase image acquisition was performed with fixed delay of 20 s from the trigger threshold. Two radiologists assessed the 40-keV pancreatic phase images for scan timing adequacy using a binary scale (adequate or inadequate). The proportions of these classifications were compared in the two groups using the Fisher’s test.The median times to achieve the aortic attenuation of 30 HU and 100 HU were 16.3 s and 22.3 s in Group A, respectively, and was 17.8 s for 30 HU in Group B. The median time difference from 30 HU to 100 HU was 4.5 s in Group A. The scan timing adequacies of pancreatic phase images were classified as adequate (50.0% and 74.3%) or inadequate (50.0% and 25.7%) in Group A and Group B (P = 0.049).An optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU allows consistent acquisition of adequate pancreatic phase images compared to the conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU for pancreatic protocol DECT at 40-keV which might lead to improved pancreatic lesion conspicuity.Results: To evaluate the impact of optimized trigger threshold on 40-keV pancreatic phase images acquired with a dual-energy CT (DECT) protocol.A cohort of 69 consecutive participants (median age, 72 years) undergoing a pancreatic protocol DECT examination between September to December 2021 were prospectively randomized into two protocols: conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU (Group A, n = 34) and optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU (Group B, n = 35). Pancreatic phase image acquisition was performed with fixed delay of 20 s from the trigger threshold. Two radiologists assessed the 40-keV pancreatic phase images for scan timing adequacy using a binary scale (adequate or inadequate). The proportions of these classifications were compared in the two groups using the Fisher’s test.The median times to achieve the aortic attenuation of 30 HU and 100 HU were 16.3 s and 22.3 s in Group A, respectively, and was 17.8 s for 30 HU in Group B. The median time difference from 30 HU to 100 HU was 4.5 s in Group A. The scan timing adequacies of pancreatic phase images were classified as adequate (50.0% and 74.3%) or inadequate (50.0% and 25.7%) in Group A and Group B (P = 0.049).An optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU allows consistent acquisition of adequate pancreatic phase images compared to the conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU for pancreatic protocol DECT at 40-keV which might lead to improved pancreatic lesion conspicuity.Conclusion: To evaluate the impact of optimized trigger threshold on 40-keV pancreatic phase images acquired with a dual-energy CT (DECT) protocol.A cohort of 69 consecutive participants (median age, 72 years) undergoing a pancreatic protocol DECT examination between September to December 2021 were prospectively randomized into two protocols: conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU (Group A, n = 34) and optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU (Group B, n = 35). Pancreatic phase image acquisition was performed with fixed delay of 20 s from the trigger threshold. Two radiologists assessed the 40-keV pancreatic phase images for scan timing adequacy using a binary scale (adequate or inadequate). The proportions of these classifications were compared in the two groups using the Fisher’s test.The median times to achieve the aortic attenuation of 30 HU and 100 HU were 16.3 s and 22.3 s in Group A, respectively, and was 17.8 s for 30 HU in Group B. The median time difference from 30 HU to 100 HU was 4.5 s in Group A. The scan timing adequacies of pancreatic phase images were classified as adequate (50.0% and 74.3%) or inadequate (50.0% and 25.7%) in Group A and Group B (P = 0.049).An optimized trigger threshold of 30 HU allows consistent acquisition of adequate pancreatic phase images compared to the conventional trigger threshold of 100 HU for pancreatic protocol DECT at 40-keV which might lead to improved pancreatic lesion conspicuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It is important to fully automate the evaluation of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced arterial phase images because the efficient quantification of transient severe motion artifacts can be used in a variety of applications. Our study proposes a fully automatic evaluation method of motion artifacts during the arterial phase of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced MR imaging. Methods: The proposed method was based on the construction of quality‐aware features to represent the motion artifact using MR image statistics and multidirectional filtered coefficients. Using the quality‐aware features, the method calculated quantitative quality scores of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced images fully automatically. The performance of our proposed method, as well as two other methods, was acquired by correlating scores against subjective scores from radiologists based on the 5‐point scale and binary evaluation. The subjective scores evaluated by two radiologists were severity scores of motion artifacts in the evaluation set on a scale of 1 (no motion artifacts) to 5 (severe motion artifacts). Results: Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (PLCC) and Spearman's rank–ordered correlation coefficient (SROCC) values of our proposed method against the subjective scores were 0.9036 and 0.9057, respectively, whereas the PLCC values of two other methods were 0.6525 and 0.8243, and the SROCC values were 0.6070 and 0.8348. Also, in terms of binary quantification of transient severe respiratory motion, the proposed method achieved 0.9310 sensitivity, 0.9048 specificity, and 0.9200 accuracy, whereas the other two methods achieved 0.7586, 0.8996 sensitivities, 0.8098, 0.8905 specificities, and 0.9200, 0.9048 accuracies Conclusions: This study demonstrated the high performance of the proposed automatic quantification method in evaluating transient severe motion artifacts in arterial phase images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a search for binary hot subdwarf stars in photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The sample of objects used in this work was a byproduct of another search for pulsating hot subdwarfs, which resulted in the discovery of nearly 400 non-pulsating variable candidates. The periodogram for each object was calculated and a frequency signal with one or more harmonics above the 4 σ detection threshold was used to consider the candidate as a possible binary system. The type of variability was subsequently confirmed by visual inspection. We present a list of 46 binary system candidates that were not previously known as binaries. We also analysed a few example light curves to demonstrate the importance of double checking the variability of the source in the TESS light curves corrected for instrumental signatures. Four objects, TIC 55753808, TIC 118412596, TIC 4999380, and TIC 68834079, which show variations in the TESS -calibrated fluxes, were actually found to be constant. We also found that it might be more appropriate to increase the commonly used  4σ detection threshold in order to avoid the detection of multiple spurious peaks in the periodograms or Fourier transform of the TESS light curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by a longitudinal oral health study, the Signal-Tandmobiel® study, an inhomogeneous mixed hidden Markov model with continuous state-space is proposed to explain the caries disease process in children between 6 and 12 years of age. The binary caries experience outcomes are subject to misclassification. We modelled this misclassification process via a longitudinal latent continuous response subject to a measurement error process and showing a monotone behaviour. The baseline distributions of the unobservable continuous processes are defined as a function of the covariates through the specification of conditional distributions making use of the Markov property. In addition, random effects are considered to model the relationships among the multivariate responses. Our approach is in contrast with a previous approach working on the binary outcome scale. This method requires conditional independence of the possibly corrupted binary outcomes on the true binary outcomes. We assumed conditional independence on the latent scale, which is a weaker assumption than conditional independence on the binary scale. The aim of this article is therefore to show the properties of a model for a progressive longitudinal response with misclassification on the manifest scale but modelled on the latent scale. The model parameters are estimated in a Bayesian way using an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The model performance is shown through a simulation-based example, and the analysis of the motivating dataset is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We suggest that the vigorous core convection during core helium flash on the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) of low-mass stars excites waves that carry energy to the envelope and inflate it for few years to increase the number of extreme horizontal branch (EHB; sdB and sdO) stars with masses of |$\simeq 0.47 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$| with respect to canonical binary evolution. Using the open-source mesa-binary , we follow the evolution of a number of eccentric binary systems with an initial primary stellar mass of |$1.6 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠. The energy that the waves carry to the envelope leads to envelope expansion at the tip of the RGB. The inflated RGB star engulfs many secondary stars to start a CEE that otherwise would not occur. If the secondary star manages to remove most of the RGB envelope the primary evolves to become an EHB star with a mass of |$\simeq 0.47 \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠. However, we expect that in most cases the secondary star does not have time to spiral-in to close orbits. It rather ends at a large orbit and leaves a massive enough envelope for the primary star to later evolve along the asymptotic giant branch and to engulf the secondary star, therefore forming a non-spherical planetary nebula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of optimal redundancy allocation in hybrid structure large binary systems. Two aspects of optimization are considered: (1) maximizing the reliability of the system under the cost constraint, and (2) obtaining the necessary reliability at a minimum cost. The complex binary system considered in this work is composed of many subsystems with redundant structure. To cover most of the cases encountered in practice, the following kinds of redundancy are considered: active redundancy, passive redundancy, hybrid standby redundancy with a hot or warm reserve and possibly other cold ones, triple modular redundancy (TMR) structure with control facilities and cold spare components, static redundancy: triple modular redundancy or 5-modular redundancy (5MR), TMR/Simplex with cold standby redundancy, and TMR/Duplex with cold standby redundancy. A classic evolutionary algorithm highlights the complexity of this optimization problem. To master the complexity of this problem, two fundamentally different optimization methods are proposed: an improved evolutionary algorithm and a zero-one integer programming formulation. To speed up the search process, a lower bound is determined first. The paper highlights the difficulty of these optimization problems for large systems and, based on numerical results, shows the effectiveness of zero-one integer programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, combined with previous assessments of the Ag-Cu, Ag-Sn and Cu-Sn binary systems, thermodynamic modeling of the Ag-Cu-Sn ternary system was performed using the CALPHAD method using the reported phase diagram data and thermodynamic data. The solution phases including Liquid, fcc, bcc, hcp, bct(Sn) and diamond(Sn) were modeled as substitutional solutions and their excess Gibbs energies were expressed by the Redlich–Kister–Muggianu polynomial. The solubility of the third element in binary intermetallic compounds was not taken into account due to the fact that ternary solubilities for most of the binary compounds are not significant. Thermodynamic properties of liquid alloys, liquidus projection, several vertical sections and isothermal sections were calculated, which were in reasonable agreement with the reported experimental data. Finally, a set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters formulating the Gibbs energies of various phases in the Ag-Cu-Sn ternary system was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The development difference of scaling off on the sunward side and nightside of earthen sites was revealed. • The new indicators of salt migration gradient (SMG) and normalized shrinkage rate (NSR) were proposed. • The mechanism of salt difference and heterogeneous shrinkage on different building orientations were indicated. • Environmental monitoring was comprehensively analysed to explain the development difference of scaling off on different building orientations. Scaling off is one of the most representative deterioration types of earthen sites, severely causing their damage with a characteristic binary structure consisting of the crusted and loose layers. Exploring the development cause of scaling off is the key premise for targeted protection of earthen sites. Thus far, numerous researchers focused on environmental and rammed earth factors; however, the development difference of scaling off on different building orientations has not been studied. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the development difference of scaling off on the sunward side and nightside of earthen sites. In this study, 15 earthen sites situated in NW, China, are chosen and the scaling off is investigated in the field to collect characteristic values of the binary structure of scaling off on two sides of the wall. Subsequently, the previous built-up evaluation system is applied to calculate the development degree of scaling off to show its discrepancy rate (DR) on distinct building orientations. Additionally, the samples of rammed earth in different layers are collected and indoor geotechnical tests are performed to obtain the evaluation indicators. Combined with the binary structure and rammed earth properties, the salt differentiation and heterogeneous shrinkage of soils in different layers are quantificationally reflected. Finally, the temperature and humidity of three representative earthen sites are monitored for 24 h after rainfall. By analysing the environmental change, the greater amplitude of environmental change for the sunward side is found; this is an important driving force for salt migration, which leads to the difference in binary structures. This study reveals the development difference of scaling off on the sunward side and nightside from the quantitative perspective, which supplements current research contents on characteristics and mechanism of earthen sites deteriorations, beneficial to their further protection work. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—Two classical theories of synchronization of main-sequence components in binary systems developed by J.P. Zahn and J.-L. Tassoul are considered. These two theories predict significantly different synchronization time scales. Within the framework of this study, the times and probabilities of synchronization for a set of O–G-type model stars are estimated and compared with the results based on recent observational data from the catalog of detached eclipsing binaries by G. Torres. For each of the catalog objects, the maximum period of axial rotation is computed and compared with the known orbital period. A conclusion about the synchronization of each of the systems is then made based on the above theoretical estimates. Zahn's theory, which yields longer synchronization time scales, is found to describe the observational data better than Tassoul's theory. The results of this analysis will be useful for estimating the probability of synchronization in binary systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic staff owe a duty of fidelity to uphold institutional standards of integrity. They also have their own values and conceptions of integrity as well as personal responsibilities and commitments. The question of how academic practitioners address or reconcile conflicting values and responsibilities has been underexplored in the literature. Before we can examine effectiveness of academic integrity strategies and develop best practices, we need to examine the breadth of integrity decisions. To this end we posited the academic integrity problem as a set of seven dilemmas and presented them to post-secondary education staff (N = 80) located in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia. We asked the participants to recommend a solution to each dilemma. This yielded a modest sample of 498 themes across 30 categories. We expected the responses to fall on a binary scale where decisions either support the integrity or ignore it. However, the data suggests that academic integrity decisions are better suited to continuum where participants aim to reconcile personal and institutional obligations. We further argue that academic integrity decisions are predicated on personal experience and therefore pose a challenge for policy standardization and enforcement. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A construction of binary sequences with period 4N and optimal autocorrelation magnitude has been investigated based on sampling and interleaving technique. We determine the exact value of the linear complexity of the constructed sequences according to the deep relationship among the characteristic polynomials, and show it is 2N + 2. Moreover, we determine the 2-adic complexity of these sequences by the autocorrelation function, and show it can attain the maximum value. Results show that such sequences can resist both the Berlekamp-Massey attack and the Rational Approximation Algorithm, in addition are good for communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose some second-order stabilized semi-implicit methods for solving the Allen-Cahn-Ohta-Kawasaki and the Allen-Cahn-Ohta-Nakazawa equations. In the numerical methods, some nonlocal linear stabilizing terms are introduced and treated implicitly with other linear terms, while other nonlinear and nonlocal terms are treated explicitly. We consider two different forms of such stabilizers and compare the difference regarding the energy stability. The spatial discretization is performed by the Fourier collocation method with FFT-based fast implementations. Numerically, we verify the second order temporal convergence rate of the proposed schemes. In both binary and ternary systems, the coarsening dynamics is visualized as bubble assemblies in hexagonal or square patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out in the frame of the optimization of the synthesis process of 1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (TMTZ), a prospective liquid propellant. The liquid–liquid (LL) equilibria of the TMTZ + H2O binary system were studied under atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range from 278.15 up to 348.15 K. These results established the conditions leading to a spontaneous demixing of TMTZ from the aqueous synthesis solutions. The experimental study of the liquid–vapor (LV) equilibria of the TMTZ + H2O system using DSC, under atmospheric pressure, highlighted the various equilibrium domains involved in the distillation step. Besides, a heteroazeotropic invariant was identified at TH = 366.3 K for x (TMTZ) = 0.254. Lastly, the thermodynamic modeling of those equilibria, using various models (Van Laar, NRTL, Wilson), enabled to improve the experimental results in order to enhance the extraction conditions leading to the production of ultra-pure TMTZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is also known, and it is practically shown that the use of a unposition number system in residual classes (RNS) allows you to drastically increase the speed of the computer system (CS). There are various approaches and difficulties regarding to the assessment of the reliability of the CS in RNS. So, the existing options of mathematical models do not always satisfy a comprehensive assessment of the reliability of the CS in RNS. The variant of mathematical model of reliability of CS, that functions in RNS, is considered in the article, based on the use of a mathematical model of structural sliding backup in the case of a loaded mode of operation of the backup elements, which is used in the positional binary number system (PBNS). A calculation and comparative security of the trooped computing structure (TCS) analysis was carried out in PBNS with an ideal majority element and the CS in RNS with an ideal reliability machine. The results of analysis showed the following. At the initial stage of the functioning of computational systems, reliability, by probability of trouble-free operation, the CS in RNS with two control bases above the reliability of the trooked positional computing structure, widely used in the PDS and with a smaller addition of an additional equipment insertion. It supposes the effective use of RNS for the increase of reliability of CS and computing devices on the initial stage of their functioning. For example, for the increase of reliability the practical use of unposition code structures is possible in RNS in the side digital calculable complexes of ballistic rockets and in the computing devices of pilotless aircrafts of brief action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The binary scaling law is a classical similarity law used in analysing hypersonic flow fields. The objective of this study is to investigate the applicability of the binary scaling law in thermochemical non-equilibrium airflow. Dimensional analysis of vibrational and electron–electronic energy conservation equations was employed to explore the theoretical reasons for the failure of the binary scaling law. Numerical simulation based on a multi-temperature model (translational–rotational temperature T, electron–electronic excitation temperature Te and the vibrational temperatures of O2 and N2, TvO2 and TvN2 ) with two chemical models (the Gupta model and the Park model) was adopted to study the accuracy of the binary scaling law for electron distribution at high altitude with extremely high Mach number. The results of theoretical analysis indicate that the three-body collision reactions and the translation–electron energy exchange from collisions between electrons and ions, Qt−e_ions, can cause the failure of the binary scaling law. The results of numerical simulation show that the electron-impact ionization reactions are the main reasons for the invalidation of the binary scaling law for electron distribution at high altitude with high Mach number. With an increase of free-stream Mach number, the negative effect on the binary scaling law caused by Qt−e_ions cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase equilibria in the Sm-Co-Ti ternary system are very important for the design of high temperature Sm-Co-based permanent magnets. The isothermal sections in the Sm-Co-Ti ternary system at 1073 K and 773 K were determined using diffusion couples and equilibrated alloys by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electronic probe microanalysis (EPMA) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The ternary intermetallic compound SmTixCo12−x (τ) with a ThMn12-type structure was confirmed to be stable at 1073 K and 773 K. The composition range of this ternary compound was determined from 9.3 to 17.5 at.% Ti at 1073 K and from 9.4 to 15.6 at.% Ti at 773 K, respectively. SmCo7 compound with a TbCu7-type structure that is a metastable phase in the Sm-Co binary system was found to be stable at 773 K in the Sm-Co-Ti ternary system due to the substitution of Co by Ti, while it was not found at 1073 K. The maximum solubility of Ti in SmCo7 compound was measured to be about 3.2 at.% at 773 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An equation for the surface tension isotherm is proposed. This equation is applied to calculate the isotherms of surface properties of binary metallic systems of p-metals. It is shown that, as in the case of binary systems of alkali metals, the proposed equation makes it possible to describe the isotherms of surface tension, adsorption, and surface concentrations with high accuracy in the entire concentration range, regardless of the degree of ideality of the system. It has been established that information on the surface tension of pure components and two melts of certain compositions is sufficient for calculating the surface characteristics and parameters of binary systems. For binary systems of ideal and regular solutions, good agreement is obtained between the results of calculations by the proposed and traditional methods, while for systems that are far from ideal, there is a significant discrepancy between the results, which the authors attribute to obtaining more accurate results by the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that binary words containing no k consecutive 1s are enumerated by k-step Fibonacci numbers. In this note we discuss the expected value of a random bit in a random word of length n having this property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SAFT‐γ Mie model is a recent version of statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT), which uses a group contribution approach to obtain a high‐quality equation of state. In this work, this model is, for the first time, extended to ionic liquids (ILs). The SAFT‐γ Mie calculated values agree well with the experimental data for one‐component, binary and ternary systems that contain ILs, thus indicating the versatility and accuracy of this extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel technique to approximate a given continuous function f defined on a real compact interval by a new class of zipper α -fractal functions which contain a scaling vector and a binary vector or signature. For specific choices of scaling and signature vectors, the corresponding zipper fractal functions simultaneously interpolate and approximate f. When signature is zero, the proposed zipper fractal functions coincide with existing α -fractal functions. Hence, the zipper approximation proposed in this manuscript generalizes the existing fractal and classical approximations. Zipper fractal analogue of some elementary results in the classical approximation theory are obtained. Using convex optimization technique, we investigate the existence of optimal zipper fractal function for a given continuous function. The parameter identification problems for zipper α -fractal approximants are investigated. We derive sufficient conditions on the parameters of zipper α -fractal functions so that these functions preserve the positivity, monotonicity and convexity of the original function f. Also, we have studied the constructions of k-times continuously differentiable zipper α -fractal functions and one sided zipper fractal approximants for f. Numerical illustrations are provided to support the proposed theoretical results on zipper α -fractal functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Values of the fifth virial coefficient, compressibility factors, and fluid-fluid coexistence curves of binary asymmetric nonadditive mixtures of hard disks are reported. The former correspond to a wide range of size ratios and positive nonadditivities and have been obtained through a standard Monte Carlo method for the computation of the corresponding cluster integrals. The compressibility factors as functions of density, derived from canonical Monte Carlo simulations, have been obtained for two values of the size ratio (q = 0.4 and q = 0.5), a value of the nonadditivity parameter (Δ = 0.3), and five values of the mole fraction of the species with the biggest diameter (x1 = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9). Some points of the coexistence line relative to the fluid-fluid phase transition for the same values of the size ratios and nonadditivity parameter have been obtained from Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. A comparison is made between the numerical results and those that follow from some theoretical equations of state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catch-and-release angling is a popular recreational activity that has been shown to have impacts on fish welfare. Angler behaviour (e.g., choice of gear type, handling time) and environmental conditions (e.g., water temperature) during angling events have been documented to influence fish condition and post-release survival. This is particularly true for air exposure duration and water temperature, which are known as two of the most significant determinants of the fate of released fish. Here, Rainbow Trout (RBT; Oncorhynchus mykiss) were angled and air exposed for a random duration of time ranging between 0 and 120 seconds across a range of water temperatures (12–26°C). Reflex impairment was assessed on a binary scale using vestibular-ocular response, burst swimming response, and ability to return to equilibrium as indicators. Dehooking time and fight duration of angling events were also recorded. Our results revealed a positive relationship between total reflex impairment and water temperature, air exposure, dehooking time, and body size (total length). At the warmest water temperatures, reflex impairment was consistently high even for fish exposed to air for mere seconds regardless of other angling behaviours. At cooler water temperatures and air exposure times greater than ∼70 seconds, reflex impairment levels were moderately high. When water temperatures were relatively cool and air exposure times were shorter (>70 seconds) reflex impairment was moderate. Based on these results, we suggest anglers targeting RBT during warm-water periods minimize overall handling time and air exposure, or avoid targeting RBT altogether. These best practices should help improve fish welfare and post-release survival. • Catch-and-release angling is a popular activity with welfare implications for trout. • Post-release impairments of trout are influenced by angler behaviour and environment. • Rainbow trout suffer greater impairments when water temperatures are warmer. • Prolonged air exposure from handling also causes greater impairment in angled trout. • These concerns can be mitigated by improving angler handling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plaskett's 'star' appears to be one of a small number of short-period binary systems known to contain a hot, massive, magnetic star. We combine an extensive spectropolarimetric (Stokes V) data set with archival photometry and spectropolarimetry to establish the essential characteristics of the magnetic field and magnetosphere of the rapidly rotating, broad-line component of the system. We apply least-squares deconvolution (LSD) to infer the longitudinal magnetic field from each Stokes V spectrum. Using the time series of longitudinal field measurements, in combination with CoRoT photometry and equivalent width measurements of magnetospheric spectral lines, we infer the rotation period of the magnetic star to be equal to |$1.21551^{+0.00028}_{-0.00034}$|  d. Modelling the Stokes V LSD profiles with Zeeman–Doppler Imaging, we produce the first reliable magnetic map of an O-type star. We find a magnetic field that is predominantly dipolar, with an obliquity near 90° and a polar strength of about 850 G. We update the calculations of the theoretical magnetospheric parameters, and in agreement with their predictions we identify clear variability signatures of the H α, H β, and He  ii  λ4686 lines confirming the presence of a dense centrifugal magnetosphere surrounding the star. Finally, we report a lack of detection of radial velocity (RV) variations of the observed Stokes V profiles, suggesting that historical reports of the large RV variations of the broad-line star's spectral lines may be spurious. This discovery may motivate a fundamental revision of the historical model of the Plaskett's star as a near-equal mass O + O binary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Lesion number and burden can predict the long-term outcome of multiple sclerosis, while the localization of the lesions is also a good predictive marker of disease progression. These biomarkers are used in studies and in clinical practice, but the reproducibility of lesion count is not well-known. Methods: In total, five raters evaluated T2 hyperintense lesions in 140 patients with multiple sclerosis in six localizations: periventricular, juxtacortical, deep white matter, infratentorial, spinal cord, and optic nerve. Black holes on T1-weighted images and brain atrophy were subjectively measured on a binary scale. Reproducibility was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). ICCs were also calculated for the four most accurate raters to see how one outlier can influence the results. Results: Overall, moderate reproducibility (ICC 0.5–0.75) was shown, which did not improve considerably when the most divergent rater was excluded. The areas that produced the worst results were the optic nerve region (ICC: 0.118) and atrophy judgment (ICC: 0.364). Comparing high- and low-lesion burdens in each region revealed that the ICC is higher when the lesion count is in the mid-range. In the periventricular and deep white matter area, where lesions are common, higher ICC was found in patients who had a lower lesion count. On the other hand, juxtacortical lesions and black holes that are less common showed higher ICC when the subjects had more lesions. This difference was significant in the juxtacortical region when the most accurate raters compared patients with low (ICC: 0.406 CI: 0.273–0.546) and high (0.702 CI: 0.603–0.785) lesion loads. Conclusion: Lesion classification showed high variability by location and overall moderate reproducibility. The excellent range was not achieved, owing to the fact that some areas showed poor performance. Hence, putting effort toward the development of artificial intelligence for the evaluation of lesion burden should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A methodology, based on the Gibbs‐Duhem equation, is developed to study the thermodynamic consistency of liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data. The method proposes evaluating the experimental data in two ways: (a) integral‐form, verifying dependences among variables in the same phase, both for temperatures: T̂j=κTεT,j0−Tj,exp−Tj,cal, and compositions: x̂1,jJ=κxεx1J,j0−x1,j,expJ−x1,j,calJ, and (b) differential‐form, which validates relationships between the compositions of each phase by ζ̂j=κζεζ,j0−ζj,exp−ζj,cal. A coverage factor κ is introduced in both approaches to define the degree of confidence of the evaluation using a database (T, x1I,x1II) of 50 binary systems to define the limits of inconsistency. With κ = 3, more than 60% of the set is accepted (κ > 3 falls to 38%) providing a guarantee of quality for LLE data. The results show that the consistency test can detect errors in the set {data + model} under study, although the absence of a reference state for the LLE gives the model a limited sensitivity to systematic errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Mustansiriya Journal of Arts is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Systematic reviews and meta-analysis of time-to-event outcomes are frequently published within the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR). However, these outcomes are handled differently across meta-analyses. They can be analysed on the hazard ratio (HR) scale or can be dichotomized and analysed as binary outcomes using effect measures such as odds ratios (OR) or risk ratios (RR). We investigated the impact of reanalysing meta-analyses from the CDSR that used these different effect measures. Methods: We extracted two types of meta-analysis data from the CDSR: either recorded in a binary form only ("binary"), or in binary form together with observed minus expected and variance statistics ("OEV"). We explored how results for time-to-event outcomes originally analysed as "binary" change when analysed using the complementary log–log (clog-log) link on a HR scale. For the data originally analysed as HRs ("OEV"), we compared these results to analysing them as binary on a HR scale using the clog-log link or using a logit link on an OR scale. Results: The pooled HR estimates were closer to 1 than the OR estimates in the majority of meta-analyses. Important differences in between-study heterogeneity between the HR and OR analyses were also observed. These changes led to discrepant conclusions between the OR and HR scales in some meta-analyses. Situations under which the clog-log link performed better than logit link and vice versa were apparent, indicating that the correct choice of the method does matter. Differences between scales arise mainly when event probability is high and may occur via differences in between-study heterogeneity or via increased within-study standard error in the OR relative to the HR analyses. Conclusions: We identified that dichotomising time-to-event outcomes may be adequate for low event probabilities but not for high event probabilities. In meta-analyses where only binary data are available, the complementary log–log link may be a useful alternative when analysing time-to-event outcomes as binary, however the exact conditions need further exploration. These findings provide guidance on the appropriate methodology that should be used when conducting such meta-analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prehospital identification of large vessel occlusion (LVO) holds significant potential to decrease the onset‐to‐treatment time. Several prehospital scales have been developed to identify LVO but data on their comparison has been limited. The aim of this study was to review the currently available prehospital LVO scales and compare their performance using prehospital data. Methods: All patients transported by ambulance using stroke code on a six‐month period were enrolled into the study. The prehospital patient reports were retrospectively evaluated by two investigators using sixteen LVO scales identified by literature search and expert opinion. After the evaluation, the computed tomography angiography results were reviewed by a neuroradiologist to confirm or exclude LVO. Results: Sixteen different LVO scales met the predetermined study criteria and were selected for further comparison. Using them, a total of 610 evaluations were registered. The sensitivity of the scales varied between 8%–73%, specificity between 71%–97% and overall accuracy between 71%–87%. The areas under curve (AUC) varied between 0.61–0.80 for the whole scale range and 0.53%–0.74 for the scales' binary cut‐offs. The Field Assessment Stroke Triage for Emergency Destination (FAST‐ED) was the only scale with AUC > 0.8. Regarding scales' binary cut‐offs, The FAST‐ED (0.70), Gaze – Face Arm Speech Time (G‐FAST) (0.74) and Emergency Medical Stroke Assessment (EMSA) (0.72) were the only scales with AUC > 0.7. Conclusions: In a comparison of 16 different LVO scales, the FAST‐ED, G‐FAST and EMSA achieved the highest overall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-mass microquasar jets, produced in an accreting compact object in orbit around a massive star, must cross a region filled with stellar wind. The combined effects of the wind and orbital motion can strongly affect the jet properties on binary scales and beyond. The study of such effects can shed light on how high-mass microquasar jets propagate and terminate in the interstellar medium. We study for the first time, using relativistic hydrodynamical simulations, the combined impact of the stellar wind and orbital motion on the properties of high-mass microquasar jets on binary scales and beyond. We have performed 3-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamic simulations, using the PLUTO code, of a microquasar scenario in which a strong weakly relativistic wind from a star interacts with a relativistic jet under the effect of the binary orbital motion. The parameters of the orbit are chosen such that the results can provide insight on the jet-wind interaction in compact systems like for instance Cyg X-1 or Cyg X-3. The wind and jet momentum rates are set to values that may be realistic for these sources and lead to moderate jet bending, which together with the close orbit and jet instabilities could trigger significant jet precession and disruption. For high-mass microquasars with orbit size a ∼ 0.1 AU, and (relativistic) jet power |$L_j\sim 10^{37}(\dot{M}_w/10^{-6}\, {\rm M}_\odot \, {\rm yr}^{-1})$|  erg s−1, where |$\dot{M}_w$| is the stellar wind mass rate, the combined effects of the stellar wind and orbital motion can induce relativistic jet disruption on scales ∼1 AU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing regulatory and hospital focus on patient experience and patient satisfaction is evidenced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implementation of Hospital Value-Based Purchasing and by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones. However, there is a paucity of data examining the education and evaluation of emergency medicine residents' nontechnical skills (eg, communication and situational awareness) as they relate to patient interactions. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a nontechnical skills rating tool with emergency medicine residents during their interactions with patients. Methods: As part of the educational initiative, the authors consulted with a hospitality training and measurement company, the Freeman Group, that developed and trained faculty on the use of an observational tool to assess physicians'nontechnical skills. Nontechnical skills were assessed in 4 domains designated by the acronym C.A.R.E.: connect with the patient, adjust the interaction to meet patient needs, resolve patient requests, and empathize with the patient. Faculty observed emergency medicine residents as they interacted clinically with patients in the emergency department and rated them on a binary scale: acceptable or unacceptable. Results: Thirty-four of 36 residents were observed. Our study demonstrates that the residents performed very well on domains of empathy, adjusting to patients' knowledge, and resolving requests. However, residents' abilities to customize conversations to patients (eg, addressing patients appropriately and establishing and maintaining rapport) were rated as unacceptable 31% of the time. Conclusion: Overall, residents performed well on most aspects of nontechnical skills observed during their interactions with patients. However, even when residents were mindful of faculty observing nontechnical skills, they performed unacceptably in their communication with patients in approximately one-third of the interactions. This study provides important insight into non-technical skill areas that may be influenced with intervention to improve patient interactions, and ultimately, influence patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of vocal education, the most common pedagogical resource tends to be the verbal exchange between teacher and student. It is often difficult, however, for the participants to select the terms to be used in this discourse, as the concepts expressed are often complex and open to varying interpretations. The aim of this research is to attempt to form a consensus on some of these concepts in order to use them to build a scale to assess the quality of the lyrical singing voice. After several months of internal debate among the authors, multiple potential versions of the scale were developed and then distributed in the form of a questionnaire to 22 experts in the field in order to gather their input and create the most reliable possible scale. Finally, a smaller discussion was held with seven participants and key investigators. The final scale was then configured by defining 12 parameters, with the construction of visually perceptual scale featuring binary oppositions of adjectives divided into 10 sections. This scale that resulted from this process is considered a valid instrument for the perceptual assessment of the lyrical singing voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new analytical approach to the calculation of a massive white dwarf's characteristics with axial rotation based on the Chandrasekhar model. The defining feature of our approach is the simultaneous usage of the differential and integral forms of the equilibrium equation. In the dimensionless form, the different equilibrium equation is a strongly non-linear inhomogeneous equation of the second order in partial derivatives, which contains two dimensionless parameters the relativistic parameter in stellar center x0 and dimensionless angular velocity Ω. In the dwarf's interior, the rotation is taken into account as perturbation in the linear approximation for Ω 2 . In the peripheral region, the rotation is considered to be the main factor. The use of the integral equation ensures correct calculation of integration constants. The dwarf's mass, moment of inertia relative to the axis of rotation, equatorial and polar radii, the acceleration of free fall at the equator in the region 1 ≤ x0 ≤ 24, 0 ≤ Ω < Ωmax(x0) were calculated based on the solution of the equilibrium equation. For the first time, the total energy of the dwarf was calculated as a function of these parameters. Using the extrapolation method, we calculated the maximal values Ωmax(x0), as well as the angular velocity ωmax(x0). The calculation results for the mass and the equatorial radius are in good agreement with the results of the work [R. A. James, Astrophys. J. 140, 552 (1964)], which are based on the numerical calculation of the equilibrium equation for dwarfs of small and intermediate masses (0.5 ≤ x0 ≤ 6.245). Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the ranges for the mass of a rotating dwarf and its total energy. The influence of the Coulomb interparticle interactions causes a decrease in the pressure of the degenerate electron subsystem and, consequently, a decrease in the maximal mass of the dwarf without rotation (see [I. W. Roxburgh, Z. Astrophys. 62, 134 (1965)]). It means that the massive dwarfs in binary systems rotate with velocities close to ωmax(x0). Among the field white dwarfs of intermediate masses, there are also some where rotation plays a significant role. The proposed approach allows the estimation of the angular velocity for specific observed white dwarfs according to their masses and radii. However, it requires a more accurate description of the white dwarfs without rotation in a zero approximation model; instead of the Chandrasekhar model, another model should be used, which takes into account interparticle interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cases where the claims of different groups of people compete, the Relevance View occupies a middle ground between aggregation and nonaggregation. It allows weaker claims to aggregate to outweigh a stronger claim just when the competing claims, compared pairwise, are sufficiently close in strength. The view has strong intuitive appeal when applied to simple binary choices, but I argue that attempts to extend it to nonbinary choices have been unsuccessful. I propose a new extension of the Relevance View to nonbinary choices based on a "binary contrastive" account of the moral reasons that obtain in the cases of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that it is possible to understand the key features of the gravitational waves emitted by coalescing binary systems from the concepts of fundamental physics. We utilize no more then the contents typically covered in introductory courses on mechanics and electromagnetism that are common to all STEM undergraduate programs. We meticulously deduce the equations required to comprehend the results announced in the paper by the LIGO Collaboration for the event GW150914. Our quantitative description is at least of order of magnitude accurate. We estimate the chirp mass of the coalescing black holes, the total mass of the system, the individual black hole masses, the size of the binary system, and the distance from the Earth to the black holes of the event GW150914. These estimates are performed by utilizing the available data for the amplitude of the gravitational waves, the frequency at the beginning of the inspiral phase, the chirp frequency, and the time until coalescence. In order to illustrate the power of our approach, we apply our quantitative analysis to the first ten gravitational waves detections announced by the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration from February 12, 2016 (discovery event) until June 20, 2020 (event GW190814). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No thermodynamic description was performed for the Co-Mg binary system according to literature review. Consequently, this binary system has been investigated by means of CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) approach in the present work. The experimental phase diagram and thermodynamic data available in the literature were critically assessed. Based on the reliable literature data, a new set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters for the Co-Mg system is obtained. The calculated results agree well with the experimental data from the literature, indicating the reasonability of the present thermodynamic optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the notion of a magic pair of digits in a number system with an arbitrary basis b, and we study its equivalent definitions. In particular, we determine all pairs of magic digits in decimal, octal, hexadecimal, and binary number system. We use magic pairs of digits to derive a new multiplication formula. In the end, we give an application of a well-known formula related to magic pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss initial value problems for time evolution equations in one dimensional space which are expressed by the lattice operators and propose some new equations to which complexity of solutions is of polynomial class. Novel type of expressions using shift operators and binary trees are applied for the derivation of solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sample compression schemes were defined by Littlestone and Warmuth (1986) as an abstraction of the structure underlying many learning algorithms. Roughly speaking, a sample compression scheme of size k means that given an arbitrary list of labeled examples, one can retain only k of them in a way that allows us to recover the labels of all other examples in the list. They showed that compression implies probably approximately correct learnability for binary-labeled classes and asked whether the other direction holds. We answer their question and show that every concept class C with VC dimension d has a sample compression scheme of size exponential in d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EPOS-LHC is the public EPOS version, heavily used by experimental groups in high energy and cosmic ray physics. It is based on an S-matrix approach, being the ideal framework for multiple scattering in small systems. However, factorization and binary scaling do not come for free, it is a very complex issue, and in the current model it is simply not properly done. Another topic concerns flow, which is only implemented as "parameterized," with is quite a limited applications. There was substantial progress during the past few years, referred to as "EPOS4 project," to develop a consistent formalism, which accommodates a multiple scattering S-matrix approach, factorization, and saturation, all of these topics being closely related to each other. In addition, secondary interactions are considered, most importantly a full hydrodynamic evolution. In this talk, we will report about the status of the EPOS4 project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an inexact coordinate descent method to solve a consistent equation of the type Ax = b where A is a real symmetric and positive semidefinite matrix. The admissible range of inexactitude allows to reduce every multiplication present in the computation to a scaling by a signed power of 2 for the sake of hardware simplification. Although the resulting descent is nonideal, the numerical experiments show that its rate of convergence remains close to that of exact coordinate descent, whether the coordinate selection is cyclic or random. Meanwhile, our algorithm outperforms both methods with an additional low complexity "weak greedy" selection of the coordinates, also based on scaling by signed powers of 2. Our method is based on an advanced use of varying relaxation coefficients in the Gauss–Seidel iteration, with special theoretical considerations when A is singular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Intraoperative estimated blood loss (EBL) is often reported in nearly all surgical papers; however, there is no consensus regarding its measurement. The aim of this study was to determine whether EBL (ml) is as reliable and reproducible in predicting complications as a simple binary grading of EBL. Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing colectomies between January 2015 and December 2018 were included. EBL was assessed prospectively by the surgeon and anaesthesiologist in ml and with a binary scale: bleeding "as usual" versus "more than usual" by the surgeon. Differences between pre- and post-operative haemoglobin levels (ΔHb g/dl) were correlated to EBL. Blood loss impact on 30-day postoperative morbidity was analysed. Results: A total of 270 patients were included, with a mean age of 65 years (SD 17). Mean EBL documented by surgeons correlated to EBL by anaesthesiologists (79.5 ml, SD 99 vs. 84.5 ml, SD 118, ϱ = 0.926, p < 0.001). Surgeons and anaesthesiologists' EBL correlated also with ΔHb (ϱ = − 0.273, p = 0.01 and ϱ = − 0.344, p = 0.01, respectively). Patient with surgeon EBL ≥ 250 ml or graded as "more than usual" bleeding had significantly more severe complications (8% vs. 20%, p = 0.02 and 8% vs. 27%, p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Anaesthesiologist and surgeon's EBL correlated with ΔHb. Simple grading of blood loss as "usual" and "more than usual" predicted severe complications and higher mortality rates. This simple binary grading of blood loss in colon surgery could be an alternative to the estimation of blood loss in ml as it is easy to apply but needs to be validated externally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biclustering is a data mining technique that allows us to find groups of rows and columns that are highly correlated in a 2D dataset. Although there exist several software applications to perform biclustering, most of them suffer from a high computational complexity which prevents their use in large datasets. In this work we present ScalaParBiBit, a parallel tool to find biclusters on binary data, quite common in many research fields such as text mining, marketing or bioinformatics. ScalaParBiBit takes advantage of the special characteristics of these binary datasets, as well as of an efficient parallel implementation and algorithm, to accelerate the biclustering procedure in distributed-memory systems. The experimental evaluation proves that our tool is significantly faster and more scalable that the state-of-the-art tool ParBiBit in a cluster with 32 nodes and 768 cores. Our tool together with its reference manual are freely available at https://github.com/fraguela/ScalaParBiBit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZrO 2 –TiO 2 and ZrO 2 -YO 1.5 binary systems have been reassessed based on the latest literature information, then the thermodynamic parameters of the two systems combine with that of the YO 1.5 -TiO 2 system have been used to extrapolate the thermodynamic database of ZrO 2 -YO 1.5 -TiO 2 ternary system. Based on the available experimental information, the ternary interaction parameters of liquid, F (fluorite), and P (pyrochlore) phases are introduced to fix this ternary system. Especially, the calculated solid solubility limit of Tss (tetragonal) and F phases are first considered in this work, which are consistent with the reported experiments. Finally, the isothermal sections calculated at 1573 K, 1773 K, 1823K 1873K and 1923K (1300 °C, 1500 °C, 1550 °C, 1600 °C and 1650 °C) are plotted, which are more consistent with the experimental results than other calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic circuits are composed of many complex arithmetic units. Multipliers are one of the basic arithmetic elements. Multipliers are essential component in most of the Digital Signal Processing applications, Image processing architectures and microprocessors. Area and speed are two major concerns for designing multipliers. Three operations are inherent in multiplication: partial products generation, partial products reduction and addition. A fast adder architecture therefore greatly enhances the speed of the overall process. Quaternary logic adder architecture is proposed that works on a hybrid of binary and quaternary number systems. A given binary string is first divided into quaternary digits of 2 bits each followed by parallel addition reducing the carry propagation delay. The design doesn't require a radix conversion module as the sum is directly generated in binary using the novel concept of an adjusting bit. The proposed hybrid multiplier design is compared with an Existing multiplier based on multi voltage or multi value logic [MVL], Wallace Multiplier that incorporates a QSD adder with a conversion module for quaternary to binary conversion, Wallace multiplier that uses Carry Select Adder and a commonly used fast multiplication mechanism such as Booth multiplier. All these designs have been developed using Verilog HDL and synthesized by HDL Design Compiler [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]