Dual Concept Research Articles

Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of the Distribution Zone in Small Modular Dual Fluid Reactor

The Small Modular Dual Fluid Reactor (SMDFR) is a novel molten salt reactor based on the dual fluid reactor concept, which employs molten salt as fuel and liquid lead/lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as coolant. A unique design of this reactor is the distribution zone, which locates under the core and joins the core region with the inlet pipes of molten salt and coolant. Since the distribution zone has a major influence on the heat removal capacity in the core region, the thermal hydraulics characteristics of the distribution zone have to be investigated. This paper focuses on the thermal hydraulics analysis of the distribution zone, which is conducted by the numerical simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics with the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) module and the Heat Transfer module. The energy loss and heat exchange in the distribution zone are also quantitatively analyzed. The velocity and temperature distributions of both molten salt and coolant at the outlet of the distribution zone, as inlet of the core region, are produced. It can be observed that the outlet velocity profiles are proportional in magnitude to the inlet velocity ones with a similar shape. In addition, the results show that the heat transfer in the center region is enhanced due to the velocity distribution, which could compensate the power peak and flatten the temperature distribution for a higher power density.

A dual mode nanophotonics concept for in situ activation of brain immune cells using a photoswitchable yolk-shell upconversion nanoformulation

Here, we introduce a nanophotonics concept for optically triggered activation of microglia. Specifically, we synthesized a yolk-shell structured mesoporous silica coated core-shell upconverting nanoparticles (UCNP@ysSiO2). The nanoparticles are loaded with microglia activators-bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) together with indocyanine green (ICG), and then capped with β-cyclodextrin (CD) via selective affinity of this compound to photoswitchable azobenzene (Azo). Upon exposure to NIR light, and subsequent trans- to cis photoisomerization of the Azo group induced by the upconversion light, dissociation of β-CD produces the release of LPS. The released LPS activates microglia through a toll-like receptor 4 mediated pathway, while ICG excited by its absorption of the 800 nm upconversion light, produces local heating, thus synergistically activating microglia through heat shock proteins. We propose that the controlled activation of microglia with deep tissue penetrating NIR triggered drug release, may provide a new strategy for in situ treatment of many brain diseases.

Project Portfolio Selection under Uncertainty: A DEA Methodology using Predicted and Actual Frontiers

Project portfolio management (PPM) is an important area of interest in many organizations. There is a wide literature on each of many different aspects of PPM. The central purpose of the current paper is to focus on a specific sub-area of PPM, namely the project portfolio selection (PPS) problem. Specifically, we develop a new methodology that will aid management in choosing from a set of candidate project proposals, a subset of those project proposals that align with strategic objectives of the organization. Research methodology is based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) construct to compare a set of decision making units (such as proposed projects) to arrive at an efficiency score for each member of this competing set, derive the best performers, generate an efficiency frontier and quantify inefficiency in the non-best performers. While DEA has been applied in numerous settings, the unique feature of the project portfolio application is the presence of two sets of data, namely pre-implementation “estimates”, and post-implementation “actuals”. Our methodology is unique in that it uses the idea of dual DEA frontiers based on such before and after data for a set of past projects. Dual frontier concept makes not only an important practical contribution to the PPS literature, but as well it opens new directions and provides an innovative advancement in the DEA literature. The requisite data is not publicly available. We believe, however, that the stand-alone methodology makes an important contribution to both the DEA and PPS literature.

The Dual Concept of Sustainability of Printmaking Art in the Middle East

Printmaking is a major art dripline that is being taught worldwide and in different art programs in the middle east, however for several reasons printmaking graduates usually face several obstacles that prevent them from pursuing their art outside their educational institutions. The sustainability of printmaking art in the Middle East depends greatly on the possibility of creating a system that allows printmaking to excel outside the educational institutions either on the production or on the promotion levels. Unfortunately, the concept of sustainability of printmaking art outside the educational institutions is not necessarily consequential for most art programs in the Middle East. Despite the current evolution in the arena of contemporary printmaking art, many educational printmaking programs still teach printmaking art in a very conventional conservative fashion that no longer qualify the students to continue working after graduation. This research investigates different possible solutions that may allow the sustainability of Printmaking Art and Artists in the Middle East. To accomplish that goal, the researcher suggests various approaches that may allow the enhancement of Printmaking art and ensure its sustainability outside the educational institution including , investigating, developing and teaching simple innovative printmaking methods that do not require special equipment or materials to execute. Printmaking by nature is an experimental art and printmakers throughout the course of history have pushed the boundaries of technical exploration. Another approach to tackle the problem of sustainability of printmaking art in the Middle East is to find a solution for the production, promoting and marketing aspects of printmaking outside the educational institutions and one of the suggested models for that is printmaking co-operatives. Another possibility to solve the sustainability problem of printmaking art in the Middle East is to utilize printmaking as a production tool in small manual printing projects. One great economical characteristic of printmaking is mass production. Printmaking can be utilized effectively as a mass production tool for small printing projects such as T-Shirt printing, fabric printing, and even in walls decoration.

Unamuno y Borges: dualidad y pluralidad para volver al origen

Este trabajo aborda las coincidencias en la vida y obra de Miguel de Unamuno y de Jorge Luis Borges. Más específicamente, se analizan tres motivos comunes en la narrativa del escritor español y del argentino: el motivo de la dualidad, la pluralidad del ser y la búsqueda del origen. La idea central es verificar que, a pesar de las diferencias existentes entre ambos, prevalecen las ideas y los temas compartidos. Se parte de algunas coincidencias en sus vidas, para luego adentrarnos en sus obras narrativas cuyos temas se basan en conceptos duales. En segunda instancia, se analiza la manera en que sus personajes se reflejan en otros, en un mismo espíritu colectivo, para finalmente encontrarse con la muerte, que está ligada a la búsqueda de una causa que los justifique. Así, vemos la razón por la que ambos se constituyen como clásicos de la literatura de habla hispana.

A Dual Measure of Uncertainty: The Deng Extropy.

The extropy has recently been introduced as the dual concept of entropy. Moreover, in the context of the Dempster–Shafer evidence theory, Deng studied a new measure of discrimination, named the Deng entropy. In this paper, we define the Deng extropy and study its relation with Deng entropy, and examples are proposed in order to compare them. The behaviour of Deng extropy is studied under changes of focal elements. A characterization result is given for the maximum Deng extropy and, finally, a numerical example in pattern recognition is discussed in order to highlight the relevance of the new measure.

From asymmetry to correlations

Symmetry, as well as the dual concept of asymmetry, are essential, powerful and ubiquitous in physics and nature. Motivated by the original Wigner-Yanase skew information and its extension by Dyson (Wigner E. P. and Yanase M. M., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 49 (1963) 910), which quantifies the information content of a quantum state skew to a conserved observable and may be reinterpreted as asymmetry of a state with respect to an observable, we address the issue of quantifying asymmetry and symmetry of states with respect to Lie groups and Lie algebras. We elucidate that correlations arise naturally from the difference between asymmetries of global and local states. This provides a fundamental insight into correlations. The idea is further illustrated by several examples.

Situating (in)significance

ABSTRACT In this paper we introduce the concept of ‘(in)significance’ as a way to think about values in heritage, and in the attribution, recording, description, assessment and categorisation practices that characterise heritage processes. Our aim is to throw light on how this concept shapes, and is shaped by, contemporary heritage practices and outcomes. We consider the history of the idea of significance, particularly as it is defined in the Burra Charter, and trace its inheritance lines in settler nation states and capitalist economic structures, and highlight its retention of concepts of heritage value as both intrinsic and culturally attributed. Using international, mainly Anglophone examples, we review a range of case studies and examples of significance and insignificance, of significance assessment in practice, and the tensions between expert, institutional or ‘official’ values and broader concepts of heritage and attachment. We suggest that the dual or layered concept of ‘(in)significance’ might allow for heritage practices that interact with emotions, memory, place and things in ways that are often not possible in the context of official heritage regimes because of rigid aesthetic and conservation paradigms, as well as identity and ownership claims and deeply invested national narratives.

Impact of Altered Breathing Patterns on Interaction of EEG and Heart Rate Variability.

Background:Altered pattern of respiration has been shown to affect both the cardiac as well as cortical activity, which is the basis of central–autonomic dual interaction concept. On the other hand, effect of this association between altered breathing with slow cortical activity, that is, electroencephalography (EEG) theta waves (associated with learning and relaxed alertness) on the cardiac autonomic balance is largely unclear.Objective:The study aims to understand this interaction in response to altered respiratory patterns, for example, voluntary apnea, bradypnea, and tachypnea in terms of EEG and heart rate variability (HRV) correlates in normal healthy subjects.Methods:This study was conducted on 32 adult male subjects. EEG from F3, F4, P3, P4, O1 and O2 cortical areas and Lead II electrocardiography for HRV analysis was continuously recorded during aforesaid respiratory interventions. Power spectral analysis of EEG for theta waves and HRV measures, that is, RMSSD, pNN50, HF, LF, and LF/HF was calculated as % change taking resting value as 100%.Results:Apnea caused decrease in theta power, whereas an increase in LF/HF was observed in HRV. Bradypnea on the other hand, did not elicit any significant change in power of theta waves. However, decreased RMSSD and pNN50 were observed in HRV. Tachypnea led to increase in theta power with HRV depicting significantly decreased RMSSD and pNN50. Besides, significant correlation between EEG and HRV measures was found during tachypnea, which shifted toward posterior cortical sites as compared to resting condition.Conclusion:Various altered respiratory patterns caused either depressed parasympathetic or increased sympathetic output, whereas increased theta power along with posterior shift of correlation between theta power and HRV measures observed during post tachypnea might be due to involvement of global brain areas due to respiration-coupled neuronal activity. Thus, a definite link between cortical activity and autonomic output in relation to altered respiratory patterns may be suggested.

Between prerogative power and legality – reading Ernst Fraenkel’s The Dual State as an analytical tool for present authoritarian rule

ABSTRACT Ernst Fraenkel’s seminal study about Nazi law, in which he described the co-existence of a ‘normative state’ and a ‘prerogative state’ as principles of government, is to be rediscovered in the new age of the prerogative. Through a critical reading of The Dual State and other important texts by Fraenkel, this article seeks to contribute to the contemporary debate on regime types and governmental power in (at least) three regards: first, by clarifying Fraenkel’s concept of and perspective on law; second, by discussing the methodological demands for the beneficial application of the dual state concept; and, third, by showing the usefulness of such an application, even beyond the field of authoritarian states in the narrower sense. Law-eroding prerogative developments cannot only be witnessed in hybrid regimes, but also in democratic states, which resort to reflections and practices of an ‘enemy criminal law’, and in the European Union’s recent crisis politics.

The Logic and Normative Force of Dual-Character Generics: Towards a Theoretical Model for the Study of Normatively Shifted Predications

Abstract This paper investigates the relationship between generic statements and the expression, transmission and persistence of social norms. The author presents the concept of normativity and its importance in the decision-making process in the context of social reality and social norms that comprise it (Bicchieri, 2006, 2016; Bicchieri et al., 2018). The paper analyses the idea of “what is normal” (Haslanger, 2014) to show how social norms are triggered by particular generic constructions relating to “social kinds”, represented by noun phrases denoting “dual character concepts” (Knobe et al., 2013; Prasada et al., 2013; Leslie, 2015). DCCs are shown as effectively serving their persuasive and explanatory function due to their polysemous nature (Leslie, 2015) rather than to different pragmatics (Leslie, forthcoming). Special focus is placed on gender terms as particularly salient social kinds; this salience can be explained by a culturally pivotal role of social constructs of manhood and womanhood and by linguistic potential of generics in the development of social beliefs and legitimizing norm-driven behaviours.

Some Metric and Topological Properties of Nearly Strongly and Nearly Very Convex Spaces

We obtain characterizations of nearly strong convexity and nearly very convexity by using the dual concept of S and WS points, related to the so-called Rolewicz’s property (α). We give a characterization of those points in terms of continuity properties of the identity mapping. The connection between these two geometric properties is established, and finally an application to approximative compactness is given.

Dual Character Art Concepts

AbstractOur goal in this paper is to articulate a novel account of the ordinary concept art. At the core of our account is the idea that a puzzle surrounding our thought and talk about art is best understood as just one instance of a far broader phenomenon. In particular, we claim that one can make progress on this puzzle by drawing on research from cognitive science on dual character concepts. Thus, we suggest that the very same sort of phenomenon that is associated with art can also be found in a broad class of other dual character concepts, including scientist, Christian, and many others. Instead of focusing narrowly on the case of art, we try to offer a more general account of these concepts and the puzzles to which they give rise. Then, drawing on the general theory, we introduce a series of hypotheses about art concepts and put those hypotheses to the test in three experimental studies.

Temperature-dependent secondary conversion of primary products from methanol aromatization in a two-stage fluidized bed

Methanol to aromatics (MTA) following dual cycles concept unavoidably produced considerable amounts of olefinic intermediates and paraffinic by-products. Their formation and further conversion were vitalto improving aromatics production. In this study, a two-stage fluid bed packed with fluid Zn/ZSM-5 catalyst in each stage was used to investigate the MTA reaction at 470 °C in the first stage and the secondary conversion of MTA primary products at temperatures from 270 °C to 550 °C in the second stage with time on stream. During the MTA reaction, the decrease of catalyst acidity was beneficial to controlling hydrogen transfer, thus blocking propane formation. During the secondary conversion of MTA products, at temperatures below 390 °C, the alkylation and hydrogen transfer reactions dominated and thus olefins were converted into more alkylbenzene as well as the undesired propane and butane. As the temperature increased from 430 °C to 550 °C, the aromatization of light hydrocarbon and the dealkylation of alkylbenzene were facilitated, producing more benzene and toluene but increasing methane and ethane yields. Meanwhile, the dehydrogenation and cracking of propane and butane were favored by high temperature and strong acidity so that the yields of ethene and propene increased. It was clarified that the characteristics of secondary conversion of MTA products varied and depended on reaction temperature and catalyst acidity. Based on these findings, the concept of regional functionalization of fluidized bed reactor was proposed for intensification of MTA process based on the reconfiguration of the temperature and acidity of catalyst stream during the fluidized bed reaction-regeneration cycle.

Multicultural reflexivity: university students negotiating ‘pockets’ and ‘strings’ of multiculturalism in Malaysia

ABSTRACT The university is a critical spatio-temporal geography where youth negotiate becoming adult and encounter diverse ‘others’. However, there has been a lack of attention to university students’ reflections on, and formulations of attitudes towards multiculturalism as part of their transition processes. Drawing from interviews with 15 Malaysian university students, we argue that university student life offers opportunities for young people to engage in ‘multicultural reflexivity’ (i.e. the ability to analyse experiences and observations of racism and intercultural conviviality). We propose the dual concepts of ‘pockets’ and ‘strings’ of multiculturalism to analyse how participants make sense of the paradoxical co-existence of racism and conviviality in their lives. Beyond these youth narratives, we argue for a mobile – rather than static – conceptualisation of multiculturalism that is attentive to the shifting understandings and enactments of multiculturalism as people make sense of their past and present lived experiences and in terms of future imaginaries.

Local Sensitive Dual Concept Factorization for Unsupervised Feature Selection

In this paper, we present a novel Local Sensitive Dual Concept Learning (LSDCL) method for the task of unsupervised feature selection. We first reconstruct the original data matrix by the proposed dual concept learning model, which inherits the merit of co-clustering based dual learning mechanism for more interpretable and compact data reconstruction. We then adopt the local sensitive loss function, which emphasizes more on most similar pairs with small errors to better characterize the local structure of data. In this way, our method can select features with better clustering results by more compact data reconstruction and more faithful local structure preserving. An iterative algorithm with convergence guarantee is also developed to find the optimal solution. We fully investigate the performance improvement by the newly developed terms, individually and simultaneously. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets further show that LSDCL outperforms many state-of-the-art unsupervised feature selection algorithms.

Francophone Minorities in Canada: Trapped between the New/Old Minority Categories

Authors in various disciplines have adopted a dichotomous typology of “old and new minorities”. For many scholars and policy makers, this dual conception, which was notably introduced by Will Kymlicka, has further evolved into a three-pronged typology, where Indigenous peoples constitute a distinct category. This classification has had a significant influence on both theoretical and functional accommodation of minorities. It has provided a set of criteria for determining which fundamental rights, accommodation measures, and self-government mechanisms can legitimately be claimed by each category. In this article, the author argues that the dominant three-pronged classification of minorities—“national minorities”, “aboriginal peoples” and “ethnic minorities”—fails to capture the specificity and complexity of the French-speaking communities who do not enjoy territorial autonomy in Canada. The result is that Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec (which amount to one million French-speakers) effectively find themselves in a normative penumbra, as their fluid identity floats between an “ethnic minority” and a “national minority”. The dichotomous distinction between old and new minorities has rendered these communities largely invisible, and the discussion on their political autonomy, almost inexistent. The author suggests three tentative answers to what could be called “Kymlicka’s blind spot”. The first replaces the rigid categories with a spectrum, the second builds continuum inside the current categories and the third proposes to add another category to the existing typology. Any exploration of alternative conceptual schemes requires notably a clarification of the claims of autonomy made—or which could be made—by these linguistic minorities, including claims of territorial or non-territorial political autonomy. While political autonomy has not been recognized for francophone minority communities in Canada, the author discusses the legitimacy and potential forms of this possibility, often overlooked in favour of non-State efforts. Ultimately, this piece calls to rethink Kymlicka’s typology through a more nuanced and contextualized lens, in light of the Canadian experience.

Dual UTR-A novel 5' untranslated region design for synthetic biology applications.

Bacterial 5′ untranslated regions of mRNA (UTR) involve in a complex regulation of gene expression; however, the exact sequence features contributing to gene regulation are not yet fully understood. In this study, we report the design of a novel 5′ UTR, dual UTR, utilizing the transcriptional and translational characteristics of 5′ UTRs in a single expression cassette. The dual UTR consists of two 5′ UTRs, each separately leading to either increase in transcription or translation of the reporter, that are separated by a spacer region, enabling de novo translation initiation. We rationally create dual UTRs with a wide range of expression profiles and demonstrate the functionality of the novel design concept in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida using different promoter systems and coding sequences. Overall, we demonstrate the application potential of dual UTR design concept in various synthetic biology applications ranging from fine-tuning of gene expression to maximization of protein production.

Las jícaras en el camino sagrado de los jóvenes iniciados Huicholes

Among the Huichol Indians, an initiatory tradition has been preserved that consists of a series of fi ve cycles of pilgrimages to the sacred desert. During their lives, each member of the commu – nity travels at least once to the desert, but young people who aspire to important positions within their group, dedicate ten to fi fteen years to this task, during which they carry out countless reli – gious activities. Within the dual indigenous conception of life, one of these activities consists of seeking and achieving an internal balance between the opposites. Through a symbolic element, a natural container for water, a jícara, the young apprentices are weaving a network of sacred paths towards achieving an organic equanimity between the two primordial forces that make up the universe: the masculine and the feminine. The article presents and accompanies the young jicareros in the fi ve main stopping places carried out during a pilgrimage cycle. From a cave, an underground jícara in the interior of the earth, to the sea, a huge jícara in constant contact with the sky, pilgrims deposit prayers and off erings in the vicinity of the bodies of water. In this way, through sensual contact with the vital liquid, water collecting in the jícaras, purifi cation baths, and symbolic exchanges, acts of gratitude are carried out and permits are obtained to open access portals to major divinities, and fi nally, to the main altar of Cerro Quemado in the Wirikuta desert.

Meaningful and co-meaningful sequences

Two versions of the concept are distinguished, and power meaningful. By establishing the converse of a theorem of Bennett, a full characterisation of strictly meaningful sequences is given. A dual concept co-meaningful is introduced (again in two versions), and an analogous characterisation is obtained.