Mass Density Values Research Articles

A positive MUSCL-Hancock scheme for ideal magnetohydrodynamics

We present a highly robust second order accurate scheme for the Euler equations and the ideal MHD equations. The scheme is of predictor–corrector type, with a MUSCL scheme following as a special case. The crucial ingredients are an entropy stable approximate Riemann solver and a new spatial reconstruction that ensures positivity of mass density and pressure. For multidimensional MHD, a new discrete form of the Powell source terms is vital to ensure the stability properties. The numerical examples show that the scheme has superior stability compared to standard schemes, while maintaining accuracy. In particular, the method can handle very low values of pressure (i.e. low plasma β or high Mach numbers) and low mass densities.

Plasmaspheric dynamics resulting from the Hallowe'en 2003 geomagnetic storms

Cross‐phase‐derived plasma mass density trends during the Hallowe'en 2003 geomagnetic storms are presented for 38° ≲ magnetic latitude ≲ 63° (1.61 ≤ L ≤ 5.10), using data from the SAMNET (Subauroral Magnetometer Network), BGS (British Geological Survey), and SEGMA (South European Geomagnetic Array), ground‐based magnetometer arrays in Europe. At all latitudes monitored, a rapid increase of total mass density is observed immediately following the initial storm sudden commencement at 0611 UT on 29 October, believed to be due to rapid ionospheric O+ outflow. Plasmaspheric density depletion to at least 50° magnetic latitude (L ∼ 2.4) took place over the next 3 days. Poststorm refilling began on 2 November. Following the sudden commencement of another storm on 4 November, a density enhancement was monitored at 2.79 ≤ L ≤ 3.84, with subsequent plasmaspheric depletion occurring by 6 November. Plasma mass density values are compared to empirical plasmapause location model predictions, with reasonable agreement for most days, but density depletion and refilling were monitored 1 day after they are predicted. During poststorm plasmaspheric refilling, some extremely low early morning resonance frequencies are monitored and appear be due to quarter mode standing waves. This study also highlights that care must be taken in the choice of assumed geomagnetic field geometry when deriving plasma mass densities from observed field line resonances during severe geomagnetic storms.

Reference values for areal bone mineral density among a healthy Mexican population

Compare the influence of ethnicity in the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in various Mexican populations using two normal dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) reference databases: manufacturer's incorporating US Hispanic population and a normal mestizo Mexican population. MMP included 9 946 subjects participating in an ongoing long-term cohort study focusing on lifestyle and chronic diseases, of which 6 487 MMP males and females aged 7 to 80 years were the normal subjects used to determine bone density T- and Z-scores, following WHO criteria, and peak bone mass values. Abnormal bone mass density values estimated by the manufacturer's and peak bone mass reference values were compared. Our results show that by using the manufacturer's T-score values in the mestizo Mexican population we are underestimating the number of abnormal bone mass BMD populations.

Adipocytokine and ghrelin levels in relation to bone mineral density in physically active older women: longitudinal associations

We investigated the relationship between the decrease in bone mineral mass (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) values with baseline adipocytokine and ghrelin concentrations in physically active postmenopausal women. Leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, BMC, BMD and different body composition values were measured in 35 women (age: 69.7+/-6.0 years) before and after a 12-month prospective study period. Significant (P<0.05) decreases in fat-free mass (FFM) (by 2.56%) and BMC (by 1.63%) and increases in adiponectin (by 14.8%) were seen in older females as a result of the study period. The independent variables that were associated with decreases in total BMC were baseline fat mass (FM) and adiponectin explaining 30.6% (R(2)x100) of the total variance. In another model, baseline FFM and leptin were the independent variables that explained 20.6% (P<0.05) of the total variance in the decreases in total BMD value. The variables that were associated with decreases in femoral neck BMD were FM and leptin (R(2)=0.102; P<0.05), while the independent variables were baseline trunk fat:leg fat ratio and adiponectin in the model with decreases in lumbar spine BMD as the dependent variable, and accounted for 13.1% (P<0.05) of the decreases in BMD variance. Initial adiponectin concentration together with specific body composition characteristics predicted loss in BMC and lumbar spine BMD values, while initial leptin concentration together with specific body composition parameters determined the loss in total and femoral neck BMD values in physically active older women.

High-repetition rate pulsed laser deposition of ZrC thin films

ZrC thin films were grown on (100) Si substrates by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a high-repetition rate excimer laser working at 40 Hz. The substrate temperature during depositions was set at 300 °C and the cooling rate was 5 °C/min. X-ray diffraction investigations showed that the films were crystalline. Films deposited under residual vacuum or 2 × 10 − 3 Pa of CH 4 atmosphere exhibited a (200)-axis texture, while those deposited under 2 × 10 − 2 Pa of CH 4 atmosphere were found to be equiaxed. The surface elemental composition of as-deposited films, analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), showed the usual high oxygen contamination of carbides. Once the topmost − 3–5 nm region was removed, the oxygen concentration rapidly decreased, being around 3–4% only in bulk. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations showed a smooth, featureless surface morphology, corroborating the roughness values below 1 nm (rms) obtained from simulations of the X-ray reflectivity (XRR) curves. From the same simulations we also estimated films mass density values of around 6.32–6.57 g/cm 3 and thicknesses that correspond to a deposition rate of around 8.25 nm/min. Nanoindentation results showed a hardness of 27.6 GPa and a reduced modulus of 228 GPa for the best quality ZrC films deposited under an atmosphere of 2 × 10 − 3 Pa CH 4.

PARAMETRIC STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF DEAD LOADS ON BEAM NATURAL FREQUENCIES

One of the hot research topics nowadays is structural health monitoring. The most useful damage location methods (based on dynamic testing) are probably those using changes in resonant frequencies. This study is concerned with parametric study of the effect of dead loads on the natural frequencies of beams. The study includes two types of dead loads; distributed and concentrated loads for different models. The first ten mode frequencies are studied for each model. Based on the numerical results, it is shown that both distributed and concentrated loads have considerable influence on the lower frequencies of beams, especially the fundamental one. Also, it is found that the influence of dead loads on beam frequencies depends on cross- section moment of inertia and span-length. Furthermore, it is found that the effect of dead loads decreases with the increase of number of beam spans. Also, certain cases of loadings provide high change of frequencies due to dead loads. On the other hand, the percentage changes of frequencies due to dead loads with different values of mass density and modulus of elasticity are the same.

Lifestyle factors associated with age-related differences in body composition: the Florey Adelaide Male Aging Study

BackgroundAge-related change in body composition is associated with adverse health outcomes, including functional decline, disability, morbidity, and early mortality. Prevention of age-related changes requires a greater understanding of the associations among age, lifestyle factors, and body composition. ObjectiveWe aimed to comprehensively determine lifestyle factors associated with age-related differences in body composition assessed by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. DesignWe analyzed baseline (cross-sectional) data collected from 2002 to 2005 for ≈1200 men in the Florey Adelaide Male Aging Study, a regionally representative cohort of Australian men aged 35–81 y. ResultsMean values for whole-body lean mass (LM) and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) decreased, whereas mean values for abdominal fat mass (FM) and whole-body and abdominal percentage FM (%FM) increased with age. No significant age-related differences were found for whole-body FM. Multiple adjusted odds of being in the highest tertiles for whole-body and abdominal %FM decreased for smokers (63–71%) but increased with age group and for lowest energy (43–50%), carbohydrate (92–107%), and fiber (107%) intake tertiles. Multiple adjusted odds of being in the highest aBMD tertile decreased for lowest body mass (92%) and carbohydrate intake (63%) tertiles and for men aged ≥75 y (78%) but increased for Australian birth (58%) and for participation in vigorous physical activities (82%). ConclusionsAge-related differences in body composition indicate that whole-body FM remains stable but increases viscerally and that whole-body %FM is confounded by LM, whereas aBMD decreases with age. Age-related differences in %FM and aBMD are associated with demographic and lifestyle factors.

The frequency response of rat vibrissae to sound

The motion of isolated rat vibrissae due to low frequency sound has been modeled and measured with good agreement (within a factor of 2) between the data and the model's predictions. As had been done in previous studies on the response of rat vibrissae to tactile stimulation [Hartmann, M. J., Johnson, N. J., Towal, R. B., and Assad, C., J. Neurosci 23, 6510-6519 (2003) and Neimark, M. A., Andermann, A. L., Hopfield, J. J., and Moore, C. I., J. Neurosci 23, 6449-6509 (2003)] the vibrissae were modeled as thin conical beams. The force of the vibrating air on a vibrissa was modeled using the exact solution for a vibrating infinite cylinder in linear fluid. A finite element method was used to model the motion of a single vibrissa fixed at its base, using the aforementioned fluid force. Values for Young's modulus and vibrissa mass density were taken from a previous study [Neimark et al. (above)]. The model had no freely fitted parameters. Motion of isolated vibrissae was measured using a video camera with microscope. The sound stimulation was created using a stereo speaker connected to a signal generator. The tuning was found to be sharp, with quality factors that varied between 3 and 7, much sharper than the motion of cricket cercal hairs or in vitro inner ear hair bundles.

Acoustic, Thermodynamic, Viscometric and Volumetric Studies in Multicomponent System of Hexane + 1-Dodecanol + Cyclohexane with Respect to Temperature

The observed experimental values of sound speed, mass density and viscosity at three different temperatures viz. 298, 308 and 318K have been used to compute the derived parameters. As excess parameters are better measures of intermolecular interactions these are calculated with the help of derived parameters. Excess parameters calculated are excess molar volume (V m E), excess molar free volume (V mf E), excess intermolecular free length (L f E), deviation in isentropic compressibility (ΔKs), deviation in viscosity (Δη), excess acoustic impedance (Z E) deviation in sound speed (Δu), and excess internal pressure (π i E), excess enthalpy (H E) and excess Gibb´s free energy of activation of viscous flow (G *E). The sign and magnitude of these excess parameters provide the detail information about the type and extent of intermolecular interactions over the entire composition and temperature range. These excess parameters are fitted to Redlich–Kister polynomial equation to get information about the standard deviation of each excess parameter from ideal behavior after mixing the components. The sound speed in ternary mixtures has been predicted using various empirical, semi empirical and statistical theories. These theories include Nomoto´s Relation (u NOM), Free Length Theory (u FLT), Impedance Dependence Relation (u IDR) and Vandeal Vangeel Ideal mixing relation (u VAN). These theories have been applied to investigate the best applicability of these for the system over entire composition range at three temperatures.

Population-based reference values for bone mineral density in young men

Population-based reference values for peak bone mass density in Danish men. BMD of total hip (1.078 +/- 0,14 g/cm2) differed significantly from values from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III and of total lumbar spine ((1.073 +/- 0.125 g/cm2) differed significantly from Hologic values. Geographic, ethnic, and socio-economic factors are known to affect bone mineral density (BMD) and peak bone mass significantly. Reference values for male peak bone mass are scarce, and the diagnosis of male osteoporosis often relies on values provided by producers of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) equipment. The aim of the present study was 1) to establish population-based reference values for BMD in young men and 2) to study subgroups based on variables with suspected impact on bone metabolism. We included 783 young Caucasian men aged 20 to 30 years in the Odense Androgen Study (OAS). Peak BMD was attained within the third decade. Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) was associated with higher BMD. Abuse of anabolic steroids as well as chronic illness was associated with lower BMD. Our population-based reference values for BMD of the total hip (1.078 +/- 0.14 g/cm2) differed significantly from published values from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III for non-Hispanic white men, while BMD of total lumbar spine (1.073 +/- 0.125 g/cm2) differed significantly from Hologic reference values. Locally derived reference values are important to avoid false positive or false negative findings during work-up in patients evaluated for osteoporosis.

Timing of Peak Bone Mass: Discrepancies between CT and DXA

The time of life in which peak bone mass in the axial skeleton is attained has been the subject of considerable controversy, with estimates ranging from the time of sexual and skeletal maturity to the fifth decade of life. The objective was to examine whether dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT) values for bone mass and bone density (BD) in the axial skeleton increase after sexual and skeletal maturity. Measurements of vertebral bone mineral density and bone mineral content (BMC) by DXA and vertebral BD and BMC by CT were obtained in 50 sexually and skeletally mature white females at baseline and 3 yr later. CT BMC values were calculated through analysis of vertebral volume in relation to density (BMC = vertebral volume x BD). Although neither CT BD nor BMC measures changed with time, DXA bone mineral density and BMC values were significantly higher at follow-up (P < 0.0001). Despite strong correlations between DXA and CT bone measures, DXA yielded greater changes in bone values in 47 of 50 subjects. Bone acquisition in the lumbar spine as measured by CT reaches its peak by sexual and skeletal maturity. In contrast, bone values by DXA continue to increase after puberty and cessation of longitudinal growth. Increases in DXA measures are likely a reflection of inhomogeneous changes in soft tissues around the spine or of disproportionate increases in the posterior elements of the vertebrae rather than of changes within the vertebral body.

Anthropomorphic Breast Phantoms for Qualification of Investigators for ACRIN Protocol 6666

The purpose of this study was to evaluate various ultrasonic properties of breast phantoms developed for use in qualifying investigators for participation in the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) protocol 6666, "Screening Breast Ultrasound in High-Risk Women." Specifically, a tool was sought to consistently measure the performance of radiology personnel in detecting and characterizing lesions similar to those expected with screening breast ultrasonography (US). The phantoms are equivalent to one another except for the randomization of positions of 14 of the 17 simulated lesions. The lesions differ in depth and ultrasonic properties. Representative values of propagation speed, attenuation, relative echogenicity, and mass density are reported for all tissue-mimicking components. Beam refraction occurs at the interface between the subcutaneous fat layer and the glandular parenchyma and can result in beam distortion artifacts similar to those encountered in clinical breast US.

Estimating the mass density of fine roots of trees for minirhizotron-based estimates of productivity

Allocation of carbon for the production of fine roots is a significant component of the carbon budget within trees. Transformation of fine-root volumes or lengths as seen with minirhizotrons into fine-root mass per unit of horizontal area requires an estimate of the mass density or specific root length of fine roots for the species of interest. We obtained values of mass density of fine roots using three different sampling strategies on temperate and boreal forested sites. The strategies examined were (1) the use of bulk root samples from soil cores, (2) the use of individual roots from seedlings, and (3) the use of individual roots from soil cores. Our results show that the mass density of fine roots taken from seedlings is strongly dependent on root diameter, as shown by the strong drop in mass density with a decrease in diameter in all species examined. However, the dependency of mass density of individual fine roots extracted from soil cores on root diameter varies with the species mixture. Examination of thin cross-sections of roots using microscopy reveals that the proportion of xylem cell walls as a percentage of total cell walls also decreases strongly as root diameter diminishes for seedling fine roots, but that this relationship is not as clear in fine roots obtained from soil cores. We conclude that using the mass density from core fine roots may yield the best estimate of fine-root productivity when deriving such a value from the analysis of minirhizotron images. We also discuss some of the problems associated with the use of specific root length.

Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) head tissues:physical properties and CT imaging

Tissue physical properties from a Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) neonate head are reported and compared with computed tomography (CT) X-ray imaging. Physical properties measured include longitudinal sound velocity, density, elastic modulus and hysteresis. Tissues were classified by type as follows: mandibular acoustic fat, mandibular blubber, forehead acoustic fat (melon), forehead blubber, muscle and connective tissue. Results show that each class of tissues has unique, co-varying physical properties. The mandibular acoustic fats had minimal values for sound speed (1350+/-10.6 m s(-1)) and mass density (890+/-23 kg m(-3)). These values increased through mandibular blubber (1376+/-13 m s(-1), 919+/-13 kg m(-3)), melon (1382+/-23 m s(-1), 937+/-17 kg m(-3)), forehead blubber (1401+/-7.8 m s(-1), 935+/-25 kg m(-3)) and muscle (1517+/-46.8 m s(-1), 993+/-58 kg m(-3)). Connective tissue had the greatest mean sound speed and density (1628+/-48.7 m s(-1), 1087+/-41 kg m(-3)). The melon formed a low-density, low-sound-speed core, supporting its function as a sound focusing organ. Hounsfield unit (HU) values from CT X-ray imaging are correlated with density and sound speed values, allowing HU values to be used to predict these physical properties. Blubber and connective tissues have a higher elastic modulus than acoustic fats and melon, suggesting more collagen structure in blubber and connective tissues. Blubber tissue elastic modulus is nonlinear with varying stress, becoming more incompressible as stress is increased. These data provide important physical properties required to construct models of the sound generation and reception mechanisms in Ziphius cavirostris heads, as well as models of their interaction with anthropogenic sound.

Chemisorption of thiolated poly(ethylene oxide) to gold: surface chain densities measured by ellipsometry and neutron reflectometry

Physical property studies of surfaces formed by chemisorption of polyethylene oxide (PEO) onto gold are reported. Such surfaces have potential as model materials for elucidation of the mechanism of resistance to protein adsorption by PEO surfaces. Thiolated monomethoxy poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was chemisorbed onto gold-coated silicon wafers under various conditions such that different surface chain densities were achieved. Chain density was varied by controlling PEO solubility (proximity to cloud-point conditions) as well as chemisorption time. Films prepared with PEO of molecular weight 750, 2000, and 5000 g/mol were studied. Chain densities determined in the dry state by ellipsometry were found to be in the range of 0.4-0.7, 0.33-0.58, and 0.12-0.30 chains/nm(2) for MW 750, 2000, and 5000 PEO, respectively. Chain density was found to decrease with increasing molecular weight and to increase as cloud-point conditions were approached. PEO-layer mass densities and chain densities were determined independently by neutron reflectometry. Under low-solubility conditions and for a 4-h chemisorption time, film mass and chain density values of 1.0 +/-0.3 g cm(-3) and 1.8 +/- 0.9 chains/nm(2) were found for MW 750 PEO, and 0.82 +/- 0.02 g cm(-3) and 0.23 +/- 0.07 chains/nm(2) for MW 5000 PEO. Ellipsometry data for these systems yielded graft densities of 0.63 +/- 0.13 and 0.30 +/- 0.02 chains/nm(2), respectively. Using the mass densities obtained from the neutron data in the ellipsometry calculations, chain densities of 0.6 +/- 0.3 and 0.25 +/- 0.02 chains/nm(2), respectively, were obtained for the MW 750 and 5000 films. The ellipsometry and neutron data for the MW 5000 system are thus in agreement within experimental error. In general, the chain-density values are much higher than those corresponding to layers of unperturbed random coil PEO ("mushrooms"), suggesting that the PEO layers are in the brush regime with the chains in an extended conformation.

Age dependence of the vertical distribution of Cepheids

AbstractThe wavelike oscillations of the vertical scale height of the local population of classical Cepheids located at Galactocentric distances R0 – 1 kpc &lt; Rg &lt; R0 + 1 kpc is analyzed using Cepheid ages computed in terms of evolutionary models of Pols et al. (1998) with and without the allowance for convective overshooting. The resulting periods of vertical oscillations of stars about the galactic plane are found to be PZ = 74 ± 2 Myr and PZ = 104 ± 2 Myr for standard models and models with overshooting, respectively. If interpreted as a manifestation of vertical virial oscillations, the pattern found implies local mass density values of ρstd = 0.118 ± 0.007 M⊙ pc−3 and ρovs = 0.060 ± 0.004 M⊙ pc−3, respectively. The latter value is totally incompatible with recent estimates based on Hipparcos data and the former value, combined with recent estimates of the local density of visible matter, sets an upper limit of 0.023 M⊙ pc−3 for the local density of dark matter.

Tissue-equivalent materials for construction of tomographic dosimetry phantoms in pediatric radiology.

Tissue equivalent materials have a variety of uses, including routine quality assurance and quality control in both diagnostic and therapeutic physics. They are frequently used in a research capacity to measure doses delivered to patients undergoing various therapeutic procedures. However, very few tissue equivalent materials have been developed for research use at the low photon energies encountered in diagnostic radiology. In this paper, we present a series of tissue-equivalent (TE) materials designed to radiographically mimic human tissue at diagnostic photon energies. These tissue equivalent materials include STES-NB (newborn soft tissue substitute), BTES-NB (newborn bone tissue substitute), LTES (newborn as well as a child/adult lung tissue substitute), STES (child/adult soft tissue substitute), and BTES (child/adult bone tissue substitute). In all cases, targeted reference elemental compositions are taken from those specified in the ORNL stylized computational model series. For each material, reference values of mass density, mass attenuation coefficients (10-150 keV), and mass energy-absorption coefficients (10-150 keV) were matched as closely as permitted by material selection and manufacturing constraints. Values of mu/rho and mu(en)/rho for the newborn TE materials are noted to have maximum deviations from their ORNL reference values of from 0 to -3% and from +2% to -3%, respectively, over the diagnostic energy range 10-150 keV. For the child/adult TE materials, these same maximal deviations of mu/rho and mu(en)/rho are from +1.5% to -3% and from +3% to -3%, respectively. Simple calculations of x-ray fluence attenuation under narrow-beam geometry using a 66 kVp spectrum typical of newborn CR radiographs indicate that the tissue-equivalent materials presented here yield estimates of absorbed dose at depth to within 3.6% for STES-NB, 3.2% for BTES-NB, and 1.2% for LTES of the doses assigned to reference newborn soft, bone, and lung tissue, respectively.

Phase separation dynamics in binary fluids containing quenched or mobile filler particles

The dynamics of phase separation of binary fluids in the presence of quenched or mobile filler particles, with preferential attraction for one of the two fluid components, is investigated by means of extensive molecular dynamics simulations in two dimensions. When the filler particles are quenched, we found that they lead to a slowing-down of the kinetics that is enhanced as the density of the filler particles is increased. The domain growth in this case is found to follow a crossover scaling form which links domain growth in pure binary mixtures to that in the presence of quenched filler particles. On the other hand, when the filler particles are annealed, systematic simulations for various values of single filler particle mass, μc, and filler particle density, ρc, show that the filler particles only affect the nonuniversal prefactor of the power law. The power law itself remains given by t2/3, characteristic of inertial growth that is typically observed in pure binary fluid mixtures. The prefactor is found to depend on μc as μc−1/3 as expected in phase separating fluid in the inertial regime.

Geoid determination with density hypotheses from isostatic models and geological information

Geoid determination by Stokes's formula requires a complete knowledge of the topographical mass density distribution in order to perform gravity reductions to the geoid boundary. However, deeper masses are also of interest, in order to produce a smooth field of gravity anomalies which will improve results from interpolation procedures. Until now, in most cases a constant mass density has been considered, which is a very rough approximation of reality. The influence on the geoid height coming from different mass density hypotheses given by the isostatic models of Pratt/Hayford, Airy/Heiskanen and Vening Meinesz is studied. Apart from a constant mass density value, additional density information deduced from geological maps and thick sedimentary layers is considered. An overview of how mass density distributions act within Stokes's theory is given. The isostatic models are considered in spherical and planar approximation, as well as with constant and lateral variable mass density of the topographical and deeper masses. Numerical results in a test area in south-west Germany show that the differences in the geoid height due to different density hypotheses can reach a magnitude of more than 1 decimetre, which is not negligible in a precise geoid determination with centimetre accuracy.

Sp2 and sp3 bonding configurations in low nitrogen content a-CNx thin films

The results of an electron spectroscopy study carried out on a set of pulsed laser deposited CNx films are reported. A progressive degree of graphitization, deduced from the continuous increase in the sp2 bond fraction, has been found for x values up to 25%. The mass density values, deduced by a proper treating of both the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy data, are consistent with a material made up by two phases, namely a sp2 threefold (graphite-like) and a sp3 fourfold (diamond-like) coordinated one. The behaviour of the density of the samples as a function of the N content does not show any abrupt change in going from lower to higher nitrogen concentrations as found by other authors, this certainly being due to differences in the starting sp3/sp2 ratio of the films at zero N concentration and to their different preparation parameters.