We propose a strategy for determining the optimal softening length in N -body simulations. This strategy ensures that the ensemble-average acceleration error is minimal at a small radius r0, and that the error never exceeds the optimal value beyond r0. Analytic formulae are derived for calculating the acceleration error for any halo profile or softened gravity so that the optimal softening leng...

In the history of alleged manipulations on forward markets, it has been observed that high prices resulted from a cartel’s long positions. The present paper addresses this issue in a simple model of price setting duopolists. We show that forward trading results in producers buying forward their own production, so that equilibrium prices are increased compared to the case without forward trading...

Energy Transfer About the time this issue of Los Alamos Science was going to press, we obtained new experimental results on atomic vibrations in uranium. These results help answer questions raised when Andrew Lawson and coworkers of Los Alamos rediscovered vibrational softening in the early 1990s. Although softening had been observed at least three times earlier, the most important questions ab...

Studies on the softening behavior of in situ lignin of normal wood in a given species have never been performed before due to the relatively narrow lignin content and lignin structural variation within one species. Using transgenic trees with different levels of lignin content and/or syringyl to guaiacyl propane (S/G) ratio helped us to overcome this problem. Submersion three-point bending and ...

Two approaches to predict failure of soft tissue are available. The first is based on a pointwise criticality condition, e.g. von Mises maximum stress, which is restrictive because only local state of deformation is considered to be critical and the failure criterion is separated from stress analysis. The second is based on damage mechanics where internal (unobservable) variables are introduced...

Desalination and water reuse technologies are critical for solving water problems. Unlocking water resources through the minimization of reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate volume offers sustainable opportunities to meet the challenge. A pellet softening lime intermediate concentrate chemical stabilization (ICCS) reactor and a conventional lime softening ICCS for the treatment of RO concentrate we...

Three different samples of Ti -6Al-4V of size 10mm diameter x15mm height compressed at a strain rate of 102 sec -1 in a 100KN servo hydraulic machine (DARTEC, UK make) with three different initial temperatures. First specimen of Ti-6Al-4V was compressed at an initial temp 1123K from initial length 15 mm to 10mm then the temperature was reduced to 1073K and compressed to a length of 7 mm now the...

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.), which is a climacteric fruit, softens in 3-5 weeks after harvest. However, little is known regarding the transcriptional changes that underlie persimmon ripening. In this study, high-throughput de novo RNA sequencing was performed to examine differential expression between freshly harvested (FH) and softened (ST) persimmon fruit peels. Using the Illumina HiSeq...

Fruit softening is mainly associated with cell wall structural modifications, and members of the xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) family are key enzymes involved in cleaving and re-joining xyloglucan in the cell wall. In this work, we isolated a new XTH gene, DkXTH8, from persimmon fruit. Transcriptional profiling revealed that DkXTH8 peaked during dramatic fruit softening, and e...

Apple is one of the most economically important horticultural fruit crops worldwide. It is critical to gain insights into fruit ripening and softening to improve apple fruit quality and extend shelf life. In this study, forward and reverse suppression subtractive hybridization libraries were generated from 'Taishanzaoxia' apple fruits sampled around the ethylene climacteric to isolate ripening-...