Evaluating nonlinear variability of mental fatigue behavioral indices during long‐term attentive task

This study investigates the behavioral indices of attention. A simple repetitive attentive task that resulted in mental fatigue was used consecutively in four trials. In the first step, reaction time and error responses were recorded to evaluate differences among trials. During the task, subjects showed different responses to stimulations. In the second part, to recognize the strategies, multiple clustering methods such as k‐means and fuzzy c‐means were performed in which behavioral indices and nonlinear features were used. In the last section, mental behavior was identified as a result of the chaotic properties of variations in reaction time. Therefore, the Lyapunov exponent of reaction times was evaluated. Results revealed that behavioral indices could distinguish attention from the occurrence of mental fatigue in trials. In addition, the three strategies used by subjects during the test protocol were assessed. Finally, variation of indices extracted from nonlinear analysis, that is, decrease in degree of chaotic behavior determined the transition from attention to mental fatigue. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2012     

Form of multicomponent Fickian diffusion coefficients matrix

The form of multicomponent Fickian diffusion coefficients matrix in thermodynamically stable mixtures is established based on the form of phenomenological coefficients and thermodynamic factors. While phenomenological coefficients form a symmetric positive definite matrix, the determinant of thermodynamic factors matrix is positive. As a result, the Fickian diffusion coefficients matrix has a positive determinant, but its elements — including diagonal elements — can be negative. Comprehensive survey of reported diffusion coefficients data for ternary and quaternary mixtures, confirms that invariably the determinant of the Fickian diffusion coefficients matrix is positive.     

收缩喷嘴中的湍流Ⅰ——边界层解

应用边界层积分法,研究锥形喷嘴入口区域中湍动涡流的发展.球面坐标系中的控制方程,通过边界层的假定得到简化,并对边界层进行了积分.应用4阶Adams预测校正法求解该微分方程组.入口区域的切向和轴向速度,分别应用自由涡流和均匀速度分布来表示.由于缺乏收缩喷嘴中涡流的实验数据,需要用数值模拟对该发展模式进行逆向验证.数值模拟的结果证明,该解析模型在预测边界层参数中的能力,例如边界层的生长、剪切率和边界层厚度,以及不同锥度角时的涡流强度衰减率等.为所提出的方法引进一个简明而有效的程序,用以研究几何形状收缩设备内的边界层参数.     

Polypyrrole nanotube modified by gold nanoparticles for improving the neural microelectrodes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - High selectivity and low impedance are preferred properties for neural microelectrodes. The localized and controlled release of drugs from the...     

Transient separation of multicomponent liquid mixtures in thermogravitational columns

Transient separation of the individual components in a multicomponent liquid mixture in a thermogravitational column can be used to determine the thermal and molecular diffusion coefficients. Two models of the transient behavior are developed. First, a classical model where density only depends on temperature. Second, a general model where the compositional effect on density is also taken into account. Diffusion coefficients can be determined by fitting experimental data to either model. The procedure is demonstrated for a ternary liquid mixture. The results reveal that the classical model is very unreliable even though composition variation only contributes to the total buoyancy by one-third. Diffusion coefficients can be obtained reliably from the general model provided the experimental noise does not exceed +/-1% of steady-state separation. This level of accuracy in composition measurements is achievable.     

On measurement of molecular and thermal diffusion coefficients in multicomponent mixtures

We have developed the theory for using the deflection of laser beams of various wavelengths to determine molecular and thermal diffusion coefficients in multicomponent mixtures. In the past, simultaneous determination of molecular and thermal diffusion coefficients have only been achieved for binaries. Our procedure is faster and more accurate than the current techniques to determine molecular diffusion coefficients. The analysis for an N-component mixture requires deflections from (N - 1) beams of different wavelengths. We show in an example that the molecular and thermal diffusion coefficients can be determined reliably in a ternary mixture.     

Induction time in crystallization of gas hydrates

The kinetics of the initial stage of crystallization of one-component gas hydrates in aqueous solutions are analyzed. The temporal evolution of the volume of hydrate crystallized and the moles of gas consumed are determined. Expressions are derived for the supersaturation dependence of the hydrate crystallite growth rate and the induction time in hydrate crystallization. These expressions are used for revealing how additives in the solution that act as kinetic inhibitors of hydrate crystallization can affect the induction time of the process. The results obtained are applied to crystallization of methane, ethane and cyclopropane hydrates.     

Driving force and composition for multicomponent gas hydrate nucleation from supersaturated aqueous solutions

The expression for driving force is presented for multicomponent gas hydrate nucleation in an aqueous phase. The derivation includes working equations for predicting the composition of a hydrate nucleus. The results for driving force in multicomponent systems show a significant effect of the composition of the hydrate nucleus. All past work assume a fixed composition based on the three-phase equilibrium point independent of subcooling and supersaturation.     

Investigation of mental fatigue through EEG signal processing based on nonlinear analysis: Symbolic dynamics

To investigate nonlinear analysis of attention physiological indices this study used a simple repetitive attentive task in four consecutive trials that resulted in mental fatigue. Traditional performance indices, such as reaction time, error responses, and EEG signals, were simultaneously recorded to evaluate differences between the trials. Performance indices analysis demonstrated that a selected task leads to mental fatigue. In addition, the study aimed to find a method to determine mental fatigue based on nonlinear analysis of EEG signals. Symbolic dynamics was selected as a qualitative method used to extract some quantitative qualifiers such as entropy. This method was executed on the reaction time of responses, and EEG signals to distinguish mental states. The results revealed that nonlinear analysis of reaction time, and EEG signals of the frontal and central lobes of the brain could differentiate between attention, and occurrence of mental fatigue in trials. In addition, the trend of entropy variation displayed a reduction in the complexity of mental activity as fatigue occurred.