Contributors: Wu, Chuan, Yan, Bo, Huang, Guizao, Zhang, Bo, Lv, Zhongbin, Li, Qing

Date: 2018-04-18

A numerical method to simulate air flow around a bundle conductor line by means of FLUENT software is presented and verified by a wind tunnel test for aerodynamic characteristics of a twin bundle conductor line. The lift and drag coefficients of the leeward sub-conductor of a twin bundle conductor varying with its relative position in the wake zone to the windward one under different wind velocities are numerically determined by the presented method. A user-defined subroutine of ABAQUS software is developed to apply the aerodynamic loads on each sub-conductor and the electromagnetic force between sub-conductors. The numerical simulation method for wake-induced oscillation of a bundle conductor line is proposed. By means of the numerical method, wake-induced oscillation processes of twin bundle conductor transmission lines under different parameters, including current intensity, spacer layout, span length and wind velocity, are numerically simulated. Moreover, the effects of those parameters on the oscillation characteristics of the lines, such as vibration mode, frequency, amplitude and motion trace, are discussed. The obtained results provide a fundamental for the understanding of wake-induced oscillation behavior of twin bundle conductor transmission lines and the development of control technique for wake-induced oscillation....wake-induced oscillation...A numerical method to simulate air flow around a bundle conductor line by means of FLUENT software is presented and verified by a wind tunnel test for aerodynamic characteristics of a twin bundle conductor line. The lift and drag coefficients of the leeward sub-conductor of a twin bundle conductor varying with its relative position in the wake zone to the windward one under different wind velocities are numerically determined by the presented method. A user-defined subroutine of ABAQUS software is developed to apply the aerodynamic loads on each sub-conductor and the electromagnetic force between sub-conductors. The numerical simulation method for wake-induced oscillation of a bundle conductor line is proposed. By means of the numerical method, wake-induced oscillation processes of twin bundle conductor transmission lines under different parameters, including current intensity, spacer layout, span length and wind velocity, are numerically simulated. Moreover, the effects of those parameters on the oscillation characteristics of the lines, such as vibration mode, frequency, amplitude and motion trace, are discussed. The obtained results provide a fundamental for the understanding of wake-induced oscillation behavior of twin bundle conductor transmission lines and the development of control technique for wake-induced oscillation. ... A numerical method to simulate air flow around a bundle conductor line by means of FLUENT software is presented and verified by a wind tunnel test for aerodynamic characteristics of a twin bundle conductor line. The lift and drag coefficients of the leeward sub-conductor of a twin bundle conductor varying with its relative position in the wake zone to the windward one under different wind velocities are numerically determined by the presented method. A user-defined subroutine of ABAQUS software is developed to apply the aerodynamic loads on each sub-conductor and the electromagnetic force between sub-conductors. The numerical simulation method for wake-induced oscillation of a bundle conductor line is proposed. By means of the numerical method, wake-induced oscillation processes of twin bundle conductor transmission lines under different parameters, including current intensity, spacer layout, span length and wind velocity, are numerically simulated. Moreover, the effects of those parameters on the oscillation characteristics of the lines, such as vibration mode, frequency, amplitude and motion trace, are discussed. The obtained results provide a fundamental for the understanding of wake-induced oscillation behavior of twin bundle conductor transmission lines and the development of control technique for wake-induced oscillation.

Contributors: Erlykin, Anatoly D., Harper, David A. T., Sloan, Terry, Wolfendale, Arnold W.

Date: 2017-02-14

A Fourier analysis of the magnitudes and timing of the Phanerozoic mass extinctions (MEs) demonstrates that many of the periodicities claimed in other analyses are not statistically significant. Moreover we show that the periodicities associated with oscillations of the Solar System about the galactic plane are too irregular to give narrow peaks in the Fourier periodograms. This leads us to conclude that, apart from possibly a small number of major events, astronomical causes for MEs can largely be ruled out....Frequency of crater occurrence, basis of analysis of impact periodicity ... A Fourier analysis of the magnitudes and timing of the Phanerozoic mass extinctions (MEs) demonstrates that many of the periodicities claimed in other analyses are not statistically significant. Moreover we show that the periodicities associated with oscillations of the Solar System about the galactic plane are too irregular to give narrow peaks in the Fourier periodograms. This leads us to conclude that, apart from possibly a small number of major events, astronomical causes for MEs can largely be ruled out.

Contributors: Frohlich, Joel, Senturk, Damla, Saravanapandian, Vidya, Golshani, Peyman, Reiter, Lawrence T., Sankar, Raman, Thibert, Ronald, Distefano, Charlotte, Huberty, Scott, Cook, Edwin H.

Date: 2017-03-09

Background: Duplications of 15q11.2-q13.1 (Dup15q syndrome) are highly penetrant for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A distinct electrophysiological (EEG) pattern characterized by excessive activity in the beta band has been noted in clinical reports. We asked whether EEG power in the beta band, as well as in other frequency bands, distinguished children with Dup15q syndrome from those with non-syndromic ASD and then examined the clinical correlates of this electrophysiological biomarker in Dup15q syndrome. Methods: In the first study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from children with Dup15q syndrome (n = 11), age-and-IQ-matched children with ASD (n = 10) and age-matched typically developing (TD) children (n = 9) and computed relative power in 6 frequency bands for 9 regions of interest (ROIs). Group comparisons were made using a repeated measures analysis of variance. In the second study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from a larger cohort of individuals with Dup15q syndrome (n = 27) across two sites and examined age, epilepsy, and duplication type as predictors of beta power using simple linear regressions. Results: Spontaneous beta1 (12 – 20 Hz) and beta2 (20 – 30 Hz) power were significantly higher in Dup15q syndrome compared with both comparison groups, while delta (1 – 4 Hz) was significantly lower than both comparison groups. Effect sizes in all three frequency bands were large (|d| > 1). In the second study, we found that beta2 power was significantly related to epilepsy diagnosis in Dup15q syndrome. Conclusions: Here, we have identified an electrophysiological biomarker of Dup15q syndrome that may facilitate clinical stratification, treatment monitoring, and measurement of target engagement for future clinical trials. Future work will investigate the genetic and neural underpinnings of this electrophysiological signature as well as the functional consequences of excessive beta oscillations in Dup15q syndrome....Background: Duplications of 15q11.2-q13.1 (Dup15q syndrome) are highly penetrant for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A distinct electrophysiological (EEG) pattern characterized by excessive activity in the beta band has been noted in clinical reports. We asked whether EEG power in the beta band, as well as in other frequency bands, distinguished children with Dup15q syndrome from those with non-syndromic ASD and then examined the clinical correlates of this electrophysiological biomarker in Dup15q syndrome. Methods: In the first study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from children with Dup15q syndrome (n = 11), age-and-IQ-matched children with ASD (n = 10) and age-matched typically developing (TD) children (n = 9) and computed relative power in 6 frequency bands for 9 regions of interest (ROIs). Group comparisons were made using a repeated measures analysis of variance. In the second study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from a larger cohort of individuals with Dup15q syndrome (n = 27) across two sites and examined age, epilepsy, and duplication type as predictors of beta power using simple linear regressions. Results: Spontaneous beta1 (12 – 20 Hz) and beta2 (20 – 30 Hz) power were significantly higher in Dup15q syndrome compared with both comparison groups, while delta (1 – 4 Hz) was significantly lower than both comparison groups. Effect sizes in all three frequency bands were large (|d| > 1). In the second study, we found that beta2 power was significantly related to epilepsy diagnosis in Dup15q syndrome. Conclusions: Here, we have identified an electrophysiological biomarker of Dup15q syndrome that may facilitate clinical stratification, treatment monitoring, and measurement of target engagement for future clinical trials. Future work will investigate the genetic and neural underpinnings of this electrophysiological signature as well as the functional consequences of excessive beta oscillations in Dup15q syndrome. ... Background: Duplications of 15q11.2-q13.1 (Dup15q syndrome) are highly penetrant for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A distinct electrophysiological (EEG) pattern characterized by excessive activity in the beta band has been noted in clinical reports. We asked whether EEG power in the beta band, as well as in other frequency bands, distinguished children with Dup15q syndrome from those with non-syndromic ASD and then examined the clinical correlates of this electrophysiological biomarker in Dup15q syndrome. Methods: In the first study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from children with Dup15q syndrome (n = 11), age-and-IQ-matched children with ASD (n = 10) and age-matched typically developing (TD) children (n = 9) and computed relative power in 6 frequency bands for 9 regions of interest (ROIs). Group comparisons were made using a repeated measures analysis of variance. In the second study, we recorded spontaneous EEG from a larger cohort of individuals with Dup15q syndrome (n = 27) across two sites and examined age, epilepsy, and duplication type as predictors of beta power using simple linear regressions. Results: Spontaneous beta1 (12 – 20 Hz) and beta2 (20 – 30 Hz) power were significantly higher in Dup15q syndrome compared with both comparison groups, while delta (1 – 4 Hz) was significantly lower than both comparison groups. Effect sizes in all three frequency bands were large (|d| > 1). In the second study, we found that beta2 power was significantly related to epilepsy diagnosis in Dup15q syndrome. Conclusions: Here, we have identified an electrophysiological biomarker of Dup15q syndrome that may facilitate clinical stratification, treatment monitoring, and measurement of target engagement for future clinical trials. Future work will investigate the genetic and neural underpinnings of this electrophysiological signature as well as the functional consequences of excessive beta oscillations in Dup15q syndrome.

Contributors: Li, Jing, Jin, Qian, Zhu, Gengping, Jiang, Chong, Zhang, Ai-bing

Date: 2019-06-20

Locations of populations of Dendrolimus punctatus sampled, including the sample sizes (N), frequencies of COI and Ribotypes per population (Nh), and estimates of haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) for each populations....Although the Masson pine moth, Dendrolimus punctatus, is one of the most destructive forest pest insects and is an endemic condition in China, we still do not fully understand the patterns of how its distribution range varies in response to Quaternary climatic oscillations. Here we sequenced one maternally inherited mitochondrial gene (COI) and biparentally inherited nuclear data (ITS1 and ITS2 ) among 23 natural populations across the entire range of the species in China. A total of 51 mitotypes and 38 ribotypes were separately obtained using mtDNA and ITS1 data. Furthermore, significant phylogeographical structure (NST > GST, P < 0.01) were detected. The spatial distribution of mitotypes implied that two distinct groups existed in the species: one in the southwest distribution, including 10 locations, and the other located in the northeast region of China. It is suggested, therefore that each group was derived from ancestors that occupied different isolated refugia during previous periods, possibly Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Mismatch distribution and Bayesian population dynamics analysis suggested the population size underwent sudden expansion, which is consistent with the results of ecological niche modelling (ENM). As a typical phytophagous insect, the history of population expansion was in accordance with the host plants, providing abundant food resources and habitat. Intraspecific success rate of barcoding identification was lower than interspecific ones, indicating a level of difficulty in barcoding individuals from different populations. However, it still provides an early insight into the pattern of genetic diversity within a species. ... Although the Masson pine moth, Dendrolimus punctatus, is one of the most destructive forest pest insects and is an endemic condition in China, we still do not fully understand the patterns of how its distribution range varies in response to Quaternary climatic oscillations. Here we sequenced one maternally inherited mitochondrial gene (COI) and biparentally inherited nuclear data (ITS1 and ITS2 ) among 23 natural populations across the entire range of the species in China. A total of 51 mitotypes and 38 ribotypes were separately obtained using mtDNA and ITS1 data. Furthermore, significant phylogeographical structure (NST > GST, P < 0.01) were detected. The spatial distribution of mitotypes implied that two distinct groups existed in the species: one in the southwest distribution, including 10 locations, and the other located in the northeast region of China. It is suggested, therefore that each group was derived from ancestors that occupied different isolated refugia during previous periods, possibly Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Mismatch distribution and Bayesian population dynamics analysis suggested the population size underwent sudden expansion, which is consistent with the results of ecological niche modelling (ENM). As a typical phytophagous insect, the history of population expansion was in accordance with the host plants, providing abundant food resources and habitat. Intraspecific success rate of barcoding identification was lower than interspecific ones, indicating a level of difficulty in barcoding individuals from different populations. However, it still provides an early insight into the pattern of genetic diversity within a species.

Contributors: Breska, Assaf, Deouell, Leon Y.

Date: 2017-07-26

Predicting the timing of upcoming events enables efficient resource allocation and action preparation. Rhythmic streams, such as music, speech, and biological motion, constitute a pervasive source for temporal predictions. Widely accepted entrainment theories postulate that rhythm-based predictions are mediated by synchronizing low-frequency neural oscillations to the rhythm, as indicated by increased phase concentration (PC) of low-frequency neural activity for rhythmic compared to random streams. However, we show here that PC enhancement in scalp recordings is not specific to rhythms but is observed to the same extent in less periodic streams if they enable memory-based prediction. This is inconsistent with the predictions of a computational entrainment model of stronger PC for rhythmic streams. Anticipatory change in alpha activity and facilitation of electroencephalogram (EEG) manifestations of response selection are also comparable between rhythm- and memory-based predictions. However, rhythmic sequences uniquely result in obligatory depression of preparation-related premotor brain activity when an on-beat event is omitted, even when it is strategically beneficial to maintain preparation, leading to larger behavioral costs for violation of prediction. Thus, while our findings undermine the validity of PC as a sign of rhythmic entrainment, they constitute the first electrophysiological dissociation, to our knowledge, between mechanisms of rhythmic predictions and of memory-based predictions: the former obligatorily lead to resonance-like preparation patterns (that are in line with entrainment), while the latter allow flexible resource allocation in time regardless of periodicity in the input. Taken together, they delineate the neural mechanisms of three distinct modes of preparation: continuous vigilance, interval-timing-based prediction and rhythm-based prediction....Predicting the timing of upcoming events enables efficient resource allocation and action preparation. Rhythmic streams, such as music, speech, and biological motion, constitute a pervasive source for temporal predictions. Widely accepted entrainment theories postulate that rhythm-based predictions are mediated by synchronizing low-frequency neural oscillations to the rhythm, as indicated by increased phase concentration (PC) of low-frequency neural activity for rhythmic compared to random streams. However, we show here that PC enhancement in scalp recordings is not specific to rhythms but is observed to the same extent in less periodic streams if they enable memory-based prediction. This is inconsistent with the predictions of a computational entrainment model of stronger PC for rhythmic streams. Anticipatory change in alpha activity and facilitation of electroencephalogram (EEG) manifestations of response selection are also comparable between rhythm- and memory-based predictions. However, rhythmic sequences uniquely result in obligatory depression of preparation-related premotor brain activity when an on-beat event is omitted, even when it is strategically beneficial to maintain preparation, leading to larger behavioral costs for violation of prediction. Thus, while our findings undermine the validity of PC as a sign of rhythmic entrainment, they constitute the first electrophysiological dissociation, to our knowledge, between mechanisms of rhythmic predictions and of memory-based predictions: the former obligatorily lead to resonance-like preparation patterns (that are in line with entrainment), while the latter allow flexible resource allocation in time regardless of periodicity in the input. Taken together, they delineate the neural mechanisms of three distinct modes of preparation: continuous vigilance, interval-timing-based prediction and rhythm-based prediction....low-frequency oscillations ... Predicting the timing of upcoming events enables efficient resource allocation and action preparation. Rhythmic streams, such as music, speech, and biological motion, constitute a pervasive source for temporal predictions. Widely accepted entrainment theories postulate that rhythm-based predictions are mediated by synchronizing low-frequency neural oscillations to the rhythm, as indicated by increased phase concentration (PC) of low-frequency neural activity for rhythmic compared to random streams. However, we show here that PC enhancement in scalp recordings is not specific to rhythms but is observed to the same extent in less periodic streams if they enable memory-based prediction. This is inconsistent with the predictions of a computational entrainment model of stronger PC for rhythmic streams. Anticipatory change in alpha activity and facilitation of electroencephalogram (EEG) manifestations of response selection are also comparable between rhythm- and memory-based predictions. However, rhythmic sequences uniquely result in obligatory depression of preparation-related premotor brain activity when an on-beat event is omitted, even when it is strategically beneficial to maintain preparation, leading to larger behavioral costs for violation of prediction. Thus, while our findings undermine the validity of PC as a sign of rhythmic entrainment, they constitute the first electrophysiological dissociation, to our knowledge, between mechanisms of rhythmic predictions and of memory-based predictions: the former obligatorily lead to resonance-like preparation patterns (that are in line with entrainment), while the latter allow flexible resource allocation in time regardless of periodicity in the input. Taken together, they delineate the neural mechanisms of three distinct modes of preparation: continuous vigilance, interval-timing-based prediction and rhythm-based prediction.