1,463 research outputs found
Numerical investigation of fluid structure interaction between unsteady flow and vibrating liner in a combustion chamber
Numerical investigations of fluid structure interaction between unsteady flow\ud
and vibrating liner in a combustion chamber are undertaken. The computational study consist of two approaches. Firstly, a partioned procedure consists of coupling the LES code AVBP for combustion modelling with the FEM code CaluliX for structural dynamic analysis. The CFD code CFX together with the FEM Ansys package are then used.\ud
Results of unsteady fluid structure interaction applied to combustion system are presented and compare well with experimental results
Objectively measured physical capability levels and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: To do a quantitative systematic review, including published and unpublished data, examining the associations between individual objective measures of physical capability (grip strength, walking speed, chair rising, and standing balance times) and mortality in community dwelling populations.
Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data sources: Relevant studies published by May 2009 identified through literature searches using Embase (from 1980) and Medline (from 1950) and manual searching of reference lists; unpublished results were obtained from study investigators.
Study selection: Eligible observational studies were those done in community dwelling people of any age that examined the association of at least one of the specified measures of physical capability (grip strength, walking speed, chair rises, or standing balance) with mortality.
Data synthesis: Effect estimates obtained were pooled by using random effects meta-analysis models with heterogeneity between studies investigated.
Results: Although heterogeneity was detected, consistent evidence was found of associations between all four measures of physical capability and mortality; those people who performed less well in these tests were found to be at higher risk of all cause mortality. For example, the summary hazard ratio for mortality comparing the weakest with the strongest quarter of grip strength (14 studies, 53 476 participants) was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.45 to 1.93) after adjustment for age, sex, and body size (I2=84.0%, 95% confidence interval 74% to 90%; P from Q statistic <0.001). The summary hazard ratio for mortality comparing the slowest with the fastest quarter of walking speed (five studies, 14 692 participants) was 2.87 (2.22 to 3.72) (I2=25.2%, 0% to 70%; P=0.25) after similar adjustments. Whereas studies of the associations of walking speed, chair rising, and standing balance with mortality have only been done in older populations (average age over 70 years), the association of grip strength with mortality was also found in younger populations (five studies had an average age under 60 years).
Conclusions: Objective measures of physical capability are predictors of all cause mortality in older community dwelling populations. Such measures may therefore provide useful tools for identifying older people at higher risk of death.
With Contributions from Dr P.A. Bath, University of Sheffiel
An O(N) symmetric extension of the Sine-Gordon Equation
We discuss an O(N) exension of the Sine-Gordon (S-G)equation which allows us
to perform an expansion around the leading order in large-N result using
Path-Integral methods. In leading order we show our methods agree with the
results of a variational calculation at large-N. We discuss the striking
differences for a non-polynomial interaction between the form for the effective
potential in the Gaussian approximation that one obtains at large-N when
compared to the N=1 case. This is in contrast to the case when the classical
potential is a polynomial in the field and no such drastic differences occur.
We find for our large-N extension of the Sine-Gordon model that the unbroken
ground state is unstable as one increases the coupling constant (as it is for
the original S-G equation) and we determine the stability criteria.Comment: 21 pages, Latex (Revtex4) v3:minor grammatical changes and addition
Multiple plasmon resonances from gold nanostructures
Understanding and controlling plasmon resonances from metallic nanoscale structures have been the focus of much attention recently, with applications including local surface plasmon resonance sensing, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and negative refractive index materials. In this letter the authors demonstrate the fabrication of uniform arrays of split rings from gold and show that such structures are capable of supporting multiple plasmon resonances. The authors show that up to five plasmon resonances can be identified and use finite difference time domain modeling and absorption spectroscopy to fully characterize and identify each resonance. The implications of higher order surface plasmon resonances for sensing are discussed
Dual-acting stapled peptides target both HIV-1 entry and assembly
Background:
Previously, we reported the conversion of the 12-mer linear and cell-impermeable peptide CAI to a cell-penetrating peptide NYAD-1 by using an i,i + 4 hydrocarbon stapling technique and confirmed its binding to the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the HIV-1 capsid (CA) protein with an improved affinity (Kd ~ 1 μM) compared to CAI (Kd ~ 15 μM). NYAD-1 disrupts the formation of both immature- and mature-like virus particles in in vitro and cell-based assembly assays. In addition, it displays potent anti-HIV-1 activity in cell culture against a range of laboratory-adapted and primary HIV-1 isolates.<p></p>
Results:
In this report, we expanded the study to i,i + 7 hydrocarbon-stapled peptides to delineate their mechanism of action and antiviral activity. We identified three potent inhibitors, NYAD-36, -66 and -67, which showed strong binding to CA in NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies and disrupted the formation of mature-like particles. They showed typical α-helical structures and penetrated cells; however, the cell penetration was not as efficient as observed with the i,i + 4 peptides. Unlike NYAD-1, the i,i + 7 peptides did not have any effect on virus release; however, they impaired Gag precursor processing. HIV-1 particles produced in the presence of these peptides displayed impaired infectivity. Consistent with an effect on virus entry, selection for viral resistance led to the emergence of two mutations in the gp120 subunit of the viral envelope (Env) glycoprotein, V120Q and A327P, located in the conserved region 1 (C1) and the base of the V3 loop, respectively.<p></p>
Conclusion:
The i,i + 7 stapled peptides derived from CAI unexpectedly target both CA and the V3 loop of gp120. This dual-targeted activity is dependent on their ability to penetrate cells as well as their net charge. This mechanistic revelation will be useful in further modifying these peptides as potent anti-HIV-1 agents.<p></p>
A gamma- and X-ray detector for cryogenic, high magnetic field applications
As part of an experiment to measure the spectrum of photons emitted in
beta-decay of the free neutron, we developed and operated a detector consisting
of 12 bismuth germanate (BGO) crystals coupled to avalanche photodiodes (APDs).
The detector was operated near liquid nitrogen temperature in the bore of a
superconducting magnet and registered photons with energies from 5 keV to 1000
keV. To enlarge the detection range, we also directly detected soft X-rays with
energies between 0.2 keV and 20 keV with three large area APDs. The
construction and operation of the detector is presented, as well as information
on operation of APDs at cryogenic temperatures
Schwinger-Dyson approach to non-equilibrium classical field theory
In this paper we discuss a Schwinger-Dyson [SD] approach for determining the
time evolution of the unequal time correlation functions of a non-equilibrium
classical field theory, where the classical system is described by an initial
density matrix at time . We focus on field theory in 1+1
space time dimensions where we can perform exact numerical simulations by
sampling an ensemble of initial conditions specified by the initial density
matrix. We discuss two approaches. The first, the bare vertex approximation
[BVA], is based on ignoring vertex corrections to the SD equations in the
auxiliary field formalism relevant for 1/N expansions. The second approximation
is a related approximation made to the SD equations of the original formulation
in terms of alone. We compare these SD approximations as well as a
Hartree approximation with exact numerical simulations. We find that both
approximations based on the SD equations yield good agreement with exact
numerical simulations and cure the late time oscillation problem of the Hartree
approximation. We also discuss the relationship between the quantum and
classical SD equations.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figure
Continuing professional development:introducing the ERS International Certificate in Respiratory Sleep Medicine
Certification of specialists in respiratory sleep medicine for the purposes of continuing professional developmen
Dynamics of an anisotropic Haldane antiferromagnet in strong magnetic field
We report the results of elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments
on the Haldane gap quantum antiferromagnet Ni(C5D14N2)2N3(PF6) performed at mK
temperatures in a wide range of magnetic field applied parallel to the S = 1
spin chains. Even though this geometry is closest to an ideal axially symmetric
configuration, the Haldane gap closes at the critical field Hc~4T, but reopens
again at higher fields. The field dependence of the two lowest magnon modes is
experimentally studied and the results are compared with the predictions of
several theoretical models. We conclude that of several existing theories, only
the recently proposed model [Zheludev et al., cond-mat/0301424 ] is able to
reproduce all the features observed experimentally for different field
orientations.Comment: 11 pages 8 figures submitted to Phys. Rev.
Relativistic predictions of spin observables for exclusive proton knockout reactions
Within the framework of the relativistic distorted wave impulse approximation
(DWIA), we investigate the sensitivity of complete sets of polarization
transfer observables for exclusive proton knockout from the 3s,
2d and 2d states in Pb, at an incident laboratory
kinetic energy of 202 MeV, and for coincident coplanar scattering angles
(, ), to different distorting optical potentials,
finite-range (FR) versus zero-range (ZR) approximations to the DWIA, as well as
medium-modified meson-nucleon coupling constants and meson masses. Results are
also compared to the nonrelativistic DWIA predictions based on the
Schr\"{o}dinger equation.Comment: Submitted for publication to Physicical Review C, 23 pages, 7 figure
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