The stability of solitons in biomembranes and nerves

We examine the stability of a class of solitons, obtained from a generalization of the Boussinesq equation, which have been proposed to be relevant for pulse propagation in biomembranes and nerves. These solitons are found to be stable with respect to small amplitude fluctuations. They emerge naturally from non-solitonic initial excitations and are robust in the presence of dissipation.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Radio detection of H2O in comet Bradfield (1974b)

Results of observations of comet Bradfield using the Haystack telescope are summarized with emphasis on the detection of the 1.35 cm emission line of water in the comet. The excitation of water and methyl cyanide in comets is briefly considered

The interpretive approach to religious education : challenging Thompson's interpretation

In a recent book chapter, Matthew Thompson makes some criticisms of my work, including the interpretive approach to religious education and the research and activity of Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit. Against the background of a discussion of religious education in the public sphere, my response challenges Thompson’s account, commenting on his own position in relation to dialogical approaches to religious education. The article rehearses my long held view that the ideal form of religious education in fully state funded schools of a liberal democracy should be ‘secular’ but not ‘secularist’; there should be no implication of an axiomatic secular humanist interpretation of religions

Autopoiesis: A theoretical framework for a design management model for the textile print business

My research will provide a design management framework for the textile print business in their efforts to rationalise the move forward to embrace direct digital textile printing. Autopoiesis, as defined by Maturana and Varela (1987) is a ‘self-generating, self-bounding and a self-renewing’ process. Luhmann (1995) and Coleman Jr. (2000) researched its validity as a model for the social sciences and in turn the management sector; Luhmann’s theory being refuted by Viskovatoff (1999, 481-516) and Hernes and Bakken (2003, 1511-1535). Creativity is considered an essential element in the pursuit of design. (Florida, 2002) The space that creativity demands is necessary to integrate into an appropriate design management model for effective application in a business situation. In business, change is driven by the consumer, technology and economics. To qualify my investigation it is worthy to consider current economic theories that have a resonance with this type of management theory. These are important consideration in the search for a model for design management that is closely aligned to the current situation within the textile print industry. A self organising management system offers benefits for the businesses and organisations involved. I aim to extend/augment a model based on ‘autopoiesis’ applicable for the design management of digital textile print. I will conduct this research by use of a literature review outlining current arguments as to the value of autopoiesis in design management theory. The outcomes from development of this framework will provide the researcher with a valid basis from which to can question a number of case study sites for further validation

Assessment of the effectiveness of head only and back-of-the-head electrical stunning of chickens

The study assesses the effectiveness of reversible head-only and back-of-the-head electrical stunning of chickens using 130–950 mA per bird at 50 Hz AC

Dark energy models toward observational tests and data

A huge amount of good quality astrophysical data converges towards the picture of a spatially flat universe undergoing the today observed phase of accelerated expansion. This new observational trend is commonly addressed as Precision Cosmology. Despite of the quality of astrophysical surveys, the nature of dark energy dominating the matter-energy content of the universe is still unknown and a lot of different scenarios are viable candidates to explain cosmic acceleration. Methods to test these cosmological models are based on distance measurements and lookback time toward astronomical objects used as standard candles. I discuss the characterizing parameters and constraints of three different classes of dark energy models pointing out the related degeneracy problem which is the signal that more data at low (z= 0- 1), medium (1<z<10) and high (10 <z< 1000) redshift are needed to definitively select realistic models.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, Lectures for 42nd Karpacz Winter School of Theoretical Physics: Current Mathematical Topics in Gravitation and Cosmology, Ladek, Poland, 6-11 Feb 200

Radio frequency interference survey over the 1.0-10.4 GHz frequency range at the Goldstone-Venus Development Station

The results of a low sensitivity Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) survey carried out at the Venus Station of the Goldstone Communications Complex are reported. The data cover the spectral range from 1 GHz to 10.4 GHz with a 10-kHz instantaneous bandwidth. Frequency and power levels were observed using a sweep-frequency spectrum analyzer connected to a 1-m diameter antenna pointed at zenith. The survey was conducted from February 16, 1987 through February 24, 1987

Finite temperature theory of the scissors mode in a Bose gas using the moment method

We use a generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation for the condensate and a semi-classical kinetic equation for the noncondensate atoms to discuss the scissors mode in a trapped Bose-condensed gas at finite temperatures. Both equations include the effect of $C_{12}$ collisions between the condensate and noncondensate atoms. We solve the coupled moment equations describing oscillations of the quadrupole moments of the condensate and noncondensate components to find the collective mode frequencies and collisional damping rates as a function of temperature. Our calculations extend those of Gu\'ery-Odelin and Stringari at T=0 and in the normal phase. They complement the numerical results of Jackson and Zaremba, although Landau damping is left out of our approach. Our results are also used to calculate the quadrupole response function, which is related to the moment of inertia. It is shown explicitly that the moment of inertia of a trapped Bose gas at finite temperatures involves a sum of an irrotational component from the condensate and a rotational component from the thermal cloud atoms.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure

Dependency and Third World Underdevelopment: Examining Production-Consumption Disarticulation in Nigeria

This paper examined the crises of underdevelopment in the third world with specific reference to Nigeria arising from colonially imposed economic dependency and inherent disarticulation in its production and consumption patterns as measured by its recent import and export trends. The paper adopted the dependency theory as its theoretical framework. The paper largely adopted the library research method as secondary data were utilized and content analyzed. Also descriptive tools such as tables and charts were used to corroborate analyses. The paper concludes that the colonially imposed export oriented production and import oriented consumption economy of Nigeria has negative implications on the overall socio-economic development of Nigeria as reflected in its weak industrial base, food insecurity and dependence on foreign capital. Following these submissions, the paper recommends that the Nigerian government should pursue diversification of the Nigerian economy from oil, while vigorously enhancing rural development and promotion of internally oriented regional trade amongst the African Union countries.Key words: Dependency, Production-Consumption Disarticulation, Under Development, Nigeri

Electron tunneling time measured by photoluminescence excitation correlation spectroscopy

The tunneling time for electrons to escape from the lowest quasibound state in the quantum wells of GaAs/AlAs/GaAs/AlAs/GaAs double-barrier heterostructures with barriers between 16 and 62 Å has been measured at 80 K using photoluminescence excitation correlation spectroscopy. The decay time for samples with barrier thicknesses from 16 Å (≈12 ps) to 34 Å(≈800 ps) depends exponentially on barrier thickness, in good agreement with calculations of electron tunneling time derived from the energy width of the resonance. Electron and heavy hole carrier densities are observed to decay at the same rate, indicating a coupling between the two decay processes