1,774 research outputs found
Integrating Information Literacy Instruction in an Upper-Division Writing-Intensive Class
Writing-intensive courses are a required component of undergraduate education at the University of South Alabama, but often the courses are designed to test students’ writing skills, rather than to teach the research and writing process. In the fall of 2008, an instruction librarian and an assistant professor in political science collaborated to redesign one writing intensive course, Public Administration (PSC 401), in an attempt to address this dilemma. This project was born out of frustration – frustration on the part of the professor about the generally poor quality of writing and research skills by students in the course the previous year, and frustration on the part of the librarian at a lack of opportunities for integrating information literacy instruction (beyond one-shot bibliographic instruction sessions) into the curriculum. The project was also born out of optimism that a new approach could make a difference in improving students’ abilities in terms of researching and writing papers
Effect of forward motion on engine noise
Methods used to determine a procedure for correcting static engine data for the effects of forward motion are described. Data were analyzed from airplane flyover and static-engine tests with a JT8D-109 low-bypass-ratio turbofan engine installed on a DC-9-30, with a CF6-6D high-bypass-ratio turbofan engine installed on a DC-10-10, and with a JT9D-59A high-bypass-ratio turbofan engine installed on a DC-10-40. The observed differences between the static and the flyover data bases are discussed in terms of noise generation, convective amplification, atmospheric propagation, and engine installation. The results indicate that each noise source must be adjusted separately for forward-motion and installation effects and then projected to flight conditions as a function of source-path angle, directivity angle, and acoustic range relative to the microphones on the ground
Topology and energy transport in networks of interacting photosynthetic complexes
We address the role of topology in the energy transport process that occurs
in networks of photosynthetic complexes. We take inspiration from light
harvesting networks present in purple bacteria and simulate an incoherent
dissipative energy transport process on more general and abstract networks,
considering both regular structures (Cayley trees and hyperbranched fractals)
and randomly-generated ones. We focus on the the two primary light harvesting
complexes of purple bacteria, i.e., the LH1 and LH2, and we use
network-theoretical centrality measures in order to select different LH1
arrangements. We show that different choices cause significant differences in
the transport efficiencies, and that for regular networks centrality measures
allow to identify arrangements that ensure transport efficiencies which are
better than those obtained with a random disposition of the complexes. The
optimal arrangements strongly depend on the dissipative nature of the dynamics
and on the topological properties of the networks considered, and depending on
the latter they are achieved by using global vs. local centrality measures. For
randomly-generated networks a random arrangement of the complexes already
provides efficient transport, and this suggests the process is strong with
respect to limited amount of control in the structure design and to the
disorder inherent in the construction of randomly-assembled structures.
Finally, we compare the networks considered with the real biological networks
and find that the latter have in general better performances, due to their
higher connectivity, but the former with optimal arrangements can mimic the
real networks' behaviour for a specific range of transport parameters. These
results show that the use of network-theoretical concepts can be crucial for
the characterization and design of efficient artificial energy transport
networks.Comment: 14 pages, 16 figures, revised versio
Client Assistance Programs and Protection and Advocacy Services
Client Assistance Programs and Protection and Advocacy Services comprise the nationwide network of congressionally mandated, legally based disability rights agencies. Both of these programs and services were mandated as a response to the need for protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. The authors will discuss both of these programs and the services they offer. Implications will also be addressed
Molecular Mechanics Simulations and Improved Tight-binding Hamiltonians for Artificial Light Harvesting Systems: Predicting Geometric Distributions, Disorder, and Spectroscopy of Chromophores in a Protein Environment
We present molecular mechanics {and spectroscopic} calculations on prototype
artificial light harvesting systems consisting of chromophores attached to a
tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) protein scaffold. These systems have been
synthesized and characterized spectroscopically, but information about the
microscopic configurations and geometry of these TMV-templated chromophore
assemblies is largely unknown. We use a Monte Carlo conformational search
algorithm to determine the preferred positions and orientations of two
chromophores, Coumarin 343 together with its linker, and Oregon Green 488, when
these are attached at two different sites (104 and 123) on the TMV protein. The
resulting geometric information shows that the extent of disorder and
aggregation properties, and therefore the optical properties of the
TMV-templated chromophore assembly, are highly dependent on the choice of
chromophores and protein site to which they are bound. We used the results of
the conformational search as geometric parameters together with an improved
tight-binding Hamiltonian to simulate the linear absorption spectra and compare
with experimental spectral measurements. The ideal dipole approximation to the
Hamiltonian is not valid since the distance between chromophores can be very
small. We found that using the geometries from the conformational search is
necessary to reproduce the features of the experimental spectral peaks
Privilege and Marginality: How Group Identification and Personality Predict Rightâ and Leftâ Wing Political Activism
In two studies, we examine how different processes might underlie the political mobilization of individuals with marginalized versus privileged identities for leftâ wing activism (LWA) versus rightâ wing activism (RWA). In the first study, with a sample of 244 midlife women, we tested the hypotheses that endorsement of system justification beliefs and social identities were direct predictors of political activism, and that system justification beliefs moderated the mobilization of social identities for activism on both the left and the right. We found that system justification predicted RWA only among those who felt close to privileged groups; the parallel reverse effect did not hold for LWA, though rejection of systemâ justifying beliefs was an important direct predictor. In Study 2, we replicated many of these findings with a sample of 113 college students. In addition, we tested and confirmed the hypothesis that LWA is predicted by openness to experience and is unrelated to RWA, but not that openness plays a stronger role among those with marginalized identities. These two studies together support our overall hypothesis that different personality processes are involved with political mobilization of privileged and marginalized individuals on the right and the left.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141967/1/asap12132_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141967/2/asap12132.pd
Constant amplitude and post-overload fatigue crack growth behavior in PM aluminum alloy AA 8009
A recently developed, rapidly solidified, powder metallurgy, dispersion strengthened aluminum alloy, AA 8009, was fatigue tested at room temperature in lab air. Constant amplitude/constant delta kappa and single spike overload conditions were examined. High fatigue crack growth rates and low crack closure levels compared to typical ingot metallurgy aluminum alloys were observed. It was proposed that minimal crack roughness, crack path deflection, and limited slip reversibility, resulting from ultra-fine microstructure, were responsible for the relatively poor da/dN-delta kappa performance of AA 8009 as compared to that of typical IM aluminum alloys
Long-lived quantum coherence in photosynthetic complexes at physiological temperature
Photosynthetic antenna complexes capture and concentrate solar radiation by
transferring the excitation to the reaction center which stores energy from the
photon in chemical bonds. This process occurs with near-perfect quantum
efficiency. Recent experiments at cryogenic temperatures have revealed that
coherent energy transfer - a wavelike transfer mechanism - occurs in many
photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes (1-4). Using the Fenna-Matthews-Olson
antenna complex (FMO) as a model system, theoretical studies incorporating both
incoherent and coherent transfer as well as thermal dephasing predict that
environmentally assisted quantum transfer efficiency peaks near physiological
temperature; these studies further show that this process is equivalent to a
quantum random walk algorithm (5-8). This theory requires long-lived quantum
coherence at room temperature, which never has been observed in FMO. Here we
present the first evidence that quantum coherence survives in FMO at
physiological temperature for at least 300 fs, long enough to perform a
rudimentary quantum computational operation. This data proves that the
wave-like energy transfer process discovered at 77 K is directly relevant to
biological function. Microscopically, we attribute this long coherence lifetime
to correlated motions within the protein matrix encapsulating the chromophores,
and we find that the degree of protection afforded by the protein appears
constant between 77 K and 277 K. The protein shapes the energy landscape and
mediates an efficient energy transfer despite thermal fluctuations. The
persistence of quantum coherence in a dynamic, disordered system under these
conditions suggests a new biomimetic strategy for designing dedicated quantum
computational devices that can operate at high temperature.Comment: PDF files, 15 pages, 3 figures (included in the PDF file
Long-range energy transport in photosystem II.
We simulate the long-range inter-complex electronic energy transfer in photosystem II-from the antenna complex, via a core complex, to the reaction center-using a non-Markovian (ZOFE) quantum master equation description that allows the electronic coherence involved in the energy transfer to be explicitly included at all length scales. This allows us to identify all locations where coherence is manifested and to further identify the pathways of the energy transfer in the full network of coupled chromophores using a description based on excitation probability currents. We investigate how the energy transfer depends on the initial excitation-localized, coherent initial excitation versus delocalized, incoherent initial excitation-and find that the overall energy transfer is remarkably robust with respect to such strong variations of the initial condition. To explore the importance of vibrationally enhanced transfer and to address the question of optimization in the system parameters, we systematically vary the strength of the coupling between the electronic and the vibrational degrees of freedom. We find that the natural parameters lie in a (broad) region that enables optimal transfer efficiency and that the overall long-range energy transfer on a ns time scale appears to be very robust with respect to variations in the vibronic coupling of up to an order of magnitude. Nevertheless, vibrationally enhanced transfer appears to be crucial to obtain a high transfer efficiency, with the latter falling sharply for couplings outside the optimal range. Comparison of our full quantum simulations to results obtained with a "classical" rate equation based on a modified-Redfield/generalized-Förster description previously used to simulate energy transfer dynamics in the entire photosystem II complex shows good agreement for the overall time scales of excitation energy transport
Space Use and Movement of Urban Bobcats
Global urbanization is rapidly changing the landscape for wildlife species that must learn to persist in declining wild spacing, adapt, or risk extinction. Many mesopredators have successfully exploited urban niches, and research on these species in an urban setting offers insights into the traits that facilitate their success. In this study, we examined space use and activity patterns from GPS-collared bobcats (Lynx rufus) in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Texas, USA. We found that bobcats select for natural/agricultural features, creeks, and water ways and there is greater home-range overlap in these habitats. They avoid roads and are less likely to have home-range overlap in habitats with more roads. Home-range size is relatively small and overlap relatively high, with older animals showing both greater home-range size and overlap. Simultaneous locations suggest bobcats are neither avoiding nor attracted to one another, despite the high overlap across home ranges. Finally, bobcats are active at all times of day and night. These results suggest that access to natural features and behavioral plasticity may enable bobcats to live in highly developed landscapes
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