Egocentric physics : just about Mie

We show that the physics of anapole excitations can be accurately described in terms of a resonant state expansion formulation of standard Mie theory without recourse to Cartesian coordinate based `toroidal' currents that have previously been used to describe this phenomenon. In this purely Mie theory framework, the anapole behavior arises as a result of a Fano-type interference effect between different quasi-normal modes of the scatterer that effectively eliminate the scattered field in the associated multipole order.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Solution structure of human MBD1 CXXC1

No abstract available

Application of a panel method to wake-vortex/wing interaction and comparison with experimental data

The ability of the Vortex Separation AEROdynamics (VSAERO) program to calculate aerodynamic loads on wings due to interaction with free vortices was studied. The loads were calculated for various positions of a downstream following wing relative to an upstream vortex-generating wing. Calculated vortex-induced span loads, rolling-moment coefficients, and lift coefficients on the following wing were compared with experimental results of McMillan et al. and El-Ramly et al. Comparisons of calculated and experimental vortex tangential velocities were also made

A Study of G Protein Coupled Signal Transduction Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease

The specific objective of the work described in this thesis was to study aspects of signal transduction in the post mortem brains of persons who had suffered from dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). There already exists much data describing the state of many neurotransmitter systems in the disease, but little information was available regarding the events that take place subsequent to receptor activation. Such knowledge is important in order to assess the potential for neurotransmitter replacement therapies in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well giving further insight into the neurodegenerative mechanism of this disease. The levels of the guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) a subunits, GsH, GsL, Gil, Gi2 and Gsa, were measured by western blotting utilising highly specific anti-G protein antisera. Similarly, the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding the G protein subunits Goa, Gia and GB, as well as 28S ribosomal RNA (28S mRNA), were analysed by northern blotting utilising radiolabelled oligonucleotide probes. In addition, the activities of the enzymes adenylate cyclase, sodium potassium dependent ATPase and choline acetyl transferase were assayed using standard methods. (i) Effect of post mortem delay on different components of signal transduction in rat brain. Since multiple parameters (e. g. levels of G proteins and their mRNAs, adenylate cyclase activity, etc. ) were to be measured in post mortem human tissue, there was a concern that the delay between death and freezing of the tissue (the post mortem delay) would influence the reliability of any measurements made. This possibility was investigated by experiments in which rats were sacrificed and left at room temperature for 24 hours, or at

How inter-organisational relationships (IORS) develop over time

PhD ThesisThis thesis is an exploratory study of a project partnership between a group of Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) and a Voluntary Agency that were commissioned by the Local Authority to deliver a combined service. The partnership is based on a consortium arrangement, an inter-organisational relationship (IOR) between locally driven, delivery-based service providers, and a non-delivery partner, a coordinator. Though their arrangement was only meant to last twelve months, relationships continued after the project ended. While there is an abundance of studies that have examined private and public sector partnerships and multi-agency arrangements, a review of literature established no general theory or framework through which to consider how VCOs collaborate in a project partnership over time. This study was therefore designed to explore how these organisations worked together to complete the project and what became of the partnership after their initial objective was accomplished. In addition to findings from an evaluation study that examined whether organisations achieved their targets and shared objectives, there were another two interview phases that further illustrated how organisations worked together. Data from seventeen in-depth interviews were collected and analysed until the point of data saturation. Other sources included non-participant observations, mainly from partnership meetings, a focus group, field notes, and secondary data. By triangulating this data, this thesis constructed a collective account of the partnership’s journey to complete the pilot project and identified several factors that influenced the partners’ IOR. The research process was iterative, unfolding and reflexive. A phenomenological approach using a qualitative methodology was employed to understand the case study. From the first phase of data collection and analysis, four main themes were identified that captured how these organisations worked together. This involved there being a strategy, participants, process, and an outcome. From the second and third phase of data collection and analysis, further sub-themes were identified within these categories. Being a project, the partnership was a temporary arrangement. Consequently, the consortium had a life-cycle, which is a sequence of phases organisations will come across to deliver their services (Turner, 2009; Weiss and Wysocki, 1992; Westland, 2006). Members experienced a beginning (formation stage), a middle (development and ii performance stage), and an end (termination stage). However, as shared meanings were organised into themes, the process captured five stages of development, which coincided with Wilson and Charlton’s (1997) five-stage model of partnership working, and Tuckman and Jensen’s (1977) group development framework. As data was being triangulated with other sources, the model was modified to account for long periods of relative stability that were punctuated by periods of change (Gersick, 1988, 1989), an overlap between stages, and a reformation period. How their inter-organisational arrangement developed became an emerging and cyclical process (Ring and Van de Ven, 1994). A further examination of findings identified five underlying themes that influenced the IOR of a partner; these involved (i) the orientation of the project and its management, (ii) the time allocated to forming, developing and nurturing relationships, (iii) the behaviour, interaction and interdependence of organisations or individuals with others in the partnership, (iv) learning and growth, and (v) sustainability, a continuance of relationships and renewed membership. These themes captured how individual, organisational and environmental factors affected collaborative development over the pilot project, and the challenges encountered when charity-based providers form IORs for the first time to deliver a combined service. While this thesis presents a phenomenological approach to understand how locally-driven service providers in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) work together, it also provides a framework to support future studies of collaboration between VCOs in temporary project partnerships

Sub-parts per billion detection of trace volatile chemicals in human breath using Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry

© 2008 Ross; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Thermal decomposition of inorganic solids

A brief outline has been given of the present knowledge of the kinetics of the thermal decomposition of inorganic solids. The iso¬ thermal decomposition of potassium metaperiodate crystals, which were 300 u and 40 u in linear dimensions, has ueen studied, together with the effects on the subsequent decomposition, of storage and preirradiation with ultraviolet light

Communicating for Influence: Christian Proclamation from the Margins

It is my opinion that North American Christianity needs to re-consider how it communicates to young adults about following after the person of Jesus Christ. The Church should seek to understand the present cultural milieu and the implications of influencing from below. Established Christianity formerly held a position of prestige and relative power. Due to cultural and epistemological shifts this is no longer the situation. The message of Christ is still relevant in the new millennium, but the standard approaches to communicating and thus influencing others in this new world are at times no longer relevant. Much of organized Christianity is relying on pragmatics of communication that is no longer tenable. An understanding and skillful use of the tools and philosophies of influencing others from a position of marginalization is needed for contemporary Christian mission. Others have offered up alternative solutions to this problem. Some have claimed that modem Christianity has simply become too liberalized, no longer holding to fundamentals, and therefore is less effective. They believe the calling for the Church is to stand stronger against the culture and return to a more prophetic posture. Additional voices suggest that Christendom is finally waking up to the fact that much of the supposed revelation in the Bible is little more than flawed ancient attempts at understanding God. The Church has been naive and often oppressive and therefore the Christian message is to join with the program and values of the world by becoming a spiritual community whose main focus is social justice activism. They believe this is the true essence of the mission of Jesus Christ Himself. And finally, another camp suggests the Church has become simply too institutional. Centralized communion is part of the problem. If the people of God would learn to organize themselves in more cutting edge sociological forms, the Church could regain much of its prominence. Though all possible solutions provide grains of truth, I do not believe any of these paths are the key to mission in the present situation. It is my claim that the Church of Jesus Christ needs to learn to influence those outside its walls through a thorough understanding and effective practice of communicating from the margins. This is defined as communicating from a place of weakness. When a person or community is generally disregarded by the populous, different strategies of influence need to be utilized than when they are communicating from a position of power. This work will explore insights from psychology and leadership from below, along with Biblical and theological reflections on the mindset and practices of missional communication in a hostile world. I am proposing a book of personal essays that will serve as an example of what it means to influence others from the margins with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This piece will be written in a popular style, aimed at young adults (aged 20-35), who as most Americans have some familiarity with Christianity, but are increasingly finding it irrelevant to their world views and experiences. Through the book\u27s writing I will attempt to utilize many of the principles and findings discussed here