11,341 research outputs found
Gravity gradient attitude control system Patent
Gravity gradient attitude control system with gravity gradiometer and reaction wheels for artificial satellite attitude contro
Self-Regulation in a Web-Based Course: A Case Study
Little is known about how successful students in Web-based courses self-regulate their learning. This descriptive case study used a social cognitive model of self-regulated learning (SRL) to investigate how six graduate students used and adapted traditional SRL strategies to complete tasks and cope with challenges in a Web-based technology course; it also explored motivational and environmental influences on strategy use. Primary data sources were three transcribed interviews with each of the students over the course of the semester, a transcribed interview with the course instructor, and the students’ reflective journals. Archived course documents, including transcripts of threaded discussions and student Web pages, were secondary data sources. Content analysis of the data indicated that these students used many traditional SRL strategies, but they also adapted planning, organization, environmental structuring, help seeking, monitoring, record keeping, and self-reflection strategies in ways that were unique to the Web-based learning environment. The data also suggested that important motivational influences on SRL strategy use—self-efficacy, goal orientation, interest, and attributions—were shaped largely by student successes in managing the technical and social environment of the course. Important environmental influences on SRL strategy use included instructor support, peer support, and course design. Implications for online course instructors and designers, and suggestions for future research are offered
Intrinsic Metastabilities in the Charge Configuration of a Double Quantum Dot
We report a thermally activated metastability in a GaAs double quantum dot
exhibiting real-time charge switching in diamond shaped regions of the charge
stability diagram. Accidental charge traps and sensor back action are excluded
as the origin of the switching. We present an extension of the canonical double
dot theory based on an intrinsic, thermal electron exchange process through the
reservoirs, giving excellent agreement with the experiment. The electron spin
is randomized by the exchange process, thus facilitating fast, gate-controlled
spin initialization. At the same time, this process sets an intrinsic upper
limit to the spin relaxation time.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures (color
Feasibility study for a Scanning Celestial Attitude Determination System /SCADS/ for three axis attitude determination at a Command and Data Acquisition /CDA/ station Final report
Scanning Celestial Attitude Determination System /SCADS/ for three axis attitude determination at Command and Data Acquisition /CDA/ statio
Obtenção, caracterização e avaliação do potencial antioxidante de farinha de endosperma e de casca de pinhĂŁo para fins alimentĂcios.
Resumo. DisponĂvel online. MIPE
Computational Model for Microbubble Enhanced Performance of Airlift Bioreactor (ALB)
This paper presents a computational model for microbubble enhanced performance of an airlift bioreactor (ALB). Five different bubble diameters were defined in the model under the same conditions (440 µm to 1 mm bubble diameter). The computational model parameters and the size of the ALB were defined by referring to experimental work done previously. The main objective of the model is to study the effect of bubble size on the rising velocity and the liquid flow velocity in the airlift reactor (ALB). The results obtained from the computational model shows that microbubbles have a better performance over larger bubbles because microbubbles have better gas hold up due to slow rise velocity and are able to increase the flow velocity due to their high surface area to volume ratio
Helical Tubes in Crowded Environments
When placed in a crowded environment, a semi-flexible tube is forced to fold
so as to make a more compact shape. One compact shape that often arises in
nature is the tight helix, especially when the tube thickness is of comparable
size to the tube length. In this paper we use an excluded volume effect to
model the effects of crowding. This gives us a measure of compactness for
configurations of the tube, which we use to look at structures of the
semi-flexible tube that minimize the excluded volume. We focus most of our
attention on the helix and which helical geometries are most compact. We found
that helices of specific pitch to radius ratio 2.512 to be optimally compact.
This is the same geometry that minimizes the global curvature of the curve
defining the tube. We further investigate the effects of adding a bending
energy or multiple tubes to begin to explore the more complete space of
possible geometries a tube could form.Comment: 10 page
Dislocation Emission around Nanoindentations on a (001) fcc Metal Surface Studied by STM and Atomistic Simulations
We present a combined study by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and atomistic
simulations of the emission of dissociated dislocation loops by nanoindentation
on a (001) fcc surface. The latter consist of two stacking-fault ribbons
bounded by Shockley partials and a stair-rod dislocation. These dissociated
loops, which intersect the surface, are shown to originate from loops of
interstitial character emitted along the directions and are usually
located at hundreds of angstroms away from the indentation point. Simulations
reproduce the nucleation and glide of these dislocation loops.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
The Unseen World: Environmental Microbial Sequencing and Identification Methods for Ecologists
Microorganisms inhabit almost every environment, comprise the majority of diversity on Earth, are important in biogeochemical cycling, and may be vital to ecosystem responses to large-scale climatic change. In recent years, ecologists have begun to use rapidly advancing molecular techniques to address questions about microbial diversity, biogeography, and responses to environmental change. Studies of microbes in the environment generally focus on three broad objectives: determining which organisms are present, what their functional capabilities are, and which are active at any given time. However, comprehending the range of methodologies currently in use can be daunting. To provide an overview of environmental microbial sequence data collection and analysis approaches, we include case studies of microbiomes ranging from the human mouth to geothermal springs. We also suggest contexts in which each technique can be applied and highlight insights that result from their use
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