2,455 research outputs found
Influence of Micro-Cantilever Geometry and Gap on Pull-in Voltage
In this paper, we study the behaviour of a microcantilever beam under
electrostatic actuation using finite difference method. This problem has a lot
of applications in MEMS based devices like accelerometers, switches and others.
In this paper, we formulated the problem of a cantilever beam with proof mass
at its end and carried out the finite difference solution. we studied the
effects of length, width, and the gap size on the pull-in voltage using data
that are available in the literature. Also, the stability limit is compared
with the single degree of freedom commonly used in the earlier literature as an
approximation to calculate the pull-in voltage.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions
(http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions
Anisotropic Lifshitz Point at
We present the critical exponents , and
for an -axial Lifshitz point at second order in an expansion.
We introduced a constraint involving the loop momenta along the -dimensional
subspace in order to perform two- and three-loop integrals. The results are
valid in the range . The case corresponds to the usual
Ising-like critical behavior.Comment: 10 pages, Revte
Shortcuts in a Nonlinear Dynamical Braneworld in Six Dimensions
We consider a dynamical brane world in a six-dimensional spacetime containing
a singularity. Using the Israel conditions we study the motion of a 4-brane
embedded in this setup. We analyse the brane behaviour when its position is
perturbed about a fixed point and solve the full nonlinear dynamics in the
several possible scenarios. We also investigate the possible gravitational
shortcuts and calculate the delay between graviton and photon signals and the
ratio of the corresponding subtended horizons.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures. References and discussion added. Title changed
to match the version accepted in Class. and Quant. Gra
Brane World Cosmological Perturbations
We consider a brane world and its gravitational linear perturbations. We
present a general solution of the perturbations in the bulk and find the
complete perturbed junction conditions for generic brane dynamics. We also
prove that (spin 2) gravitational waves in the great majority of cases can only
arise in connection with a non-vanishing anisotropic stress. This has far
reaching consequences for inflation in the brane world. Moreover, contrary to
the case of the radion, perturbations are stable.Comment: 16 pages, one figur
Qualitative evaluation of the Saleema campaign to eliminate female genital mutilation and cutting in Sudan.
BACKGROUND: Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C, herein FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice. The Government developed a national campaign in Sudan, called Saleema, to change social norms discouraging FGM. Saleema translates to being whole , healthy in body and mind, unharmed, intact, pristine, and untouched, in a God-given condition. An interim evaluation was conducted using focus groups among Sudanese adults. The primary aim was to explore perceptions of the Saleema poster exemplars and to assess if the desired themes were being communicated. Secondary aims were to understand more about participants\u27 information sources, values, and suggestions for the campaign broadly.
METHODS: The Saleema campaign evaluation included four focus groups from each of the 18 states in Sudan (72 total). Participants were presented with three poster stimuli from the Saleema campaign and asked about the content and their reactions. Themes were coded inductively by concepts that arose through content in the transcripts. Codes were also reviewed in conjunction with themes from the broader Saleema evaluation framework.
RESULTS: Participants reported the most common source of information or admiration was from local leaders who are responsive to a community, media-based outlets, and discussions among community members. Participants held high value for education, community solidarity, and/or religious devotion. Participants had positive opinions of Saleema and responded positively to the branding elements in the posters and the campaign as a whole. The most common suggestion was continued awareness. Advocacy, training, and posters were suggested to highlight the harms of FGM through leaders or in community settings. Individuals suggested that these activities target older women and individuals in rural villages. There was also a burgeoning theme of targeting youth for support of the campaign.
DISCUSSION: The results of this focus group analysis demonstrate support for future Saleema campaign efforts promoting awareness and community engagement. The campaign could capitalize on partnerships with young people and those who are respected in the community (e.g., religious leaders) or continue promoting common values aligning with the support of education and community solidarity. Continuing campaign efforts have promise to decrease the harms of FGM in Sudan
Susceptibility Amplitude Ratios Near a Lifshitz Point
The susceptibility amplitude ratio in the neighborhood of a uniaxial Lifshitz
point is calculated at one-loop level using field-theoretic and
-expansion methods. We use the Schwinger parametrization of the
propagator in order to split the quadratic and quartic part of the momenta, as
well as a new special symmetry point suitable for renormalization purposes. For
a cubic lattice (d = 3), we find the result .Comment: 7 pages, late
How to tell a gravastar from a black hole
Gravastars have been recently proposed as potential alternatives to explain
the astrophysical phenomenology traditionally associated to black holes,
raising the question of whether the two objects can be distinguished at all.
Leaving aside the debate about the processes that would lead to the formation
of a gravastar and the astronomical evidence in their support, we here address
two basic questions: Is a gravastar stable against generic perturbations? If
stable, can an observer distinguish it from a black hole of the same mass? To
answer these questions we construct a general class of gravastars and determine
the conditions they must satisfy in order to exist as equilibrium solutions of
the Einstein equations. For such models we perform a systematic stability
analysis against axial-perturbations, computing the real and imaginary parts of
the eigenfrequencies. Overall, we find that gravastars are stable to axial
perturbations, but also that their quasi-normal modes differ from those of a
black hole of the same mass and thus can be used to discern, beyond dispute, a
gravastar from a black hole.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, minor improvemen
Right ventricular function assessment by cardiac MRI as predictor of outcomes in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery
The role of E1-E2 interplay in multiphonon Coulomb excitation
In this work we study the problem of a charged particle, bound in a
harmonic-oscillator potential, being excited by the Coulomb field from a fast
charged projectile. Based on a classical solution to the problem and using the
squeezed-state formalism we are able to treat exactly both dipole and
quadrupole Coulomb field components. Addressing various transition amplitudes
and processes of multiphonon excitation we study different aspects resulting
from the interplay between E1 and E2 fields, ranging from classical dynamic
polarization effects to questions of quantum interference. We compare exact
calculations with approximate methods. Results of this work and the formalism
we present can be useful in studies of nuclear reaction physics and in atomic
stopping theory.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Community Conflicts over Intensive Livestock Operations: How and Why Do Such Conflicts Escalate?
Why do community groups and individuals oppose establishment of intensive scale livestock operations in communities? Why have established forms of economic activity become the pariah of rural communities across the nation? In December 1997, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Resolution 91. This article addresses the results of a research project funded by the state Department of Agriculture in response to Senate Resolution 91, directing the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a model of community dispute resolution to address community conflicts involving intensive livestock operations ( ILOs ). Specifically this article addresses project findings detailing why conflicts over ILOs arise and how they escalate
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