Loss and heat generation in piezoelectric transducers

Issued as final reportUnited States. NavyUnited States. Naval Undersea Warfare Cente

Measures of the efficacy of a daily fifteen minute fitness programme for intermediate school children : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masterate in Education at Massey University

This study investigates the effects of a physical fitness training programme on the fitness, reading and mathematics performance of intermediate school pupils. The role of physical education in the primary school curriculum, theories of endurance and health-related fitness, as well as the possible relationship of physical fitness to academic achievement, are discussed and a review of previous studies is made. An experimental group of 29 and a control group of 57 Form 2 boys and girls, aged from 11-13 years, were pre-tested on physical fitness, reading and mathematics performance. For the next six months the control group continued with the school's normal physical education programme while the experimental group underwent a daily, fifteen minute physical fitness programme in which the exercises were kept submaximal and as continuous as possible. Both groups worked on the same reading and mathematics programmes. At the end of six months both groups were post-tested and a Student t-test applied to assess the significance of the difference in progress between the two groups. Since this thesis is designed as a study for teachers, all tests, activities and equipment were drawn from resources that are currently available for use in classrooms. The results of this study show a significant and generalized trend towards an increase in physical fitness on the part of the experimental group, but not on the part of the control group. In terms of academic achievement, the experimental group show generalized gains in relation to the control group, some of which are large enough to show up as significant on a t-test. The major conclusions of this study are: (1) Physical fitness among intermediate school children does improve as a result of a daily fifteen minute fitness programme. (2) Children who are in a superior state of physical fitness perform better in some areas of their academic work. (3) Motivation, ideally of an intrinsic nature, is the key to success in physical fitness activities, or for that matter, in any activity. The results of this study reinforce current theories regarding the importance of physical fitness and motivation and also provide some statistically significant confirmation of the correlation between physical fitness and academic performance. The educational implications of this study are pointed out and suggestions are made for future studies

Logistic model for stock market bubbles and anti-bubbles

Log-periodic power laws often occur as signatures of impending criticality of hierarchical systems in the physical sciences. It has been proposed that similar signatures may be apparent in the price evolution of financial markets as bubbles and the associated crashes develop. The features of such market bubbles have been extensively studied over the past 20 years, and models derived from an initial discrete scale invariance assumption have been developed and tested against the wealth of financial data with varying degrees of success. In this paper, the equations that form the basis for the standard log-periodic power law model and its higher extensions are compared to a logistic model derived from the solution of the Schroder equation for the renormalization group with nonlinear scaling function. Results for the S&P 500 and Nikkei 225 indices studied previously in the literature are presented and compared to established models, including a discussion of the apparent frequency shifting observed in the S&P 500 index in the 1980s. In the particular case of the Nikkei 225 anti-bubble between 1990 and 2003, the logistic model appears to provide a better description of the large-scale observed features over the whole 13-year period, particularly near the end of the anti-bubble

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Prefac

EFFECT OF STIMULUS WAVEFORM ON TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION METRICS IN PROXIMAL AND DISTAL ARM MUSCLES

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of common transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) waveforms (monophasic and biphasic) on resting motor threshold (RMT), active motor threshold (AMT), and motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes in the biceps and first dorsal interosseous (FDI) because waveforms may affect motor targets differently. Additionally, we determined the test-retest reliability of TMS metrics for each stimulation type and muscle. Methods: Ten individuals participated in two sessions of single-pulse TMS delivered to the motor cortex perpendicular to the central sulcus. MEPs were normalized to the maximum EMG signal during contraction and were recorded at 120% of RMT, or at 100% of maximum stimulator output (MSO) when RMTs were higher than 84% of MSO. Results: RMTs and AMTs were lower for monoPA compared to biPA-AP stimulation for the biceps (p\u3c0.01) and FDI (p\u3c0.01). Normalized MEPs were greater for monoPA compared to biPA-AP stimulation in the FDI (p=0.01) and not different in the biceps (p=0.86). Motor thresholds were not different between sessions suggesting high reliability (p\u3c0.01). For both stimulation types, normalized MEPs had very low reliability across sessions in the FDI, and moderate reliability in the biceps. Discussion: Preliminary investigation shows that current TMS waveform research on upper limb distal muscles is translatable to proximal muscles for motor thresholds but not for MEPs, and test-retest reliability is sensitive to target muscle. These findings can aid future studies in optimizing TMS parameters in order to maximize the efficacy and reliability of TMS for clinical use

Just Showing Up Can Make A Difference: A History of the Association for Communication Administration

The Association for Communication Administration (ACA), founded in Chicago in 1972, claimed a membership of one hundred and two departments. It was an independent organization but shared resources with what is now the National Communication Association. Initial membership included theatre and broadcast programs under the umbrella of communication. These programs would create their own independent associations. ACA’s mission was to promote the role of communication administrators, chairpersons to university presidents, in academia. It has weathered the ebbs and flows of any organization as it moves towards its fiftieth anniversary. A newsletter to the membership led to the creation of JACA (Journal of the Association for Communication Administration), The organization has evolved with and led the evolution of the wider academic discipline of communication. This paper traces the history of the organization through its leaders, journal articles and themes claiming that it shows snapshots of the role communication administration has played in the academy

The Endoplasmic Spreading Mechanism of Fibroblasts: Showcasing the Integrated Cytoskeleton

Cell motility is an essential process that depends on a coherent, cross-linked cytoskeleton that physically coordinates the actions of numerous structural and signaling molecules. In culture, a common feature of cells is the coherent movement of the endoplasmic reticulum and membranous organelles toward the periphery during substrate adhesion and spreading. The actin cross-linking protein, filamin (Fln), has been implicated in the support of three-dimensional cortical actin networks capable of both maintaining cellular integrity and withstanding large forces. Although numerous studies have examined cells lacking one of the multiple Fln isoforms, compensatory mechanisms can mask novel phenotypes only observable by further Fln depletion. Indeed, shRNA-mediated knockdown of FlnA in FlnB-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) causes a novel endoplasmic spreading deficiency as detected by endoplasmic reticulum markers. Microtubule (MT) extension rates are also decreased but not by peripheral actin flow, because this is also decreased in the Fln-depleted system. Additionally, Fln-depleted MEFs exhibit decreased adhesion stability that leads to increased ruffling of the cell edge, reduced adhesion size, transient traction forces, and decreased stress fibers. FlnA-/- MEFs, but not FlnB-/- MEFs, also show a moderate defect in endoplasm spreading, characterized by initial extension followed by abrupt retractions and stress fiber fracture. FlnA localizes to actin linkages surrounding the endoplasm, adhesions, and stress fibers. Thus I suggest that Flns have a major role in the maintenance of actin-based mechanical linkages that enable endoplasmic spreading and MT extension as well as sustained traction forces and mature focal adhesions. I also report that treatment with the calpain inhibitor N-[N-(N-Acetyl-L-leucyl)-L-leucyl]- L-norleucine (ALLN) restores endoplasmic spreading and focal adhesion (FA) maturation in the absence of Fln. Further, expression of calpain-uncleavable talin, but not full-length talin, also rescues endoplasmic spreading in Fln-depleted cells and indicates a crucial role for stable, mature FAs in endoplasmic spreading. Because FA maturation involves the vimentin intermediate filament (vIF) network, I also examined the role of vIFs in endoplasmic spreading. Wild-type cells expressing a dominant-negative vimentin variant incapable of vIF polymerization exhibit deficient endoplasmic spreading as well as defects in FA maturation. ALLN treatment restores FA maturation despite the lack of vIFs, but does not restore endoplasmic spreading. Consistent with a role for vIFs in endoplasmic spreading, adhesive structures do not contain vIFs when the endoplasm does not spread. Fln-depleted cells also exhibit a microtubule-dependent mistargeting of vIFs. Thus, I propose a model in which cellular force generation and interaction of vIFs with mature FAs are required for endoplasmic spreading. Additionally, I discuss future lines of investigation concerning the role of FlnA in the endoplasmic spreading mechanism as well as mechanosensitive functions of FlnA. Finally, I speculate on a potential application of endoplasmic spreading deficiencies as hallmarks of metastatic breast cancer

Making Miracles in Central Medieval England

This thesis is concerned with the production of miracles in the cult of the saints, examining miracle narratives from English cults produced between 970 and 1170. In particular, I focus on the actions taken by people which resulted in intercession from the saints. Behind these actions was a basic structure, a person with knowledge of a saint experienced a problem and asked a saint for help. Those who engaged a saint properly could expect aid and those who behaved inappropriately could expect punishment. Even miracles of vengeance correspond to the same structure. Those who committed offences against the saints were agents of their own demise, it was their actions which spurred the saints to react. When these perpetrators survived they too could engage in a petition to the saint in order to be forgiven and helped. Each miracle was the result of the actions of a group of people, including the saints, their religious custodians and supplicants. Our record of these events comes from the work of hagiographers, who were not impartial witnesses but embedded participants in the cult. Whilst the hagiography privileges an ideal version of the cult of the saints, there were tensions between and within communities. There were also those who acted against or ignored the saints. Despite this saints remained popular and, no matter where you were or what had happened, you could ask a saint for help. I begin with an introduction defining miracles, examining the cult of the saints and detailing the scope of the thesis. The first chapter addresses the source material and its authors. The second chapter is concerned with the development of saints’ shrines. The third chapter is dedicated to petitions and the beneficent miracles which resulted. The fourth chapter analyses the punitive miracles and how they fit into the structure of the cult of the saints. The fifth chapter focuses on thanksgiving and the relationships between saints, custodians and supplicants. Finally I conclude that the actions of these people were at the heart of the cult of the saints in central medieval England