6,893 research outputs found

    Negative Linear Compressibility

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    While all materials reduce their intrinsic volume under hydrostatic (uniform) compression, a select few actually \emph{expand} along one or more directions during this process of densification. As rare as it is counterintuitive, such "negative compressibility" behaviour has application in the design of pressure sensors, artificial muscles and actuators. The recent discovery of surprisingly strong and persistent negative compressibility effects in a variety of new families of materials has ignited the field. Here we review the phenomenology of negative compressibility in this context of materials diversity, placing particular emphasis on the common structural motifs that recur amongst known examples. Our goal is to present a mechanistic understanding of negative compressibility that will help inform a clear strategy for future materials design.Comment: Submitted to PCC

    MORPHOLOGY, REPRODUCTION, SEASONAL ACTIVITY AND HABITAT USE OF A NORTHERN POPULATION OF THE SMOOTH GREENSNAKE (OPHEODRYS VERNALIS)

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    The Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a small, slender, oviparous, colubrid snake that is widely distributed in North America. Nonetheless, there have been few studies on this species, and little is known about Canadian populations. The objective of this study was to examine morphology, reproduction, seasonal activity and habitat use of a northern population of the Smooth Greensnake. Individuals were captured during the summers of 2007-2010 in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. Females were larger and relatively heavier than males, but clutch size did not consistently increase with body size. In addition, 59% (on average) of available adult females were gravid in any given year, suggesting that females may not reproduce each year. Males had relatively longer heads and longer tails than females. Males were more common in early August; otherwise, females were more common. The peak of male activity in August suggests that fall mating might occur in this species, but this was not confirmed. Finally, Smooth Greensnakes were most commonly found in grassland, and there were no differences in habitat use between the sexes. Further research on northern populations of Smooth Greensnakes would provide valuable information on this little-studied species

    Analysis of secondary cells with lithium anodes and immobilized fused-salt electrolytes

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    Secondary cells with liquid lithium anodes, liquid bismuth or tellurium cathodes, and fused lithium halide electrolytes immobilized as rigid pastes operate between 380 and 485 degrees. Applications include power sources in space, military vehicle propulsion and special commercial vehicle propulsion

    Development of a hybrid multi-scale simulation approach for spray processes

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    This paper presents a multi-scale approach coupling a Eulerian interface-tracking method and a Lagrangian particle-tracking method to simulate liquid atomisation processes. This method aims to represent the complete spray atomisation process including the primary break-up process and the secondary break-up process, paving the way for high-fidelity simulations of spray atomisation in the dense spray zone and spray combustion in the dilute spray zone. The Eulerian method is based on the coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid method for interface tracking, which can accurately simulate the primary break-up process. For the coupling approach, the Eulerian method describes only large droplet and ligament structures, while small-scale droplet structures are removed from the resolved Eulerian description and transformed into Lagrangian point-source spherical droplets. The Lagrangian method is thus used to track smaller droplets. In this study, two-dimensional simulations of liquid jet atomisation are performed. We analysed Lagrangian droplet formation and motion using the multi-scale approach. The results indicate that the coupling method successfully achieves multi-scale simulations and accurately models droplet motion after the Eulerian–Lagrangian transition. Finally, the reverse Lagrangian–Eulerian transition is also considered to cope with interactions between Eulerian droplets and Lagrangian droplets.This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the UK (grant number EP/L000199/1)

    Interpersonal Solidarity in Relationships: A Cultural Analysis of Lawyers vs. Sports Agents

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    The cultural affects on relationship solidarity and satisfaction in relationships between lawyers and their clients, and sports agents and their professional athlete clients was examined. The results were gathered through a process of correlation tests and frequency report tables. All four groups of subjects were asked to complete a twenty questions survey which contained variables such as interpersonal solidarity, relational satisfaction, and communicative patterns of interaction. The results indicated that the two types of relationships are adversely co-dependent with respect to self-disclosure and it\u27s relationship to interpersonal solidarity within a client-agent relationship

    “Who Now Shall Believe That Liar, Merlin?”: The Prophecies of Merlin in History

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    This research article examines Merlin\u27s prophecies and how their political use has shifted from one of belief and of direct political significance, to general disbelief. It examines how the use of prophecy exploited the prestige of King Arthur and Merlin. Tactics used to take advantage of this prestige ranged from rulers claiming blood relation to King Arthur to learned men interpreting existing prophecies. Sources, such as Wace, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and modern day novelists, are used to illustrate the prophecies’ evolution from the twelfth to the twentieth century and what it means

    Bond behavior of fiber reinforced polymer bars under direct pullout conditions

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    This paper examines the behavior of Eurocrete fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars (glass, carbon, aramid, and hybrid) in concrete under direct pullout conditions. More than 130 cube specimens were tested in direct pullout where no splitting was allowed to develop. In normal concrete, the mode of bond failure of FRP bars was found to differ substantially from that of deformed steel bars because of damage to the resin rich surface of the bar when pullout takes place. Bond strengths developed by carbon fiber-reinforced polymer and glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars appear to be very similar and just below what is expected from deformed steel bars under similar experimental conditions. The load slip curves highlight some of the fundamental differences between steel and FRP materials. This paper reports in detail on the influence of various parameters that affect bond strength and development such as the embedment length, type, shape, surface characteristics, and diameter of the bar as well as concrete strength. The testing arrangement is also shown to influence bond strength because of the “wedging effect” of the bars

    Smarter choices ?changing the way we travel. Case study reports

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    This report accompanies the following volume:Cairns S, Sloman L, Newson C, Anable J, Kirkbride A and Goodwin P (2004)Smarter Choices ? Changing the Way We Travel. Report published by theDepartment for Transport, London, available via the ?Sustainable Travel? section ofwww.dft.gov.uk, and from http://eprints.ucl.ac.uk/archive/00001224/
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