A new dry biomedical electrode

Electronic circuitry contains new operational amplifier which incorporates monolithic super-gain transistors. Electrode does not provide voltage amplification; instead, it acts as current amplifier to make it possible to pick up electrical potentials from surface of highly resistant dry skin

A Bayesian spatio-temporal model of panel design data: airborne particle number concentration in Brisbane, Australia

This paper outlines a methodology for semi-parametric spatio-temporal modelling of data which is dense in time but sparse in space, obtained from a split panel design, the most feasible approach to covering space and time with limited equipment. The data are hourly averaged particle number concentration (PNC) and were collected, as part of the Ultrafine Particles from Transport Emissions and Child Health (UPTECH) project. Two weeks of continuous measurements were taken at each of a number of government primary schools in the Brisbane Metropolitan Area. The monitoring equipment was taken to each school sequentially. The school data are augmented by data from long term monitoring stations at three locations in Brisbane, Australia. Fitting the model helps describe the spatial and temporal variability at a subset of the UPTECH schools and the long-term monitoring sites. The temporal variation is modelled hierarchically with penalised random walk terms, one common to all sites and a term accounting for the remaining temporal trend at each site. Parameter estimates and their uncertainty are computed in a computationally efficient approximate Bayesian inference environment, R-INLA. The temporal part of the model explains daily and weekly cycles in PNC at the schools, which can be used to estimate the exposure of school children to ultrafine particles (UFPs) emitted by vehicles. At each school and long-term monitoring site, peaks in PNC can be attributed to the morning and afternoon rush hour traffic and new particle formation events. The spatial component of the model describes the school to school variation in mean PNC at each school and within each school ground. It is shown how the spatial model can be expanded to identify spatial patterns at the city scale with the inclusion of more spatial locations.Comment: Draft of this paper presented at ISBA 2012 as poster, part of UPTECH projec

Investigation of DC-8 nacelle modifications to reduce fan-compressor noise in airport communities. Part 5 - Economic implications of retrofit Technical report, May 1967 - Oct. 1969

Economic impact of modifications to DC-8 aircraft nacelles to reduce fan-compressor noise - Part

Microminiaturized, biopotential conditioning system (MBCS)

Multichannel, medical monitoring system allows almost complete freedom of movement for subject during monitoring periods. System comprises monitoring unit (biobelt), transmission line, and data acquisition unit. Belt, made of polybenzimidizole fabric, is wrapped around individual's waist and held in place by overlapping sections of Velcro closure material

Swimming against the tide: a study of a neighbourhood trying to rediscover its ‘reason for being’– the case of South Bank, Redcar and Cleveland.

Many of the programmes and initiatives to regenerate deprived neighbourhoods appear to have had limited lasting impact. It has been argued that one reason for this is that we still have little real understanding of the nature and scale of the problems some communities face (Bernt, 2009). This article attempts to add to our knowledge through close study of an area with multiple problems and a history of failed regeneration attempts. An in-depth case study, undertaken to explore the current situation and future prospects of South Bank, a small neighbourhood in the North East of England, highlights transferable knowledge which may be applied to other regeneration areas. The analysis considers the nature and consequences of industrial decline; entrenched deprivation; the stigmatization of communities; the value of community consultation and the potential impact of retail-led regeneration. We question whether negative stigma attached to places can be changed and we ask what the future may hold for deprived communities now that public sector funding has largely dried up, and we consider an alternative approach: the potential impacts of private sector retail-led regeneration in the absence of public sector funding

Measurement of the Solar Neutrino Capture Rate by the Russian-American Gallium Solar Neutrino Experiment During One Half of the 22-Year Cycle of Solar Activity

We present the results of measurements of the solar neutrino capture rate in gallium metal by the Russian-American Gallium Experiment SAGE during slightly more than half of a 22-year cycle of solar activity. Combined analysis of the data of 92 runs during the 12-year period January 1990 through December 2001 gives a capture rate of solar neutrinos with energy more than 233 keV of 70.8 +5.3/-5.2 (stat.) +3.7/-3.2 (syst.) SNU. This represents only slightly more than half of the predicted standard solar model rate of 128 SNU. We give the results of new runs beginning in April 1998 and the results of combined analysis of all runs since 1990 during yearly, monthly, and bimonthly periods. Using a simple analysis of the SAGE results combined with those from all other solar neutrino experiments, we estimate the electron neutrino pp flux that reaches the Earth to be (4.6 +/- 1.1) E10/(cm^2-s). Assuming that neutrinos oscillate to active flavors the pp neutrino flux emitted in the solar fusion reaction is approximately (7.7 +/- 1.8) E10/(cm^2-s), in agreement with the standard solar model calculation of (5.95 +/- 0.06) E10/(cm^2-s).Comment: English translation of article submitted to Russian journal Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. (JETP); 12 pages, 5 figures. V2: Added winter-summer difference and 2 reference

Molecular dynamics simulations of lead clusters

Molecular dynamics simulations of nanometer-sized lead clusters have been performed using the Lim, Ong and Ercolessi glue potential (Surf. Sci. {\bf 269/270}, 1109 (1992)). The binding energies of clusters forming crystalline (fcc), decahedron and icosahedron structures are compared, showing that fcc cuboctahedra are the most energetically favoured of these polyhedral model structures. However, simulations of the freezing of liquid droplets produced a characteristic form of ``shaved'' icosahedron, in which atoms are absent at the edges and apexes of the polyhedron. This arrangement is energetically favoured for 600-4000 atom clusters. Larger clusters favour crystalline structures. Indeed, simulated freezing of a 6525-atom liquid droplet produced an imperfect fcc Wulff particle, containing a number of parallel stacking faults. The effects of temperature on the preferred structure of crystalline clusters below the melting point have been considered. The implications of these results for the interpretation of experimental data is discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 18 figues, new section added and one figure added, other minor changes for publicatio

Effects of Acute Low-Intensity Cycling on Perceived Stress, Arousal, and Attention

Generally, acute bouts of aerobic exercise have been shown to enhance psychological measures of emotion, mood, and affect. Previous investigations suggest that perceived stress and arousal levels are especially influenced by exercise. Interestingly, very few studies have examined the influence of exercise on attention and whether changes in stress and arousal may augment adaptations in attentional orientation that are often required during exercise. Furthermore, very little is known about the timing of the effects of exercise on these psychological outcomes. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of low-intensity aerobic exercise on stress, arousal, and attention. A secondary aim was to evaluate the time-course effects of exercise on stress, arousal, and attention. METHODS: Twenty (Mage = 23.2 ± 3.1 years old) college-aged individuals were counterbalanced into low-intensity exercise (LI) and seated control (SC) conditions. During each condition, participants completed a 10-minute resting baseline period, 20 minutes of either sustained cycling or seated rest, and a 20-minute recovery period. Primary outcomes of stress, arousal, and attention were assessed at 10-minute intervals throughout each condition via a Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VAS-S), Felt Arousal Scale (FAS), and Attentional Focus Scale (AFS), respectively. RESULTS: For the VAS-S, a Time main effect was revealed, F(4,16) = 5.76, p = .005, suggesting general reductions in stress following both LI and SC conditions. A Time main effect was also found for the FAS, which was superseded by a Condition x Time interaction, F(4,16) = 3.08, p = .047, indicating a greater increase in arousal levels during the LI condition compared to the SC condition. Lastly, a Time main effect for the AFS was found, F(4,16) = 3.05, p = .049, indicating general shifts from internal to external focus during each condition. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the current results suggest that exercise at lower doses (i.e., low-intensity for 20 minutes) may have minimal influence on more complex psychological perceptions of stress and attention. These results may help us better understand the complicated interactions between common psychological measures used in exercise science research. Additionally, this study may aid in the development of appropriate exercise prescriptions for populations looking to specifically target stress, arousal, and attention