Eddy current probe design for second-layer cracks under installed fasteners

The United States Air Force has an operational need to reliably detect second-layer cracks around fastener holes in two-layer airframe structures with the fasteners in place. Because access to the second layer is usually not available, the inspection must be performed by placing a probe on the outer surface of the structure and detecting cracks through the first layer. Eddy current methods have been applied to this inspection problem [1–6], and have met with some success; however, much improvement is still needed to achieve the desired sensitivity to cracks and rejection of signals caused by the geometry of the structure under inspection

Greybody factors in a rotating black-hole background-II : fermions and gauge bosons

We study the emission of fermion and gauge boson degrees of freedom on the brane by a rotating higher-dimensional black hole. Using matching techniques, for the near-horizon and far-field regime solutions, we solve analytically the corresponding field equations of motion. From this, we derive analytical results for the absorption probabilities and Hawking radiation emission rates, in the low-energy and low-rotation case, for both species of fields. We produce plots of these, comparing them to existing exact numerical results with very good agreement. We also study the total absorption cross-section and demonstrate that, as in the non-rotating case, it has a different behaviour for fermions and gauge bosons in the low-energy limit, while it follows a universal behaviour -- reaching a constant, spin-independent, asymptotic value -- in the high-energy regime.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, added reference

Greybody Factors for Brane Scalar Fields in a Rotating Black-Hole Background

We study the evaporation of (4+n)-dimensional rotating black holes into scalar degrees of freedom on the brane. We calculate the corresponding absorption probabilities and cross-sections obtaining analytic solutions in the low-energy regime, and compare the derived analytic expressions to numerical results, with very good agreement. We then consider the high-energy regime, construct an analytic high-energy solution to the scalar-field equation by employing a new method, and calculate the absorption probability and cross-section for this energy regime, finding again a very good agreement with the exact numerical results. We also determine the high-energy asymptotic value of the total cross-section, and compare it to the analytic results derived from the application of the geometrical optics limit.Comment: Latex file, 30 pages, 5 figures, typos corrected, version published in Phys. Rev.

A novel targeted/untargeted GC-Orbitrap metabolomics methodology applied to Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms

Introduction: Combined infections from Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are a leading cause of death in the developed world. Evidence suggests that Candida enhances the virulence of Staphylococcus—hyphae penetrate through tissue barriers, while S. aureus tightly associates with the hyphae to obtain entry to the host organism. Indeed, in a biofilm state, C. albicans enhances the antimicrobial resistance characteristics of S. aureus. The association of these microorganisms is also associated with significantly increased morbidity and mortality. Due to this tight association we hypothesised that metabolic effects were also in evidence. Objectives: To explore the interaction, we used a novel GC-Orbitrap-based mass spectrometer, the Q Exactive GC, which combines the high peak capacity and chromatographic resolution of gas chromatography with the sub-ppm mass accuracy of an Orbitrap system. This allows the capability to leverage the widely available electron ionisation libraries for untargeted applications, along with expanding accurate mass libraries and targeted matches based around authentic standards. Methods: Optimised C. albicans and S. aureus mono- and co-cultured biofilms were analysed using the new instrument in addition to the fresh and spent bacterial growth media. Results: The targeted analysis experiment was based around 36 sugars and sugar phosphates, 22 amino acids and five organic acids. Untargeted analysis resulted in the detection of 465 features from fresh and spent medium and 405 from biofilm samples. Three significantly changing compounds that matched to high scoring library fragment patterns were chosen for validation. Conclusion: Evaluation of the results demonstrates that the Q Exactive GC is suitable for metabolomics analysis using a targeted/untargeted methodology. Many of the results were as expected: e.g. rapid consumption of glucose and fructose from the medium regardless of the cell type. Modulation of sugar-phosphate levels also suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway could be enhanced in the cells from co-cultured biofilms. Untargeted metabolomics results suggested significant production of cell-wall biosynthesis components and the consumption of non-proteinaceous amino-acids

Benznidazole biotransformation and multiple targets in <i>Trypanosoma</i> cruzi revealed by metabolomics

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; The first line treatment for Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, involves administration of benznidazole (Bzn). Bzn is a 2-nitroimidazole pro-drug which requires nitroreduction to become active, although its mode of action is not fully understood. In the present work we used a non-targeted MS-based metabolomics approach to study the metabolic response of T. cruzi to Bzn.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methodology/Principal findings&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Parasites treated with Bzn were minimally altered compared to untreated trypanosomes, although the redox active thiols trypanothione, homotrypanothione and cysteine were significantly diminished in abundance post-treatment. In addition, multiple Bzn-derived metabolites were detected after treatment. These metabolites included reduction products, fragments and covalent adducts of reduced Bzn linked to each of the major low molecular weight thiols: trypanothione, glutathione, γ-glutamylcysteine, glutathionylspermidine, cysteine and ovothiol A. Bzn products known to be generated in vitro by the unusual trypanosomal nitroreductase, TcNTRI, were found within the parasites, but low molecular weight adducts of glyoxal, a proposed toxic end-product of NTRI Bzn metabolism, were not detected.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions/significance&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Our data is indicative of a major role of the thiol binding capacity of Bzn reduction products in the mechanism of Bzn toxicity against T. cruzi

Hawking emission from quantum gravity black holes

We address the issue of modelling quantum gravity effects in the evaporation of higher dimensional black holes in order to go beyond the usual semi-classical approximation. After reviewing the existing six families of quantum gravity corrected black hole geometries, we focus our work on non-commutative geometry inspired black holes, which encode model independent characteristics, are unaffected by the quantum back reaction and have an analytical form compact enough for numerical simulations. We consider the higher dimensional, spherically symmetric case and we proceed with a complete analysis of the brane/bulk emission for scalar fields. The key feature which makes the evaporation of non-commutative black holes so peculiar is the possibility of having a maximum temperature. Contrary to what happens with classical Schwarzschild black holes, the emission is dominated by low frequency field modes on the brane. This is a distinctive and potentially testable signature which might disclose further features about the nature of quantum gravity.Comment: 36 pages, 18 figures, v2: updated reference list, minor corrections, version matching that published on JHE

Co-constructing desired activities : Small-scale activity decisions in occupational therapy

Social inclusion and exclusion are buzzwords in today’s political discourse. While there are many causes of social exclusion, one of the factors repeatedly shown to lead to social exclusion is mental illness, which may hinder people in developing themselves in accordance with their wishes and abilities. Participation is a key dimension of social inclusion—and one that we particularly seek to increase understanding of in this volume. We focus on participation taking place in face-to-face social encounters, seeking to get to the root of the preconditions and consequences of participation by unraveling the interactional processes that underlie what makes it possible. We presuppose that participation in any social or societal sphere presupposes social interaction, which in turn requires the capacity to coordinate with and make sense of others’ actions. Thus, drawing on joint decision-making as a specific arena of social interaction, where the participants’ collaborative management of the turn-by-turn sequential unfolding of interaction can have tangible consequences for the participants’ social and economic circumstances, we seek to increase understanding of the specific vulnerabilities that individuals with mental illness have in this context.In occupational therapy, a therapist and client engage in shared activities that they perform collaboratively during therapeutic sessions. An important part of this joint performance involves providing the client with the opportunity to make short-term decisions on the activities they wish to perform. Analyzing 15 occupational therapy encounters at psychiatric outpatient clinics, in the chapter I explore the functions of these small-scale decisions. The analysis demonstrates that therapists (1) make room for the client’s proposals by shaping the activity context and (2) make proposals themselves on the ways the performance should be accomplished. To summarize, clients are given decision-making power over the content of the activity, whereas therapists use their decision-making power to assist the client’s performance. The analysis shows how small-scale decisions can be employed to construct the occupational performance as shared endeavors and to position the clients as active subjects rather than objects of the professionals’ performance.Peer reviewe

Water content of carbon dioxide at hydrate forming conditions

There is an interest to ensure sub-saturated water content in lines containing carbon dioxide in applications such as enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration, to reduce risks of hydrate blockage and corrosion. The water content of carbon dioxide at various temperatures and pressures has been measured in the past, but there is no consistent set of measurements that could be used for carbon dioxide storage and transportation design work. The solubility of water in a carbon dioxide rich gas phase at hydrate forming conditions was measured in this work. Pressures ranged from 12.06 to 29.30 bar along two isotherms, 1 °C and −7 °C, all within the gaseous carbon dioxide and hydrate stability zone. For the first time in these types of measurements, the solid phase was also characterized and confirmed to be carbon dioxide hydrate via X-ray computed tomography, simultaneous with water content measurements of the gas phase. Once carbon dioxide hydrate conversion had reached a maximum value (65% estimated by X-ray computed tomography), the equilibrium water content was measured. Prior to reaching this maximum carbon dioxide hydrate conversion, the water content in carbon dioxide was observed to decrease as liquid water converted to carbon dioxide hydrate. This slow conversion to hydrate, metastability of the hydrate phase, or unexpected phases may be responsible for the large discrepancy between prior data sets for similar carbon dioxide water content measurements

Minimum length effects in black hole physics

We review the main consequences of the possible existence of a minimum measurable length, of the order of the Planck scale, on quantum effects occurring in black hole physics. In particular, we focus on the ensuing minimum mass for black holes and how modified dispersion relations affect the Hawking decay, both in four space-time dimensions and in models with extra spatial dimensions. In the latter case, we briefly discuss possible phenomenological signatures.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figures. To be published in "Quantum Aspects of Black Holes", ed. X. Calmet (Springer, 2014

Structure-based design and synthesis of antiparasitic pyrrolopyrimidines targeting pteridine reductase 1

The treatment of Human African Trypanosomiasis remains a major unmet health need in sub-Saharan Africa. Approaches involving new molecular targets are important and pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1), an enzyme that reduces dihydrobiopterin in Trypanosoma spp. has been identified as a candidate target and it has been shown previously that substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines are inhibitors of PTR1 from T. brucei (J. Med. Chem. 2010, 53, 221-229). In this study, 61 new pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines have been prepared, designed with input from new crystal structures of 23 of these compounds complexed with PTR1, and evaluated in screens for enzyme inhibitory activity against PTR1 and in vitro antitrypanosomal activity. 8 compounds were sufficiently active in both screens to take forward to in vivo evaluation. Thus although evidence for trypanocidal activity in a stage I disease model in mice was obtained, the compounds were too toxic to mice for further development