8,419 research outputs found
Effects of a multi-component exercise program and calcium–vitamin-D3-fortified milk on bone mineral density in older men : a randomised controlled trial
Summary We examined the independent and combined effects of a multi-component exercise program and calcium–vitamin-D3-fortified milk on bone mineral density (BMD) in older men. Exercise resulted in a 1.8% net gain in femoral neck BMD, but additional calcium–vitamin D3 did not enhance the response in this group of older well-nourished men.Introduction This 12-month randomised controlled trial assessed whether calcium–vitamin-D3-fortified milk could enhance the effects of a multi-component exercise program on BMD in older men.Methods Men (n  = 180) aged 50–79 years were randomised into: (1) exercise + fortified milk; (2) exercise; (3) fortified milk; or (4) controls. Exercise consisted of high intensity progressive resistance training with weight-bearing impact exercise. Men assigned to fortified milk consumed 400 mL/day of low fat milk providing an additional 1,000 mg/day calcium and 800 IU/day vitamin D3. Femoral neck (FN), total hip, lumbar spine and trochanter BMD and body composition (DXA), muscle strength 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were assessed.Results There were no exercise-by-fortified milk interactions at any skeletal site. Exercise resulted in a 1.8% net gain in FN BMD relative to no-exercise (p < 0.001); lean mass (0.6 kg, p < 0.05) and muscle strength (20–52%, p < 0.001) also increased in response to exercise. For lumbar spine BMD, there was a net 1.4–1.5% increase in all treatment groups relative to controls (all p < 0.01). There were no main effects of fortified milk at any skeletal site.Conclusion A multi-component community-based exercise program was effective for increasing FN BMD in older men, but additional calcium–vitamin D3 did not enhance the osteogenic response.<br /
The impact of resource dependence of the mechanisms of life on the spatial population dynamics of an in silico microbial community
Biodiversity has a critical impact on ecosystem functionality and stability, and thus the current biodiversity crisis has motivated many studies of the mechanisms that sustain biodiversity, a notable example being non-transitive or cyclic competition. We therefore extend existing microscopic models of communities with cyclic competition by incorporating resource dependence in demographic processes, characteristics of natural systems often oversimplified or overlooked by modellers. The spatially explicit nature of our individual-based model of three interacting species results in the formation of stable spatial structures, which have significant effects on community functioning, in agreement with experimental observations of pattern formation in microbial communities. Published by AIP Publishing
PDS 144: the first confirmed Herbig Ae-Herbig Ae wide binary
PDS 144 is a pair of Herbig Ae stars that are separated by 5.'' 35 on the sky. It has previously been shown to have an A2Ve Herbig Ae star viewed at 83 degrees inclination as its northern member and an A5Ve Herbig Ae star as its southern member. Direct imagery revealed a disk occulting PDS 144 N-the first edge-on disk observed around a Herbig Ae star. The lack of an obvious disk in direct imagery suggested PDS 144 S might be viewed face-on or not physically associated with PDS 144 N. Multi-epoch Hubble Space Telescope imagery of PDS 144 with a 5 year baseline demonstrates PDS 144 N & S are comoving and have a common proper motion with TYC 6782-878-1. TYC 6782-878-1 has previously been identified as a member of Upper Sco sub-association A at d = 145 +/- 2 pc with an age of 5-10 Myr. Ground-based imagery reveals jets and a string of Herbig-Haro knots extending 13' (possibly further) which are aligned to within 7 degrees +/- 6 degrees on the sky. By combining proper motion data and the absence of a dark mid-plane with radial velocity data, we measure the inclination of PDS 144 S to be i = 73 degrees +/- 7 degrees. The radial velocity of the jets from PDS 144 N & S indicates they, and therefore their disks, are misaligned by 25 degrees +/- 9 degrees. This degree of misalignment is similar to that seen in T Tauri wide binaries.Peer reviewe
Crater Morphometry and Scaling in Coarse, Rubble-Like Targets: Insights from Impact Experiments
Spacecraft images reveal that the asteroids Itokawa, Ryugu, and Bennu are covered with coarse, boulder-rich material [13]. Impactors that collide with these bodies encounter a target with extreme physical heterogeneity. Other bodies can also possess significant physical heterogeneity (e.g., megaregolith, layering, etc.). Such heterogeneities establish free surfaces and impedance contrasts that can affect shock propagation and attenuation. Therefore, such heterogeneities may also affect crater formation and excavation [4], melt generation [57] and crater scaling [4]. As described by [8,9], the extent to which target heterogeneity affects crater formation likely depends on how the length scale, d, of the heterogeneity (e.g., boulder size on a rubble-pile asteroid) compares to the width of the shock, w, generated by impact. Here we further test this hypothesis using impact experiments across a broad range of impact velocities and target grain sizes to systematically vary the ratio between the width of the shock and the diameter of target grains
Electrical Properties of Carbon Fiber Support Systems
Carbon fiber support structures have become common elements of detector
designs for high energy physics experiments. Carbon fiber has many mechanical
advantages but it is also characterized by high conductivity, particularly at
high frequency, with associated design issues. This paper discusses the
elements required for sound electrical performance of silicon detectors
employing carbon fiber support elements. Tests on carbon fiber structures are
presented indicating that carbon fiber must be regarded as a conductor for the
frequency region of 10 to 100 MHz. The general principles of grounding
configurations involving carbon fiber structures will be discussed. To
illustrate the design requirements, measurements performed with a silicon
detector on a carbon fiber support structure at small radius are presented. A
grounding scheme employing copper-kapton mesh circuits is described and shown
to provide adequate and robust detector performance.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, submitted to NI
Vertical transport and electroluminescence in InAs/GaSb/InAs structures: GaSb thickness and hydrostatic pressure studies
We have measured the current-voltage (I-V) of type II InAs/GaSb/InAs double
heterojunctions (DHETs) with 'GaAs like' interface bonding and GaSb thickness
between 0-1200 \AA. A negative differential resistance (NDR) is observed for
all DHETs with GaSb thickness 60 \AA below which a dramatic change in the
shape of the I-V and a marked hysteresis is observed. The temperature
dependence of the I-V is found to be very strong below this critical GaSb
thickness. The I-V characteristics of selected DHETs are also presented under
hydrostatic pressures up to 11 kbar. Finally, a mid infra-red
electroluminescence is observed at 1 bar with a threshold at the NDR valley
bias. The band profile calculations presented in the analysis are markedly
different to those given in the literature, and arise due to the positive
charge that it is argued will build up in the GaSb layer under bias. We
conclude that the dominant conduction mechanism in DHETs is most likely to
arise out of an inelastic electron-heavy-hole interaction similar to that
observed in single heterojunctions (SHETs) with 'GaAs like' interface bonding,
and not out of resonant electron-light-hole tunnelling as proposed by Yu et al.
A Zener tunnelling mechanism is shown to contribute to the background current
beyond NDR.Comment: 8 pages 12 fig
Key actors leading knowledge brokerage for sustainable school improvement with PLCs:Who brokers what?
This study investigated knowledge brokerage key actors, in schools that realized sustainable school improvement through professional learning communities (PLCs). To gain insight into what knowledge key actors brokered and how they brokered knowledge, key actors at five secondary schools that worked sustainably with PLCs participated in an in-depth mixed-method study. The findings showed what types of knowledge were brokered and through what activities, what characteristics of key actors were important for knowledge brokerage, and how key actors fit different profiles. These insights can help schools improve their knowledge brokerage as they work towards sustainable school improvement
Restorative justice with female offenders: The neglected role of gender in restorative conferencing
This article presents findings from a new qualitative study into female offenders’ experiences of restorative conferencing in England and Wales. It is argued that gendered factors of crime and victimization have a definite impact on the restorative conference process, particularly in the areas of complex and interacting needs, differently natured conference engagements, and risks around shame, mental health, and stereotypical ideals of female behavior. For women to reap the full benefits of restorative justice, it is argued that the particular needs and circumstances of female offenders must not only be acknowledged, but also incorporated into the field and mainstreamed into practice
Metal-Insulator oscillations in a Two-dimensional Electron-Hole system
The electrical transport properties of a bipolar InAs/GaSb system have been
studied in magnetic field. The resistivity oscillates between insulating and
metallic behaviour while the quantum Hall effect shows a digital character
oscillating from 0 to 1 conducatance quantum e^2/h. The insulating behaviour is
attributed to the formation of a total energy gap in the system. A novel looped
edge state picture is proposed associated with the appearance of a voltage
between Hall probes which is symmetric on magnetic field reversal.Comment: 4 pages, 5 Postscript figures: revised versio
- …