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Community Perceptions of Forced Marriage
NoThis is an analytical report for the Community Liaison Unit (CLU),
'Community Perceptions of Forced Marriage'. This report provides the context,
explores the problems and the perceptions of the Pakistani and Bangladeshi
communities of forced marriages. Therefore, this report represents a
comprehensive and rigorous synthesis of existing research evidence
combined with primary data collected specifically for the report
Evaluation of a 38 L Explosive Chamber for Testing Coal Dust Explosibility
Coal dust explosions are the deadliest disasters facing the coal mining industry. Research has been conducted globally on this topic for decades. The first explosibility tests in the United States were performed by the Bureau of Mines using a 20 L chamber. This serves as the basis for all standardized tests used for combustible dusts. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of a new 38 L chamber for testing coal dust explosions. The 38 L chamber features design modifications to model the unique conditions present in an underground coal mine when compared to other industries where combustible dust hazards are present. A series of explosibility tests were conducted within the explosive chamber using a sample of Pittsburgh pulverized coal dust and a five kJ Sobbe igniter. Analysis to find the maximum pressure ratio and Kst combustible dust parameter was performed for each trial. Based upon this analysis, observations are made for each concentration regarding whether the explosibility test was under-fueled or over-fueled. Based upon this analysis, a recommendation for future explosibility testing concentrations is made
Understanding the Connection between Blasting and Highwall Stability
Surface mines continue to implement highwalls for several reasons, such as increasing recovery, improving margins, and justifying higher stripping ratios. Highwall stability is a complex issue that is dependent upon a variety of mining and geologic factors, and a safe design is necessary for a successful surface operation. To improve highwall stability, it is important to understand the connection between local geology and blasting. Explosives are employed throughout the mining industry for primary rock breakage. There are a number of controlled blasting techniques that can be implemented to improve highwall stability. These include line drilling, smooth wall blasting, trim blasting, buffer blasting, air decking, and presplitting. Each of these techniques have associated advantages and disadvantages. Understanding local geology is necessary for selecting the appropriate controlled blasting technique. Furthermore, understanding the limitations and conditions for successful implementation of each technique is necessary. A discussion of the impact of geologic conditions on highwall stability is provided. Additionally, discussion is provided for the successful incorporation of the controlled blasting techniques listed above, and the associated mining and geologic factors that influence the selection and design of controlled blasting plans. Finally, a new methodology is proposed
Effects of Irradiance on Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in the Epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides L. (Bromeliaceae)
This is the publisher's version, also electronically available from: http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/80/1/23.full.pdf+html.Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides L.) was collected in South Carolina,
maintained in a greenhouse, then exposed to five levels of photosynthetic
photon flux density (PPFD) for 3 weeks. Following this treatment,
plants were sampled for chlorophyll concentrations, nocturnal acid accumulations,
and photosynthetic responses to subsequent exposure at a
range of PPFD. No acclimation to PPFD was observed; all plants
exhibited similar patterns of nocturnal C02 uptake and acid accumulation
regardless of initial PPFD treatment. These patterns revealed that at a
PPFD level of approximately 200 micromoles per square meter per
second (daytime integrated PPFD of 10 moles per square meter per day),
CAM saturated or, in low-PPFD plants, was optimal. The results of this
study indicate that adaptation to high PPFD is not necessarily a requirement
of CAM
Mice Transgenic for the Human Carcinoembryonic Antigen Gene Maintain Its Spatiotemporal Expression Pattern
The tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is predominantly expressed in epithelial cells along the gastrointestinal tract and in a variety of adenocarcinomas. As a basis for investigating its in vivo regulation and for establishing an animal model for tumor immunotherapy, transgenic mice were generated with a 33-kilobase cosmid clone insert containing the complete human CEA gene and flanking sequences. CEA was found in the tongue, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, cecum, colon, and trachea and at low levels in the lung, testis, and uterus of adult mice of independent transgenic strains. CEA was first detected at day 10.5 of embryonic development (embryonic day 10.5) in primary trophoblast giant cells and was found in the developing gut, urethra, trachea, lung, and nucleus pulposus of the vertebral column from embryonic day 14.5 onwards. From embryonic day 16.5 CEA was also visible in the nasal mucosa and tongue. Because this spatiotemporal expression pattern correlates well with that known for humans, it follows that the transferred genomic region contains all of the regulatory elements required for the correct expression of CEA. Furthermore, although mice apparently lack an endogenous CEA gene, the entire repertoire of transcription factors necessary for correct expression of the CEA transgene is conserved between mice and humans. After tumor induction, these immunocompetent mice will serve as a model for optimizing various forms of immunotherapy, using CEA as a target antigen
On the Recognition of Fan-Planar and Maximal Outer-Fan-Planar Graphs
Fan-planar graphs were recently introduced as a generalization of 1-planar
graphs. A graph is fan-planar if it can be embedded in the plane, such that
each edge that is crossed more than once, is crossed by a bundle of two or more
edges incident to a common vertex. A graph is outer-fan-planar if it has a
fan-planar embedding in which every vertex is on the outer face. If, in
addition, the insertion of an edge destroys its outer-fan-planarity, then it is
maximal outer-fan-planar. In this paper, we present a polynomial-time algorithm
to test whether a given graph is maximal outer-fan-planar. The algorithm can
also be employed to produce an outer-fan-planar embedding, if one exists. On
the negative side, we show that testing fan-planarity of a graph is NP-hard,
for the case where the rotation system (i.e., the cyclic order of the edges
around each vertex) is given
UK dental professionals’ knowledge, experience and confidence when treating patients on the autism spectrum
Background: Over 1% of the UK population have a diagnosis of autism, and yet there is minimal information regarding the experiences of dental professionals working with people on the autistic spectrum. The current study is the first to investigate UK dental professionals' knowledge of autism, their perceived confidence when treating autistic patients, and the factors that affect this.
Methods: An online, self-report survey was completed by 482 UK dental professionals and included questions on participants' training, prior experiences and knowledge of autism, and confidence when treating autistic patients.
Results: Over half the respondents reported having no formal autism training but average knowledge levels across the whole sample were good. Conversely, levels of confidence were only moderate. Respondents often cited conflict between understanding the additional needs for successful treatment of autistic patients and a lack of resources to implement support strategies. Despite this, the vast majority were positive about making the necessary modifications to support autistic patients.
Conclusion: This study highlights ways in which UK dental professionals adapt their practices to meet the needs of their autistic patients, yet report only moderate confidence levels when doing so. Implications for future training initiatives are discussed
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