2,298 research outputs found
Gender balance in the governance of social enterprise
There are high expectations placed on social enterprises as alternative forms shaping local economies. However, little is known about how they are governed and their accountability to their local communities. The gender balance of their governing boards and representation of women is therefore an important issue. This paper makes a contribution to examining the claims of greater equality proposed by social enterprises. The results draw on an analysis of a survey of 825 social enterprises and show there is a more equal gender balance in social enterprise governance compared to the private sector. The survey also finds that women are still under-represented on boards when considered as a proportion of the population or the proportion of women’s employment in social enterprises. There is also considerable sectoral concentration and a smaller proportion of women on boards of larger organisations. Social enterprises have the potential to be alternative spaces to encourage greater representation of women in the governance of local economies, but at present there continues to be an imbalance
Observation of resonant interactions among surface gravity waves
We experimentally study resonant interactions of oblique surface gravity
waves in a large basin. Our results strongly extend previous experimental
results performed mainly for perpendicular or collinear wave trains. We
generate two oblique waves crossing at an acute angle, while we control their
frequency ratio, steepnesses and directions. These mother waves mutually
interact and give birth to a resonant wave whose properties (growth rate,
resonant response curve and phase locking) are fully characterized. All our
experimental results are found in good quantitative agreement with four-wave
interaction theory with no fitting parameter. Off-resonance experiments are
also reported and the relevant theoretical analysis is conducted and validated.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure
Ultracold heteronuclear molecules in a 3D optical lattice
We report on the creation of ultracold heteronuclear molecules assembled from
fermionic 40K and bosonic 87Rb atoms in a 3D optical lattice. Molecules are
produced at a heteronuclear Feshbach resonance both on the attractive and the
repulsive side of the resonance. We precisely determine the binding energy of
the heteronuclear molecules from rf spectroscopy across the Feshbach resonance.
We characterize the lifetime of the molecular sample as a function of magnetic
field and measure between 20 and 120ms. The efficiency of molecule creation via
rf association is measured and is found to decrease as expected for more deeply
bound molecules.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Functional Testing and Evaluation of Actiwatch Spectrum Devices for Launch on STS-133/ULF5
The Actiwatch Spectrum (AWS) is a wrist-worn device that may be used for obtaining ground or on-orbit light exposure patterns and movement data. The objective of this project was to prepare AWS devices for launch on STS-133/ULF5 by a means of implementing functional tests and engineering evaluations. The data obtained from these tests and evaluations served as a means for detecting any plausible issues that the AWS may encounter while on-orbit. Subsequent steps after detecting anomalies with AWS devices encompassed identifying their root causes and taking the steps needed to mitigate them. As a result of this study, the overall success of sleep/wake research studies for STS-133/ULF5 and future missions will be enhanced
MarrowCellDLD: a microfluidic method for label-free retrieval of fragile bone marrow-derived cells.
Functional bone marrow studies have focused primarily on hematopoietic progenitors, leaving limited knowledge about other fragile populations, such as bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds) and megakaryocytes. The isolation of these cells is challenging due to rupture susceptibility and large size. We introduce here a label-free cytometry microsystem, MarrowCellDLD, based on deterministic lateral displacement. MarrowCellDLD enables the isolation of large, fragile BM-derived cells based on intrinsic size properties while preserving their viability and functionality. Bone marrow adipocytes, obtained from mouse and human stromal line differentiation, as well as megakaryocytes, from primary human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, were used for validation. Precise micrometer-range separation cutoffs were adapted for each cell type. Cells were sorted directly in culture media, without pre-labeling steps, and with real-time imaging for quality control. At least 10 <sup>6</sup> cells were retrieved intact per sorting round. Our method outperformed two FACS instruments in purity and yield, particularly for large cell size fractions. MarrowCellDLD represents a non-destructive sorting tool for large, fragile BM-derived cells, facilitating the separation of pure populations of BMAds and megakaryocytes to further investigate their physiological and pathological roles
Apollo experience report: Assessment of metabolic expenditures
A significant effort was made to assess the metabolic expenditure for extravehicular activity on the lunar surface. After evaluation of the real-time data available to the flight controller during extravehicular activity, three independent methods of metabolic assessment were chosen based on the relationship between heart rate and metabolic production, between oxygen consumption and metabolic production, and between the thermodynamics of the liquid-cooled garment and metabolic production. The metabolic assessment procedure is analyzed and discussed. Real-time use of this information by the Apollo flight surgeon is discussed. Results and analyses of the Apollo missions and comments concerning future applications are included
Dexamethasone induces apoptosis in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells
BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone suppressed inflammation and haemodynamic changes in an animal model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A major target for dexamethasone actions is NF-κB, which is activated in pulmonary vascular cells and perivascular inflammatory cells in PAH. Reverse remodelling is an important concept in PAH disease therapy, and further to its anti-proliferative effects, we sought to explore whether dexamethasone augments pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) apoptosis. METHODS: Analysis of apoptosis markers (caspase 3, in-situ DNA fragmentation) and NF-κB (p65 and phospho-IKK-α/β) activation was performed on lung tissue from rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH), before and after day 14–28 treatment with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg/day). PASMC were cultured from this rat PH model and from normal human lung following lung cancer surgery. Following stimulation with TNF-α (10 ng/ml), the effects of dexamethasone (10(−8)–10(−6) M) and IKK2 (NF-κB) inhibition (AS602868, 0–3 μM (0-3×10(−6) M) on IL-6 and CXCL8 release and apoptosis was determined by ELISA and by Hoechst staining. NF-κB activation was measured by TransAm assay. RESULTS: Dexamethasone treatment of rats with MCT-induced PH in vivo led to PASMC apoptosis as displayed by increased caspase 3 expression and DNA fragmentation. A similar effect was seen in vitro using TNF-α-simulated human and rat PASMC following both dexamethasone and IKK2 inhibition. Increased apoptosis was associated with a reduction in NF-κB activation and in IL-6 and CXCL8 release from PASMC. CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone exerted reverse-remodelling effects by augmenting apoptosis and reversing inflammation in PASMC possibly via inhibition of NF-κB. Future PAH therapies may involve targeting these important inflammatory pathways
Alpha localized radiolysis and corrosion mechanisms at the iron/water interface: Role of molecular species
This paper is devoted to the iron corrosion phenomena induced by the α (4He2+) water radiolysis species studied in conjunction with the production/consumption of H2 at the solid/solution interface. On one hand, the solid surface is characterized during the 4He2+ ions irradiation by in situ Raman spectroscopy; on another hand, the H2 gas produced by the water radiolysis is monitored by ex situ gas measurements. The 4He2+ ions irradiation experiments are provided either by the CEMHTI (E = 5.0 MeV) either by the ARRONAX (E = 64.7 MeV) cyclotron facilities. The iron corrosion occurs only under irradiation and can be slowed down by H2 reductive atmosphere. Pure iron and carbon steel solids are studied in order to show two distinct behaviors of these surfaces vs. the 4He2+ ions water irradiation: the corrosion products identified are the magnetite phase (Fe(II)Fe(III)2O4) correlated to an H2 consumption for pure iron and the lepidocrocite phase (γ-Fe(III)OOH) correlated to an H2 production for carbon steel sample. This paper underlined the correlation between the iron corrosion products formation onto the solid surface and the H2 production/consumption mechanisms. H2O2 species is considered as the single water radiolytic species involved into the corrosion reaction at the solid surface with an essential role in the oxidation reaction of the iron surface. We propose to bring some light to these mechanisms, in particular the H2 and H2O2 roles, by the in situ Raman spectroscopy during and after the 4He2+ ions beam irradiation. This in situ experiment avoids the evolution of the solid surface, in particular phases which are reactive to the oxidation processing
Momentum Distributions of Particles from Three--Body Halo Fragmentation: Final State Interactions
Momentum distributions of particles from nuclear break-up of fast three-body
halos are calculated consistently, and applied to Li. The same two-body
interactions between the three particles are used to calculate the ground state
structure and the final state of the reaction processes. We reproduce the
available momentum distributions from Li fragmentation, together with
the size and energy of Li, with a neutron-core relative state containing
a -state admixture of 20\%-30\%. The available fragmentation data strongly
suggest an -state in Li at about 50 keV, and indicate a -state
around 500 keV.Comment: 11 pages (RevTeX), 3 Postscript figures (uuencoded postscript file
attached at the end of the LaTeX file). To be published in Phys. Rev.
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