No Effect of Steady Rotation on Solid 4^4He in a Torsional Oscillator

We have measured the response of a torsional oscillator containing polycrystalline hcp solid $^{4}$He to applied steady rotation in an attempt to verify the observations of several other groups that were initially interpreted as evidence for macroscopic quantum effects. The geometry of the cell was that of a simple annulus, with a fill line of relatively narrow diameter in the centre of the torsion rod. Varying the angular velocity of rotation up to 2\,rad\,s$^{-1}$ showed that there were no step-like features in the resonant frequency or dissipation of the oscillator and no history dependence, even though we achieved the sensitivity required to detect the various effects seen in earlier experiments on other rotating cryostats. All small changes during rotation were consistent with those occurring with an empty cell. We thus observed no effects on the samples of solid $^4$He attributable to steady rotation.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted in J. Low Temp. Phy

A Prototype System for Measuring Microwave Frequency Reflections from the Breast

Microwave imaging of the breast is of interest for monitoring breast health, and approaches to active microwave imaging include tomography and radar-based methods. While the literature contains a growing body of work related to microwave breast imaging, there are only a few prototype systems that have been used to collect data from humans. In this paper, a prototype system for monostatic radar-based imaging that has been used in an initial study measuring reflections from volunteers is discussed. The performance of the system is explored by examining the mechanical positioning of sensor, as well as microwave measurement sensitivity. To gain insight into the measurement of reflected signals, simulations and measurements of a simple phantom are compared and discussed in relation to system sensitivity. Finally, a successful scan of a volunteer is described

American Indian Education: The Reservation Schools, 1870-1900

This work studies the growth af the Indian school system, 1870-1900, and the attempt of the federal government to use the school as an instrument of Americanization. In chapter I it is argued that after the Civil War United States' Indian policy changed direction. Previously an effort had been made to keep the Indians separate and apart but from 1870 an effort was made to incorporate them into American society, and federal funds were spent on education to fit the Indian for life in America. In chapter II it is demonstrated that nineteenth century Americans relied on well established racial theories to explain Indian behaviour and to plan Indian education programmes. The Christian churches 'were vital to the early work, although the Bureau of Indian Affairs slowly took over control of the schools. Chapter III places Indian education within the context of general educational developments in America, and analyses the type of "schooling given to other minorities. Chapter IV examines the history and culture of tribes on the six reservations which are used as examples in the thesis. Chapter V argues that while all Americans who worked to Americanize the Indian had a similar goal in view, different racial theories led to the development of a variety of different educational programmes. In chapter VI it is argued that although Indians were placed on reservations to be civilized, reservations were peculiar units: .geographically isolated, legally separate and administered from Washington by a hierarchical bureaucracy, they were unlike any town or community in the United States. Chapter VII shows how the distinctive characteristics of reservation society shaped the development and functioning of the school. Chapter VIII examines the Indians' own methods of education and analyses how these conflicted with the demands of the reservation school

Burns and long-term infectious disease morbidity: A population-based study

Background: There is a growing volume of data that indicates that serious injury suppresses immune function, predisposing individuals to infectious complications. With recent evidence showing long-term immune dysfunction after less severe burn, this study aimed to investigate post-burn infectious disease morbidity and assess if burn patients have increased long-term hospital use for infectious diseases. Methods: A population-based longitudinal study using linked hospital morbidity and death data from Western Australia for all persons hospitalised for a first burn (n=30,997) in 1980-2012. A frequency matched non-injury comparison cohort was randomly selected from Western Australia's birth registrations and electoral roll (n=123,399). Direct standardisation was used to assess temporal trends in infectious disease admissions. Crude annual admission rates and length of stay for infectious diseases were calculated. Multivariate negative binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling were used to generate adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) and hazard ratios (HR), respectively. Results: After adjustment for demographic factors and pre-existing health status, the burn cohort had twice (IRR, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.04, 1.98-2.22) as many admissions and 3.5 times the number of days in hospital (IRR, 95%CI: 3.46, 3.05-3.92) than the uninjured cohort for infectious diseases. Higher rates of infectious disease admissions were found for severe (IRR, 95%CI: 2.37, 1.89-2.97) and minor burns (IRR, 95%CI: 2.22, 2.11-2.33). Burns were associated with significantly increased incident admissions: 0-30days (HR, 95%CI: 5.18, 4.15-6.48); 30days-1year (HR, 95%CI: 1.69, 1.53-1.87); 1-10 years (HR, 95%CI: 1.40:1.33-1.47); >10years (HR, 95%CI: 1.16, 1.08-1.24). Respiratory, skin and soft tissue and gastrointestinal infections were the most common. The burn cohort had a 1.75 (95%CI: 1.37-2.25) times greater rate of mortality caused by infectious diseases during the 5-year period after discharge than the uninjured cohort. Conclusions: These findings suggest that burn has long-lasting effects on the immune system and its function. The increase in infectious disease in three different epithelial tissues in the burn cohort suggests there may be common underlying pathophysiology. Further research to understand the underlying mechanisms are required to inform clinical interventions to mitigate infectious disease after burn and improve patient outcomes

Early Service leavers: a study of the factors associated with premature separation from the UK Armed Forces and the mental health of those that leave early.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 18,000 personnel leave the UK Armed Forces annually. Those leaving before completing the minimum term of their contracts are called early Service leavers (ESLs). This study aims to identify characteristics associated with being an ESL, and compare the post-discharge mental health of ESLs and other Service leavers (non-ESLs). METHOD: A cross-sectional study used data on ex-Serving UK Armed Forces personnel. ESLs were personnel leaving before completing their 3-4.5 years minimum Service contracts and were compared with non-ESLs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between Service leaving status with socio-demographics, military characteristics and mental health outcomes. RESULTS: Of 845 Service leavers, 80 (9.5%) were ESLs. Being an ESL was associated with younger age, female sex, not being in a relationship, lower rank, serving in the Army and with a trend of reporting higher levels of childhood adversity, but not with deployment to Iraq. ESLs were at an increased risk of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), common mental disorders, fatigue and multiple physical symptoms, but not alcohol misuse. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that operational Service is not a factor causing personnel to become an ESL. Current mental health problems were more commonly reported among ESLs than other Service leavers. There may be a need to target interventions to ESLs on leaving Service to smooth their transition to civilian life and prevent the negative mental health outcomes experienced by ESLs further down the line

Male-specific Fruitless isoforms have different regulatory roles conferred by distinct zinc finger DNA binding domains

Background: Drosophila melanogaster adult males perform an elaborate courtship ritual to entice females to mate. fruitless (fru), a gene that is one of the key regulators of male courtship behavior, encodes multiple male-specific isoforms (Fru(M)). These isoforms vary in their carboxy-terminal zinc finger domains, which are predicted to facilitate DNA binding. Results: By over-expressing individual Fru(M) isoforms in fru-expressing neurons in either males or females and assaying the global transcriptional response by RNA-sequencing, we show that three Fru(M) isoforms have different regulatory activities that depend on the sex of the fly. We identified several sets of genes regulated downstream of Fru(M) isoforms, including many annotated with neuronal functions. By determining the binding sites of individual Fru(M) isoforms using SELEX we demonstrate that the distinct zinc finger domain of each Fru(M) isoforms confers different DNA binding specificities. A genome-wide search for these binding site sequences finds that the gene sets identified as induced by over-expression of Fru(M) isoforms in males are enriched for genes that contain the binding sites. An analysis of the chromosomal distribution of genes downstream of Fru(M) shows that those that are induced and repressed in males are highly enriched and depleted on the X chromosome, respectively. Conclusions: This study elucidates the different regulatory and DNA binding activities of three Fru(M) isoforms on a genome-wide scale and identifies genes regulated by these isoforms. These results add to our understanding of sex chromosome biology and further support the hypothesis that in some cell-types genes with male-biased expression are enriched on the X chromosome

Burn injury, gender and cancer risk: population-based cohort study using data from Scotland and Western Australia

Objective: To investigate the risk of cancer and potential gender effects in persons hospitalised with burn injury. Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study using record-linkage systems in Scotland and Western Australia. Participants: Records of 37 890 and 23 450 persons admitted with a burn injury in Scotland and Western Australia, respectively, from 1983 to 2008. Deidentified extraction of all linked hospital morbidity records, mortality and cancer records were provided by the Information Service Division Scotland and the Western Australian Data Linkage Service. Main outcome measures: Total and gender-specific number of observed and expected cases of total (‘all sites’) and site-specific cancers and standardised incidence ratios (SIRs).Results: From 1983 to 2008, for female burn survivors, there was a greater number of observed versus expected notifications of total cancer with 1011 (SIR, 95% CI 1.3, 1.2to 1.4) and 244 (SIR, 95% CI 1.12, 1.05 to 1.30), respectively, for Scotland and Western Australia. No statistically significant difference in total cancer risk was found for males. Significant excesses in observed cancers among burn survivors (combined gender) in Scotland and Western Australian were found for buccal cavity, liver, larynx and respiratory tract and for cancers of the female genital tract. Conclusions: Results from the Scotland data confirmed the increased risk of total (‘all sites’) cancer previously observed among female burn survivors in Western Australia. The gender dimorphism observed in this study may be related to the role of gender in the immune response to burn injury. More research is required to understand the underlying mechanism(s) that may link burn injury with an increased risk of some cancers

Flux ropes in the Hermean magnetotail: Distribution, properties, and formation

An automated method was applied to identify magnetotail flux rope encounters in MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) magnetometer data. The method identified significant deflections of the northâ south component of the magnetic field coincident with enhancements in the total field or dawnâ dusk component. Two hundred fortyâ eight flux ropes are identified that possess wellâ defined minimum variance analysis (MVA) coordinate systems, with clear rotations of the field. Approximately 30% can be well approximated by the cylindrically symmetric, linearly forceâ free model. Flux ropes are most common moving planetward, in the postmidnight sector. Observations are intermittent, with the majority (61%) of plasma sheet passages yielding no flux ropes; however, the peak rate of flux ropes during a reconnection episode is â ¼5 minâ 1. Overall, the peak postmidnight rate is â ¼0.25 minâ 1. Only 25% of flux ropes are observed in isolation. The radius of flux ropes is comparable to the ion inertial length within Mercury’s magnetotail plasma sheet. No clear statistical separation is observed between tailward and planetward moving flux ropes, suggesting the nearâ Mercury neutral line (NMNL) is highly variable. Flux ropes are more likely to be observed if the preceding lobe field is enhanced over background levels. A very weak correlation is observed between the flux rope core field and the preceding lobe field orientation; a stronger relationship is found with the orientation of the field within the plasma sheet. The core field strength measured is â ¼6 times stronger than the local dawnâ dusk plasma sheet magnetic field.Key PointsTwo hundred fortyâ eight flux ropes identified in Mercury’s magnetotail (74 cylindrical and linearly forceâ free)Flux ropes most commonly observed by MESSENGER postmidnight, moving planetwardFlux ropes observed intermittently, but most often when the preceding lobe field is enhancedPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138858/1/jgra53697_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138858/2/jgra53697.pd

Anomalous damping of a low frequency vibrating wire in superfluid He-3-B due to vortex shielding

We have investigated the behaviour of a large vibrating wire resonator in the B-phase of superfluid He-3 at zero pressure and at temperatures below 200 mu K. The vibrating wire has a low resonant frequency of around 60 Hz. At low velocities the motion of the wire is impeded by its intrinsic (vacuum) damping and by the scattering of thermal quasiparticle excitations. At higher velocities we would normally expect the motion to be further damped by the creation of quasiparticles from pair-breaking. However, for a range of temperatures, as we increase the driving force we observe a sudden decrease in the damping of the wire. This results from a reduction in the thermal damping arising from the presence of quantum vortex lines generated by the wire. These vortex lines Andreev-reflect low energy excitations and thus partially shield the wire from incident thermal quasiparticles