Knot Graphs

We consider the equivalence classes of graphs induced by the unsigned versions of the Reidemeister moves on knot diagrams. Any graph which is reducible by some finite sequence of these moves, to a graph with no edges is called a knot graph. We show that the class of knot graphs strictly contains the set of delta-wye graphs. We prove that the dimension of the intersection of the cycle and cocycle spaces is an effective numerical invariant of these classes

Towards the sustainability of road transport through the introduction of AV technology

The paper investigates the potential for Level 2 autonomous vehicle (AV) technology to improve four prevailing sustainability issues specifically on highways: high congestion levels, increasing accident rates, high CO_2 emissions and poor journey time reliability. Co-operative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) shows potential to achieve high volume co-operative driving on highways by controlling these parameters and forming vehicle platoons. Accident rates, CO_2 emissions and journey times can be reduced as a result. The risks of platooning are discussed and a minimum safe platoon headway is established to mitigate the risk of vehicle platoon collisions. This headway is applied to a real highway case study demonstrating the potential to increase notional highway design capacity from 3,600 vehicles per hour (vph) to 9,213 vph, with significant sustainability improvements possible. Recommendations are made to complete a number of policy implementation and technology development tasks aimed to create the best chance of achieving the identified sustainability benefits within a 20 year timeframe.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from ICE Publishing via https://doi.org/10.1680/ensu.14.0005

Characterization of Alkali Metal Dispensers and Non-Evaporable Getter Pumps in Ultra-High Vacuum Systems for Cold Atomic Sensors

A glass ultrahigh vacuum chamber with rubidium alkali metal dispensers and non-evaporable getter pumps has been developed and used to create a cold atomic sample in a chamber that operates with only passive vacuum pumps. The ion-mass spectrum of evaporated gases from the alkali metal dispenser has been recorded as a function of dispenser current. The efficacy of the non-evaporable getter pumps in promoting and maintaining vacuum has been characterized by observation of the Rb vapor optical absorption on the D2 transition at 780 nm and vacuum chamber pressure rate of rise tests. We have demonstrated a sample of laser-cooled Rb atoms in this chamber when isolated and operating without active vacuum pumps

Teaching sustainable and integrated resource management using an interactive nexus model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to enhance and complement teaching about resource system feedbacks and environmental modelling. Students were given an interactive exercise based on a research model (ForeseerTM), developed by an inter-disciplinary research team, that explores the interconnectivity of water, energy and land resources. Two groups of students were involved, one of undergraduates and the other of graduates. Design/methodology/approach – The Foreseer model represents physical flows of the three resources (water, energy and land) using an interactive visual interface. The exercise was set up by giving students short instructions about how to use the tool to create four scenarios, and an online questionnaire was used to capture their understanding and their ability to extract information from the model. Findings – The exercise proved to be a helpful way to connect research and teaching in higher education, to the benefit of both. For students, it was an interactive and engaging way to learn about these complex sustainability issues. At the same time, it provided tangible feedback to researchers working on the model about the clarity of its user interface and its pedagogic value. Originality/value – This exercise represents a novel use of a resource model as a teaching tool in the study of the water, energy and land nexus, and is relevant to sustainability educators as an example of a model-centred learning approach on this topic. This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2014-002

On variations in the fine-structure constant and stellar pollution of quasar absorption systems

At redshifts z_abs < 2, quasar absorption-line constraints on space-time variations in the fine-structure constant, alpha, rely on the comparison of MgII and FeII transition wavelengths. One potentially important uncertainty is the relative abundance of Mg isotopes in the absorbers which, if different from solar, can cause spurious shifts in the measured wavelengths and, therefore, alpha. Here we explore chemical evolution models with enhanced populations of intermediate-mass (IM) stars which, in their asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase, are thought to be the dominant factories for heavy Mg isotopes at the low metallicities typical of quasar absorption systems. By design, these models partially explain recent Keck/HIRES evidence for a smaller alpha in z_abs < 2 absorption clouds than on Earth. However, such models also over-produce N, violating observed abundance trends in high-z_abs damped Lyman-alpha systems (DLAs). Our results do not support the recent claim of Ashenfelter, Mathews & Olive (2004b) that similar models of IM-enhanced initial mass functions (IMFs) may simultaneously explain the HIRES varying-alpha data and DLA N abundances. We explore the effect of the IM-enhanced model on Si, Al and P abundances, finding it to be much-less pronounced than for N. We also show that the 13C/12C ratio, as measured in absorption systems, could constitute a future diagnostic of non-standard models of the high-redshift IMF.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. 13 pages, 14 ps figure

Constraints on Early Nucleosynthesis from the Abundance Pattern of a Damped Ly-alpha System at z = 2.626

We have investigated chemical evolution in the young universe by analysing the detailed chemical enrichment pattern of a metal-rich galaxy at high redshift. The recent detection of over 20 elements in the gas-phase of a damped Lyman-alpha absorber (DLA) at z = 2.626 represents an exciting new avenue for exploring early nucleosynthesis. Given a strict upper age of ~2.5 Gyr and a gas-phase metallicity about one third solar, we have shown the DLA abundance pattern to be consistent with the predictions of a chemical evolution model in which the interstellar enrichment is dominated by massive stars with a small contribution from Type Ia supernovae. Discrepancies between the empirical data and the models are used to highlight outstanding issues in nucleosynthesis theory, including a tendency for Type II supernovae models to overestimate the magnitude of the "odd-even" effect at subsolar metallicities. Our results suggest a possible need for supplemental sources of magnesium and zinc, beyond that provided by massive stars.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figs. Accepted for publication in ApJ (The Astrophysical Journal

Universal localization-delocalization transition in chirally-symmetric Floquet drives

Periodically driven systems often exhibit behavior distinct from static systems. In single-particle, static systems, any amount of disorder generically localizes all eigenstates in one dimension. In contrast, we show that in topologically non-trivial, single-particle Floquet loop drives with chiral symmetry in one dimension, a localization-delocalization transition occurs as the time $t$ is varied within the driving period ($0 \le t \le T_\text{drive}$). We find that the time-dependent localization length $L_\text{loc}(t)$ diverges with a universal exponent as $t$ approaches the midpoint of the drive: $L_\text{loc}(t) \sim (t - T_\text{drive}/2)^{-\nu}$ with $\nu=2$. We provide analytical and numerical evidence for the universality of this exponent within the AIII symmetry class.Comment: 17 + 5 pages, 7 figure

Inflammation and changes in cytokine levels in neurological feline infectious peritonitis.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive, fatal, predominantly Arthus-type immune-mediated disease that is triggered when cats are infected with a mutant enteric coronavirus. The disease presents variably with multiple organ failure, seizures, generalized effusion, or shock. Neurological FIP is clinically and pathologically more homogeneous than systemic 'wet' or 'dry' FIP; thus, comparison of cytokine profiles from cats with neurological FIP, wet FIP, and non-FIP neurological disease may provide insight into some baseline characteristics relating to the immunopathogenesis of neurological FIP. This study characterizes inflammation and changes in cytokines in the brain tissue of FIP-affected cats. Cellular infiltrates in cats with FIP included lymphocytes, plasma cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and eosinophils. IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-12, IL-18, TNF-alpha, macrophage inhibitory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, and RANTES showed no upregulation in the brains of control cats, moderate upregulation in neurological FIP cats, and very high upregulation in generalized FIP cats. Transcription of IFN-gamma appeared upregulated in cats with systemic FIP and slightly downregulated in neurological FIP. In most cytokines tested, variance was extremely high in generalized FIP and much less in neurological FIP. Principal components analysis was performed in order to find the least number of 'components' that would summarize the cytokine profiles in cats with neurological FIP. A large component of the variance (91.7%) was accounted for by levels of IL-6, MIP-1 alpha, and RANTES. These findings provide new insight into the immunopathogenesis of FIP and suggest targets for immune therapy of this disease