3,018 research outputs found

    INTERACTION OF RESEARCH AND SUBJECTS IN SOCIAL INTERVENTION STUDIES

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    Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74684/1/j.1749-6632.1973.tb47621.x.pd

    Rates of carbonate cementation associated with sulphate reduction in DSDP/ODP sediments: implications for the formation of concretions

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    DSDP/ODP porewater profiles in organic carbon-bearing (<5% org. C) sediments commonly show decreases in Ca2+ concentrations and increases in alkalinity over depths where sulphate is being removed by microbial reduction. These Ca2+ depletion profiles represent the combined effect of diffusion, advection and reaction (addition by ion exchange and removal by precipitation mainly as CaCO3 and/or dolomite). A diagenetic model has been used to estimate the rate constant (k) for Ca2+ removal by precipitation during sulphate depletion over depths of 15-150 m, assuming first order kinetics. The rate constants for Ca2+ removal range from 10(-14) to 10(-11) s(-1) in 19 DSDP/ODP sediments, which span a range of bottom water temperatures (0-10 degreesC), lithologies (calcareous to clastic) and sedimentation rates (0.001-0.4 cm year(-1)). Values of k correlate with sedimentation rate (omega) such that log k=1.16 log omega-10.3, indicating that faster rates of Ca2+ removal occur at higher sedimentation rates where there are also higher degrees of saturation with respect to CaCO3 and dolomite. Depth-integrated masses of Ca2+ removed (<100 mumol cm(-2)) during sulphate depletion over these depth ranges are equivalent to a dispersed phase of approximately 1.5 wt.% CaCO3 or 3 wt.% dolomite in a compacted sediment. The complete occlusion of sediment porosity observed in concretions with isotopic signatures suggesting carbonate sourced from sulphate reduction therefore requires more time (a depositional hiatus), more rapid sulphate reduction (possibly by anaerobic methane oxidation) and/or the continued transport of isotopically light carbonate to the concretion site after sulphate reduction has ceased

    The wear of fixed and mobile bearing unicompartmental knee replacements

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    Unicompartmental knee replacements (UKR) are an option for surgical intervention for the treatment of single-compartment osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to compare the wear of a low-conformity fixed-bearing UKR with a conforming mobile bearing UKR under two kinematic conditions, to investigate the effect of implant design and kinematics on wear performance in a physiological knee wear simulator. Under both sets of kinematic conditions, the relatively low-conforming fixed UKR showed lower wear, compared with the more conforming anterior-posterior sliding mobile bearing. However, it should be noted that differences in materials between the two designs also contribute to the relative wear performance of the bearings. The combined wear of the medial and lateral bearings of the fixed-bearing UKR as a ‘total knee’ were significantly reduced compared with a fixed-bearing total knee replacement studied under the same kinematic condition

    Velocity-force characteristics of an interface driven through a periodic potential

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    We study the creep dynamics of a two-dimensional interface driven through a periodic potential using dynamical renormalization group methods. We find that the nature of weak-drive transport depends qualitatively on whether the temperature TT is above or below the equilibrium roughening transition temperature TcT_c. Above TcT_c, the velocity-force characteristics is Ohmic, with linear mobility exhibiting a jump discontinuity across the transition. For TTcT \le T_c, the transport is highly nonlinear, exhibiting an interesting crossover in temperature and weak external force FF. For intermediate drive, F>FF>F_*, we find near TcT_c^{-} a power-law velocity-force characteristics v(F)Fσv(F)\sim F^\sigma, with σ1t~\sigma-1\propto \tilde{t}, and well-below TcT_c, v(F)e(F/F)2t~v(F)\sim e^{-(F_*/F)^{2\tilde{t}}}, with t~=(1T/Tc)\tilde{t}=(1-T/T_c). In the limit of vanishing drive (FFF\ll F_*) the velocity-force characteristics crosses over to v(F)e(F0/F)v(F)\sim e^{-(F_0/F)}, and is controlled by soliton nucleation.Comment: 18 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev.

    EMAGE mouse embryo spatial gene expression database: 2010 update

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    EMAGE (http://www.emouseatlas.org/emage) is a freely available online database of in situ gene expression patterns in the developing mouse embryo. Gene expression domains from raw images are extracted and integrated spatially into a set of standard 3D virtual mouse embryos at different stages of development, which allows data interrogation by spatial methods. An anatomy ontology is also used to describe sites of expression, which allows data to be queried using text-based methods. Here, we describe recent enhancements to EMAGE including: the release of a completely re-designed website, which offers integration of many different search functions in HTML web pages, improved user feedback and the ability to find similar expression patterns at the click of a button; back-end refactoring from an object oriented to relational architecture, allowing associated SQL access; and the provision of further access by standard formatted URLs and a Java API. We have also increased data coverage by sourcing from a greater selection of journals and developed automated methods for spatial data annotation that are being applied to spatially incorporate the genome-wide (∼19 000 gene) ‘EURExpress’ dataset into EMAGE

    Density of states, Potts zeros, and Fisher zeros of the Q-state Potts model for continuous Q

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    The Q-state Potts model can be extended to noninteger and even complex Q in the FK representation. In the FK representation the partition function,Z(Q,a), is a polynomial in Q and v=a-1(a=e^-T) and the coefficients of this polynomial,Phi(b,c), are the number of graphs on the lattice consisting of b bonds and c connected clusters. We introduce the random-cluster transfer matrix to compute Phi exactly on finite square lattices. Given the FK representation of the partition function we begin by studying the critical Potts model Z_{CP}=Z(Q,a_c), where a_c=1+sqrt{Q}. We find a set of zeros in the complex w=sqrt{Q} plane that map to the Beraha numbers for real positive Q. We also identify tilde{Q}_c(L), the value of Q for a lattice of width L above which the locus of zeros in the complex p=v/sqrt{Q} plane lies on the unit circle. We find that 1/tilde{Q}_c->0 as 1/L->0. We then study zeros of the AF Potts model in the complex Q plane and determine Q_c(a), the largest value of Q for a fixed value of a below which there is AF order. We find excellent agreement with Q_c=(1-a)(a+3). We also investigate the locus of zeros of the FM Potts model in the complex Q plane and confirm that Q_c=(a-1)^2. We show that the edge singularity in the complex Q plane approaches Q_c as Q_c(L)~Q_c+AL^-y_q, and determine the scaling exponent y_q. Finally, by finite size scaling of the Fisher zeros near the AF critical point we determine the thermal exponent y_t as a function of Q in the range 2<Q<3. We find that y_t is a smooth function of Q and is well fit by y_t=(1+Au+Bu^2)/(C+Du) where u=u(Q). For Q=3 we find y_t~0.6; however if we include lattices up to L=12 we find y_t~0.50.Comment: to appear in Physical Review

    A process pattern model for tackling and improving big data quality

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    Data seldom create value by themselves. They need to be linked and combined from multiple sources, which can often come with variable data quality. The task of improving data quality is a recurring challenge. In this paper, we use a case study of a large telecom company to develop a generic process pattern model for improving data quality. The process pattern model is defined as a proven series of activities, aimed at improving the data quality given a certain context, a particular objective, and a specific set of initial conditions. Four different patterns are derived to deal with the variations in data quality of datasets. Instead of having to find the way to improve the quality of big data for each situation, the process model provides data users with generic patterns, which can be used as a reference model to improve big data quality

    Flow rate and source reservoir identification from airborne chemical sampling of the uncontrolled Elgin platform gas release

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    An uncontrolled gas leak from 25 March to 16 May 2012 led to evacuation of the Total Elgin wellhead and neighbouring drilling and production platforms in the UK North Sea. Initially the atmospheric flow rate of leaking gas and condensate was very poorly known, hampering environmental assessment and well control efforts. Six flights by the UK FAAM chemically instrumented BAe-146 research aircraft were used to quantify the flow rate. The flow rate was calculated by assuming the plume may be modelled by a Gaussian distribution with two different solution methods: Gaussian fitting in the vertical and fitting with a fully mixed layer. When both solution methods were used they compared within 6% of each other, which was within combined errors. Data from the first flight on 30 March 2012 showed the flow rate to be 1.3±0.2kgCH4s-1, decreasing to less than half that by the second flight on 17 April 2012. δ13CCH4 in the gas was found to be -43‰, implying that the gas source was unlikely to be from the main high pressure, high temperature Elgin gas field at 5.5km depth, but more probably from the overlying Hod Formation at 4.2km depth. This was deemed to be smaller and more manageable than the high pressure Elgin field and hence the response strategy was considerably simpler. The first flight was conducted within 5 days of the blowout and allowed a flow rate estimate within 48h of sampling, with δ13CCH4 characterization soon thereafter, demonstrating the potential for a rapid-response capability that is widely applicable to future atmospheric emissions of environmental concern. Knowledge of the Elgin flow rate helped inform subsequent decision making. This study shows that leak assessment using appropriately designed airborne plume sampling strategies is well suited for circumstances where direct access is difficult or potentially dangerous. Measurements such as this also permit unbiased regulatory assessment of potential impact, independent of the emitting party, on timescales that can inform industry decision makers and assist rapid-response planning by government
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