2,848 research outputs found
Ionospheric electron density over Resolute Bay according to E-CHAIM model and RISR radar measurements
Modelling and observation of transionospheric propagation results from ISIS II in preparation for ePOP
The enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (ePOP) is scheduled to be launched as part of the Cascade Demonstrator Small-Sat and Ionospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) satellite in early 2008. A Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI) on ePOP will receive HF transmissions from various ground-based transmitters. In preparation for the ePOP mission, data from a similar transionospheric experiment performed by the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) II satellite has been studied. Prominent features in the received 9.303-MHz signal were periodic Faraday fading of signal intensity at rates up to 13 Hz and a time of arrival delay between the O- and X-modes of up to 0.8 ms. Both features occurred when the satellite was above or south of the Ottawa transmitter. Ionospheric models for ray tracing were constructed using both International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) profiles and local peak electron density values from ISIS ionograms. Values for fade rate and differential mode delay were computed and compared to the values observed in the ISIS II data. The computed values showed very good agreement to the observed values of both received signal parameters when the topside sounding <I>fo</I>F2 values were used to scale IRI profiles, but not when strictly modelled IRI profiles were used. It was determined that the primary modifier of the received signal parameters was the <I>fo</I>F2 density and not the shape of the profile. This dependence was due to refraction, at the 9.303-MHz signal frequency, causing the rays to travel larger distances near the peak density where essentially all the mode splitting occurred. This study should assist in interpretation of ePOP RRI data when they are available
Investigating the Effects of Tissue-Specific Extracellular Matrix on the Adipogenic and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Within Composite Hydrogel Scaffolds
© Copyright © 2019 Shridhar, Amsden, Gillies and Flynn. While it has been postulated that tissue-specific bioscaffolds derived from the extracellular matrix (ECM) can direct stem cell differentiation, systematic comparisons of multiple ECM sources are needed to more fully assess the benefits of incorporating tissue-specific ECM in stem cell culture and delivery platforms. To probe the effects of ECM sourced from decellularized adipose tissue (DAT) or decellularized trabecular bone (DTB) on the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs), a novel detergent-free decellularization protocol was developed for bovine trabecular bone that complemented our established detergent-free decellularization protocol for human adipose tissue and did not require specialized equipment or prolonged incubation times. Immunohistochemical and biochemical characterization revealed enhanced sulphated glycosaminoglycan content in the DTB, while the DAT contained higher levels of collagen IV, collagen VI and laminin. To generate platforms with similar structural and biomechanical properties to enable assessment of the compositional effects of the ECM on ASC differentiation, micronized DAT and DTB were encapsulated with human ASCs within methacrylated chondroitin sulfate (MCS) hydrogels through UV-initiated crosslinking. High ASC viability (\u3e90%) was observed over 14 days in culture. Adipogenic differentiation was enhanced in the MCS+DAT composites relative to the MCS+DTB composites and MCS controls after 14 days of culture in adipogenic medium. Osteogenic differentiation studies revealed a peak in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity at 7 days in the MCS+DTB group cultured in osteogenic medium, suggesting that the DTB had bioactive effects on osteogenic protein expression. Overall, the current study suggests that tissue-specific ECM sourced from DAT or DTB can act synergistically with soluble differentiation factors to enhance the lineage-specific differentiation of human ASCs within 3-D hydrogel systems
Tumorigenic 3T3 cells maintain an alkaline intracellular pH under physiological conditions.
Standard and derived Planck quantities: selected analysis and derivations
We provide an overview of the fundamental units of physical quantities
determined naturally by the values of fundamental constants of nature. We
discuss a comparison between the 'Planck units', now widely used in theoretical
physics and the pre-quantum 'Stoney units' in which, instead of the Planck
constant, the charge of the electron is used with very similar quantitative
results. We discuss some of the physical motivation for these special units,
attributed much after they were introduced, and also put forth a summary of the
arguments supporting various cases for making specific physical interpretations
of the meanings of some of these units. The new aspects we discuss are a
possible physical basis for the Stoney units, their link to the Planck units,
and also the importance of Planck units for thermodynamical quantities in the
context of quantum gravity.Comment: 22 pages, 1 tabl
model and Higgs mass in standard model calculated by Gaussian effective potential approach with a new regularization-renormalization method
Basing on new regularization-renormalization method, the
model used in standard model is studied both perturbatively and
nonperturbatively (by Gaussian effective potential). The invariant property of
two mass scales is stressed and the existence of a (Landau) pole is emphasized.
Then after coupling with the SU(2)U(1) gauge fields, the Higgs mass in
standard model (SM) can be calculated as 138GeV. The critical
temperature () for restoration of symmetry of Higgs field, the critical
energy scale (, the maximum energy scale under which the lower
excitation sector of the GEP is valid) and the maximum energy scale
(, at which the symmetry of the Higgs field is restored) in the
standard model are 476 GeV, GeV
and GeVv respectively.Comment: 12 pages, LaTex, no figur
Quintessence, the Gravitational Constant, and Gravity
Dynamical vacuum energy or quintessence, a slowly varying and spatially
inhomogeneous component of the energy density with negative pressure, is
currently consistent with the observational data. One potential difficulty with
the idea of quintessence is that couplings to ordinary matter should be
strongly suppressed so as not to lead to observable time variations of the
constants of nature. We further explore the possibility of an explicit coupling
between the quintessence field and the curvature. Since such a scalar field
gives rise to another gravity force of long range (\simg H^{-1}_0), the solar
system experiments put a constraint on the non-minimal coupling: |\xi| \siml
10^{-2}.Comment: 9 pages, a version to be published in Phys.Rev.
A qualitative study of the views of patients with long-term conditions on family doctors in Hong Kong
<b>Background</b> Primary care based management of long-term conditions (LTCs) is high on the international healthcare agenda, including the Asia-Pacific region. Hong Kong has a 'mixed economy' healthcare system with both public and private sectors with a range of types of primary care doctors. Recent Hong Kong Government policy aims to enhance the management of LTCs in primary care possibly based on a 'family doctor' model. Patients' views on this are not well documented and the aim of the present study was to explore the views of patients with LTCs on family doctors in Hong Kong.<p></p>
<b>Methods</b> The views of patients (with a variety of LTCs) on family doctors in Hong Kong were explored. Two groups of participants were interviewed; a) those who considered themselves as having a family doctor, b) those who considered themselves as not having a family doctor (either with a regular primary care doctor but not a family doctor or with no regular primary care doctor). In-depth individual semi-structured interviews were carried out with 28 participants (10 with a family doctor, 10 with a regular doctor, and 8 with no regular doctor) and analysed using the constant comparative method.<p></p>
<b>Results</b> Participants who did not have a family doctor were familiar with the concept but regarded it as a 'luxury item' for the rich within the private healthcare system. Those with a regular family doctor (all private) regarded having one as important to their and their family's health. Participants in both groups felt that as well as the more usual family medicine specialist or general practitioner, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners also had the potential to be family doctors. However most participants attended the public healthcare system for management of their LTCs whether they had a family doctor or not. Cost, perceived need, quality, trust, and choice were all barriers to the use of family doctors for the management of their LTCs.<p></p>
<b>Conclusions</b> Important barriers to the adoption of a 'family doctor' model of management of LTCs exist in Hong Kong. Effective policy implementation seems unlikely unless these complex barriers are addressed
Marriage and Human Intimacy: Perspectives on same-sex relationships and the life of the church
- …