Low cost solar cell arrays

Limitations in both space and terrestial markets for solar cells are described. Based on knowledge of the state-of-the-art, six cell options are discussed; as a result of this discussion, the three most promising options (involving high, medium and low efficiency cells respectively) were selected and analyzed for their probable costs. The results showed that all three cell options gave promise of costs below $10 per watt in the near future. Before further cost reductions can be achieved, more R and D work is required; suggestions for suitable programs are given

The Effect of Variations in the Intra- and Extracellular Ion Concentrations upon the Electrical Activity of Normal and Dystrophic Mouse Skeletal Muscle

The resting and action potentials of the m. gastrocnemii of normal and dystrophic mice have been measured in vitro, under various conditions of the ionic environment. The observed effects are consistent with the view that, when equilibrium is established between internal and external ionic concentrations, the resting potential is determined very largely, and perhaps entirely, by the gradient of K ions. Action potentials are associated with a greatly increased Na conductance in this as in other excitable tissues. No differences in electrical activity between normal and dystrophic muscle cells could be established

Phase diagram and universality of the Lennard-Jones gas-liquid system

The gas-liquid phase transition of the three-dimensional Lennard-Jones particles system is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The gas and liquid densities in the coexisting state are determined with high accuracy. The critical point is determined by the block density analysis of the Binder parameter with the aid of the law of rectilinear diameter. From the critical behavior of the gas-liquid coexsisting density, the critical exponent of the order parameter is estimated to be $\beta = 0.3285(7)$. Surface tension is estimated from interface broadening behavior due to capillary waves. From the critical behavior of the surface tension, the critical exponent of the correlation length is estimated to be $\nu = 0.63 (4)$. The obtained values of $\beta$ and $\nu$ are consistent with those of the Ising universality class.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, new results are adde

Multispectral fingerprinting for improved in vivo cell dynamics analysis

Background: Tracing cell dynamics in the embryo becomes tremendously difficult when cell trajectories cross in space and time and tissue density obscure individual cell borders. Here, we used the chick neural crest (NC) as a model to test multicolor cell labeling and multispectral confocal imaging strategies to overcome these roadblocks. Results: We found that multicolor nuclear cell labeling and multispectral imaging led to improved resolution of in vivo NC cell identification by providing a unique spectral identity for each cell. NC cell spectral identity allowed for more accurate cell tracking and was consistent during short term time-lapse imaging sessions. Computer model simulations predicted significantly better object counting for increasing cell densities in 3-color compared to 1-color nuclear cell labeling. To better resolve cell contacts, we show that a combination of 2-color membrane and 1-color nuclear cell labeling dramatically improved the semi-automated analysis of NC cell interactions, yet preserved the ability to track cell movements. We also found channel versus lambda scanning of multicolor labeled embryos significantly reduced the time and effort of image acquisition and analysis of large 3D volume data sets. Conclusions: Our results reveal that multicolor cell labeling and multispectral imaging provide a cellular fingerprint that may uniquely determine a cell's position within the embryo. Together, these methods offer a spectral toolbox to resolve in vivo cell dynamics in unprecedented detail

Trading places : worklessness dynamics in Greater Manchester

As part of the Local Economic Assessment process, a number of additional research projects were proposed by Greater Manchester (GM) local authorities into areas where data gaps exist or a greater understanding and analysis of a particular issue is required. One such area was the dynamics of the workless population in deprived neighbourhoods. There are neighbourhoods across GM where worklessness rates are persistently high. It has been suggested that in some areas this is partly the result of individuals moving out of deprived neighbourhoods to ‘better’ areas having found employment and then being replaced by workless individuals moving into the neighbourhood. Thus, people experience positive individual level employment outcomes whilst living in a neighbourhood, but the area may change little over time and may appear unresponsive to initiatives aimed at reducing worklessness. The analysis in this report breaks new ground in using individual level data on employment transitions and geographical movements taken from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) records to shed light on neighbourhood level population dynamics

Understanding the worklessness dynamics and characteristics of deprived areas

Research was commissioned to use individual level data from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) to try to shed light on some unanswered questions about the dynamics of worklessness in deprived areas. It has been suggested that in certain deprived neighbourhoods individuals make the transition from worklessness into employment and move away to less deprived areas. As these people move away they are replaced by inflows of other workless people who may themselves find employment and move on in a similar way. Therefore, although people experience positive individual level employment outcomes whilst living in a neighbourhood, the area may change little over time and may appear unresponsive to initiatives aimed at reducing worklessness. This research examines this issue and the associated policy implications. The research classifies deprived areas according to whether they were an ‘improver’ or ‘non-improver’ area, over the period 2004 to 2007, as well as identifying ‘transition’ areas (a subset of ‘non-improver’ areas characterised by high population churn). We have published a full list of these classifications for each Lower Super Output Area in Great Britain, to enable local partners to conduct their own follow-up research into the issues locally. This has been simultaneously published alongside this report

A dynamical theory of homogeneous nucleation for colloids and macromolecules

Homogeneous nucleation is formulated within the context of fluctuating hydrodynamics. It is shown that for a colloidal or macromolecular system in the strong damping limit the most likely path for nucleation can be determined by gradient descent in density space governed by a nontrivial metric fixed by the dynamics. The theory provides a justification and extension of more heuristic equilibrium approaches based solely on the free energy. It is illustrated by application to liquid-vapor nucleation where it is shown that, in contrast to most free energy-based studies, the smallest clusters correspond to long wavelength, small amplitude perturbations.Comment: final version; 4 pages, 2 figure

Leading Pollicott-Ruelle Resonances and Transport in Area-Preserving Maps

The leading Pollicott-Ruelle resonance is calculated analytically for a general class of two-dimensional area-preserving maps. Its wave number dependence determines the normal transport coefficients. In particular, a general exact formula for the diffusion coefficient D is derived without any high stochasticity approximation and a new effect emerges: The angular evolution can induce fast or slow modes of diffusion even in the high stochasticity regime. The behavior of D is examined for three particular cases: (i) the standard map, (ii) a sawtooth map, and (iii) a Harper map as an example of a map with nonlinear rotation number. Numerical simulations support this formula.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Evaluation of the reliability of real-time ultrasonography to measure muscle thickness of the canine middle gluteal muscle

Conference abstract of a study of an operator-blind clinical trial of repeated ultrasonography (ULT) to determine a standardised method for MT measurement in the middle gluteal muscle of canines in the clinical setting