268 research outputs found

    A comparison of braking and differential control of road vehicle yaw-sideslip dynamics

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    Two actuation mechanisms are considered for the comparison of performance capabilities in improving the yaw–sideslip handling characteristics of a road vehicle. Yaw moments are generated either by the use of single-wheel braking or via driveline torque distribution using an overdriven active rear differential. For consistency, a fixed reference vehicle system is used, and the two controllers are synthesized via a single design methodology. Performance measures relate to both open-loop and closed-loop driving demands, and include both on-centre and limit handling manoeuvres

    Q2Q^2 Dependence of Quadrupole Strength in the γpΔ+(1232)pπ0\gamma^*p\to\Delta^+(1232)\to p \pi^0 Transition

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    Models of baryon structure predict a small quadrupole deformation of the nucleon due to residual tensor forces between quarks or distortions from the pion cloud. Sensitivity to quark versus pion degrees of freedom occurs through the Q2Q^2 dependence of the magnetic (M1+M_{1+}), electric (E1+E_{1+}), and scalar (S1+S_{1+}) multipoles in the γpΔ+pπ0\gamma^* p \to \Delta^+ \to p \pi^0 transition. We report new experimental values for the ratios E1+/M1+E_{1+}/M_{1+} and S1+/M1+S_{1+}/M_{1+} over the range Q2Q^2= 0.4-1.8 GeV2^2, extracted from precision p(e,ep)πp(e,e 'p)\pi^{\circ} data using a truncated multipole expansion. Results are best described by recent unitary models in which the pion cloud plays a dominant role.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. To be published in Phys. Rev. Lett. (References, figures and table updated, minor changes.

    Study of the B^0 Semileptonic Decay Spectrum at the Upsilon(4S) Resonance

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    We have made a first measurement of the lepton momentum spectrum in a sample of events enriched in neutral B's through a partial reconstruction of B0 --> D*- l+ nu. This spectrum, measured with 2.38 fb**-1 of data collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the CLEO II detector, is compared directly to the inclusive lepton spectrum from all Upsilon(4S) events in the same data set. These two spectra are consistent with having the same shape above 1.5 GeV/c. From the two spectra and two other CLEO measurements, we obtain the B0 and B+ semileptonic branching fractions, b0 and b+, their ratio, and the production ratio f+-/f00 of B+ and B0 pairs at the Upsilon(4S). We report b+/b0=0.950 (+0.117-0.080) +- 0.091, b0 = (10.78 +- 0.60 +- 0.69)%, and b+ = (10.25 +- 0.57 +- 0.65)%. b+/b0 is equivalent to the ratio of charged to neutral B lifetimes, tau+/tau0.Comment: 14 page, postscript file also available at http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

    Potential health and economic impacts of dexamethasone treatment for patients with COVID-19

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    Acknowledgements We thank all members of the COVID-19 International Modelling Consortium and their collaborative partners. This work was supported by the COVID-19 Research Response Fund, managed by the Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford. L.J.W. is supported by the Li Ka Shing Foundation. R.A. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1193472).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

    Tensor Polarization of the phi meson Photoproduced at High t

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    As part of a measurement of the cross section of ϕ\phi meson photoproduction to high momentum transfer, we measured the polar angular decay distribution of the outgoing K+K^+ in the channel ϕK+K\phi \to K^+K^- in the ϕ\phi center-of-mass frame (the helicity frame). We find that s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) holds in the kinematical range where tt-channel exchange dominates (up to t2.5-t \sim 2.5 GeV2^2 for EγE_{\gamma}=3.6 GeV). Above this momentum, uu-channel production of a ϕ\phi meson dominates and induces a violation of SCHC. The deduced value of the ϕNN\phi NN coupling constant lies in the upper range of previously reported values.Comment: 6 pages; 5 figure

    Characteristics of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) rRNA genes of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera): structure, organization, and retrotransposable elements

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    As an accompanying manuscript to the release of the honey bee genome, we report the entire sequence of the nuclear (18S, 5.8S, 28S and 5S) and mitochondrial (12S and 16S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-encoding gene sequences (rDNA) and related internally and externally transcribed spacer regions of Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apocrita). Additionally, we predict secondary structures for the mature rRNA molecules based on comparative sequence analyses with other arthropod taxa and reference to recently published crystal structures of the ribosome. In general, the structures of honey bee rRNAs are in agreement with previously predicted rRNA models from other arthropods in core regions of the rRNA, with little additional expansion in non-conserved regions. Our multiple sequence alignments are made available on several public databases and provide a preliminary establishment of a global structural model of all rRNAs from the insects. Additionally, we provide conserved stretches of sequences flanking the rDNA cistrons that comprise the externally transcribed spacer regions (ETS) and part of the intergenic spacer region (IGS), including several repetitive motifs. Finally, we report the occurrence of retrotransposition in the nuclear large subunit rDNA, as R2 elements are present in the usual insertion points found in other arthropods. Interestingly, functional R1 elements usually present in the genomes of insects were not detected in the honey bee rRNA genes. The reverse transcriptase products of the R2 elements are deduced from their putative open reading frames and structurally aligned with those from another hymenopteran insect, the jewel wasp Nasonia (Pteromalidae). Stretches of conserved amino acids shared between Apis and Nasonia are illustrated and serve as potential sites for primer design, as target amplicons within these R2 elements may serve as novel phylogenetic markers for Hymenoptera. Given the impending completion of the sequencing of the Nasonia genome, we expect our report eventually to shed light on the evolution of the hymenopteran genome within higher insects, particularly regarding the relative maintenance of conserved rDNA genes, related variable spacer regions and retrotransposable elements

    Variation in experiences of nature across gradients of tree cover in compact and sprawling cities

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    Urban environments are expanding globally, and by 2050 nearly 70% of the world’s population will live in towns and cities, where opportunities to experience nature are more limited than in rural areas. This transition could have important implications for health and wellbeing given the diversity of benefits that nature delivers. Despite these issues, there is a lack of information on whether or how the experience of nature changes as green space becomes less available. We explore this question for residents of two case study cities of varying urban designs, sprawling (Brisbane, Australia) and compact (three English towns, U.K). Second, we examine how people’s feelings of connection to nature (measured using the Nature Relatedness scale) vary across this same gradient of nature availability. Despite climatic and cultural differences we found substantial similarities between the two locations. Lower levels of neighbourhood tree cover were associated with a reduced frequency of visits to private and public green spaces, and a similar pattern was found for the duration of time spent in private and public green spaces for Brisbane. Residents of both urban areas showed similar levels of nature relatedness, and there was a weak but positive association between tree cover and Nature Relatedness. These results suggest that regardless of the style of urban design, maintaining the availability of nature close to home is a critical step to protect people’s experiences of nature and their desire to seek out those experiences.D.F.S. is supported through ARC Discovery Grant DP120102857 and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED, Australia); R.A.F. holds an ARC Future Fellowship; D.T.C.C, S.H., K.A. and K.J.G. are supported by the Fragments, Functions, Flows and Urban Ecosystem Services project, NERC grant NE/J015237/1Connection to natureExtinction of experienceGreen spacesHuman well-beingNature relatednessUrban ecolog

    Studies of the Cabbibo-Suppressed Decays D+π0+νD^+ \to \pi^0 \ell^+ \nu and D+ηe+νeD^+ \to \eta e^+ \nu_e

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    Using 4.8 fb1^{-1} of data taken with the CLEO II detector, the branching fraction for the Cabibbo-suppressed decay D+π0+νD^+\to\pi^0\ell^+\nu measured relative to the Cabibbo favored decay D+K0ˉ+νD^+\to\bar{K^0}\ell^+\nu is found to be 0.046±0.014±0.0170.046\pm 0.014\pm 0.017. Using VcsV_{cs} and VcdV_{cd} from unitarity constraints, we determine f+π(0)/f+K(0)2=0.9±0.3±0.3| f_+^{\pi}(0)/f_+^K(0)|^2=0.9\pm 0.3\pm 0.3 We also present a 90% confidence level upper limit for the branching ratio of the decay D+ηe+νeD^+ \to \eta e^+\nu_e relative to that for D+π0e+νeD^+ \to \pi^0 e^+\nu_e of 1.5.Comment: 10 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

    Burden and risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa community-acquired pneumonia:a Multinational Point Prevalence Study of Hospitalised Patients

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    Pseudornonas aeruginosa is a challenging bacterium to treat due to its intrinsic resistance to the antibiotics used most frequently in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Data about the global burden and risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP are limited. We assessed the multinational burden and specific risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP. We enrolled 3193 patients in 54 countries with confirmed diagnosis of CAP who underwent microbiological testing at admission. Prevalence was calculated according to the identification of P. aeruginosa. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP was 4.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The rate of P. aeruginosa CAP in patients with prior infection/colonisation due to P. aeruginosa and at least one of the three independently associated chronic lung diseases (i.e. tracheostomy, bronchiectasis and/or very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) was 67%. In contrast, the rate of P. aeruginosa-CAP was 2% in patients without prior P. aeruginosa infection/colonisation and none of the selected chronic lung diseases. The multinational prevalence of P. aeruginosa-CAP is low. The risk factors identified in this study may guide healthcare professionals in deciding empirical antibiotic coverage for CAP patients
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