General Nonlinear 2-Fluid Hydrodynamics of Complex Fluids and Soft Matter

We discuss general 2-fluid hydrodynamic equations for complex fluids, where one kind is a simple Newtonian fluid, while the other is either liquid-crystalline or polymeric/elastomeric, thus being applicable to lyotropic liquid crystals, polymer solutions, and swollen elastomers. The procedure can easily be generalized to other complex fluid solutions. Special emphasis is laid on such nonlinearities that originate from the 2-fluid description, like the transport part of the total time derivatives. It is shown that the proper velocities, with which the hydrodynamic quantities are convected, cannot be chosen at will, since there are subtle relations among them. Within allowed combinations the convective velocities are generally material dependent. The so-called stress division problem, i.e. how the nematic or elastic stresses are distributed between the two fluids, is shown to depend partially on the choice of the convected velocities, but is otherwise also material dependent. A set of reasonably simplified equations is given as well as a linearized version of an effective concentration dynamics that may be used for comparison with experiments

Body mass index and age affect Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores in male subjects

This cross-sectional analysis evaluated the effect of age and body mass index (BMI) on Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire scores in males. Subjects (n = 60) were recruited according to BMI status. Each completed the 51-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. The group was split at the median age to produce a "younger" and "older" group for statistical analysis. A 2-way between-groups analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of BMI on disinhibition (P = .003) and hunger (P = .041) with higher levels found in overweight males compared to healthy-weight counterparts. A significant main effect of age on hunger (P = .046) demonstrated older males were less susceptible to hunger than younger males. These insights provide a better understanding of eating behavior across the male life cycle and may assist health professionals to better guide men in weight management in the light of rising overweight/obesity. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Studies of the inner shelf and coastal sedimentation environment of the Beaufort Sea from ERTS-A

The author has identified the following significant results. Shearing periodically occurs between the westward moving pack ice (3 to 10 km/d) within the Pacific Gyre and the fast ice along the coast, forming major grounded shear and pressure ridges between the 10 to 40 m isobaths. Ridges occur in patterns conforming to known shoals. The zone of grounded ridges, called stamukhi zone, protects the inner shelf and coast from marine energy and pack ice forces. Relatively undeformed fast ice grows inshore of the stamukhi zone. The boundary is explained in terms of pack ice drift and major promontories and shoals. Intense ice gaging, highly disrupted sediments, and landward migration of shoals suggest that much of the available marine energy is expended on the sea floor within the stamukhi zone. Naleds (products of river icings) on the North Slope are more abundant east than west of the Colville River. Their location, growth, and decay were studied from LANDSAT imagery

Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a growing recognition of the value of synthesising qualitative research in the evidence base in order to facilitate effective and appropriate health care. In response to this, methods for undertaking these syntheses are currently being developed. Thematic analysis is a method that is often used to analyse data in primary qualitative research. This paper reports on the use of this type of analysis in systematic reviews to bring together and integrate the findings of multiple qualitative studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We describe thematic synthesis, outline several steps for its conduct and illustrate the process and outcome of this approach using a completed review of health promotion research. Thematic synthesis has three stages: the coding of text 'line-by-line'; the development of 'descriptive themes'; and the generation of 'analytical themes'. While the development of descriptive themes remains 'close' to the primary studies, the analytical themes represent a stage of interpretation whereby the reviewers 'go beyond' the primary studies and generate new interpretive constructs, explanations or hypotheses. The use of computer software can facilitate this method of synthesis; detailed guidance is given on how this can be achieved.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used thematic synthesis to combine the studies of children's views and identified key themes to explore in the intervention studies. Most interventions were based in school and often combined learning about health benefits with 'hands-on' experience. The studies of children's views suggested that fruit and vegetables should be treated in different ways, and that messages should not focus on health warnings. Interventions that were in line with these suggestions tended to be more effective. Thematic synthesis enabled us to stay 'close' to the results of the primary studies, synthesising them in a transparent way, and facilitating the explicit production of new concepts and hypotheses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We compare thematic synthesis to other methods for the synthesis of qualitative research, discussing issues of context and rigour. Thematic synthesis is presented as a tried and tested method that preserves an explicit and transparent link between conclusions and the text of primary studies; as such it preserves principles that have traditionally been important to systematic reviewing.</p

Fathers as Sexuality Educators: Aspirations and Realities. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Men can play a significant role in teaching their children about sexuality but fathers’ practices and perceptions in this domain remain under explored. This study presents an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of eight fathers’ perceptions and practices in educating their ten-year-old children about physical maturation, reproduction and relationships. A Foucauldian analysis with a focus on governmentality and biopower revealed tensions and contradictions between the fathers’ aspirations and their realities, which appeared to be underpinned by the dynamic, contradictory, shifting, plural nature of fatherhood identities. Whilst fathers wished to adhere to the cultural imperative for father–child emotional closeness, a disparity between their ambitions and their conduct emerged. Care appeared to be a deeply gendered concept for the fathers and despite their aspirations for an intimate relationship with their children, gendered norms for motherhood and fatherhood prevailed resulting in passivity in their role as sexuality educators. The study concludes by arguing that challenges to structures and subcultural contexts, which may deter fathers from fully engaging with their sons and daughters in this aspect of communication are required

Impact of online resources in teaching statistics to undergraduates

We investigate the impact of a virtual learning environment (VLE) on the results of 190 undergraduate students, mostly statistics or mathematics majors, enrolled on a course in applied statistics. The VLE provides access to a variety of tailor-made resources varying in degrees of interactivity, including videos of lectures, and is intended to supplement weekly face-to-face lectures. Student engagement with the VLE is automatically tracked. We investigate what VLE resources students use and when, and whether academic background impacts on how these are used. Finally, a model for academic achievement based on student interaction with the VLE is built

Evolution of particle-scale dynamics in an aging clay suspension

Multispeckle x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy was employed to characterize the slow dynamics of a colloidal suspension formed by highly-charged, nanometer-sized disks. At scattering wave vectors $q$ corresponding to interparticle length scales, the dynamic structure factor follows a form $f(q,t) \sim \exp[-(t/\tau)^{\beta}$], where $\beta \approx$ 1.5. The characteristic relaxation time $\tau$ increases with the sample age $t_a$ approximately as $\tau \sim t_a^{1.8}$ and decreases with $q$ approximately as $\tau \sim q^{-1}$. Such a compressed exponential decay with relaxation time that varies inversely with $q$ is consistent with recent models that describe the dynamics in disordered elastic media in terms of strain from random, local structural rearrangements. The amplitude of the measured decay in $f(q,t)$ varies with $q$ in a manner that implies caged particle motion at short times. The decrease in the range of this motion and an increase in suspension conductivity with increasing $t_a$ indicate a growth in the interparticle repulsion as the mechanism for internal stress development implied by the models.Comment: 4 pages, includes 4 postscript figures; accepted for publication in Phys Rev Let