Micro-fluid exchange coupling apparatus

In a macro-fluid exchange, a hollow needle, such as a syringe needle, is provided for penetrating the fluid conduit of the animal. The syringe needle is coupled to a plenum chamber having an inlet and outlet port. The plenum chamber is coupled to the syringe needle via the intermediary of a standard quick disconnect coupling fitting. The plenum chamber is carried at the end of a drive rod which is coupled to a micrometer drive head. The micrometer drive head is slidably and pivotably coupled to a pedestal for adjusting the height and angle of inclination of the needle relative to a reference base support. The needle is positioned adjacent to the incised trachea or a blood vessel of a small animal and the micrometer drive head is operated for penetrating the fluid conduit of the animal

Defect behavior, carrier removal and predicted in-space injection annealing of InP solar cells

Defect behavior, observed by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), is used to predict carrier removal and the effects of simultaneous electron irradiation and injection annealing of the performance of InP solar cells. For carrier removal, the number of holes trapped per defect is obtained from measurements of both carrier concentrations and defect concentrations during an isochronal anneal. In addition, from kinetic considerations, the behavior of the dominant defect during injection annealing is used to estimate the degradation expected from exposure to the ambient electron environment in geostationary orbit

Effect of dislocations on properties of heteroepitaxial InP solar cells

The apparently unrelated phenomena of temperature dependency, carrier removal and photoluminescence are shown to be affected by the high dislocation densities present in heteroepitaxial InP solar cells. Using homoepitaxial InP cells as a baseline, it is found that the relatively high dislocation densities present in heteroepitaxial InP/GaAs cells lead to increased volumes of dVoc/dt and carrier removal rate and substantial decreases in photoluminescence spectral intensities. With respect to dVoc/dt, the observed effect is attributed to the tendency of dislocations to reduce Voc. Although the basic cause for the observed increase in carrier removal rate is unclear, it is speculated that the decreased photoluminescence intensity is attributable to defect levels introduced by dislocations in the heteroepitaxial cells

Developing mathematical thinking in the primary classroom: liberating students and teachers as learners of mathematics

This paper reports on a research study conducted with a group of practising primary school teachers (n = 24) in North East Scotland during 2011–2012. The teachers were all participants in a newly developed Masters course that had been designed with the aim of promoting the development of mathematical thinking in the primary classroom as part of project supported by the Scottish Government. The paper presents the background for this initiative within the context of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence reform. Particular attention is given to the epistemological positioning of the researchers as this influenced both the curriculum design process and also the theoretical framing of the research study which are both described. The project was set up within a design research framework, which aimed to promote classroom-based action research on the part of participants through the course and also research by the university researchers into the process of curriculum development. The research questions focused on the teachers’ confidence, competence, attitudes and beliefs in relation to mathematics and their expectations and experiences of the impact on pupil learning arising from this course. Empirical data were drawn from pre- and post-course surveys, interviews and observations of the discussion forums in the online environment. Findings from this study highlight the way the course had a transformational and emancipatory impact on these teachers. They also highlight ways in which the ‘framing’ of particular aspects of the curriculum had an oppressive impact on learners in the ways that suppressed creativity and limited the exercise of learner autonomy. Furthermore, they highlight the ways in which a number of these teachers had experienced mathematics as a school subject in very negative ways, involving high levels of ‘symbolic violence’ and of being ‘labelled’

WHOI SDSL data-link project—ethernet telemetry through sea cables

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 34 (2017): 269-275, doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-11-00196.1.A data telemetry technique for communicating over standard oceanographic sea cables that achieves a nearly 100-fold increase in bandwidth as compared to traditional systems has been recently developed and successfully used at sea on board two Research Vessel (R/V) Atlantis cruises with an 8.5-km, 0.322-in.-diameter three-conductor sea cable. The system uses commercially available modules to provide Ethernet connectivity through existing sea cables, linking serial and video underwater instrumentation to the shipboard user. The new method applies Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) communications technology to undersea applications, greatly increasing the opportunities to use scientific instrumentation from existing ships and sea cables at minimal cost and without modification.This development program has been supported, in part, through research grants from the National Science Foundation (OCE 0447395), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s ASTEP program (NNX09AB76G), and a WHOI Green and Hiam Innovative Technology Award.2017-07-2

Calculation of thermal parameters of SiGe microbolometers

The thermal parameters of a SiGe microbolometer were calculated using numerical modeling. The calculated thermal conduction and thermal response time are in good agreement with the values found experimentally and range between 2x10$^-7$ and 7x10$^-8$ W/K and 1.5 and 4.5 ms, respectively. High sensitivity of microbolometer is achieved due to optimization of the thermal response time and thermal conduction by fitting the geometry of supporting heat-removing legs or by selection of a suitable material providing boundary thermal resistance higher than 8x10$^-3$ cm$^2$K/W at the SiGe interface.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

A new look at low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) research: a response to Shanahan

In his criticisms of the review article on LENR by Krivit and Marwan, Shanahan has raised a number of issues in the areas of calorimetry, heat after death, elemental transmutation, energetic particle detection using CR-39, and the temporal correlation between heat and helium-4. These issues are addressed by the researchers who conducted the original work that was discussed in the Krivit-Marwan (K&M) review paper

The accuracy of interpreting key psychiatric terms by ad hoc interpreters at a South African psychiatric hospital

Objective: This study examined the competence and accuracy of ad hoc interpreters in interpreting key psychiatric terms at a South African psychiatric hospital.Method: Nine individuals were asked to translate key psychiatric terms from English to Xhosa. These translations were then back-translated by independent translators, who do not have knowledge of psychiatric terminology. These back-translations were then compared with the original English. Results: It was clear that not all the participants were fully competent in English. None had formal training in interpreting or psychiatric terminology. Not all of the participants were familiar with the psychiatric concepts that clinicians use and they often made mistakes while interpreting. Conclusion: The competency levels of interpreters are unsatisfactory to ensure the optimal delivery of mental health care. It is clear that there is a need for trained interpreters in South Africa, as the continuous use of untrained interpreters compromises the effectiveness of mental health care and could lead to adverse health outcomes.Keywords: Translation; Cultural Diversity; South Africa; Health Care Quality; Access and EvaluationAfrican Journal of Psychiatry • November 2013, 16(6

Low temperature acoustic properties of amorphous silica and the Tunneling Model

Internal friction and speed of sound of a-SiO(2) was measured above 6 mK using a torsional oscillator at 90 kHz, controlling for thermal decoupling, non-linear effects, and clamping losses. Strain amplitudes e(A) = 10^{-8} mark the transition between the linear and non-linear regime. In the linear regime, excellent agreement with the Tunneling Model was observed for both the internal friction and speed of sound, with a cut-off energy of E(min) = 6.6 mK. In the non-linear regime, two different behaviors were observed. Above 10 mK the behavior was typical for non-linear harmonic oscillators, while below 10 mK a different behavior was found. Its origin is not understood.Comment: 1 tex file, 6 figure