Flexible case analysis for compressible solid propellant grain motors Status report

Stiffness version of finite element method used for numerical analysis of small elementary regions of solid propellant grain

Helicopter simulation validation using flight data

A joint NASA/Army effort to perform a systematic ground-based piloted simulation validation assessment is described. The best available mathematical model for the subject helicopter (UH-60A Black Hawk) was programmed for real-time operation. Flight data were obtained to validate the math model, and to develop models for the pilot control strategy while performing mission-type tasks. The validated math model is to be combined with motion and visual systems to perform ground based simulation. Comparisons of the control strategy obtained in flight with that obtained on the simulator are to be used as the basis for assessing the fidelity of the results obtained in the simulator

Cancer incidence in British vegetarians

Background: Few prospective studies have examined cancer incidence among vegetarians. Methods: We studied 61 566 British men and women, comprising 32 403 meat eaters, 8562 non-meat eaters who did eat fish ('fish eaters') and 20 601 vegetarians. After an average follow-up of 12.2 years, there were 3350 incident cancers of which 2204 were among meat eaters, 317 among fish eaters and 829 among vegetarians. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated by Cox regression, stratified by sex and recruitment protocol and adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, physical activity level and, for women only, parity and oral contraceptive use. Results: There was significant heterogeneity in cancer risk between groups for the following four cancer sites: stomach cancer, RRs (compared with meat eaters) of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.07–1.20) in fish eaters and 0.36 (0.16–0.78) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.007; ovarian cancer, RRs of 0.37 (0.18–0.77) in fish eaters and 0.69 (0.45–1.07) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.007; bladder cancer, RRs of 0.81 (0.36–1.81) in fish eaters and 0.47 (0.25–0.89) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.05; and cancers of the lymphatic and haematopoietic tissues, RRs of 0.85 (0.56–1.29) in fish eaters and 0.55 (0.39–0.78) in vegetarians, P for heterogeneity=0.002. The RRs for all malignant neoplasms were 0.82 (0.73–0.93) in fish eaters and 0.88 (0.81–0.96) in vegetarians (P for heterogeneity=0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of some cancers may be lower in fish eaters and vegetarians than in meat eaters

Species of Botryosphaeriaceae occurring on Proteaceae

The Botryosphaeriaceae includes several species that are serious canker and leaf pathogens of Proteaceae. In the present study, sequence data for the ITS nrDNA region were used in conjunction with morphological observations to resolve the taxonomy of species of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with Proteaceae. Neofusicoccum luteum was confirmed from Buckinghamia and Banksia in Australia, and on Protea cynaroides in South Africa. A major pathogen of Banksia coccinea in Australia was shown to be N. australe and not N. luteum as previously reported. Neofusicoccum protearum was previously reported on Proteaceae from Australia, Madeira, Portugal and South Africa, and is shown here to also occur in Hawaii and Tenerife (Canary Islands). Furthermore, several previous records of N. ribis on Proteaceae were shown to be N. parvum. Saccharata capensis is described as a new species that is morphologically similar to S. proteae. There is no information currently available regarding its potential importance as plant pathogen and pathogenicity tests should be conducted with it in the future

Power Transfer Potential to the Southeast in Response to a Renewable Portfolio Standard: Interim Report 1

The power transfer potential for bringing renewable energy into the Southeast in response to a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) will depend not only on available transmission capacity but also on electricity supply and demand factors. This interim report examines how the commonly used EIA NEMS and EPRI NESSIE energy equilibrium models are considering such power transfers. Using regional estimates of capacity expansion and demand, a base case for 2008, 2020 and 2030 are compared relative to generation mix, renewable deployments, planned power transfers, and meeting RPS goals. The needed amounts of regional renewable energy to comply with possible RPS levels are compared to inter-regional transmission capacities to establish a baseline available for import into the Southeast and other regions. Gaps in the renewable generation available to meet RPS requirements are calculated. The initial finding is that the physical capability for transferring renewable energy into the SE is only about 10% of what would be required to meet a 20% RPS. Issues that need to be addressed in future tasks with respect to modeling are the current limitations for expanding renewable capacity and generation in one region to meet the demand in another and the details on transmission corridors required to deliver the power

Power Transfer Potential to the Southeast in Response to a Renewable Portfolio Standard: Final Report

Electricity consumption in the Southeastern US, including Florida, is approximately 32% of the total US. The availability of renewable resources for electricity production is relatively small compared to the high consumption. Therefore meeting a national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) is particularly challenging in this region. Neighboring regions, particularly to the west, have significant wind resources and given sufficient transmission these resources could serve energy markets in the SE. This report looks at renewable resource supply relative to demands and the potential for power transfer into the SE. We found that significant wind energy transfers, at the level of 30-60 GW, are expected to be economic in case of federal RPC or CO2 policy. Development of wind resources will depend not only on the available transmission capacity and required balancing resources, but also on electricity supply and demand factors

A Storage Ring for Neutral Atoms

We have demonstrated a storage ring for ultra-cold neutral atoms. Atoms with mean velocities of 1 m/s corresponding to kinetic energies of ~100 neV are confined to a 2 cm diameter ring by magnetic forces produced by two current-carrying wires. Up to 10^6 atoms are loaded at a time in the ring, and 7 revolutions are clearly observed. Additionally, we have demonstrated multiple loading of the ring and deterministic manipulation of the longitudinal velocity distribution of the atoms using applied laser pulses. Applications of this ring include large area atom interferometers and cw monochromatic atomic beam generation.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

A prospective study of endogenous serum hormone concentrations and breast cancer risk in premenopausal women on the island of Guernsey.

The associations between serum concentrations of oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women were investigated in a prospective study of breast cancer on the island of Guernsey. Sixty-two women diagnosed with breast cancer an average of 8 years subsequent to blood collection were matched for day of menstrual cycle, age and year of blood collection with 182 control subjects. Cases had a 12% higher mean oestradiol concentration over the whole menstrual cycle (P = 0.17) with a large difference at mid-cycle (75% higher, P = 0.04). Differences between cases and control subjects in progesterone (luteal phase), testosterone and SHBG were small and not statistically significant: luteal phase progesterone 9% lower in cases, P = 0.64; testosterone 4% higher, P = 0.57; SHBG 8% higher, P = 0.24. The small difference in oestradiol concentration could be aetiologically important, but larger prospective studies are needed

Breakdown of superfluidity of an atom laser past an obstacle

The 1D flow of a continuous beam of Bose-Einstein condensed atoms in the presence of an obstacle is studied as a function of the beam velocity and of the type of perturbing potential (representing the interaction of the obstacle with the atoms of the beam). We identify the relevant regimes: stationary/time-dependent and superfluid/dissipative; the absence of drag is used as a criterion for superfluidity. There exists a critical velocity below which the flow is superfluid. For attractive obstacles, we show that this critical velocity can reach the value predicted by Landau's approach. For penetrable obstacles, it is shown that superfluidity is recovered at large beam velocity. Finally, enormous differences in drag occur when switching from repulsive to attractive potential.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure