1,661 research outputs found
Experimental compaction of anisotropic granular media
We report on experiments to measure the temporal and spatial evolution of
packing arrangements of anisotropic and weakly confined granular material,
using high-resolution -ray adsorption. In these experiments, the
particle configurations start from an initially disordered,
low-packing-fraction state and under vertical solicitations evolve to a dense
state. We find that the packing fraction evolution is slowed by the grain
anisotropy but, as for spherically shaped grains, can be well fitted by a
stretched exponential. For a given type of grains, the characteristic times of
relaxation and of convection are found to be of the same order of magnitude. On
the contrary compaction mechanisms in the media strongly depend on the grain
anisotropy.Comment: to appear in the european physical journal E (EPJE
A Framework for Effective Corporate Communication after Cyber Security Incidents
A major cyber security incident can represent a cyber crisis for an organisation, in particular because of the associated risk of substantial reputational damage. As the likelihood of falling victim to a cyberattack has increased over time, so too has the need to understand exactly what is effective corporate communication after an attack, and how best to engage the concerns of customers, partners and other stakeholders. This research seeks to tackle this problem through a critical, multi-faceted investigation into the efficacy of crisis communication and public relations following a data breach. It does so by drawing on academic literature, obtained through a systematic literature review, and real-world case studies. Qualitative data analysis is used to interpret and structure the results, allowing for the development of a new, comprehensive framework for corporate communication to support companies in their preparation and response to such events. The validity of this framework is demonstrated by its evaluation through interviews with senior industry professionals, as well as a critical assessment against relevant practice and research. The framework is further refined based on these evaluations, and an updated version defined. This research represents the first grounded, comprehensive and evaluated proposal for characterising effective corporate communication after cyber security incidents
On the existence of stationary states during granular compaction
When submitted to gentle mechanical taps a granular packing slowly compacts
until it reaches a stationary state that depends on the tap characteristics.
The properties of such stationary states are experimentally investigated. The
influence of the initial state, taps properties and tapping protocol are
studied. The compactivity of the packings is determinated. Our results strongly
support the idea that the stationary states are genuine thermodynamic states.Comment: to be published in EPJE. The original publication will be available
at www.europhysj.or
Genetic Correlations of Fatty Acid Concentrations with Carcass Traits in Angus-Sired Beef Cattle
Fatty acid composition of beef is heritable in grain-fed calves. To select for beef that is more healthful, it is important to know the genetic correlations of specific fatty acid concentrations with carcass traits that have been under selection for several years. The most relevant fatty acids in beef for selection would be myristic acid, because of its impact on healthfulness, and oleic acid, because of its amount in beef.
Myristic acid has favorable genetic correlations with hot carcass weight, 12-13th rib subcutaneous fat thickness, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (-0.23, 0.27, and 0.31, respectively). Additionally, the genetic correlation of oleic acid with marbling is very strong and favorable (0.83). Unfortunately, myristic acid has a moderate antagonistic genetic correlation to marbling (0.31). In addition, oleic acid has weak to moderate antagonistic genetic correlations with hot carcass weight, 12-13th rib subcutaneous fat thickness, percentage kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (-0.14, 0.18, 0.36, and 0.12, respectively).
Information about the genetic correlations of traditional carcass traits and fatty acid concentrations will enable us to create a selection scheme that will create more healthful beef that meets the other carcass characteristics desired by the consumer
A microfluidic finger-actuated blood lysate preparation device enabled by rapid acoustofluidic mixing
The Design and Validation of the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey
The Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey (QMCS) is a 12-question survey of
students' conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. It is intended to be
used to measure the relative effectiveness of different instructional methods
in modern physics courses. In this paper we describe the design and validation
of the survey, a process that included observations of students, a review of
previous literature and textbooks and syllabi, faculty and student interviews,
and statistical analysis. We also discuss issues in the development of specific
questions, which may be useful both for instructors who wish to use the QMCS in
their classes and for researchers who wish to conduct further research of
student understanding of quantum mechanics. The QMCS has been most thoroughly
tested in, and is most appropriate for assessment of (as a posttest only),
sophomore-level modern physics courses. We also describe testing with students
in junior quantum courses and graduate quantum courses, from which we conclude
that the QMCS may be appropriate for assessing junior quantum courses, but is
not appropriate for assessing graduate courses. One surprising result of our
faculty interviews is a lack of faculty consensus on what topics should be
taught in modern physics, which has made designing a test that is valued by a
majority of physics faculty more difficult than expected.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education
Researc
Sliding wear properties of HVOF thermally sprayed nylon-11 and nylon-11/ceramic composites on steel
Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 16(5-6): pp. 927-932.Polymer and polymer/ceramic composite coatings were produced by ball-milling 60 μm Nylon-
11 together with nominal 10 vol.% of nano and multi-scale ceramic reinforcements and HVOF
spraying these composite feedstocks onto steel substrates to produce semi-crystalline micron and
nano-scale reinforced coatings polymer matrix composites. Room temperature dry sliding wear
performance of pure Nylon-11, Nylon-11 reinforced with 7 nm silica, and multi-scale Nylon-
11/silica composite coatings incorporating 7-40 nm and 10 μm ceramic particles was
characterized using a pin-on-disk tribometer. Coefficient of friction and wear rate were
determined as a function of applied load and coating composition. Surface profilometry and
scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize and analyze the coatings and wear scars.
The pure Nylon-11 coating experienced less wear than the composites due to the occurrence of
two additional wear mechanisms: abrasive and fatigue wear
Eulerian simulation of the fluid dynamics of helicopter brownout
A computational model is presented that can be used to simulate the development of the dust cloud
that can be entrained into the air when a helicopter is operated close to the ground in desert or dusty
conditions. The physics of this problem, and the associated pathological condition known as ‘brownout’
where the pilot loses situational awareness as a result of his vision being occluded by dust suspended in the
flow around the helicopter, is acknowledged to be very complex. The approach advocated here involves
an approximation to the full dynamics of the coupled particulate-air system. Away from the ground, the
model assumes that the suspended particles remain in near equilibrium under the action of aerodynamic
forces. Close to the ground, this model is replaced by an algebraic sublayer model for the saltation and
entrainment process. The origin of the model in the statistical mechanics of a distribution of particles
governed by aerodynamic forces allows the validity of the method to be evaluated in context by comparing
the physical properties of the suspended particulates to the local properties of the flow field surrounding
the helicopter. The model applies in the Eulerian frame of reference of most conventional Computational
Fluid Dynamics codes and has been coupled with Brown’s Vorticity Transport Model. Verification of the
predictions of the coupled model against experimental data for particulate entrainment and transport in
the flow around a model rotor are encouraging. An application of the coupled model to analyzing the
differences in the geometry and extent of the dust clouds that are produced by single main rotor and
tandem-rotor configurations as they decelerate to land has shown that the location of the ground vortex
and the size of any regions of recirculatory flow, should they exist, play a primary role in governing the
extent of the dust cloud that is created by the helicopter
Bacterial oligomers & polymers play opposite roles: MAMPs interact with each other and with host cell walls during induction of calcium signaling, which is suppressed by bacterial EPS
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