1,275 research outputs found
Wool versus mutton in extensive grazing areas
This paper investigates the relative profitability of woolled and mutton sheep under field conditions in an extensive grazing area. The dataset comprises 34 fulltime farmers and 75% of the sheep in the district. There was no difference in unit production costs or net farm income per sheep in the flock. Dorper flocks recorded higher lambing rates and Merinos lower rates of predation, which deserves further investigation. The percentage woolled sheep in the flock was modelled as a logit function of farm size, crop area, tradition and terrain ruggedness, although the latter was not significant. These results confirm earlier recommendations that reproductive efficiency must be carefully monitored in Merino flocks. The extension message is that on average there is no financial advantage to woolled sheep production, although this could change if woolled flocks could be made more productive. The wool industry must not stop serving these extremely arid areas.Keywords: financial performance, sheep breeds, arid conditions, extension implication
Coronal and chromospheric physics
The Solar Maximum Mission support program is mentioned along with investigations of the solar corona, prominences, and chromosphere. The solar limb was studied using far infrared and submillimeter photometry. Stokes profiles obtained from sunspot observations were examined with a polarimetric technique
The G(1) cyclin Cln3 promotes cell cycle entry via the transcription factor Swi6
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast), commitment to cell division in late G1 is promoted by the G1 cyclin Cln3 and its associated cyclin-dependent kinase, Cdc28. We show here that all known aspects of the function of Cln3 in G1 phase, including control of cell size, pheromone sensitivity, cell cycle progress, and transcription, require the protein Swi6. Swi6 is a component of two related transcription factors, SBF and MBF, which are known to regulate many genes at the G1-S transition. The Cln3-Cdc28 complex somehow activates SBF and MBF, but there was no evidence for direct phosphorylation of SBF/MBF by Cln3-Cdc28 or for a stable complex between SBF/MBF and Cln3-Cdc28. The activation also does not depend on the ability of Cln3 to activate transcription when artificially recruited directly to a promoter. The amino terminus and the leucine zipper of Swi6 are important for the ability of Swi6 to respond to Cln3 but are not essential for the basal transcriptional activity of Swi6. Cln3-Cdc28 may activate SBF and MBF indirectly, perhaps by phosphorylating some intermediary protein
Three-electron anisotropic quantum dots in variable magnetic fields: exact results for excitation spectra, spin structures, and entanglement
Exact-diagonalization calculations for N=3 electrons in anisotropic quantum
dots, covering a broad range of confinement anisotropies and strength of
inter-electron repulsion, are presented for zero and low magnetic fields. The
excitation spectra are analyzed as a function of the strength of the magnetic
field and for increasing quantum-dot anisotropy. Analysis of the intrinsic
structure of the many-body wave functions through spin-resolved two-point
correlations reveals that the electrons tend to localize forming Wigner
molecules. For certain ranges of dot parameters (mainly at strong anisotropy),
the Wigner molecules acquire a linear geometry, and the associated wave
functions with a spin projection S_z=1/2 are similar to the representative
class of strongly entangled states referred to as W-states. For other ranges of
parameters (mainly at intermediate anisotropy), the Wigner molecules exhibit a
more complex structure consisting of two mirror isosceles triangles. This
latter structure can be viewed as an embryonic unit of a zig-zag Wigner crystal
in quantum wires. The degree of entanglement in three-electron quantum dots can
be quantified through the use of the von Neumann entropy.Comment: To appear in Physical Review B. REVTEX4. 13 pages with 16 color
figures. To download a copy with higher-quality figures, go to publication
#78 in http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~ph274cy
Structural properties of electrons in quantum dots in high magnetic fields: Crystalline character of cusp states and excitation spectra
The crystalline or liquid character of the downward cusp states in N-electron
parabolic quantum dots (QD's) at high magnetic fields is investigated using
conditional probability distributions obtained from exact diagonalization.
These states are of crystalline character for fractional fillings covering both
low and high values, unlike the liquid Jastrow-Laughlin wave functions, but in
remarkable agreement with the rotating-Wigner-molecule ones [Phys. Rev. B 66,
115315 (2002)]. The crystalline arrangement consists of concentric polygonal
rings that rotate independently of each other, with the electrons on each ring
rotating coherently. We show that the rotation stabilizes the Wigner molecule
relative to the static one defined by the broken-symmetry
unrestricted-Hartree-Fock solution. We discuss the non-rigid behavior of the
rotating Wigner molecule and pertinent features of the excitation spectrum,
including the occurrence of a gap between the ground and first excited states
that underlies the incompressibility of the system. This leads us to conjecture
that the rotating crystal (and not the static one) remains the relevant ground
state for low fractional fillings even at the thermodynamic limit.Comment: Published version. Typos corrected. REVTEX4. 10 pages with 8
postscript figures (5 in color). For related papers, see
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~ph274cy
Quantum Necking in Stressed Metallic Nanowires
When a macroscopic metallic wire is subject to tensile stress, it necks down
smoothly as it elongates. We show that nanowires with radii comparable to the
Fermi wavelength display remarkably different behavior. Using concepts from
fluid dynamics, a PDE for nanowire shape evolution is derived from a
semiclassical energy functional that includes electron-shell effects. A rich
dynamics involving movement and interaction of kinks connecting locally stable
radii is found, and a new class of universal equilibrium shapes is predicted.Comment: 4 pages, 3 postscript figures. New result on universal equilibrium
shape
Gathering the evidence and identifying opportunities for future research in climate, heat and health in South Africa : the role of the South African Medical Research Council
Abstract: Background. A changing climate is likely to have widespread and varying impacts on ecosystems and human health. South Africa (SA) is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, given the projected increases in temperature, and changes in the amount and patterns of rainfall. Moreover, SA’s vulnerability is exacerbated by extreme inequality and poverty. To prepare for the impacts of climate change and to ensure timeous adaptation, a perspective is given on essential heat and health research in the country. Objectives. To gather studies conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)’s Environment and Health Research Unit (EHRU) to illustrate the range of possible research key areas in the climate, heat and health domain and to present future research priorities. Methods. Studies conducted by the SAMRC’s EHRU were gathered and used to illustrate the range of possible research key areas in the climate, heat and health domain. Using national and international published and grey literature, and tapping into institutional research experiences, an overview of research findings to date and future research priorities were developed. Results. Heat and health-related research has focussed on key settings, for example, schools, homes and outdoor work places, and vulnerable groups such as infants and children, the elderly and people with pre-existing diseases. The need to address basic needs and services provision was emphasised as an important priority. Conclusions. High and low temperatures in SA are already associated with mortality annually; these impacts are likely to increase with a changing climate. Critical cross-sectoral research will aid in understanding and preparing for temperature extremes in SA
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