1,696 research outputs found

    Exploring the role of professional associations in collective learning in London and New York's advertising and law professional service firm clusters.

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    The value of regional economies for collective learning has been reported by numerous scholars. However often work has been criticised for lacking analytical clarity and failing to explore the architectures of collective learning and the role of the knowledge produced in making firms in a cluster economy successful. This paper engages with these problematics and investigates how collective learning is facilitated in the advertising and law professional service firm clusters in London and New York. It explores the role of professional associations and investigates how they mediate a collective learning process in each city. It argues that professional associations seed urban communities of practice that emerge outside of the formal activities of professional associations. In these communities individual with shared interests in advertising and law learn from one-another and are therefore able to adapt and evolve one-another approaches to common industry challenges. The paper suggests this is another form of the variation Marshall highlighted in relation to cluster-based collective learning. The paper also shows how the collective learning process is affected by the presence, absence and strength of an institutional thickness. It is therefore argued that a richer understanding of institutional affects is needed in relation to CL

    Shockwave/Boundary-Layer Interaction Studies Performed in the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel

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    This paper highlights results from a collaborative study performed by The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) and NASA Langley Research Center on the Shockwave/Boundary-Layer Interaction (SWBLI) generated by a cylindrical protuberance on a flat plate in a Mach 6 flow. The study was performed in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center and consisted of two separate entries. In the first entry, simultaneous high-speed schlieren and high-speed pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) imaging which was performed for the first time in the 20-Inch Mach 6 facility at NASA Langley were performed as well as simultaneous high-speed schlieren and oil-flow imaging. In the second entry, the model configuration was modified to increase the size of the interaction region. High-speed schlieren and infrared thermography (IR) surface imaging were performed in this second entry. The goal of these tests was to characterize the SBLI in the presence of a laminar, transitional, and turbulent boundary layer using high-speed optical imaging techniques. AoA = sting angle-of-attack () dcylinder = cylinder diameter (mm) dtrip = cylindrical tripping element diameter (mm) shock = shock stand-off distance (mm) hcylinder = cylinder height (mm) htrip = cylindrical tripping element height (mm) HSS = high-speed schlieren M = freestream Mach number PSP = pressure-sensitive paint Re = freestream unit Reynolds number (m-1) SWBLI = shockwave/boundary-layer interaction plate = model plate angle () Introduction his paper highlights two experimental entries performed in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Blowdown Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center in collaboration with The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI). The purpose of these entries was to characterize the dynamic shockwave/boundary-layer interaction (SWBLI) between a vertical cylinder on a flat plate and laminar, transitional (XSWBLI), and turbulent (SWTBLI) boundary layers with a freestream Mach number of 6 using non-intrusive optical diagnostics. Experiments performed by Murphree et al.1,2 were among the first to specifically characterize XSWBLI induced by a vertical cylinder on a flat plate geometry using several optical measurement techniques. Recent optical studies of XSWBLI phenomenon have been performed by UTSI at Mach 2 in their low-enthalpy blow wind tunnel3-8 and by Texas A&M University and UTSI at Mach numbers of 6 and 7 in their Adjustable Contour Expansion wind tunnel.9 The experiments described in this paper were intended to complement previous studies by expanding the freestream unit Reynolds number range, Re, over which the XSWBLI phenomena has been observed. Additionally these experiments, made possible under NASAs new facility funding model under the Aeronautics Evaluation and Test Capabilities (AETC) project, promoted collaboration between university and NASA researchers. The initial entry in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel at NASA Langley occurred in December of 2016. Originally, testing was to occur in November of 2016 in the 31-Inch Mach 10 Air Tunnel at NASA Langley. This facility was chosen so that the XSWBLI phenomenon could be observed at much higher Mach numbers than had previously been attempted in ground test experiments. The model selected for this experiment, a 10 half-angle wedge with a sharp leading edge (described in detail in section II.B), had previously been used by Danehy et al. [10] for boundary layer transition studies using the nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) flow visualization technique. In that work, it was determined that transition could be induced downstream of a single htrip = 1-mm tall, dtrip = 4-mm diameter cylindrical tripping element and that the streamwise location of the transition could be changed for a single Re by changing the model angle-of-attack (AoA) (see Fig. A3 in Ref. [10] for more details). Based on the findings of that work, a decision was made to use the wedge model with the cylindrical tripping element to trip the boundary layer flow ahead of a cylindrical protuberance in order to achieve a XSWBLI. Unfortunately, the 31-Inch Mach 10 facility had been taken offline for repairs in October of 2016 and a decision was made to move the test to the 20-Inch Mach 6 facility. Since the behavior of the boundary layer with the chosen model configuration had not been studied before in that facility and the available test time was limited, the entry was considered to be exploratory and was used to collect spatially-resolved and time-resolved flow and surface visualization data that would be used to inform a second entry. Test techniques included simultaneous high-speed schlieren (HSS) captured at 160 kHz and high-speed pressure sensitive paint captured at 10 kHz as well as oil flow visualization, captured at 750 Hz. The second entry in the 20-Inch Mach 6 facility occurred in June and July of 2017. In this follow-on test, modifications to the wind tunnel model were made based on observations made during the first entry and included removing the cylindrical tripping element, increasing the size of the cylinder used to induce the SWBLI to increase the size of the interaction while simultaneously improving spatial resolution, and using a swept ramp array, similar to that described in Ref. [11], to trip the flow to turbulence. Simultaneous HSS (captured at 140 kHz, 100 kHz, and 40 kHz) and conventional IR thermography (captured at 30 Hz) imaging were performed simultaneously in this follow-on entry. This paper is intended to serve as a summary of the work performed during these two entries, to detail lessons learned from each entry, and to highlight some of the datasets acquired. Details on the experimental setup, model configuration, and techniques used are provided. Papers providing a more rigorous analysis of data acquired during the second entry, including statistical, spectral, and modal decomposition methods, can be found in Refs. [12,13]. An entry examining XSWBLI in the 31-Inch Mach 10 Blowdown Wind Tunnel facility is currently planned for mid-to-late calendar year 2019, pending the success of facility repairs. The work performed and described in this paper and the upcoming entry in the 31-Inch Mach 10 facility at NASA Langley have been made possible by NASAs new facility funding model under the Aeronautics Evaluation and Test Capabilities (AETC) project. Wind Tunnel Facility All experiments discussed in this paper were performed in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. Specific details pertaining to this facility can be found in Refs. [14,15], with only a brief description of the facility provided here. For both entries, the nominal freestream unit Reynolds number was varied between 1.8106 m-1 (0.5106 ft-1) and 26.3106 m-1 (8106 ft-1). The nominal stagnation pressure was varied between 0.21 MPa and 3.33 MPa and the nominal stagnation temperature was varied between 480 K and 520 K to achieve the desired Re condition. For all runs, the nominal freestream Mach number was 6. The nearly square test section is 520.7-mm (20.5-inches) wide by 508-mm (20-inches) high. Two 431.8-mm (17-inch) diameter windows made of Corning 7940, Grade 5F schlieren-quality glass serve as the side walls of the tunnel and provide optical access for the high-speed schlieren measurements. A rectangular window made of the same material as the side windows served as the top wall of the test section and provided optical access for the high-speed PSP and oil flow measurements. For the second entry, this top window was replaced with a Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) window with an anti-reflection coating capable of passing IR wavelengths between 8m and 12m with greater than 98% transmittance. The model was sting supported by a strut attached to a hydraulic system that allows for the model pitch angle to be adjusted between -5 to +55. For the first entry, an initial pitch/pause sweep of the model AoA was performed to observe the resulting SWBLI. Ultimately, however, the sting pitch angle for this entry was fixed at +10.0 so that the angle of the top surface of the wedge relative to the streamwise axis of the tunnel (referred to herein as the plate angle, plate), was plate = 0. For the second entry, plate = 0 and plate = -13.25 were initially tested with the swept ramp array (discussed in the following section) to determine which orientation produced conditions most favorable for XSWBLI to occur based on the heating signatures observed over the top surface of the model in the IR thermography images. Based on these initial tests, plate = -13.25 was set for the remainder of the runs in the second entry. For both entries, any model changes were performed in a housing located beneath the closed test section. Prior to performing a run of the tunnel, the housing was sealed and the tunnel started. Once the appropriate freestream conditions were achieved, the model was injected into the test section using a hydraulic injection system. B. Model Geometry For all runs, a 10 half-angle (20 full-angle) wedge model with a sharp leading edge was used. The model is described in detail in Refs. [10,16]. The top surface of the sharp leading edge of the model extended 47.8 mm from its upstream-most edge to a junction with the upstream edge of a stainless steel top plate that then extended an (a) (c) (b) Fig. 1 (a) Schematic of top surface of wedge model with gas seeding insert, (b) perspective view of the model in the 20-Inch Mach 6 tunnel with centerline pressure orifices on sharp leading edge, and (c) a perspective view of the model with stainless steel (top) and SLA middle insert (bottom) during the first entry. Flow occurs from left to right

    Hot dense capsule implosion cores produced by z-pinch dynamic hohlraum radiation

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    Hot dense capsule implosions driven by z-pinch x-rays have been measured for the first time. A ~220 eV dynamic hohlraum imploded 1.7-2.1 mm diameter gas-filled CH capsules which absorbed up to ~20 kJ of x-rays. Argon tracer atom spectra were used to measure the Te~ 1keV electron temperature and the ne ~ 1-4 x10^23 cm-3 electron density. Spectra from multiple directions provide core symmetry estimates. Computer simulations agree well with the peak compression values of Te, ne, and symmetry, indicating reasonable understanding of the hohlraum and implosion physics.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

    Decidual natural killer cell interactions with trophoblasts are impaired in pregnancies at increased risk of preeclampsia.

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    Transformation of the uterine spiral arteries (SAs) during pregnancy is critical to support the developing fetus, and is impaired in some pregnancy disorders, including preeclampsia. Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells play a role in SA remodeling, although their interactions with fetal trophoblast remain unclear. A uterine artery Doppler resistance index (RI) in the first trimester of pregnancy can be used as a proxy measure of the extent of SA remodeling; we have used this technique to characterize dNK cells from pregnancies with normal (normal RI) and impaired (high RI) SA remodeling, which display least and highest risk of developing preeclampsia, respectively. We examined the impact of dNK cell secreted factors on trophoblast motility, chemoattraction, and signaling pathways to determine the contribution of dNK cells to SA transformation. We demonstrated that the chemoattraction of the trophoblast by dNK cells is impaired in pregnancies with high RI, as is the ability to induce trophoblast outgrowth from placental villous explants. These processes are dependent on activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling pathways, which were altered in trophoblasts incubated with secreted factors from dNK cells from high RI pregnancies. Therefore, by characterizing pregnancies using uterine artery Doppler RI before dNK cell isolation, we have identified that impaired dNK-trophoblast interactions may lead to poor placentation. These findings have implications for pregnancy pathological conditions, such as preeclampsia

    The meaning of social context: experiences of and educational outcome of participation in two different sport contexts

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    The original publication is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13573320701600571Based on a general belief in society, about the good outcome of sport, this article critically examines the meaning ? that is both the personal experience of participation and the potential educational outcome ? which is derived from participation in two sport contexts under the umbrella of the Sports City Program (SCP) in Norway. With a theoretical framework based on the field theory of Bourdieu, and a qualitative methodological approach, the article indicates that there are differences within the SCP, with one pole of the SCP close to conventional sport and the other pole more distinctly different from conventional sport. In short, there are different meanings derived from pursuing different contexts of the subfield of the SCP. Different sport contexts attract different adolescents, produce different experiences and facilitate different educational opportunities. Out of the two SCP contexts investigated, the context most similar to conventional sport basis on family socialization and facilitates reproduction, while the context most distinct from conventional sport attracts other adolescents and clears the ground for self governance and an ?adolescent lifestyle?

    Place attachment in deprived neighbourhoods: The impacts of population turnover and social mix

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    This paper examines the determinants of individual place attachment, focussing in particular on differences between deprived and others neighbourhoods, and on the impacts of population turnover and social mix. It uses a multi-level modelling approach to take account of both individual- and neighbourhood-level determinants. Data are drawn from a large sample government survey, the Citizenship Survey 2005, to which a variety of neighbourhood-level data have been attached. The paper argues that attachment is significantly lower in more deprived neighbourhoods primarily because these areas have weaker social cohesion but that, in other respects, the drivers of attachment are the same. Turnover has modest direct impacts on attachment through its effect on social cohesion. Social mix has very limited impacts on attachment and the effects vary between social groups. In general, higher status or more dominant groups appear less tolerant of social mix

    Unsteady Extinction of Opposed Jet Ethylene/Methane HIFiRE Surrogate Fuel Mixtures vs Air

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    A unique idealized study of the subject fuel vs. air systems was conducted using an Oscillatory-input Opposed Jet Burner (OOJB) system and a newly refined analysis. Extensive dynamic-extinction measurements were obtained on unanchored (free-floating) laminar Counter Flow Diffusion Flames (CFDFs) at 1-atm, stabilized by steady input velocities (e.g., U(sub air)) and perturbed by superimposed in-phase sinusoidal velocity inputs at fuel and air nozzle exits. Ethylene (C2H4) and methane (CH4), and intermediate 64/36 and 15/85 molar percent mixtures were studied. The latter gaseous surrogates were chosen earlier to mimic ignition and respective steady Flame Strengths (FS = U(sub air)) of vaporized and cracked, and un-cracked, JP-7 "like" kerosene for a Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) scramjet. For steady idealized flameholding, the 100% C2H4 flame is respectively approx. 1.3 and approx.2.7 times stronger than a 64/36 mix and CH4; but is still 12.0 times weaker than a 100% H2-air flame. Limited Hot-Wire (HW) measurements of velocity oscillations at convergent-nozzle exits, and more extensive Probe Microphone (PM) measurements of acoustic pressures, were used to normalize Dynamic FSs, which decayed linearly with pk/pk U(sub air) (velocity magnitude, HW), and also pk/pk P (pressure magnitude, PM). Thus Dynamic Flame Weakening (DFW) is defined as % decrease in FS per Pascal of pk/pk P oscillation, namely, DFW = -100 d(U(sub air)/U(sub air),0Hz)/d(pkpk P). Key findings are: (1) Ethylene flames are uniquely strong and resilient to extinction by oscillating inflows below 150 Hz; (2) Methane flames are uniquely weak; (3) Ethylene / methane surrogate flames are disproportionately strong with respect to ethylene content; and (4) Flame weakening is consistent with limited published results on forced unsteady CFDFs. Thus from 0 to approx. 10 Hz and slightly higher, lagging diffusive responses of key species led to progressive phase lags (relative to inputs) in the oscillating flames, and caused maximum weakening. At 20 to 150 Hz, diffusion-rate-limited effects diminished, causing flames to "regain strengnth," and eventually become completely insensitive beyond 300 Hz. Detailed mechanistic understanding is needed. Overall, ethylene flames are remarkably resilient to dynamic extinction by oscillating inflows. They are the strongest, with the notable exception of H2. For HIFiRE tests, the 64%/36% surrogate disproportionally retains the high dynamic FS of ethylene, so the potential for loss of scramjet flameholding (flameout) due to low frequency oscillations is significantly mitigated

    Living on thin abstractions: more power/economic knowledge

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    Debates over the role of knowledge and know-how as key economic assets in the contemporary economy, although far from new, are now increasingly couched in terms of a new-found economic immateriality which allows for their costless reproduction and widespread geographical dissemination. In the rush to tie down and reproduce economic know-how in abstract codifiable form, it has become almost baffling to argue that our stock of economic knowledge may rest upon affects as much as analysis, expressive symbolism as much as abstract symbolism. This paper is an attempt to think through how such 'elusive' economic knowledges may be grasped, yet neither formalized nor codified in abstract terms. It is also a plea to consider the geography of economic knowledge outside of the tacit - explicit distinction

    Beyond 'Global Production Networks': Australian Fashion Week's Trans-Sectoral Synergies

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    When studies of industrial organisation are informed by commodity chain, actor network, or global production network theories and focus on tracing commodity flows, social networks, or a combination of the two, they can easily overlook the less routine trans-sectoral associations that are crucial to the creation and realisation of value. This paper shifts attention to identifying the sites at which diverse specialisations meet to concentrate and amplify mutually reinforcing circuits of value. These valorisation processes are demonstrated in the case of Australian Fashion Week, an event in which multiple interests converge to synchronize different expressions of fashion ideas, actively construct fashion markets and enhance the value of a diverse range of fashionable commodities. Conceptualising these interconnected industries as components of a trans-sectoral fashion complex has implications for understanding regional development, world cities, production location, and the manner in which production systems “touch down” in different places
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