1,719 research outputs found
State criminal justice telecommunications (STACOM). Volume 3: Requirements analysis and design of Texas criminal Justice Telecommunications Network
For abstract, see N78-16218
Laser induced spark ignition of methane-oxygen mixtures
Results from an experimental study of laser induced spark ignition of methane-oxygen mixtures are presented. The experiments were conducted at atmospheric pressure and 296 K under laminar pre-mixed and turbulent-incompletely mixed conditions. A pulsed, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser was used as the ignition source. Laser sparks with energies of 10 mJ and 40 mJ were used, as well as a conventional electrode spark with an effective energy of 6 mJ. Measurements were made of the flame kernel radius as a function of time using pulsed laser shadowgraphy. The initial size of the spark ignited flame kernel was found to correlate reasonably well with breakdown energy as predicted by the Taylor spherical blast wave model. The subsequent growth rate of the flame kernel was found to increase with time from a value less than to a value greater than the adiabatic, unstretched laminar growth rate. This behavior was attributed to the combined effects of flame stretch and an apparent wrinkling of the flame surface due to the extremely rapid acceleration of the flame. The very large laminar flame speed of methane-oxygen mixtures appears to be the dominant factor affecting the growth rate of spark ignited flame kernels, with the mode of ignition having a small effect. The effect of incomplete fuel-oxidizer mixing was found to have a significant effect on the growth rate, one which was greater than could simply be accounted for by the effect of local variations in the equivalence ratio on the local flame speed
Structure and Thermodynamics of the Mixed Alkali Alanates
The thermodynamics and structural properties of the hexahydride alanates
(M2M'AlH6) with the elpasolite structure have been investigated. A series of
mixed alkali alanates (Na2LiAlH6, K2LiAlH6 and K2NaAlH6) were synthesized and
found to reversibly absorb and desorb hydrogen without the need for a catalyst.
Pressure-composition isotherms were measured to investigate the thermodynamics
of the absorption and desorption reactions with hydrogen. Isotherms for
catalyzed (4 mol% TiCl3) and uncatalyzed Na2LiAlH6 exhibited an increase in
kinetics, but no change in the bulk thermodynamics with the addition of a
dopant. A structural analysis using synchrotron x-ray diffraction showed that
these compounds favor the Fm-3m space group with the smaller ion (M') occupying
an octahedral site. These results demonstrate that appropriate cation
substitutions can be used to stabilize or destabilize the material and may
provide an avenue to improving the unfavorable thermodynamics of a number of
materials with promising gravimetric hydrogen densities.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures,3 tables, submitted to PR
State criminal justice telecommunications (STACOM). Volume 1: Executive summary
Techniques for identifying user requirements and network designs for criminal justice networks on a state wide basis are discussed. Topics covered include: methods for determining data required; data collection and survey; data organization procedures, and methods for forecasting network traffic volumes. Developed network design techniques center around a computerized topology program which enables the user to generate least cost network topologies that satisfy network traffic requirements, response time requirements and other specified functional requirements. The developed techniques were applied in Texas and Ohio, and results of these studies are presented
A compilation, tabulation and analysis of spelling errors made by pupils in grades four, five, and six in free writing of sentences using given stimuli words
Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit
Extreme sensitivity of the spin-splitting and 0.7 anomaly to confining potential in one-dimensional nanoelectronic devices
Quantum point contacts (QPCs) have shown promise as nanoscale spin-selective
components for spintronic applications and are of fundamental interest in the
study of electron many-body effects such as the 0.7 x 2e^2/h anomaly. We report
on the dependence of the 1D Lande g-factor g* and 0.7 anomaly on electron
density and confinement in QPCs with two different top-gate architectures. We
obtain g* values up to 2.8 for the lowest 1D subband, significantly exceeding
previous in-plane g-factor values in AlGaAs/GaAs QPCs, and approaching that in
InGaAs/InP QPCs. We show that g* is highly sensitive to confinement potential,
particularly for the lowest 1D subband. This suggests careful management of the
QPC's confinement potential may enable the high g* desirable for spintronic
applications without resorting to narrow-gap materials such as InAs or InSb.
The 0.7 anomaly and zero-bias peak are also highly sensitive to confining
potential, explaining the conflicting density dependencies of the 0.7 anomaly
in the literature.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figure
Area-level deprivation and adiposity in children: is the relationship linear?
OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that childhood obesity is inversely associated with deprivation, such that the prevalence is higher in more deprived groups. However, comparatively few studies actually use an area-level measure of deprivation, limiting the scope to assess trends in the association with obesity for this indicator. Furthermore, most assume a linear relationship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between area-level deprivation and three measures of adiposity in children: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study in which data were collected on three occasions a year apart (2005-2007). SUBJECTS: Data were available for 13,333 children, typically aged 11-12 years, from 37 schools and 542 lower super-output areas (LSOAs). MEASURES: Stature, mass and WC. Obesity was defined as a BMI and WC exceeding the 95th centile according to British reference data. WHtR exceeding 0.5 defined obesity. The Index of Multiple Deprivation affecting children (IDACI) was used to determine area-level deprivation. RESULTS: Considerable differences in the prevalence of obesity exist between the three different measures. However, for all measures of adiposity the highest probability of being classified as obese is in the middle of the IDACI range. This relationship is more marked in girls, such that the probability of being obese for girls living in areas at the two extremes of deprivation is around half that at the peak, occurring in the middle. CONCLUSION: These data confirm the high prevalence of obesity in children and suggest that the relationship between obesity and residential area-level deprivation is not linear. This is contrary to the 'deprivation theory' and questions the current understanding and interpretation of the relationship between obesity and deprivation in children. These results could help make informed decisions at the local level
The liver X receptor pathway is highly upregulated in rheumatoid arthritis synovial macrophages and potentiates TLR-driven cytokine release
<p>Objectives: Macrophages are central to the inflammatory processes driving rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovitis. The molecular pathways that are induced in synovial macrophages and thereby promote RA disease pathology remain poorly understood.</p>
<p>Methods: We used microarray to characterise the transcriptome of synovial fluid (SF) macrophages compared with matched peripheral blood monocytes from patients with RA (n=8).</p>
<p>Results: Using in silico pathway mapping, we found that pathways downstream of the cholesterol activated liver X receptors (LXRs) and those associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling were upregulated in SF macrophages. Macrophage differentiation and tumour necrosis factor Îą promoted the expression of LXRÎą. Furthermore, in functional studies we demonstrated that activation of LXRs significantly augmented TLR-driven cytokine and chemokine secretion.</p>
<p>Conclusions: The LXR pathway is the most upregulated pathway in RA synovial macrophages and activation of LXRs by ligands present within SF augments TLR-driven cytokine secretion. Since the natural agonists of LXRs arise from cholesterol metabolism, this provides a novel mechanism that can promote RA synovitis.</p>
Body image, body dissatisfaction and weight status in south asian children: a cross-sectional study
Background
Childhood obesity is a continuing problem in the UK and South Asian children represent a group that are particularly vulnerable to its health consequences. The relationship between body dissatisfaction and obesity is well documented in older children and adults, but is less clear in young children, particularly South Asians. A better understanding of this relationship in young South Asian children will inform the design and delivery of obesity intervention programmes. The aim of this study is to describe body image size perception and dissatisfaction, and their relationship to weight status in primary school aged UK South Asian children.
Methods
Objective measures of height and weight were undertaken on 574 predominantly South Asian children aged 5-7 (296 boys and 278 girls). BMI z-scores, and weight status (underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese) were calculated based on the UK 1990 BMI reference charts. Figure rating scales were used to assess perceived body image size (asking children to identify their perceived body size) and dissatisfaction (difference between perceived current and ideal body size). The relationship between these and weight status were examined using multivariate analyses.
Results
Perceived body image size was positively associated with weight status (partial regression coefficient for overweight/obese vs. non-overweight/obese was 0.63 (95% CI 0.26-0.99) and for BMI z-score was 0.21 (95% CI 0.10-0.31), adjusted for sex, age and ethnicity). Body dissatisfaction was also associated with weight status, with overweight and obese children more likely to select thinner ideal body size than healthy weight children (adjusted partial regression coefficient for overweight/obese vs. non-overweight/obese was 1.47 (95% CI 0.99-1.96) and for BMI z-score was 0.54 (95% CI 0.40-0.67)).
Conclusions
Awareness of body image size and increasing body dissatisfaction with higher weight status is established at a young age in this population. This needs to be considered when designing interventions to reduce obesity in young children, in terms of both benefits and harms
Electronic structure of rectangular quantum dots
We study the ground state properties of rectangular quantum dots by using the
spin-density-functional theory and quantum Monte Carlo methods. The dot
geometry is determined by an infinite hard-wall potential to enable comparison
to manufactured, rectangular-shaped quantum dots. We show that the electronic
structure is very sensitive to the deformation, and at realistic sizes the
non-interacting picture determines the general behavior. However, close to the
degenerate points where Hund's rule applies, we find spin-density-wave-like
solutions bracketing the partially polarized states. In the
quasi-one-dimensional limit we find permanent charge-density waves, and at a
sufficiently large deformation or low density, there are strongly localized
stable states with a broken spin-symmetry.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, submitted to PR
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