Rotorcraft digital advanced avionics system (RODAAS) functional description

A functional design of a rotorcraft digital advanced avionics system (RODAAS) to transfer the technology developed for general aviation in the Demonstration Advanced Avionics System (DAAS) program to rotorcraft operation was undertaken. The objective was to develop an integrated avionics system design that enhances rotorcraft single pilot IFR operations without increasing the required pilot training/experience by exploiting advanced technology in computers, busing, displays and integrated systems design. A key element of the avionics system is the functionally distributed architecture that has the potential for high reliability with low weight, power and cost. A functional description of the RODAAS hardware and software functions is presented

Evaluation of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure's Bike to Work Breakfast 2005

The Metropolitan Transport Strategy (1995) proposed moving from a transport system which was dominated by low occupancy car use, to a more balanced transport system of public transport and non-motorised transport options. Creating this change requires initiatives that create critical mass awareness, in work organisations and the community. The Bike to Work Breakfast is an example of such an initiative. This year it was held on Friday 11 March, 2005 and aimed to increase awareness of, and promote cycling as an alternative mode of transport to and from work. A free healthy breakfast was provided to everyone who cycled on the day. A total of 1232 participants who attended the 2005 Bike to Work Breakfast completed questionnaires. The majority of respondents were male (69%, n=845). The age of respondents varied, with the most common age group being 31-40 years (29%, n=353) followed by 41-50 years (26%, n=324). Respondents cited a number of different reasons for cycling. The majority indicated improved fitness (84%, n=1035) and enjoyment (63%, n=777) as the main reasons for cycling. Almost half of respondents (43%, n=535) cycled on a daily basis whilst a further 42% (n=524) reported cycling 2-3 times per week. Fifty three percent of respondents (n=5595) lived less than 13 kilometres from work and almost one quarter (24%, n=266) lived less than eight kilometres from their workplace. Respondents suggested they would ride to work more often if there were showers at work (34%, n=422), more on road facilities (29%, n=360) and lockers at work (24%, n=293). Of the 1232 participants who completed questionnaires, sixty eight percent (n=843) had attended the Bike to Work Breakfast previously

Evaluation of an alternative transport initiative in Perth, Western Australia 2000-2004

Issue addressed: Perth Western Australia, has the highest proportion of per capita car ownership in Australia. Despite the various health, environmental and traffic-related benefits, the uptake of alternative forms of transportation such as walking, cycling and public transport are low.Methods: In response to a growing reliance on motorised transport, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure's (DPI's) Cycling Unit conducts an annual Bike to Work Breakfast to promote cycling as a viable form of transport to work. During this event a short cross sectional survey is distributed to assess the usual cycling behaviours of attendees. Topical issues relating to cycling are also investigated.Results: Results from the 2004 survey indicated that the majority of respondents cycled at least 2-3 times per week (85%) to improve fitness (88%), for enjoyment (70%) and because it was a cost effective means of transport (45%). Most of the respondents (92%) supported the need for more cycle friendly infrastructure such as advanced stop lines at intersections and safety measures such as wearing cycle helmets (85%). These findings were consistent with results from similar surveys conducted between 2000 and 2003.Conclusions: The DPI's Bike to Work Breakfast is a popular event within the cycling calendar that provides the opportunity to gain a snapshot of cycling behaviours and attitudes of cyclists. Prior consultation with the evaluators in the developed of the survey instrument has the potential to investigate barriers and enablers to cycling on a regular basis. Age and gender differences could also be explored

Human SULT1A genes: Cloning and activity assays of the SULT1A promoters

The three human SULT1A sulfotransferase enzymes are closely related in amino acid sequence (>90%), yet differ in their substrate preference and tissue distribution. SULT1A1 has a broad tissue distribution and metabolizes a range of xenobiotics as well as endogenous substrates such as estrogens and iodothyronines. While the localization of SULT1A2 is poorly understood, it has been shown to metabolize a number of aromatic amines. SULT1A3 is the major catecholamine sulfonating form, which is consistent with it being expressed principally in the gastrointestinal tract. SULT1A proteins are encoded by three separate genes, located in close proximity to each other on chromosome 16. The presence of differential 5′-untranslated regions identified upon cloning of the SULT1A cDNAs suggested the utilization of differential transcriptional start sites and/or differential splicing. This chapter describes the methods utilized by our laboratory to clone and assay the activity of the promoters flanking these different untranslated regions found on SULT1A genes. These techniques will assist investigators in further elucidating the differential mechanisms that control regulation of the human SULT1A genes. They will also help reveal how different cellular environments and polymorphisms affect the activity of SULT1A gene promoters

Breaking Through the Noise: Literacy Teachers in the Face of Accountability, Evaluation, and Reform

In an era of increased accountability, it is important to understand how exemplary teachers navigate the demands placed on them by their schools, districts, and states in order to support student learning aligned with their beliefs of effective instruction. To understand these negotiations, tensions facing exemplary literacy teachers were examined through a qualitative interview study. Participants included nineteen experienced PK-6th grade teachers from across the U.S. Results of the study indicate that teachers experience discrepancies between their beliefs and state and local mandates, and they discuss a variety of strategies for negotiating these discrepancies. Findings suggest that schools can support effective literacy instruction by cultivating cultures of autonomy for teachers and strengthening teachers’ sense of agency

Shear-free, Irrotational, Geodesic, Anisotropic Fluid Cosmologies

General relativistic anisotropic fluid models whose fluid flow lines form a shear-free, irrotational, geodesic timelike congruence are examined. These models are of Petrov type D, and are assumed to have zero heat flux and an anisotropic stress tensor that possesses two distinct non-zero eigenvalues. Some general results concerning the form of the metric and the stress-tensor for these models are established. Furthermore, if the energy density and the isotropic pressure, as measured by a comoving observer, satisfy an equation of state of the form $p = p(\mu)$, with $\frac{dp}{d\mu} \neq -\frac{1}{3}$, then these spacetimes admit a foliation by spacelike hypersurfaces of constant Ricci scalar. In addition, models for which both the energy density and the anisotropic pressures only depend on time are investigated; both spatially homogeneous and spatially inhomogeneous models are found. A classification of these models is undertaken. Also, a particular class of anisotropic fluid models which are simple generalizations of the homogeneous isotropic cosmological models is studied.Comment: 13 pages LaTe

Metabolic differences in colon mucosal cells

The colonic expression of cytochromes P450 from the CYP1A, CYP3A and CYP4B subfamilies has been characterized in rabbit and human tissues using RNA blotting, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and hybridization histochemistry. These studies demonstrate negligible expression of the CYP1A subfamily in either rabbit or human colon. The CYP3A6 gene is expressed in rabbit colon although at markedly reduced levels relative to liver and small intestine. Whilst at least two CYP3A genes are expressed at the mRNA level in human colon tissue from some individuals, no expression was demonstrated in others. Where expression was observed, this expression was continuous throughout the length of the colon. In rabbits, CYP4B1 represents a major colon P450 enzyme, expressed at levels in colon comparable to liver and small intestine. In contrast, the human CYP4B1 gene is expressed at low levels in some individuals. These studies highlight individual differences in the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes of importance in procarcinogen metabolism