The feasibility of renewable energy sources for pumping clean water in sub-saharan Africa: a case study for Central Nigeria

With less than 6 mm of rain from November through February every year, the central regions of Nigeria are in acute need of safe and consistent water supplies for drinking and other domestic or agricultural uses. Borehole supplies are capable of meeting a significant proportion of water needs, but ongoing fuel costs to power a generator and pump add a heavy burden to already disadvantaged communities. In this study, a techno-economic analysis is carried out in order to assess the feasibility of renewable energy sources and technologies to substitute for fossil-fuel powered pumping platforms. The results indicate that there is sufficient solar resource throughout these regions to facilitate relatively cost effective water pumping solutions, as well as a potentially effective wind resource depending on the exact location of the pumping station. Although systems based on these resources have high capital costs compared to petrol or diesel-based platforms, over a 20-year project life, the analysis indicates that ongoing fuel costs for a fossil-fuel-based system greatly outweigh the increased up-front costs of renewable alternatives. In conclusion, the results indicate that if the water demand at a particular site exceeds the capabilities of a hand pump, a renewable energy-powered pumping system is an attractive option, both economically and logistically in comparison to fossil-fuel-powered alternatives

pMSSM Benchmark Models for Snowmass 2013

We present several benchmark points in the phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (pMSSM). We select these models as experimentally well-motivated examples of the MSSM which predict the observed Higgs mass and dark matter relic density while evading the current LHC searches. We also use benchmarks to generate spokes in parameter space by scaling the mass parameters in a manner which keeps the Higgs mass and relic density approximately constant.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Quantum control via a genetic algorithm of the field ionization pathway of a Rydberg electron

Quantum control of the pathway along which a Rydberg electron field ionizes is experimentally and computationally demonstrated. Selective field ionization is typically done with a slowly rising electric field pulse. The $(1/n^*)^4$ scaling of the classical ionization threshold leads to a rough mapping between arrival time of the electron signal and principal quantum number of the Rydberg electron. This is complicated by the many avoided level crossings that the electron must traverse on the way to ionization, which in general leads to broadening of the time-resolved field ionization signal. In order to control the ionization pathway, thus directing the signal to the desired arrival time, a perturbing electric field produced by an arbitrary waveform generator is added to a slowly rising electric field. A genetic algorithm evolves the perturbing field in an effort to achieve the target time-resolved field ionization signal.Comment: Corrected minor typographic errors and changed the titl

Co-Designing and Refining a Home-Based Exercise Programme for Adults Living with Overweight and Obesity:Insight from People with Lived Experience

Undertaking a home-based exercise programme should be a positive, health-enhancing lifestyle behaviour, particularly for adults living with overweight and obesity. However, exercise programmes are seldom designed in collaboration with people with lived experience, limiting adherence, efficacy, and effectiveness. Two focus groups (in-person n = 6 and virtual n = 7) were undertaken in the United Kingdom, to glean feedback and further refine a home-based exercise programme, developed from previously conducted semi-structured interviews with adults living with overweight and obesity. Both focus groups provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the proposed programme, highlighting strengths and areas for further improvement. Three key priorities were identified for consideration throughout the design process, specifically for adults living with overweight and obesity: (1) individualisation—a person-centred programme was non-negotiable; (2) motivation—integration of motivational features affected adherence and engagement; (3) more than just weight loss—consideration of other outcomes aside from solely numerical weight loss. These priorities provide direction for further refinement of the proposed home-based exercise programme, in an effort to ensure the final intervention is truly population-specific and needs-sensitive. Following completion, the programme will be assessed using a feasibility randomised controlled trial design

“I Was Having My Midlife Fat Crisis”: Exploring the Experiences and Preferences of Home-Based Exercise Programmes for Adults Living with Overweight and Obesity

The involvement of people with lived experience in the design of exercise programmes is more likely to lead to a more needs-sensitive and population-specific intervention. There is limited evidence of the integration of people with lived experience, particularly regarding home-based exercise programmes for adults living with overweight and obesity, despite this being a population that would significantly benefit from a suitably tailored programme. Semi-structured interviews were virtually conducted to explore 20 participants’ experiences of exercising at home and their preferences for the design of future home-based exercise programmes. Codes were generated through thematic analysis, highlighting considerations such as comfort within a home-based environment, a desire for social connection, and the integration of technology. Four corresponding themes were generated, encapsulating participants’ choice reasoning for home-based exercise, difficulties of engaging in home-based exercise, undertaking and adhering to home-based exercise, and factors that constitute the perfect programme. Although the involvement of people with lived experience in research can be time-consuming, this process is fundamental to the design of an effective and efficacious programme. These findings will inform the design and development of a home-based exercise programme for adults living with overweight and obesity

Snowmobiles in Antarctica

Snowmobiles are the main form of land transportation for field parties in Antarctica. Recently the United States Antarctic program turned almost exclusively to Ski-Doo Alpine 640-ER snowmobiles, the use and maintenance of which require specialized techniques. The first extensive Antarctic field test of these snowmobiles was made during three months of 1977-1978 while engaged in reconnaissance geologic and topographic exploration of the Orville Coast area. Snowmobiles are used to pull large loads of food and gear on two Nansen sledges. When crossing crevasse fields, they are driven remotely by persons on skis. To do this, modifications are made to the stock throttle to enable the engine both to be set at a constant speed and to be shorted out by pulling on a cord that trails behind the snowmobile; steering is by ropes attached to the front ski of the snowmobile. Proper "night" storage is necessary to ensure easiest starting in the morning and to minimize the effects of storms. A routine of trouble-shooting that rapidly isolated and corrected engine problems included first checking spark-plugs or gas-line filters, followed by checking carburetor jet adjustments, drive belt and oil/gas ratio. We found that Ski-Doos are well suited to Antarctica but would be more useful if carburetor fuel filters were replaced by in-line fuel filters and if snowmobiles were equipped with remote throttle controls, tachometers, speedometers, odometers, and a low-gear option

Using the behavior change wheel to design a novel home‐based exercise program for adults living with overweight and obesity:Comprehensive reporting of intervention development

Introduction: Physical activity and exercise are movement behaviors that support the lifestyle management of overweight and obesity. However, home‐based exercise programs are commonly generic, and inconsistently undertake a holistic approach to program design. Methods: This work applied the Behavior Change Wheel, supplemented with previously conducted interviews, to the development of a home‐based exercise program, specifically for people living with overweight and obesity. This provided an understanding of the target behavior and identified a behavioral diagnosis. These findings were mapped onto the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation‐Behavior model and Theoretical Domains Framework, identifying changes needed and corresponding intervention functions.Results: Suitable Behavior Change Techniques were identified, alongside Capability Opportunity Motivation‐Behavior components needed to facilitate an increase in exercise behaviors, and five key intervention functions. This housed the delivery of 24 Behavior Change Techniques, including goal setting, feedback, monitoring and repetition.Conclusion: Applying the Behavior Change Wheel has enabled detailed development of a home‐based exercise program for adults living with overweight and obesity

Memetic: from meeting memory to virtual ethnography & distributed video analysis

The JISC-funded Memetic2 project was designed as knowledge management and project memory support for teams meeting via the Access Grid environment (Buckingham Shum et al, 2006). This paper describes how these capabilities also enable it to serve as a novel distributed video analysis tool to support interaction analysis. Memetic technologies can be used to record, annotate and discuss sessions recorded within a flexible, visual hypermedia environment called Compendium. We propose that beyond the use originally conceived, the Memetic toolset could find wide ranging applications within social science for virtual ethnography and data analysis

Unsteadiness in Flow over a Flat Plate at Angle-of-Attack at Low Reynolds Numbers

Flow over an impulsively started low-aspect-ratio flat plate at angle-of-attack is investigated for a Reynolds number of 300. Numerical simulations, validated by a companion experiment, are performed to study the influence of aspect ratio, angle of attack, and planform geometry on the interaction of the leading-edge and tip vortices and resulting lift and drag coefficients. Aspect ratio is found to significantly influence the wake pattern and the force experienced by the plate. For large aspect ratio plates, leading-edge vortices evolved into hairpin vortices that eventually detached from the plate, interacting with the tip vortices in a complex manner. Separation of the leading-edge vortex is delayed to some extent by having convective transport of the spanwise vorticity as observed in flow over elliptic, semicircular, and delta-shaped planforms. The time at which lift achieves its maximum is observed to be fairly constant over different aspect ratios, angles of attack, and planform geometries during the initial transient. Preliminary results are also presented for flow over plates with steady actuation near the leading edge