240 research outputs found
A study on sensor systems for initiating parachute deployment for a Mars entry vehicle Final report
Sensor systems for initiating parachute deployment for Mars entry vehicl
Investigation of prediction methods for the loads and stresses of Apollo type spacecraft parachutes. Volume 1: Loads
An analysis was conducted with the objective of upgrading and improving the loads, stress, and performance prediction methods for Apollo spacecraft parachutes. The subjects considered were: (1) methods for a new theoretical approach to the parachute opening process, (2) new experimental-analytical techniques to improve the measurement of pressures, stresses, and strains in inflight parachutes, and (3) a numerical method for analyzing the dynamical behavior of rapidly loaded pilot chute risers
Elastic properties of grafted microtubules
We use single-particle tracking to study the elastic properties of single
microtubules grafted to a substrate. Thermal fluctuations of the free
microtubule's end are recorded, in order to measure position distribution
functions from which we calculate the persistence length of microtubules with
contour lengths between 2.6 and 48 micrometers. We find the persistence length
to vary by more than a factor of 20 over the total range of contour lengths.
Our results support the hypothesis that shearing between protofilaments
contributes significantly to the mechanics of microtubules.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure
Turbulence in the Solar Atmosphere: Manifestations and Diagnostics via Solar Image Processing
Intermittent magnetohydrodynamical turbulence is most likely at work in the
magnetized solar atmosphere. As a result, an array of scaling and multi-scaling
image-processing techniques can be used to measure the expected
self-organization of solar magnetic fields. While these techniques advance our
understanding of the physical system at work, it is unclear whether they can be
used to predict solar eruptions, thus obtaining a practical significance for
space weather. We address part of this problem by focusing on solar active
regions and by investigating the usefulness of scaling and multi-scaling
image-processing techniques in solar flare prediction. Since solar flares
exhibit spatial and temporal intermittency, we suggest that they are the
products of instabilities subject to a critical threshold in a turbulent
magnetic configuration. The identification of this threshold in scaling and
multi-scaling spectra would then contribute meaningfully to the prediction of
solar flares. We find that the fractal dimension of solar magnetic fields and
their multi-fractal spectrum of generalized correlation dimensions do not have
significant predictive ability. The respective multi-fractal structure
functions and their inertial-range scaling exponents, however, probably provide
some statistical distinguishing features between flaring and non-flaring active
regions. More importantly, the temporal evolution of the above scaling
exponents in flaring active regions probably shows a distinct behavior starting
a few hours prior to a flare and therefore this temporal behavior may be
practically useful in flare prediction. The results of this study need to be
validated by more comprehensive works over a large number of solar active
regions.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figure
Depinning of semiflexible polymers in (1+1) dimensions
We present a theoretical analysis of a simple model of the depinning of an
anchored semiflexible polymer from a fixed planar substrate in (1+1)
dimensions. We consider a polymer with a discrete sequence of pinning sites
along its contour. Using the scaling properties of the conformational
distribution function in the stiff limit and applying the necklace model of
phase transitions in quasi-one-dimensional systems, we obtain a melting
criterion in terms of the persistence length, the spacing between pinning
sites, a microscopic effective length which characterizes a bond, and the bond
energy. The limitations of this and other similar approaches are also
discussed. In the case of force-induced unbinding, it is shown that the bending
rigidity favors the unbinding through a ``lever-arm effect''
High Magnetic Shear Gain in a Liquid Sodium Stable Couette Flow Experiment; A Prelude to an alpha-Omega Dynamo
The -phase of the liquid sodium - dynamo experiment
at NMIMT in cooperation with LANL has successfully demonstrated the production
of a high toroidal field, from the radial
component of an applied poloidal magnetic field, . This enhanced toroidal
field is produced by rotational shear in stable Couette flow within liquid
sodium at . The small turbulence in stable Taylor-Couette flow
is caused by Ekman flow where . This high
-gain in low turbulence flow contrasts with a smaller -gain in
higher turbulence, Helmholtz-unstable shear flows. This result supports the
ansatz that large scale astrophysical magnetic fields are created within
semi-coherent large scale motions in which turbulence plays only a smaller
diffusive role that enables magnetic flux linkage.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, submitted PRL revised version: add one author,
minor typo'
1940: Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures - Full Text
Delivered in the Auditorium of Abilene Christian College, February, 1940, Abilene, Texas.
Published April, 1940
PRICE, $1.00
FIRM FOUNDATION PUBLISHING HOUSE
Austin, Texas
Determinants of non attendance to mammography program in a region with high voluntary health insurance coverage
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High participation rates are needed to ensure that breast cancer screening programs effectively reduce mortality. We identified the determinants of non-participation in a public breast cancer screening program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this case-control study, 274 women aged 50 to 64 years included in a population-based mammography screening program were personally interviewed. Socio-demographic characteristics, health beliefs, health service utilization, insurance coverage, prior mammography and other preventive activities were examined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 192 cases and 194 controls contacted, 101 and 173, respectively, were subsequently interviewed. Factors related to non-participation in the breast cancer screening program included higher education (odds ratio [OR] = 5.28; 95% confidence interval [CI95%] = 1.57–17.68), annual dental checks-ups (OR = 1.81; CI95%1.08–3.03), prior mammography at a private health center (OR = 7.27; CI95% 3.97–13.32), gynecologist recommendation of mammography (OR = 2.2; CI95%1.3–3.8), number of visits to a gynecologist (median visits by cases = 1.2, versus controls = 0.92, P = 0.001), and supplemental private insurance (OR = 5.62; CI95% = 3.28–9.6). Among women who had not received a prior mammogram or who had done so at a public center, perceived barriers were the main factors related to non-participation. Among women who had previously received mammograms at a private center, supplemental private health insurance also influenced non-participation. Benign breast symptoms increased the likelihood of participation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data indicate that factors related to the type of insurance coverage (such as prior mammography at a private health center and supplemental private insurance) influenced non-participation in the screening program.</p
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