Condition sensor system and method

The condition sensor system comprises a condition detector which produces a pulse when a parameter of the monitored condition exceeds a desired threshold. A resettable condition counter counts each pulse. A resettable timer is preset to produce a particular time frame. The counter produces a condition signal when the accumulated number of pulses within the time frame is equal to or greater than a preset count. Control means responsive to the incoming pulses and to the condition signal produce control signals that control utilization devices. After a suitable delay, the last detected pulse simultaneously resets the pulse counter and the timer, and prepares them for sensing another condition occurrence within the time frame. The invention has particular utility in the process of detecting rocking motions of blind people. A controlled, audible, bio-feedback signal is provided which constitutes a warning to the blind person that he is rocking

Antiproton and proton collisions with the alkali metal atoms Li, Na, and K

Single-electron ionization and excitation cross sections as well as cross sections for excitation into the first excited p state of the alkali metal atoms Li(2s), Na(3s) and K(4s) colliding with antiprotons and protons were calculated using a time-dependent channel-coupling approach. For antiprotons an impact-energy range from 0.25 to 1000 keV and for protons from 2 to 1000 keV was considered. The target atoms are treated as effective one-electron systems using a model potential. The results are compared with theoretical and experimental data from literature and calculated cross sections for antiproton-hydrogen collisions. For proton collisions a good overall agreement is found which confirms the present numerical approach, whereas discrepancies are found between the present antiproton cross sections and those calculated by Stary et al., J.Phys.B 23, 263 (1990)

Birefringent Electroweak Textures

The behaviour of electromagnetic waves propagating through an electroweak homilia string network is examined. This string network is topologically stable as a cosmic texture, and is characterized by the spatial variation of the isospin rotation of the Higgs field. As a consequence the photon field couples to the intermediate vector bosons, producing a finite range electromagnetic field. It is found that the propagation speed of the photon depends on its polarization vector, whence an homilia string network acts as a birefringent medium. We estimate the birefringent scale for this texture and show that it depends on the frequency of the electromagnetic wave and the length scale of the homilia string network.Comment: 10 page

Arcuate nucleus homeostatic systems reflect blood leptin concentration but not feeding behaviour during scheduled feeding on a high-fat diet in mice

Acknowledgements T.B. was funded by a CASE studentship from the BBSRC and AstraZeneca. J.B. was a summer student from Bordeaux Sciences Agro and funded by student laboratory experience grant from the British Society of Neuroendocrinology. The authors are also grateful for funding from the Scottish Government, and from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreements 266408 (Full4Health) and 245009 (NeuroFAST).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Unpowered Aerodynamic Characteristics of a 15-Percent Scale Model of a Twin-Engine Commuter Aircraft

An experimental investigation was conducted in the Ames 12-Foot Pressure Wind Tunnel to determine the unpowered aerodynamic characteristics of a 15-percent-scale model of a twin-engine commuter aircraft. Model longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics were examined at discrete flap deflections for various angle-of-attack and wind-tunnel-velocity ranges with the empennage on and off. Data are presented for the basic model configuration consisting of the fuselage, wing, basic wing leading edge, double slotted flaps, midengine nacelles, and empennage. Other configurations tested include a particle-span drooped leading edge (dropped outboard of the engine nacelles), a full-span drooped leading edge, low- and high-mounted engine nacelles, and a single-slotted flap. An evaluation was made of the model mounting system by comparing data obtained with the model mounted conventionally on the wind-tunnel model-support struts and the model inverted

Low-energy expansion formula for one-dimensional Fokker-Planck and Schr\"odinger equations with asymptotically periodic potentials

We consider one-dimensional Fokker-Planck and Schr\"odinger equations with a potential which approaches a periodic function at spatial infinity. We extend the low-energy expansion method, which was introduced in previous papers, to be applicable to such asymptotically periodic cases. Using this method, we study the low-energy behavior of the Green function.Comment: author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretica

Disks in Expanding FRW Universes

We construct exact solutions to Einstein equations which represent relativistic disks immersed into an expanding FRW Universe. It is shown that the expansion influences dynamical characteristics of the disks such as rotational curves, surface mass density, etc. The effects of the expansion is exemplified with non-static generalizations of Kuzmin-Curzon and generalized Schwarzschild disks.Comment: Revised version to appear in ApJ, Latex, 17 pages, 10 figures, uses aaspp4 and epsf style file

Addressing student models of energy loss in quantum tunnelling

We report on a multi-year, multi-institution study to investigate student reasoning about energy in the context of quantum tunnelling. We use ungraded surveys, graded examination questions, individual clinical interviews, and multiple-choice exams to build a picture of the types of responses that students typically give. We find that two descriptions of tunnelling through a square barrier are particularly common. Students often state that tunnelling particles lose energy while tunnelling. When sketching wave functions, students also show a shift in the axis of oscillation, as if the height of the axis of oscillation indicated the energy of the particle. We find inconsistencies between students' conceptual, mathematical, and graphical models of quantum tunnelling. As part of a curriculum in quantum physics, we have developed instructional materials to help students develop a more robust and less inconsistent picture of tunnelling, and present data suggesting that we have succeeded in doing so.Comment: Originally submitted to the European Journal of Physics on 2005 Feb 10. Pages: 14. References: 11. Figures: 9. Tables: 1. Resubmitted May 18 with revisions that include an appendix with the curriculum materials discussed in the paper (4 page small group UW-style tutorial