Cable insulation cut-through tester

Device accurately measures cut-through load within specified time or time when cut-through occurs at specific load. Tests are performed at ambient conditions or in an environmental chamber

Fixture for multiple-FCC chemical stripping and plating

For chemical stripping, lead tape applied near ends to be stripped protects insulation. Taped ends are submerged half way in stripping solution. For electroplating, both ends of FCC are stripped - top ends for electric contact, others for submersion in electroplating solution

Meeting report: Thunderstorms

Copyright @ 2007 Royal Meteorological Societ

Representation in Westminster in the 1990s : The ghost of Edmund Burke

Why are 'trustee' notions of representation still invoked in the UK House of Commons in the 1990s? In answering this question this article analyses the premises of Burkean theory and the arguments that these premises are of little relevance in the late twentieth century. Despite these dismissals of trusteeship, Burkean ideas are still articulated in the Commons some 200 years after they were first voiced. The idea of trusteeship can prove extremely useful to justify the actions of representatives when those actions conflict with constituency 'opinion', party policy or the wishes of interest groups. Examples of the occasions when Burkean notions have been invoked in the 1990s are provided

Using Intelligent Simulation to Enhance Human Performance in Aircraft Maintenance

Human factors research and development investigates the capabilities and limitations of the human within a system. Of the many variables affecting human performance in the aviation maintenance system, training is among the most important. The advent of advanced technology hardware and software has created intelligent training simulations. This paper describes one advanced technology training system under development for the Federal Aviation Administration

A Serendipitous XMM-Newton Observation of the Intermediate Polar WX Pyx

We briefly describe a serendipitous observation of the little-studied intermediate polar WX Pyx using XMM-Newton. The X-ray spin period is 1557.3 sec, confirming the optical period published in 1996. An orbital period of approximately 5.54 hr is inferred from the separation of the spin-orbit sidelobe components. The soft and hard band spin-folded light curves are nearly sinusoidal in shape. The best-fit spectrum is consistent with a bremsstrahlung temperature of about 18 keV. An upper limit of approximately 300 eV is assigned to the presence of Fe line emission. WX Pyx lies near TX and TV Col in the P_spin-P_orb plane.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figs; accepted A&A 2004 Dec

WHAT VALUE IS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS RESEARCH?

Methods are presented for evaluating the economic benefits of agricultural economics research (AER). Decision theory and economic surplus analysis are used to evaluate returns to five representative types of AER. Benefits stem from effects of AER on economic efficiency through reduced uncertainty about optimal resource allocation or improved institutional design.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

X-rays from cataclysmic variables

Cataclysmic Variables are a distinct class of interacting binaries, transferring mass from a donor star to a degenerate accretor, a white dwarf. We here review X-ray observations of these systems, with some emphasis on what has been achieved in the last decade

Hepatitis C Diagnoses in an American Indian Primary Care Population

BACKGROUND: Despite large disparities in the burden of chronic liver disease, data on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among American Indians (AIs) are lacking. We reviewed hepatitis C diagnoses in 35,712 AI/AN primary care patients. MAIN FINDINGS: At least one HCV-associated ICD-9 code was recorded in 251 (1%) patients between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2003. An HCV enzyme-linked immunoassay (HCVEIA) was sent in 209 (83.0%); 206/209 (99%) were positive. Confirmatory testing was performed in 144/206 (70%) HCV-EIA positive patients; HCV infection was confirmed in 144 (100%). In the 90/144 (63%) charts with risk factor documentation, injection drug use was the most common risk factor (61/90, 68%). Deficiencies were present in hepatitis B and HIV testing, and hepatitis A and B vaccination. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in laboratory workup of HCV and co-infections, risk factor ascertainment and documentation, and adult vaccination are needed to address HCV effectively in this population