5,201 research outputs found
Use of in vitro and haptic assessments in the characterisation of surface lubricity
Lubricity is a key property of hydrophilic-coated urinary catheter surfaces. In vitro tests are commonly employed for evaluation of surface properties in the development of novel catheter coating technologies, however, their value in predicting the more subjective feeling of lubricity requires validation. We herein perform a range of in vitro assessments and human organoleptic studies to characterise surface properties of developmental hydrophilic coating formulations, including water wettability, coefficient of friction, dry-out kinetics and lubricity. Significant reductions of up to 40% in the contact angles and coefficient of friction values of the novel coating formulations in comparison to the control poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-coated surfaces were demonstrated during quantitative laboratory assessments. In contrast, no significant differences in the more subjective feeling of lubricity between the novel formulations and the control-coated surfaces were observed when formulations were haptically assessed by the techniques described herein. This study, importantly, highlights the need for optimisation of in vitro and human haptic assessments to more reliably predict patient preferences
An extreme ultraviolet spectrometer experiment for the Shuttle Get Away Special Program
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer experiment operated successfully during the STS-7 mission in an experiment to measure the global and diurnal variation of the EUV airglow. The spectrometer is an F 3.5 Wadsworth mount with mechanical collimator, a 75 x 75 mm grating, and a bare microchannel plate detector providing a spectral resolution of 7 X FWHM. Read-out of the signal is through discrete channels or resistive anode techniques. The experiment includes a microcomputer, 20 Mbit tape recorder, and a 28V, 40 Ahr silver-zinc battery. It is the first GAS payload to use an opening door. The spectrometer's 0.1 x 4.2 deg field of view is pointed vertically out of the shuttle bay. During the STS-7 flight data were acquired continuously for a period of 5 hours and 37 minutes, providing spectra of the 570 A to 850 A wavelength region of the airglow. Five diurnal cycles of the 584 A emission of neutral helium and the 834 A emission of ionized atomic oxygen were recorded. The experiment also recorded ion events and pressure pulses associated with thruster firings. The experiment is to fly again on Mission 41-F
Exact renormalization of the random transverse-field Ising spin chain in the strongly ordered and strongly disordered Griffiths phases
The real-space renormalization group (RG) treatment of random
transverse-field Ising spin chains by Fisher ({\it Phys. Rev. B{\bf 51}, 6411
(1995)}) has been extended into the strongly ordered and strongly disordered
Griffiths phases and asymptotically exact results are obtained. In the
non-critical region the asymmetry of the renormalization of the couplings and
the transverse fields is related to a non-linear quantum control parameter,
, which is a natural measure of the distance from the quantum critical
point. , which is found to stay invariant along the RG trajectories and
has been expressed by the initial disorder distributions, stands in the
singularity exponents of different physical quantities (magnetization,
susceptibility, specific heat, etc), which are exactly calculated. In this way
we have observed a weak-universality scenario: the Griffiths-McCoy
singularities does not depend on the form of the disorder, provided the
non-linear quantum control parameter has the same value. The exact scaling
function of the magnetization with a small applied magnetic field is calculated
and the critical point magnetization singularity is determined in a simple,
direct way.Comment: 11 page
On the Riemann-Hilbert approach to the asymptotic analysis of the correlation functions of the Quantum Nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Non-free fermionic case
We consider the local field dynamical temperature correlation function of the
Quantum Nonlinear Schrodinger equation with the finite coupling constant. This
correlation function admits a Fredholm determinant representation. The related
operator-valued Riemann--Hilbert problem is used for analysing the leading term
of the large time and long distance asymptotics of the correlation function.Comment: 70 pages, Latex, 4 figure
Griffiths-McCoy singularities in random quantum spin chains: Exact results through renormalization
The Ma-Dasgupta-Hu renormalization group (RG) scheme is used to study
singular quantities in the Griffiths phase of random quantum spin chains. For
the random transverse-field Ising spin chain we have extended Fisher's
analytical solution to the off-critical region and calculated the dynamical
exponent exactly. Concerning other random chains we argue by scaling
considerations that the RG method generally becomes asymptotically exact for
large times, both at the critical point and in the whole Griffiths phase. This
statement is checked via numerical calculations on the random Heisenberg and
quantum Potts models by the density matrix renormalization group method.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 2 figures include
Direct solution of the hard pomeron problem for arbitrary conformal weight
A new method is applied to solve the Baxter equation for the one dimensional
system of noncompact spins. Dynamics of such an ensemble is equivalent to that
of a set of reggeized gluons exchanged in the high energy limit of QCD
amplitudes. The technique offers more insight into the old calculation of the
intercept of hard Pomeron, and provides new results in the odderon channel.Comment: Contribution to the ICHEP96 Conference, July 1996, Warsaw, Poland.
LaTeX, 4 pages, 3 epsf figures, includes modified stwol.sty file. Some
references were revise
A cryogenic liquid-mirror telescope on the moon to study the early universe
We have studied the feasibility and scientific potential of zenith observing
liquid mirror telescopes having 20 to 100 m diameters located on the moon. They
would carry out deep infrared surveys to study the distant universe and follow
up discoveries made with the 6 m James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with more
detailed images and spectroscopic studies. They could detect objects 100 times
fainter than JWST, observing the first, high-red shift stars in the early
universe and their assembly into galaxies. We explored the scientific
opportunities, key technologies and optimum location of such telescopes. We
have demonstrated critical technologies. For example, the primary mirror would
necessitate a high-reflectivity liquid that does not evaporate in the lunar
vacuum and remains liquid at less than 100K: We have made a crucial
demonstration by successfully coating an ionic liquid that has negligible vapor
pressure. We also successfully experimented with a liquid mirror spinning on a
superconducting bearing, as will be needed for the cryogenic, vacuum
environment of the telescope. We have investigated issues related to lunar
locations, concluding that locations within a few km of a pole are ideal for
deep sky cover and long integration times. We have located ridges and crater
rims within 0.5 degrees of the North Pole that are illuminated for at least
some sun angles during lunar winter, providing power and temperature control.
We also have identified potential problems, like lunar dust. Issues raised by
our preliminary study demand additional in-depth analyses. These issues must be
fully examined as part of a scientific debate we hope to start with the present
article.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Astrophysical Journal June 20 200
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