905 research outputs found
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Experimental Investigation on Performance of silver Nanofliud in Absorber/Receiver of Parabolic trough collector
This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.This experimental investigation presents synthesis and characterizations of silver Nanoparticle. This study also deals with improvement in performance of absorber/Receiver using silver nanoparticle dispersed in DI water (De-Ionized water).The silver nanoparticle suspended in conventional fluid have superior heat transfer capabilities .The absorber of parabolic trough collector is tested for heat input ranging from 50 W/²-600 W/m² in four steps which is suitable for removing heat from solar system, process industries, power plants, automobile systems marine systems etc. The effect of various operational limits and test parameters such as heat input, volume fraction, fluid temperature, heat transfer coefficient are experimentally investigated. The silver nanoparticle is tested for volume concentration in the range of 0≤ Ф≤0.1 %, 500 ≤Re ≤6000, experimentally with average silver nanapartice diameter 10nm-400nm. The Characterizations of silver nanoparticle is carried out using TEM, UV and SEM methodology for required sample of silver nanoparticle. The experimental results are evaluated in terms of performance matrices by direct measurements of fluid temperature and surface temperature in the absorber. A substantial reduction in thermal resistance of 23.152% observed for 0.00011% concentration of silver nanoparticle. The Nussult number for absorber of parabolic trough collector with silver nanofliud varied from 1.25 to 2.10 times in comparison that of water
Hydrogen-poor superluminous stellar explosions
Supernovae (SNe) are stellar explosions driven by gravitational or
thermonuclear energy, observed as electromagnetic radiation emitted over weeks
or more. In all known SNe, this radiation comes from internal energy deposited
in the outflowing ejecta by either radioactive decay of freshly-synthesized
elements (typically 56Ni), stored heat deposited by the explosion shock in the
envelope of a supergiant star, or interaction between the SN debris and
slowly-moving, hydrogen-rich circumstellar material. Here we report on a new
class of luminous SNe whose observed properties cannot be explained by any of
these known processes. These include four new SNe we have discovered, and two
previously unexplained events (SN 2005ap; SCP 06F6) that we can now identify as
members. These SNe are all ~10 times brighter than SNe Ia, do not show any
trace of hydrogen, emit significant ultra-violet (UV) flux for extended periods
of time, and have late-time decay rates which are inconsistent with
radioactivity. Our data require that the observed radiation is emitted by
hydrogen-free material distributed over a large radius (~10^15 cm) and
expanding at high velocities (>10^4 km s^-1). These long-lived, UV-luminous
events can be observed out to redshifts z>4 and offer an excellent opportunity
to study star formation in, and the interstellar medium of, primitive distant
galaxies.Comment: Accepted to Nature. Press embargoed until 2011 June 8, 18:00 U
Enhancements in nocturnal surface ozone at urban sites in the UK
Analysis of diurnal patterns of surface ozone (O3) at multiple urban sites in the UK shows the occurrence of prominent nocturnal enhancements during the winter months (November–March). Whilst nocturnal surface ozone (NSO) enhancement events have been observed at other locations, this is the first time that such features have been demonstrated to occur in the UK and the second location globally. The observed NSO enhancement events in the UK were found to be so prevalent that they are clearly discernible in monthly diurnal cycles averaged over several years of data. Long-term (2000–2010) analysis of hourly surface ozone data from 18 urban background stations shows a bimodal diurnal variation during the winter months with a secondary nighttime peak around 0300 hours along with the primary daytime peak. For all but one site, the daily maxima NSO concentrations during the winter months exceeded 60 μg/m3 on >20 % of the nights. The highest NSO value recorded was 118 μg/m3. During the months of November, December, and January, the monthly averaged O3 concentrations observed at night (0300 h) even exceeded those observed in the daytime (1300 h). The analysis also shows that these NSO enhancements can last for several hours and were regional in scale, extending across several stations simultaneously. Interestingly, the urban sites in the north of the UK exhibited higher NSO than the sites in the south of the UK, despite their daily maxima being similar. In part, this seems to be related to the sites in the north typically having lower concentrations of nitrogen oxides
Vinegar production from fruit concentrates: effect on volatile composition and antioxidant activity
Vinegar stands as a highly appreciated fermented food product due to several functional properties and multiple applications. This work focuses on vinegar production from fruit wines derived from fruit concentrates, to attain a food product with nutritional added value. Four fruit vinegars (orange, mango, cherry and banana), were produced and characterized, with total acidities of 5.3 ± 0.3% for orange, 5.6 ± 0.2% for mango, 4.9 ± 0.4% for cherry and 5.4 ± 0.4% for banana. Acetification showed impact on aroma volatiles, mainly related to oxidative reactions. Minor volatiles associated with varietal aroma were identified, monoterpenic alcohols in orange vinegar, esters in banana vinegar, C13-norisoprenoids in cherry vinegar and lactones in mango vinegar, indicating fruit vinegars differentiated sensory quality. Total antioxidant activity analysis by FRAP, revealed fruit vinegars potential to preserve and deliver fruit functional properties. Antioxidant activity of fruit vinegars, expressed as equivalents of Fe2SO4, was of 11.0 ± 1.67 mmol L1 for orange, 4.8 ± 0.5 mmol L1 for mango, 18.6 ± 2.33 mmol L1 for cherry and 3.7 ± 0.3 mmol L1 for banana. Therefore, fruit vinegars presented antioxidant activity close to the reported for the corresponding fruit, and between 8 and 40 folds higher than the one found in commercial cider vinegar, demonstrating the high functional potential of these novel vinegar products.Authors would like to acknowledge the financial funding of: FruitVinegarDRINK QREN Project (Ref. 23209), Project "BioInd-Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes, REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028" Co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER and the FCT Strategic Project Pest OE/EQB/LA0023/2013. Authors would also like to acknowledge the participation of Mendes Goncalves S.A. and Frulact S.A. staff, for the active input, which led to the work basis and rationale.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Is Incarceration a Contributor to Health Disparities? Access to Care of Formerly Incarcerated Adults
Despite the disproportionate prevalence of incarceration in communities of color, few studies have examined its contribution to health disparities. We examined whether a lifetime history of incarceration is associated with recent access to medical and dental care. We performed a secondary data analysis of the 2007 Los Angeles County Health Survey, a population-based random-digit-dialing telephone survey of county households. Any history of incarceration in a prison/jail/detention center as an adult was assessed for a random subsample. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined whether incarceration history was associated with access to care, controlling for other characteristics. Ten percent of our study population reported a history of incarceration. While persons with an incarceration history were similar to their peers with regard to health and insurance status, their access to medical and dental care was worse. Incarceration history was independently associated with disparities in access to care. Interventions to improve the health of communities affected by high rates of incarceration could include efforts that enable access to care for formerly incarcerated adults
Discovery of a Radio Source following the 27 December 2004 Giant Flare from SGR 1806-20
Over a decade ago it was established that the remarkable high energy
transients, known as soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), are a Galactic population
and originate from neutron stars with intense (<~ 10^15 G) magnetic fields
("magnetars"). On 27 December 2004 a giant flare (fluence >~ 0.3 erg/cm^2) was
detected from SGR 1806-20. Here we report the discovery of a fading radio
counterpart. We began a monitoring program from 0.2GHz to 250GHz and obtained a
high resolution 21-cm radio spectrum which traces the intervening interstellar
neutral Hydrogen clouds. Analysis of the spectrum yields the first direct
distance measurement of SGR 1806-20. The source is located at a distance
greater than 6.4 kpc and we argue that it is nearer than 9.8 kpc. If true, our
distance estimate lowers the total energy of the explosion and relaxes the
demands on theoretical models. The energetics and the rapid decay of the radio
source are not compatible with the afterglow model that is usually invoked for
gamma-ray bursts. Instead we suggest that the rapidly decaying radio emission
arises from the debris ejected during the explosion.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Nature (substantial revisions
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No straight lines – young women’s perceptions of their mental health and wellbeing during and after pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-ethnography
Background: Young mothers face mental health challenges during and after pregnancy including increased rates of depression compared to older mothers. While the prevention of teenage pregnancy in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom has been a focus for policy and research in recent decades, the need to understand young women’s own experiences has been highlighted. The aim of this meta-ethnography was to examine young women’s perceptions of their mental health and wellbeing during and after pregnancy to provide new understandings of those experiences.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-ethnographic synthesis of qualitative research was conducted. Seven databases were systematically searched and forward and backward searching conducted. Papers were included if they were from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries and explored mental health and wellbeing experiences of young mothers (age under 20 in pregnancy; under 25 at time of research) as a primary research question – or where evidence about mental health and wellbeing from participants was foregrounded. Nineteen papers were identified and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for qualitative research used to appraise the evidence. Following the seven-step process of meta-ethnography, key constructs were examined within each study and then translated into one another.
Results: Seven translated themes were identified forming a new line of argument wherein mental health and wellbeing was analysed as relating to individual bodily experiences; tied into past and present relationships; underpinned by economic insecurity and entangled with feelings of societal surveillance. There were ‘no straight lines’ in young women’s experiences, which were more complex than dominant narratives around overcoming adversity suggest.
Conclusions: The synthesis concludes that health and social care professionals need to reflect on the operation of power and stigma in young women’s lives and its impact on wellbeing. It adds to understanding of young women’s mental health and wellbeing during and after pregnancy as located in physical and structural factors rather than individual capacities alone
Strong Ultraviolet Pulse From a Newborn Type Ia Supernova
Type Ia supernovae are destructive explosions of carbon oxygen white dwarfs.
Although they are used empirically to measure cosmological distances, the
nature of their progenitors remains mysterious, One of the leading progenitor
models, called the single degenerate channel, hypothesizes that a white dwarf
accretes matter from a companion star and the resulting increase in its central
pressure and temperature ignites thermonuclear explosion. Here we report
observations of strong but declining ultraviolet emission from a Type Ia
supernova within four days of its explosion. This emission is consistent with
theoretical expectations of collision between material ejected by the supernova
and a companion star, and therefore provides evidence that some Type Ia
supernovae arise from the single degenerate channel.Comment: Accepted for publication on the 21 May 2015 issue of Natur
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