2,623 research outputs found
Neonatal growth of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups in Alaska
The growth rate of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups was studied in southeast Alaska, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands during the first six weeks after birth. The Steller sea lion population is currently stable in southeast Alaska but is declining in the Aleutian Islands and parts of the Gulf of Alaska. Male pups (22.6 kg [±2.21 SD]) were significantly heavier than female pups (19.6 kg [±1.80 SD]) at 1â5 days of age, but there were no significant differences among rookeries. Male and female pups grew (in mass, standard length, and axillary girth) at the same rate. Body mass and standard length increased at a faster rate for pups in the Aleutian Islands and the western Gulf of Alaska (0.45â0.48 kg/day and 0.47â0.53 cm/day, respectively) than in southeast Alaska (0.23 kg/day and 0.20 cm/day). Additionally, axillary girth increased at a faster rate for pups in the Aleutian Islands (0.59 cm/ day) than for pups in southeast Alaska v(0.25 cm/day). Our results indicate a greater maternal investment in male pups during gestation, but not during early lactation. Although differences in pup growth rate occurred among rookeries, there was no evidence that female sea lions and their pups were nutritionally stressed in the area of population declin
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Rapid Steel Tooling Via Solid Freeform Fabrication
With increasing part complexity and requirements for long production runs, tooling has
become an expensive process that requires long lead times to manufacture. This lengthens the
amount oftime from "art to part". Rapid tooling via stereolithography (SLA), filled epoxies, etc.
have been stopgap measures to produce limited prototyping runs from (10 to 500 parts). This
gives poor dimensional analysis and does not allow for limited production runs of 1000+ parts.
The method ofproducing prototype tooling with a powdered metal process has been developed
that produces tooling with a hardness greater than 35 HRC and total shrinkage less than 0.5%.
This tooling process manufactures production ready tooling that will perform extended cycle
runs (100,000+). Manufacturing ofthis tooling takes 1 to 2 weeks and will compare favorably
with production grade steel tooling. Originals drawn in 3D CAD can be used to prototype the
master that will allow for the production ofthe rapid metal tool set.
process starts with a rapid prototyped model made by whatever process is desired or
a machined master. For this paper a Sander's Model Maker IIÂź rapid prototyping machine was
used to fabricate the model. After the model ofthe tool set is made, a silicone rubber negative is
cast around that model. After the silicone rubber model is made, a heated slurry ofmetal
powders and polymers is poured into the mold to create the green tool set. The tool set is left to
cool, and then removed from the silicone rubber mold. The tool set is then debound and sintered
to produce a final tool set with properties approaching hardened tool steel.Mechanical Engineerin
The Geometry of the Cholesteric Phase
We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary
nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a
Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the
director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool we are able
to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics.
Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are
different and cannot be, in general, translated from one phase to the other.Comment: 5 pages, the full catastroph
Melanistic Tundra Voles, Microtus oeconomus, from Central Yukon
Colour aberrations are not commonly observed in voles (e.g., Microtus and Myodes); thus, individual observations are of interest. We report two observations of melanism in Tundra Voles, Microtus oeconomus, collected from central Yukon. These are the second and third records of melanistic Tundra Voles, and the first reports from non-insular populations
The Effect of Professional Partnership on the Development of a Mutualâhelp Organization
The effects of partnership between Schizophrenics Anonymous (SA, a mutualâhelp organization) and the Mental Health Association in Michigan (MHAM, a professionally staffed advocacy organization) on SA's growth and development were explored. Following the initiation of a formal partnership, SA groups were more available throughout the state, more likely to be associated with formal mental health settings, and less likely to have leaders who had been participants in other SA groups. Groups with consumer leaders had significantly greater longevity than groups with professional leaders. Changes in the organizational structure and process of SA were also identified. SA leaders reported that SA moved from a collective to a more bureaucratic structure. As a result, there was greater consistency, administrative capacity, and response capacity. This enhanced capacity came with costs reported by SA leaders. The leadership role of SA members became less defined. SA members expressed concerns about the more hierarchical structure of SA's organization, decreased consumer control, increased professional involvement in SA, and an excessive focus on group development as opposed to group maintenance. Mental Health Association in Michigan staff reported that MHAM was also impacted by the partnership, both with regard to internal functioning and external perception. Implications for effective partnerships between mutualâhelp and professional organizations are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116999/1/ajcp9193.pd
Geometry of the cholesteric phase
We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool, we are able to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics. Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are different and cannot, in general, be translated from one phase to the other
Public/community Health Education Professional Accreditation among Stand-alone Baccalaureate Programs
Background and Purpose: Formal training for health promotion practitioners often includes academic study in health education. Accreditation is an important quality assurance mechanism. One concern expressed during Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) professional meetings is the capacity of stand-alone undergraduate programs in health education to meet the demands of accreditation. The purpose of this study was to determine the accreditation knowledge level among the program directors of stand-alone programs, and identify the perceived challenges, support for and value ascribed to accreditation among these programs operating without an affiliated graduate program. Methods: Thirtyfive undergraduate program coordinators identified via the 2009 American Association for Health Education (AAHE) directory completed a 21-item survey instrument. Results: Most program coordinators knew about undergraduate accreditation requirements (82.9%), but program coordinators of self-identified small programs had significantly more concerns about the availability of resources needed to successfully attain accreditation. Conclusion: It is important to consider and provide resources for successful attainment of accreditation among smaller undergraduate institutions. Information regarding this general concern will be important to both the CEPH and academic program coordinators as they move forward with the new stand-alone baccalaureate accreditation initiative
Numerical simulation of transom-stern waves
The flow field generated by a transom-stern hullform is a complex,
broad-banded, three-dimensional phenomenon marked by a large breaking wave.
This unsteady multiphase turbulent flow feature is difficult to study
experimentally and simulate numerically. The results of a set of numerical
simulations, which use the Numerical Flow Analysis (NFA) code, of the flow
around the Model 5673 transom stern at speeds covering both wet- and
dry-transom operating conditions are shown in the accompanying fluid dynamics
video. The numerical predictions for wet-transom and dry-transom conditions are
presented to demonstrate the current state of the art in the simulation of ship
generated breaking waves. The interested reader is referred to Drazen et al.
(2010) for a detailed and comprehensive comparison with experiments conducted
at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD).Comment: Fluid Dynamics Video for 2010 APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Gallery
of Fluid Motion include
Chandra Observation of an X-ray Flare at Saturn: Evidence for Direct Solar Control on Saturn's Disk X-ray Emissions
Saturn was observed by Chandra ACIS-S on 20 and 26-27 January 2004 for one
full Saturn rotation (10.7 hr) at each epoch. We report here the first
observation of an X-ray flare from Saturn's non-auroral (low-latitude) disk,
which is seen in direct response to an M6-class flare emanating from a sunspot
that was clearly visible from both Saturn and Earth. Saturn's disk X-ray
emissions are found to be variable on time scales of hours to weeks to months,
and correlated with solar F10.7 cm flux. Unlike Jupiter, X-rays from Saturn's
polar (auroral) region have characteristics similar to those from its disk.
This report, combined with earlier studies, establishes that disk X-ray
emissions of the giant planets Saturn and Jupiter are directly regulated by
processes happening on the Sun. We suggest that these emissions could be
monitored to study X-ray flaring from solar active regions when they are on the
far side and not visible to Near-Earth space weather satellites.Comment: Total 12 pages including 4 figure
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