A Good Night Out: An Investigation into Alcohol Related Consumption and Behaviour Cultures in Young Adults

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate drinking patterns; attitudes towards alcohol consumption and alcohol related behaviours amongst differing groups of young adults. A further aim is to investigate whether the drinking behaviours of undergraduate populations can be considered to be representative of young adult behaviours in general. Design/methodology/ approach – Four groups of young adult alcohol consumers were identified. The participants in the first two groups were aged between 18 and 23, one group being undergraduates and the second non-graduates in work. Participants in the second two groups were aged between 24 and 29, one group comprising graduates in work, the second non-graduates in work. 120 questionnaires were completed; thirty in each sample group, with an even gender distribution. Follow up one-to-one interviews were carried out with representatives from each group. Findings – Although a small study it is evident that whilst there are some similarities in behaviours between the differing sample groups significant differences in alcohol related behaviours dominate. Practical Implications – The results suggest that utilising the results of research carried out amongst student populations to inform government policies with regard to the behaviour of young adults in general is unlikely to be successful in changing drinking behaviours. Originality value – This paper produces new insights into current drinking cultures and attitudes towards drinking in differing groups of young adults. Specifically it compares behavioural norms between graduate and non-graduate populations challenging much current research which is based upon student samples as being representative of the young adult population as a whole

Volumetric measurement of tank volume

A method is disclosed for determining the volume of compressible gas in a system including incompressible substances in a zero-gravity environment consisting of measuring the change in pressure (delta P) for a known volume change rate (delta V/delta t) in the polytrophic region between isothermal and adiabatic conditions. The measurements are utilized in an idealized formula for determining the change in isothermal pressure (delta P sub iso) for the gas. From the isothermal pressure change (delta iso) the gas volume is obtained. The method is also applicable to determination of gas volume by utilizing work (W) in the compression process. In a passive system, the relationship of specific densities can be obtained

Model-Independent Determinations of B -> D l nu , D* l nu Form Factors

We present nonperturbative, model-independent parametrizations of the individual QCD form factors relevant to B -> D* l nu and B -> D l nu decays. These results follow from dispersion relations and analyticity, without recourse to heavy quark symmetry. To describe a form factor with two percent accuracy, three parameters are necessary, one of which is its normalization at zero recoil, F(1). We combine the individual form factors using heavy quark symmetry to extract values for the product |V_{cb}| F(1) from B -> D* l nu data with negligible extrapolation uncertainty.Comment: uses harvmac and epsf, 22 pages, 3 eps figures include

The effects of forcing on a single stream shear layer and its parent boundary layer

Forcing and its effect on fluid flows has become an accepted tool in the study and control of flow systems. It has been used both as a diagnostic tool, to explore the development and interaction of coherent structures, and as a method of controlling the behavior of the flow. A number of forcing methods have been used in order to provide a perturbation to the flow; among these are the use of an oscillating trailing edge, acoustically driven slots, external acoustic forcing, and mechanical piston methods. The effect of a planar mechanical piston forcing on a single stream shear layer is presented; it can be noted that this is one of the lesser studied free shear layers. The single stream shear layer can be characterized by its primary flow velocity scale and the thickness of the separating boundary layer. The velocity scale is constant over the length of the flow field; theta (x) can be used as a width scale to characterize the unforced shear layer. In the case of the forced shear layer the velocity field is a function of phase time and definition of a width measure becomes somewhat problematic

Comparison of hydrogen and methane as coolants in regeneratively cooled panels

Comparison of hydrogen and methane as coolants in regeneratively cooled panel

Mathematical Tutorials in Introductory Physics

Students in introductory calculus-based physics not only have difficulty understanding the fundamental physical concepts, they often have difficulty relating those concepts to the mathematics they have learned in math courses. This produces a barrier to their robust use of concepts in complex problem solving. As a part of the Activity-Based Physics project, we are carrying out research on these difficulties and are developing instructional materials in the tutorial framework developed at the University of Washington by Lillian C. McDermott and her collaborators. In this paper, we present a discussion of student difficulties and the development of a mathematical tutorial on the subject of pulses moving on strings.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, 12 references and note

From Beads on a String to the Pearls of Regulation: the Structure and Dynamics of Chromatin

The assembly of eukaryotic chromatin, and the bearing of its structural organization on the regulation of gene expression, were the central topics of a recent conference organized jointly by the Biochemical Society and Wellcome Trust. A range of talks and poster presentations covered topical aspects of this research field and illuminated recent advances in our understanding of the structure and function of chromatin. The two-day meeting had stimulating presentations complemented with lively discourse and interactions of participants. In the present paper, we summarize the topics presented at the meeting, in particular highlighting subjects that are reviewed in more detail within this issue of Biochemical Society Transactions. The reports bring to life the truly fascinating molecular and structural biology of chromatin

Probing the interfacial and sub-surface structure of Si/Si1 – xGex multilayers

The ability to determine structural and compositional information from the sub-surface region of a semiconductor material has been demonstrated using a new time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering spectroscopy (ToF-MEISS) system. A series of silicon–silicon/germanium (Si/Si1 – xGex) heterostructure and multilayer samples, grown using both solid source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and gas source chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on Si(100) substrates, have been investigated. These data indicate that each individual layer of Si1 – xGex (x ~ 0.22) in both two- and three-period samples, can be uniquely identified with a resolution of approximately 3 nm. A comparison of MBE and CVD grown samples has also been made using layers with similar structures and composition. The total Ge content of each sample was confirmed using conventional Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

How Protostellar Outflows Help Massive Stars Form

We consider the effects of an outflow on radiation escaping from the infalling envelope around a massive protostar. Using numerical radiative transfer calculations, we show that outflows with properties comparable to those observed around massive stars lead to significant anisotropy in the stellar radiation field, which greatly reduces the radiation pressure experienced by gas in the infalling envelope. This means that radiation pressure is a much less significant barrier to massive star formation than has previously been thought.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, emulateapj, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter