925 research outputs found
The ionization of hydrogen and of hydrogenic positive ions by electron impact
Ionization of hydrogen and hydrogenic positive ions by electron impac
Changing teaching techniques and adapting new technologies to improve student learning in an introductory meteorology and climate course
Responding to the call for reform in science education, changes were made in an introductory meteorology and climate course offered at a large public university. These changes were a part of a larger project aimed at deepening and extending a program of science content courses that model effective teaching strategies for prospective middle school science teachers. Therefore, revisions were made to address misconceptions about meteorological phenomena, foster deeper understanding of key concepts, encourage engagement with the text, and promote inquiry-based learning. Techniques introduced include: use of a flash cards, student reflection questionnaires, writing assignments, and interactive discussions on weather and forecast data using computer technology such as Integrated Data Viewer (IDV). The revision process is described in a case study format. Preliminary results (self-reflection by the instructor, surveys of student opinion, and measurements of student achievement), suggest student learning has been positively influenced. This study is supported by three grants: NSF grant No. 0202923, the Unidata Equipment Award, and the Lucia Harrison Endowment Fund
Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling (VAMS) for Targeted LC-MS/MS Determination of Tryptophan-Related Biomarkers
L-Tryptophan (TRP) metabolites and related biomarkers play crucial roles in physiological functions, and their imbalances are implicated in central nervous system pathologies and neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and depression. The measurement of TRP metabolites and related biomarkers possesses great potential to elucidate the disease mechanisms, aid preclinical drug development, highlight potential therapeutic targets and evaluate the outcomes of therapeutic interventions. An effective, straightforward, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 24 TRP-related compounds in miniaturised murine whole blood samples. Sampling and sample pretreatment miniaturisation were achieved thanks to the development of a volumetric dried blood microsampling approach. Volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) allows the accurate sampling of microvolumes of blood with advantages including, but not limited to, minimal sampling invasiveness, logistical improvements, method sustainability in terms of solvents and energy consumption, and improvement of animal studies in the framework of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) principles on animal welfare. The VAMS-LC-MS/MS method exhibited good selectivity, and correlation coefficient values for the calibration curves of each analyte were >0.9987. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.1 to 25 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions in terms of RSD were <9.6%. All analytes were stable in whole blood VAMS samples stored at room temperature for at least 30 days with analyte losses < 14%. The developed method was successfully applied to the analysis of biological samples from mice, leading to the unambiguous determination of all the considered target analytes. This method can therefore be applied to analyse TRP metabolites and related biomarkers levels to monitor disease states, perform mechanistic studies and investigate the outcomes of therapeutic interventions
A Pair Polarimeter for Linearly Polarized High Energy Photons
A high quality beam of linearly polarized photons of several GeV will become
available with the coherent bremsstrahlung technique at JLab. We have developed
a polarimeter which requires about two meters of the beam line, has an
analyzing power of 20% and an efficiency of 0.02%. The layout and first results
of a polarimeter test on the laser back-scattering photon beam at SPring-8/LEPS
are presented
Operation of Faddeev-Kernel in Configuration Space
We present a practical method to solve Faddeev three-body equations at
energies above three-body breakup threshold as integral equations in coordinate
space. This is an extension of previously used method for bound states and
scattering states below three-body breakup threshold energy. We show that
breakup components in three-body reactions produce long-range effects on
Faddeev integral kernels in coordinate space, and propose numerical procedures
to treat these effects. Using these techniques, we solve Faddeev equations for
neutron-deuteron scattering to compare with benchmark solutions.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Few-Body System
Loss of AP-3 function affects spontaneous and evoked release at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses
Synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis mediating neurotransmitter release occurs
spontaneously at low intraterminal calcium concentrations and is stimulated by
a rise in intracellular calcium. Exocytosis is compensated for by the
reformation of vesicles at plasma membrane and endosomes. Although the adaptor
complex AP-3 was proposed to be involved in the formation of SVs from
endosomes, whether its function has an indirect effect on exocytosis remains
unknown. Using mocha mice, which are deficient in functional AP-3, we identify
an AP-3-dependent tetanus neurotoxin-resistant asynchronous release that can be
evoked at hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) synapses. Presynaptic targeting of the
tetanus neurotoxin-resistant vesicle soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor
attachment protein receptor (SNARE) tetanus neurotoxin-insensitive
vesicle-associated membrane protein (TI-VAMP) is lost in mocha hippocampal MF
terminals, whereas the localization of synaptobrevin 2 is unaffected. In
addition, quantal release in mocha cultures is more frequent and more sensitive
to sucrose. We conclude that lack of AP-3 results in more constitutive
secretion and loss of an asynchronous evoked release component, suggesting an
important function of AP-3 in regulating SV exocytosis at MF terminals
Electron exchange model potential: Application to positronium-helium scattering
The formulation of a suitable nonlocal model potential for electron exchange
is presented, checked with electron-hydrogen and electron-helium scattering,
and applied to the study of elastic and inelastic scattering and ionization of
ortho positronium (Ps) by helium. The elastic scattering and the
excitations of Ps are investigated using a three-Ps-state close-coupling
approximation. The higher () excitations and ionization of Ps atom are
treated in the framework of Born approximation with present exchange.
Calculations are reported of phase shifts, and elastic, Ps-excitation, and
total cross sections. The present target elastic total cross section agrees
well with experimental results at thermal to medium energies.Comment: 16 latex pages, 7 postscript figure
Ethics, space, and somatic sensibilities: comparing relationships between scientific researchers and their human and animal experimental subjects
Drawing on geographies of affect and nature-society relations, we propose a radical rethinking of how scientists, social scientists, and regulatory agencies conceptualise human and animal participants in scientif ic research. The scientific rationale for using animal bodies to simulate what could be done in human bodies emphasises shared somatic capacities that generate comparable responses to clinical interventions. At the same time, regulatory guidelines and care practices stress the differences between human and animal subjects. In this paper we consider the implications of this differentiation between human and animal bodies in ethical and welfare protocols and practices. We show how the bioethical debates around the use of human subjects tend to focus on issues of consent and language, while recent work in animal welfare reflects an increasing focus on the affectual dimensions of ethical practice. We argue that this attention to the more-than-representational dimensions of ethics and welfare might be equally important for human subjects. We assert that paying attention to these somatic sensibilities can offer insights into how experimental environments can both facilitate and restrict the development of more care-full and response-able relations between researchers and their experimental subjects. <br/
Seroprevalence and awareness of porcine cysticercosis across different pig production systems in south-central Cambodia
Taeniasis/cysticercosis, caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium, represents an important public health and economic burden in endemic countries. However, there is a paucity of data on infection among pigs in many parts of Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia. We aimed to estimate seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis, and investigate husbandary practices and knowledge of the disease among livestock workers, across different pig sector units in south-central Cambodia. A cross sectional survey was conducted among pig smallholders, commercial farms, slaughterhouses and traders/middlemen from south-central Cambodia, selected through multistage sampling in proportion to local pig populations sizes. Questionnaires were administered to 163 pig workers to obtain data pig production, trading and slaughtering practices. Sera from 620 pigs were tested for Taenia antigens using a commercial ELISA-based test. Associations between seroprevalence and pig husbandry practices were assessed using generalised linear mixed models, adjusting for random-effects at herd-level. Of 620 pigs sampled, 29 (4.7%) tested positive for Taenia antigens. Seropositivity was associated with type of pig sector unit (P=0.008), with the highest seroprevalence among pigs sampled from traders/middlemen (16.7%; 95% CI: 4.4%â37.8%), smallholders (7.6%; 95% CI: 3.8%â14.1%) and slaughterhouses (4.1%; 95% CI: 2.0%â7.5%), while none of the pigs sampled from small/medium or large commercial farms tested positive. Although the vast majority of pigs were penned, practices that might facilitate human-to-pig transmission, such as use of household waste and surface water sources to feed pigs, were prevalent among smallholders. However these were not found to be significantly associated with infection. Of 163 interviewed pig workers, 115 (70.5%) were aware of porcine cysticercosis, and 78 (47.8%) also knew it could affect humans. Twenty-six (16.0%) reported having noticed lesions typical of cysticercosis in their pigs. Despite most pigs being kept confined in pens rather than raised in free-roaming systems, porcine cysticercosis appears to be endemic in south-central Cambodia and is associated with smallholder production. Further investigation is needed to identify which Taenia species are causing infections among pigs, and how seroprevalence and zoonotic risk may vary across the country, to understand the risks to public health and assess where interventions might be needed
S-, P- and D-wave resonances in positronium-sodium and positronium-potassium scattering
Scattering of positronium (Ps) by sodium and potassium atoms has been
investigated employing a three-Ps-state coupled-channel model with Ps(1s,2s,2p)
states using a time-reversal-symmetric regularized electron-exchange model
potential fitted to reproduce accurate theoretical results for PsNa and PsK
binding energies. We find a narrow S-wave singlet resonance at 4.58 eV of width
0.002 eV in the Ps-Na system and at 4.77 eV of width 0.003 eV in the Ps-K
system. Singlet P-wave resonances in both systems are found at 5.07 eV of width
0.3 eV. Singlet D-wave structures are found at 5.3 eV in both systems. We also
report results for elastic and Ps-excitation cross sections for Ps scattering
by Na and K.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Accepted in Journal of Physics
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