125,716 research outputs found
A query into the source of proton emission from solar flares, report 2
Seven solar flares that were followed by major proton events were examined to determine the diverse and common properties of major flares. The most probable site of primary proton acceleration is cospatial with the site and instant of formation of coronal loops. Because loop formation occurs through the entire duration of major solar flares over significantly large areas of active centers, it is proposed that proton injection occurs from a relatively large volume of space in the corona of active centers and is continuous throughout, and possibly even after, the visible duration of the related chromospheric flare. The flare veil is hypothesized to occur as a result of proton charge exchange taking place in the white-light transient. The Kopp and Pneuman model of loop formation by magnetic reconnection is suggested as an adequate and satisfactory model for all major flares with the provision that the beginning of rapid magnetic field reconnection is coincident with flare start
Effect of habituation on the susceptibility of the rat to restraint ulcers
The frequency and gravity of restraint ulcers were found to significantly diminish in rats previously exposed to brief periods of immobilization. The rats' becoming habituated to restraint conditions probably explains this phenomenon
Fluctuation-dissipation relation and the Edwards entropy for a glassy granular compaction model
We analytically study a one dimensional compaction model in the glassy
regime. Both correlation and response functions are calculated exactly in the
evolving dense and low tapping strength limit, where the density relaxes in a
fashion. The response and correlation functions turn out to be
connected through a non-equilibrium generalisation of the
fluctuation-dissipation theorem. The initial response in the average density to
an increase in the tapping strength is shown to be negative, while on longer
timescales it is shown to be positive. On short time scales the
fluctuation-dissipation theorem governs the relation between correlation and
response, and we show that such a relationship also exists for the slow degrees
of freedom, albeit with a different temperature. The model is further studied
within the statistical theory proposed by Edwards and co-workers, and the
Edwards entropy is calculated in the large system limit. The fluctuations
described by this approach turn out to match the fluctuations as calculated
through the dynamical consideration. We believe this to be the first time these
ideas have been analytically confirmed in a non-mean-field model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Widening access in selection using situational judgement tests: evidence from the UKCAT
CONTEXT Widening access promotes student diversity and the appropriate representation of all demographic groups. This study aims to examine diversity-related benefits of the use of situational judgement tests (SJTs) in the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) in terms of three demographic variables: (i) socioeconomic status (SES); (ii) ethnicity, and (iii) gender.
METHODS Outcomes in medical and dental school applicant cohorts for the years 2012 (n = 15 581) and 2013 (n = 15 454) were studied. Applicants' scores on cognitive tests and an SJT were linked to SES (parents' occupational status), ethnicity (White versus Black and other minority ethnic candidates), and gender.
RESULTS Firstly, the effect size for SES was lower for the SJT (d = 0.13-0.20 in favour of the higher SES group) than it was for the cognitive tests (d = 0.38-0.35). Secondly, effect sizes for ethnicity of the SJT and cognitive tests were similar (d = similar to 0.50 in favour of White candidates). Thirdly, males outperformed females on cognitive tests, whereas the reverse was true for SJTs. When equal weight was given to the SJT and the cognitive tests in the admission decision and when the selection ratio was stringent, simulated scenarios showed that using an SJT in addition to cognitive tests might enable admissions boards to select more students from lower SES backgrounds and more female students.
CONCLUSIONS The SJT has the potential to appropriately complement cognitive tests in the selection of doctors and dentists. It may also put candidates of lower SES backgrounds at less of a disadvantage and may potentially diversify the student intake. However, use of the SJT applied in this study did not diminish the role of ethnicity. Future research should examine these findings with other SJTs and other tests internationally and scrutinise the causes underlying the role of ethnicity
The influence of a local wall deformation on the development of natural instabilities in a laminar boundary layer
The natural instabilities which propagate in the laminar boundary layer of a flat plate composed of intermittent wave trains are described. A spectral analysis determines the frequency range and gives a frequency and the harmonic 2 only if there is a wall deformation. This analysis provides the amplitude modulation spectrum of the instabilities. Plots of the evolution of power spectral density are compared with the numerical results obtained from the resolve of the Orr-Sommerfeld equation, while the harmonic is related to a micro-recirculating flow near the wall deformation
Suppressing Super-Horizon Curvature Perturbations?
We consider the possibility of suppressing superhorizon curvature
perturbations after the end of the ordinary slow-roll inflationary stage. This
is the opposite of the curvaton limit. We assume that large curvature
perturbations are created by the inflaton and investigate if they can be
diluted or suppressed by a second very homogeneous field which starts to
dominate the energy density of the universe shortly after the end of inflation.
We show explicit that the gravitational sourcing of inhomogeneities from the
more inhomogeneous fluid to the more homogeneous fluid makes the suppression
difficult if not impossible to achieve.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. Important revision. Conclusions more negativ
A comparison of two magnetic ultra-cold neutron trapping concepts using a Halbach-octupole array
This paper describes a new magnetic trap for ultra-cold neutrons (UCNs) made
from a 1.2 m long Halbach-octupole array of permanent magnets with an inner
bore radius of 47 mm combined with an assembly of superconducting end coils and
bias field solenoid. The use of the trap in a vertical, magneto-gravitational
and a horizontal setup are compared in terms of the effective volume and
ability to control key systematic effects that need to be addressed in high
precision neutron lifetime measurements
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