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An Investigation into the Effect of the Shell on SALM Processed Parts
Shell Assisted Layer Manufacturing (SALM) is a novel process for rapid prototyping/
tooling/ manufacture (RP/RT/RM) which is presently undergoing feasibility studies. SALM is
based on layered manufacturing technology (LMT). Initially it develops the shell (boundaries)
of a selected layer using a technique similar to fused deposition modelling (FDM). The
developed shell is filled with a UV curable resin and is exposed to UV radiation for curing.
This procedure is repeated until the complete part is built. This paper compares and contrasts
properties of parts made using two options available with the SALM technique: building the
part using a soluble shell (FDM support structure material, finally dissolved to recover the
part); or using a polymer material such as ABS that is bonded with the resin whilst making
the part.Mechanical Engineerin
The impact of inappropriate soil management on river water quality: a case study in the Kurundu Oya Sub-catchment of the Upper Mahaweli Catchment, Sri Lanka
The results of many studies have revealed that intensive farming on steep slopes, coupled with over application of fertilizers and accumulation of nutrients in downstream water bodies due to soil erosion, have contributed to environmental hazards in the Upper Mahaweli Catchment Area (UMCA) of Sri Lanka. The encroachment of riparian zones for exotic vegetable cultivation has aggravated this situation. In view of this, a study was conducted in the Kurundu Oya catchment, a micro-catchment of the UMCA, to investigate the soil management practices within the farming systems and their impacts on river water quality. Three villages were selected along the Kurundu Oya: Mahakudugala, Kumbalgamuwa and Batagolla. The study consisted of a survey of 150 households in 2007 and 2008, to gather information on the characteristics of householders and on soil management practices. A soil survey was carried out to analyze the soil fertility of farmlands. Water quality parameters were measured periodically in different sections of a selected stream. The results revealed that nearly 50 % of the riparian zones in the upper catchment of the Kurundu Oya stream are encroached to cultivate potato and other exotic vegetables. In addition, it was observed that over application of fertilizers on the vegetable plots was causing nutrient accumulation and the plots also recorded high levels of phosphorous (P) (above 75 ppm). Results of the water quality analysis showed that nitrate and available P levels were within the standard limits, but nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) levels were close to the upper level of the standard limit. Therefore, in order to minimize water pollution, it is strongly recommended that fertilizer application is based on soil tests. In addition, encroachment of sensitive lands has to be addressed. Priority should be given to strengthening institutional capacity in order to facilitate the implementation of existing environmental legislation.Length: pp.49-60Soil managementSoil degradationCatchment areasErosionSedimentationWater pollutionFertilizer applicationNitrogenVegetable growing
Anisotropy and directional pinning in YBaCuO with BaZrO3 nanorods
Measurements of anisotropic transport properties (dc and high-frequency
regime) of driven vortex matter in YBaCuO with elongated
strong-pinning sites (c-axis aligned, self-assembled BaZrO nanorods) are
used to demonstrate that the effective-mass angular scaling takes place only in
intrinsic physical quantities (flux-flow resistivity), and not in
pinning-related Labusch parameter and critical currents. Comparison of the
dynamics at different time scales shows evidence for a transition of the vortex
matter toward a Mott phase, driven by the presence of nanorods. The strong
pinning in dc arises partially from a dynamic effect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication on Applied Physics
Letters. With respect to v1: changed title, slightly shortene
Nonlinear c-axis transport in Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_(8+d) from two-barrier tunneling
Motivated by the peculiar features observed through intrinsic tunneling
spectroscopy of BiSrCaCuO mesas in the normal state,
we have extended the normal state two-barrier model for the c-axis transport
[M. Giura et al., Phys. Rev. B {\bf 68}, 134505 (2003)] to the analysis of
curves. We have found that the purely normal-state model reproduces all
the following experimental features: (a) the parabolic -dependence of
in the high- region (above the conventional pseudogap temperature),
(b) the emergence and the nearly voltage-independent position of the "humps"
from this parabolic behavior lowering the temperature, and (c) the crossing of
the absolute curves at a characteristic voltage . Our
findings indicate that conventional tunneling can be at the origin of most of
the uncommon features of the c axis transport in
BiSrCaCuO. We have compared our calculations to
experimental data taken in severely underdoped and slightly underdoped
BiSrCaCuO small mesas. We have found good agreement
between the data and the calculations, without any shift of the calculated
dI/dV on the vertical scale. In particular, in the normal state (above
) simple tunneling reproduces the experimental dI/dV quantitatively.
Below quantitative discrepancies are limited to a simple rescaling of
the voltage in the theoretical curves by a factor 2. The need for such
modifications remains an open question, that might be connected to a change of
the charge of a fraction of the carriers across the pseudogap opening.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Reparametrization invariance of B decay amplitudes and implications for new physics searches in B decays
When studying B decays within the Standard Model, it is customary to use the
unitarity of the CKM matrix in order to write the decay amplitudes in terms of
only two of the three weak phases which appear in the various diagrams.
Occasionally, it is mentioned that those two weak phases can be used in order
to describe any decay amplitude, even beyond the Standard Model. Here we point
out that, when describing a generic decay amplitude, the two weak phases can be
chosen completely at will, and we study the behavior of the decay amplitudes
under changes in the two weak phases chosen as a basis. Of course, physical
observables cannot depend on such reparametrizations. This has an impact in
discussions of the SM and in attempts to parametrize new physics effects in the
decay amplitudes. We illustrate these issues by looking at B --> psi K_S and
the isospin analysis in B --> pi pi.Comment: 16 pages, RevTe
The effect of spatial resolution on optical and near-IR studies of stellar clusters: Implications for the origin of the red excess
Recent ground based near-IR studies of stellar clusters in nearby galaxies
have suggested that young clusters remain embedded for 7-10Myr in their
progenitor molecular cloud, in conflict with optical based studies which find
that clusters are exposed after 1-3Myr. Here, we investigate the role that
spatial resolution plays in this apparent conflict. We use a recent catalogue
of young (~\msun) clusters in the nearby spiral
galaxy, M83, along with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging in the optical and
near-IR, and ground based near-IR imaging, to see how the colours (and hence
estimated properties such as age and extinction) are affected by the aperture
size employed, in order to simulate studies of differing resolution. We find
that the near-IR is heavily affected by the resolution, and when aperture sizes
~pc are used, all young/blue clusters move red-ward in colour space, which
results in their appearance as heavily extincted clusters. However, this is due
to contamination from nearby sources and nebular emission, and is not an
extinction effect. Optical colours are much less affected by resolution. Due to
the larger affect of contamination in the near-IR, we find that, in some cases,
clusters will appear to show near-IR excess when large (~pc) apertures are
used. Our results explain why few young (~Myr), low extinction (\av <
1~mag) clusters have been found in recent ground based near-IR studies of
cluster populations, while many such clusters have been found in higher
resolution HST based studies. Additionally, resolution effects appear to (at
least partially) explain the origin of the near-IR excess that has been found
in a number of extragalactic YMCs.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
A Technology Acceptance Model of common bean growers' intention to adopt Integrated Production in the Brazilian Central Region.
The Brazilian government encouraged the Integrated Production (IP) farming system adoption to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of intensive bean production in irrigated areas of the Brazilian savanna. By ensuring food-safety and the use of sustainable agricultural practices, IP may strengthen national agriculture competitiveness. Regardless of the government efforts to promote IP in the main agricultural regions and among the largest food growers, only few slowly adopted it. Therefore, studying the process of technology adoption is important to identify possible problems that could affect adoption and diffusion of this farming system. We applied a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explain the adoption and use of IP by the common beans growers from one of the most important bean production regions in Brazil. Ninety-three interviews were administered to different actors involved in beans production. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) following a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to identify the relationship between factors. The findings suggest that respondents have positive perceptions toward adopting IP. Perceived usefulness has a positive impact on attitude, and attitudes affect behavioral intention. However, the proposed model only partially explains IP adoption intentions
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