Spectra of Urea and Thiourea in the 3µ Region

Observations are reported on the polarized infrared spectra of single crystals of urea and thiourea in the 3µ region. Complex structures accompanying the N [Single Bond] H fundamentals appear, at least in considerable part, to be attributable to combinations and overtones of fundamentals in the neighborhood of 1650 cm^—1

Effect of Engine Operating Conditions on the Vaporization of Safety Fuels

Tests were conducted with the N.A.C.A. combustion apparatus to determine the effect of compression ratio and engine temperature on the vaporization of a hydrogenated "safety fuel" during the compression stroke under conditions similar to those in a spark-ignition engine. The effects of fuel boiling temperature on vaporization using gasoline, safety fuel, and Diesel fuel oil was also investigated. The results show that increasing the compression ratio has little effect on the rate of fuel vaporization, but that increasing the air temperature by increasing the engine temperature increases the rate of fuel vaporization. The results also show that the vaporized fuel forms a homogeneous mixture with the air more rapidly that does the atomized fuel spray

Covariant constraints for generic massive gravity and analysis of its characteristics

We perform a covariant constraint analysis of massive gravity valid for its entire parameter space, demonstrating that the model generically propagates five degrees of freedom; this is also verified by a new and streamlined Hamiltonian description. The constraint's covariant expression permits computation of the model's caustics. Although new features such as the dynamical Riemann tensor appear in the characteristic matrix, the model still exhibits the pathologies uncovered in earlier work: superluminality and likely acausalities.Comment: 26 pages LaTeX, references added, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Annual ring validation of the south african sardine Sardinops sagax using daily growth increments

A total of 21 sardine Sardinops sagax otoliths, collected in winter and spring 1994, were examined with a scanning electron microscope to validate growth zones using daily growth increments. Increment numbers and widths for the first, second and third annual growth zones served to back-calculate hatching dates and to validate the assumption that the identified annual rings were deposited in annual intervals. Fish appeared to have hatched throughout 1992. Annual ring deposition periods depended on the individual cases and did not correspond to exactly one year, with some fish estimated to be older than one year at the first annual ring deposition. The second growth zone contained a mean of 266 daily increments, with the second annual ringdeposited between November 1993 and June 1994. The third annual ring was visible on six otoliths, and appeared to have been deposited in August and September 1994

Characterization of Chlorinated Ethene Degradation in a Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland

Chlorinated solvents, including perchloroethene (PCE) and trichlorethene (TCE), are among the most common groundwater contaminants found in the United States. Once released into the environment, chlorinated solvents are extremely persistent and often require costly and lengthy remedial actions. The use of constructed wetlands has shown promise as an effective and less costly alternative for the treatment of chlorinated solvent contaminated groundwater. This study characterized and evaluated the concentration of chlorinated ethenes within a vertical flow constructed wetland, fed with PCE contaminated groundwater, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio. Chlorinated ethene concentrations were characterized within three distinct layers of the wetland cell, as well as within the influent, and effluent. In addition, a pore-water sampler prototype was designed and developed for this research effort in order to obtain a more detailed contaminant profile. PCE concentrations declined from an average of 46.5 μg/L in the influent to an average of 0.5 μg/L in the upper layer, a 98.9% decrease. The chlorinated ethene concentration profiles indicate that the lower half of the wetland provides favorable conditions for the complete anaerobic reductive dechlorination of the PCE. Within the upper half of the wetland, contaminant profiles indicate dominant degradation processes other than anaerobic reductive dechlorination, possibly including aerobic or anaerobic oxidation or direct volatization. The limited data generated from the implementation of the pore-water sampler prototypes was inclusive, requiring the need for further testing and research

Improvement in Nutrition Knowledge and Retention about Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Hispanic Pregnant Women

Objective: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the demographic data of the study population, compare nutrition knowledge and retention in Hispanic pregnant women who were newly diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM) or with a history of GDM at time of GDM diagnosis and prior to delivery, and determine if the Sweet Success education program’s curriculum was effective in improving overall knowledge in pregnant women with GDM. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used with a convenience sample. Subjects/Setting: Ninety women between the ages of 18 and 45 years and of Hispanic or Hispanic American descent were recruited for this study. Participants were selected from Van Nuys, California area that had been diagnosed with GDM for the first time or had a history of GDM. Interventions: After being diagnosed with GDM, women were referred by their obstetrics-gynecologist (OB-GYN) to Valley Presbyterian Hospital’s (VPH) Perinatology Clinic for GDM management. Women received a two hour group education session with a registered dietitian (RD), were enrolled in the Sweet Success education program, and received a follow up education session one to two weeks after their first visit to the clinic. Outcome: Measure A questionnaire, along with a pre-and post-test were administered in English and Spanish to participants to assess knowledge about GDM, diet, and blood glucose management at their initial visit to the clinic. At the completion of the first follow-up visit to the clinic, the participant completed a post-test. Statistical Analysis: Demographic characteristics were first evaluated. Increase in percentage in regards to the number of questions participants got correct was also evaluated along with paired t-tests comparing overall knowledge improvement. Results: A majority of participants were noted to be primary of Hispanic descent, Spanish speaking, over-weight or obese, low income, having an educational level of less than 12th grade, and receiving medical care through Medi-Cal. An increase in percentage in regards to the number of questions participants got correct improved for all questions and mean test scores improved overall in participants between pre- and post-tests with a significant difference also noted. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study showed an increase in knowledge retention among Hispanic pregnant women with GDM and validate the importance and impact that the Sweet Success program’s education curriculum and model of care has on a women’s health and the health of her unborn child

A heterogeneous-agent model with district-level constraints: an application to livestock development in Gansu, China

This paper develops a heterogeneous-agent model to assess the impacts of removing lucerne growing subsidies, increasing livestock numbers and including district-level equilibrium conditions on optimal farm plans in the Qingyang district of Gansu Province, China. The model is a five-year dynamic linear program that solves across 96 farm households whilst incorporating district-level constraints. The approach used allows us to observe seasonal variations in incomes, infer the distribution of a policy shock among households and highlight trade patterns at the district level. The results suggest that without lucerne growing subsidies the total area of lucerne grown by all modelled households falls by 18%. Increasing livestock numbers by 25% reduces net household incomes by 17% as changes to labour allocations reduce off-farm employment opportunities. When external trade in forages is included in the model, total livestock numbers held by all 96 households rise from 502 to 838, this highlights the benefits of integrated feed markets. Shadow prices for crop production rise when livestock numbers increase, implying that benefits exist to improving crop yields.Heterogeneous-agent model, district-level constraints, livestock, China., Farm Management,

Coordination of an Unmanned Vehicle with Active Suspension over Extreme Terrain

Active suspension is now a well-tried technology in road vehicles. It has been installed on a HMMV and demonstrated to significantly improve performance in rough road conditions1. This capability presents an opportunity for improved mobility in off-road conditions. The challenge is to devise a means of translating the desired trajectory of the vehicle into commands to the suspension actuators and the traction motors in an optimal, or near optimal manner. In this paper we describe part of a software architecture that was developed to enable such performance from a six-wheeled vehicle with active suspension and independent wheel drives. The vehicle was a concept developed under the DARPA Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle Program

Phase-dependent X-ray observations of the beta Lyrae system: No eclipse in the soft band

We report on observations of the eclipsing and interacting binary beta Lyrae from the Suzaku X-ray telescope. This system involves an early B star embedded in an optically and geometrically thick disk that is siphoning atmospheric gases from a less massive late B II companion. Motivated by an unpublished X-ray spectrum from the Einstein X-ray telescope suggesting unusually hard emission, we obtained time with Suzaku for pointings at three different phases within a single orbit. From the XIS detectors, the softer X-ray emission appears typical of an early-type star. What is surprising is the remarkably unchanging character of this emission, both in luminosity and in spectral shape, despite the highly asymmetric geometry of the system. We see no eclipse effect below 10 keV. The constancy of the soft emission is plausibly related to the wind of the embedded B star and Thomson scattering of X-rays in the system, although it might be due to extended shock structures arising near the accretion disk as a result of the unusually high mass-transfer rate. There is some evidence from the PIN instrument for hard emission in the 10-60 keV range. Follow-up observations with the RXTE satellite will confirm this preliminary detection.Comment: to appear in A&A Letter