Folding transition of the triangular lattice in a discrete three--dimensional space

A vertex model introduced by M. Bowick, P. Di Francesco, O. Golinelli, and E. Guitter (cond-mat/9502063) describing the folding of the triangular lattice onto the face centered cubic lattice has been studied in the hexagon approximation of the cluster variation method. The model describes the behaviour of a polymerized membrane in a discrete three--dimensional space. We have introduced a curvature energy and a symmetry breaking field and studied the phase diagram of the resulting model. By varying the curvature energy parameter, a first-order transition has been found between a flat and a folded phase for any value of the symmetry breaking field.Comment: 11 pages, latex file, 2 postscript figure

New nuclear build: adaptation options over the full life-cycle

Nuclear power is an important part of the UK Government's plan to improve energy security, and build a more balanced, decarbonised economy. Recent legislation establishes a framework for selecting potential sites for new nuclear build (NNB) and the terms for meeting the full costs of decommissioning and waste management. In this context, there are specific requirements to consider flood risk and to adapt to climate change. However, there is uncertainty about how climate risks might evolve and how these could be managed within each phase of a plant's life-cycle: design, operation, decommissioning and fuel storage. Given that sites will need to be secure for at least 160 years, the possibility of rising sea level ighe sea temperatur s, and more extreme weather events cannot be ignored. This paper describes the engineering and non-structural adaptation options for NNB sites, illustrated with reference to the east coast of England. Despite large uncertainty about climate scenarios for the 2200s, we explain how flexibility of design and safety margins can be incorporated from outset and, when combined with routine environmental monitoring, how sites could be adaptively managed throughout their life-cycl

Dentinal anomalies in teeth of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Scottish waters: are they linked to sexual maturation and environmental events?

Publicado

Dispensing Rates of Four Common Hearing Aid Product Features: Associations With Variations in Practice Among Audiologists

The purpose of the study was to develop and examine a list of potential variables that may account for variability in the dispensing rates of four common hearing aid features. A total of 29 potential variables were identified and placed into the following categories: (1) characteristics of the audiologist, (2) characteristics of the hearing aids dispensed by the audiologist, (3) characteristics of the audiologist?s patient population, and (4) evidence-based practice grades of recommendation for each feature. The potentially associative variables then were examined using regression analyses from the responses of 257 audiologists to a dispensing practice survey. There was a direct relation between price and level of hearing aid technology with the frequency of dispensing product features. There was also a direct relation between the belief by the audiologist that a feature might benefit patients and the frequency of dispensing that feature. In general, the results suggested that personal differences among audiologists and the hearing aids audiologists choose to dispense are related more strongly to dispensing rates of product features than to differences in characteristics of the patient population served by audiologists. An additional finding indicated that evidence-based practice recommendations were inversely related to dispensing rates of product features. This finding, however, may not be the result of dispensing trends as much as hearing aid manufacturing trends