The influence of lifelong learning on mood

Mood state was assessed both before and after four different two-hour classes in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Santa Clara University with the self-report Profile of Mood States-Brief Form (POMS-BF) developed by McNair, Lorr, and Droppleman (1992). Sixty-eight students (60% women), ages 49 to 92, filled in the 5-point mood assessment survey rating how they felt at that moment prior to the start of class and again two hours later, at the end of class. At the start of class these students reported very low levels of negative affect (tension, anger, depression, confusion, fatigue). Following the two-hour Osher class students felt even less angry, less tense, and less depressed than they were before the class. These results are discussed in relation to mood regulation and the detrimental impact of negative affect on cognition (e.g., Wilson, Mendes de Leon, Bennett, Bienias, Evans, 2004)

Instabilities and propagation of neutrino magnetohydrodynamic waves in arbitrary direction

In a previous work [16], a new model was introduced, taking into account the role of the Fermi weak force due to neutrinos coupled to magnetohydrodynamic plasmas. The resulting neutrino-magnetohydrodynamics was investigated in a particular geometry associated with the magnetosonic wave, where the ambient magnetic field and the wavevector are perpendicular. The corresponding fast, short wavelength neutrino beam instability was then obtained in the context of supernova parameters. The present communication generalizes these results, allowing for arbitrary direction of wave propagation, including fast and slow magnetohydrodynamic waves and the intermediate cases of oblique angles. The numerical estimates of the neutrino-plasma instabilities are derived in extreme astrophysical environments where dense neutrino beams exist

Application of remote sensing to study nearshore circulation

Immediate use of drogued buoy tracking was made when the Virginia State Highway Department requested assistance in selecting the best route for a new bridge-tunnel complex across the James River at Newport News. The result was that the Highway Department acted and chose a preferred route from several alternatives. It was also observed that the drogues did not follow the channel as predicted by the James River hydraulic model. This permitted telling the Navy why it is that part of their channel always silts up. The Hampton Roads Sanitation District asked help locate the best route and position of an ocean sewer outfall. Biological activities are focused primarily on delineating biological interaction between the marsh and continental shelf waters on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Information derived is helpful in categorizing the relative biological value of different marsh areas so that meaningful use and management decisions can be made concerning their eventual disposition

Experimental performance and analysis of 15.04-centimeter-tip-diameter, radial-inflow turbine with work factor of 1.126 and thick blading

The aerodynamic design, the performance, and an internal loss breakdown were examined for a 15.04 cm tip diameter, radial-inflow turbine. The design application was to drive a two stage, 10 to 1 pressure ratio compressor with a mass flow of 0.952 kg/sec and a rotative speed of 70,000 rmp. The turbine inlet temperature was 1478 K, and the turbine was designed with blades thick enough for internal cooling passages. The rotor tip diameter was limited to 86 percent of optimum in order to obtain a reduced tip speed design. The turbine was fabricated with solid, uncooled blading and tested in air at nominal inlet pressure and temperature of 1.379 x 10000 N/sq m and 322.2 K, respectively. Results indicated the turbine total efficiency to be 5.3 points less than design. Analysis of these results has indicated the deficit in performance to be due to stator secondary flow losses, vaneless space surface friction losses, and trailing edge wake mixing losses

Effect of physical parameters on the reaction of graphite with silica in vacuum

Effect of physical parameters on reduction of silica graphite mixtures under vacuum condition

Frobenius theorem and invariants for Hamiltonian systems

We apply Frobenius integrability theorem in the search of invariants for one-dimensional Hamiltonian systems with a time-dependent potential. We obtain several classes of potential functions for which Frobenius theorem assures the existence of a two-dimensional foliation to which the motion is constrained. In particular, we derive a new infinite class of potentials for which the motion is assurately restricted to a two-dimensional foliation. In some cases, Frobenius theorem allows the explicit construction of an associated invariant. It is proven the inverse result that, if an invariant is known, then it always can be furnished by Frobenius theorem

The uniting of Europe and the foundation of EU studies: revisiting the neofunctionalism of Ernst B. Haas

This article suggests that the neofunctionalist theoretical legacy left by Ernst B. Haas is somewhat richer and more prescient than many contemporary discussants allow. The article develops an argument for routine and detailed re-reading of the corpus of neofunctionalist work (and that of Haas in particular), not only to disabuse contemporary students and scholars of the normally static and stylized reading that discussion of the theory provokes, but also to suggest that the conceptual repertoire of neofunctionalism is able to speak directly to current EU studies and comparative regionalism. Neofunctionalism is situated in its social scientific context before the theory's supposed erroneous reliance on the concept of 'spillover' is discussed critically. A case is then made for viewing Haas's neofunctionalism as a dynamic theory that not only corresponded to established social scientific norms, but did so in ways that were consistent with disciplinary openness and pluralism