5,592 research outputs found
Diffraction modelling of mobile radio wave propagation in built-up areas
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This thesis examines theoretical methods of modelling radio wave propagation in built-up areas, with particular application to mobile radio systems Theoretical approaches allow precise quantitative description of the environment in terms of parameters such as mean building heights and densities, in contrast to the ambiguous nature of more conventional empirical models. The models are constructed using both scalar and vector field analysis techniques. The vector analysis is accomplished using the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction to describe the detailed effects of building shape and positioning, particularly for short-range situations. Over longer ranges propagation can often be described in terms of multiple edge diffraction over building rooftops using a scalar field representation. This mechanism accounts well for measured field strength variations, but is time consuming to calculate accurately using standard methods. A rapid algorithm for calculating scalar diffraction over multiple building edges with arbitrary positioning is constructed. This model can be used for deterministic prediction of sector median field strengths including slow fading variations when appropriate building data exists. It is also applicable to terrain diffraction problems. For the case when only average building parameters are available a closed form solution to the problem of multiple diffraction over buildings of equal heights and spacings is derived. The solution is applicable to any antenna heights and so provides a rapid and efficient way to predict gross propagation characteristics. Both models are tested against measurements made in the UHF band and are found to yield good prediction accuracy.This work is funded by the Science and Engineering Research Council under award number 889088999 and by Philips Radio Communication Systems Ltd. of Cambridge under an industrial studentship
Population-associated differences between the phase variable LPS biosynthetic genes of Helicobacter pylori
No full textThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited - © 2006 Salaün and Saunders; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.Background: Population structures are normally determined using genes under minimal functional selection. In this study we have assessed genes that are not always essential, show differences in alleles between strains, and are involved in the directly host-selectable phenotype of LPS biosynthesis. Results: Eight complete LPS biosynthesis genes, seven of which are associated with phase variation in some or all strains of Helicobacter pylori, have been sequenced and their divergence analyzed. The differences observed indicate that recombination within these genes largely reflects exchange between strains within the population lineages previously determined on the basis of MLST using housekeeping genes. This indicates that the differences that are used for MLST are likely to broadly associate with genes under functional selection, and differences in strain behaviour. However, instances of exchange between the subpopulations were identified, including the hpAfrica2 subpopulation. Further, there were other differences in gene complements and the chromosomal location of genes indicative of greater diversity within the population than is revealed by the available genome sequences and comparative genome hybridization studies. Conclusion: These results indicate that the described population structure based upon MLST is broadly a good basis for studying the biology of H. pylori, but that individual alleles may not follow these associations. As a consequence, when working in unsequenced strains, it is necessary to carefully check the presence, sequence, and distribution of any individual gene of interest.This work is supported by a Wellcome Trust Advanced Fellowship
The law-morality relation revisited: A challenge to established traditions by the Australian sceptical approach
No full textThree long-established, competing frameworks for understanding the law-morality relation - the individual reason-based tradition (represented here by Rawls), the communitarian tradition (MacIntyre and Cotterrell) and the utilitarian or positivist tradition (Austin and Hart) - are challenged by some research into early modern thinkers like Hobbes, Hale, Pufendorf and Thomasius. More specifically, I use some work by Ian Hunter and David Saunders to present an approach to law-morality which I call the Australian sceptical approach. I present and promote this approach in terms of its two main features. The first is its use of historical research into a particular use of law in early modern Europe, by which law was combined with a pointedly restricted understanding of Western morality in a bid to stop the carnage being caused by religious wars - wars fought over competing visions of morality. The second is its deployment of this and other historical evidence in polemics against traditions that impose on the past and the present an over-arching philosophical position about, or theory of, law-morality, often in the service of arguments against the idea of law as a neutral instrument used to attain civil peace
Self-compression of 4.9 µm pulses to sub-40 fs with 2 mJ energy in Zinc Sulfide
No full textNonlinear self-compression of few-cycle multi-mJ pulses at 4.9 µm in ZnS is presented. 80 fs input pulses are compressed to 37 fs with 2.1 mJ energy at a 1 kHz repetition rate. © 2024 The Author(s
Correction to: Chamoun et al., Bacterial pathogenesis and interleukin-17: interconnecting mechanisms of immune regulation, host genetics, and microbial virulence that influence severity of infection
No full textChamoun MN, Blumenthal A, Sullivan MJ, Schembri MA, Ulett GC. 2018. Bacterial pathogenesis and interleukin-17: interconnecting mechanisms of immune regulation, host genetics, and microbial virulence that influence severity of infection. Critical Reviews in Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1040841X.2018.1426556.
When the above article was first published online, the below three corrections were missed.
The author ‘Antje Blumenthal’ was wrongly affiliated to the affiliation “cSchool of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, and Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia”. Now this affiliation has been removed for this author.
The affiliation ‘bTranslational Research Institute, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Woolloongabba, Australia’ of the author ‘Antje Blumenthal’ should read ‘bThe University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia’.
In Table 3, the sentence ‘Benefit of manipulating IL-17 levels to improve immunization strategies M. tuberculosis’ should read “Benefit of manipulating IL-17 levels to improve immunization strategies against M. tuberculosis”.No Full Tex
Histology of the Human Eye. An Atlas and Textbook (Annotations)
No full textGeneral textbook of ophthalmic histology.Hogan, MJ; Alvarado, JA & Weddell, JE. (1971). Histology of the Human Eye. An Atlas and Textbook. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 687 p
Dose-dependent new bone formation by extracorporeal shock wave application on the intact femur of rabbits
No full textBackground: Whereas various molecular working mechanisms of shock waves have been demonstrated, no study has assessed in detail the influence of varying energy flux densities (EFD) on new bone formation in vivo. Methods: Thirty Chinchilla bastard rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 groups (EFD 0.0, 0.35, 0.5, 0.9 and 1.2 mJ/mm(2)) and treated with extracorporeal shock waves at the distal femoral region (1,500 pulses; 1 Hz frequency). To investigate new bone formation, animals were injected with oxytetracycline at days 5-9 after shock wave application and sacrificed on day 10. Histological sections of all animals were examined using broad-band epifluorescent illumination, contact microradiography and Giemsa-Eosin staining. Results: Application of shock waves induced new bone formation beginning with 0.5 mJ/mm(2) EFD and increasing with 0.9 mJ/mm(2) and 1.2 mJ/mm(2). The latter EFD resulted in new bone formation also on the dorsal cortical bone; cortical fractures and periosteal detachment also occurred. Conclusion: Here, for the first time, a threshold level is presented for new bone formation after applying shock waves to intact bone in vivo. The findings of this study are of considerable significance for preventing unwanted side effects in new approaches in the clinical application of shock waves. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
Generation of 22-mJ, 2.0-ps Pulses from a 1-kHz Ho:YLF Regenerative Chirped Pulse Amplifier
No full textWe report a CW-pumped Ho:YLF regenerative amplifier (RA) delivering pulses with 22.5-mJ energy and 2.0-ps duration at 1 kHz. The RA emitting at 2051 nm is broadband-seeded and implemented in a chirped pulse amplification system. © 2024 The Author(s
Identification of nine new susceptibility loci for testicular cancer, including variants near DAZL and PRDM14.
No full textTesticular germ cell tumor (TGCT) is the most common cancer in young men and is notable for its high familial risks. So far, six loci associated with TGCT have been reported. From genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis of 307,291 SNPs in 986 TGCT cases and 4,946 controls, we selected for follow-up 694 SNPs, which we genotyped in a further 1,064 TGCT cases and 10,082 controls from the UK. We identified SNPs at nine new loci (1q22, 1q24.1, 3p24.3, 4q24, 5q31.1, 8q13.3, 16q12.1, 17q22 and 21q22.3) showing association with TGCT (P < 5 × 10(-8)), which together account for an additional 4-6% of the familial risk of TGCT. The loci include genes plausibly related to TGCT development. PRDM14, at 8q13.3, is essential for early germ cell specification, and DAZL, at 3p24.3, is required for the regulation of germ cell development. Furthermore, PITX1, at 5q31.1, regulates TERT expression and is the third TGCT-associated locus implicated in telomerase regulation
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