The future role of government in knowledge-based economies

In this article, we draw together aspects of contemporary theories of knowledge (particularly organisational knowledge) and complexity theory to demonstrate how appropriate conceptual rigor enables both the role of government and the directions of policy development in knowledge-based economies to be identified. Specifically we ask, what is the role of government in helping shape the knowledge society of the future? We argue that knowledge policy regimes must go beyond the modes of policy analysis currently used in innovation, information and technology policy because they are based in an industrial rather than post-industrial analytical framework. We also argue that if we are to develop knowledge-based economies, more encompassing images of the future than currently obtain in policy discourse are required. We therefore seek to stimulate and provoke an array of lines of thought about government and policy for such economies. Our objective is to focus on ideas more than argument and persuasion.

An equivalent waveguide approach to designing of reflect arrays with the use of variable-size microstrip patches

An equivalent unit cell waveguide approach (WGA) is described to study the behavior of a multilayer reflect array of variable-size patches/dipoles, The approach considers normal incidence of a plane wave on an infinite periodic array of identical radiating elements and introduces an equivalent unit cell waveguide to obtain the reflection coefficient. A field matching technique and method of moments (MoM) is used to determine fields in different layers of the equivalent waveguide. Good agreements for the phase of the reflection coefficient between the proposed model and those published in selected literatures are obtained. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Design, development, and testing of X-band amplifying reflectarrays

The design and development of two X-band amplifying reflectarrays is presented. The arrays use dual-polarized aperture coupled patch antennas with FET transistors and phasing circuits to amplify a microwave signal and to radiate it in a chosen direction. Two cases are considered, one when a reflectarray converts a spherical wave due to a feed horn into a plane wave radiated into a boresight direction, and two, when the reflectarray converts a spherical wave due to a dual-polarized four-element feed array into a co-focal spherical wave. This amplified signal is received in an orthogonal port of the feed array so that the entire structure acts as a spatial power combiner. The two amplifying arrays are tested in the near-field zone for phase distribution over their apertures to achieve the required beam formation. Alternatively, their radiation patterns or gains are investigated.

Location of innervation zones of sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles - a basis for clinical and research electromyography applications

Objectives: Advances in surface electromyography (sEMG) techniques provide a clear indication that refinement of electrode location relative to innervation zones (IZ) is required in order to optimise the accuracy, relevance and repeatability of the sEMG signals. The aim of this study was to identify the IZ for the sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene muscles to provide guidelines for electrode positioning for future clinical and research applications. Methods: Eleven volunteer subjects participated in this study. Myoelectric signals were detected from the sternal and clavicular heads of the stemocleidomastoid and the anterior scalene muscles bilaterally using a linear array of 8 electrodes during isometric cervical flexion contractions. The signals were reviewed and the IZ(s) were identified, marked on the subjects' skin and measurements were obtained relative to selected anatomical landmarks. Results: The position of the IZ lay consistently around the mid-point or in the superior portion of the muscles studied. Conclusions: Results suggest that electrodes should be positioned over the lower portion of the muscle and not the mid-point, which has been commonly used in previous studies. Recommendations for sensor placement on these muscles should assist investigators and clinicians to ensure improved validity in future sEMG applications. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the flow field of a highly heated jet of air

Measurements of mean and fluctuating velocity and temperature and their self- and cross-products to the third-order are presented for a heated axisymmetric air jet. Froude numbers in the range of 3500 13,190, Reynolds numbers in the range of 3470-8500 and non-dimensional streamwise distances. X*, from 0.27 to 1.98 are covered by the data. It was found that turbulence intensity decreases for the heated jet in the region between the inertia dominated and the buoyancy dominated regions which is contrary to findings with helium jets mixing with ambient air to produce density fluctuations. The effects of heating on the turbulent kinetic energy budget and the temperature variance budget show small differences for the inertia dominated region and the intermediate region which help to explain the transition process to the far field plume region. Constants are evaluated for the isotropic eddy diffusivity and generalised gradient hypothesis models as well as the scalar variance model. No significant effect of heating on the dissipation time-scale ratio was found. A novel wire array with an inclined cold wire was used. Measurements obtained with this probe are found to lead to asymmetries in some of the higher-order products. Further investigation suggested that the asymmetries are attributable to an as yet unreported interference effect produced by the leading prong of the inclined temperature wire, The effect may also have implications for inclined velocity wires which contain a temperature component when used in heated flows. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Boundary-layer transition measurements in hypervelocity flows in a shock tunnel

Experiments to investigate the transition process in hypervelocity boundary layers were performed in the T4 free-piston shock tunnel. An array of thin-film heat-transfer gauges was used to detect the location and extent of the transitional region on a 1500 mm long x 120 turn wide flat plate, which formed one of the walls of a duct. The experiments were performed in a Mach 6 flow of air with 6- and 12-MJ/kg nozzle-supply enthalpies at unit Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.6 x 10(6) to 4.9 x 10(6) m(-1). The results show that the characteristics typical of transition taking place through the initiation, growth, and merger of turbulent spots are evident in the heat-transfer signals. A 2-mm-high excrescence located 440 turn from the leading edge was found to be capable of generating a turbulent wedge within an otherwise laminar boundary layer at a unit Reynolds number of 2.6 x 10(6) m(-1) at the 6-MJ/kg condition. A tripping strip, located 100 mm from the leading edge and consisting of a line 37 teeth of 2 rum height equally spaced and spanning the test surface, was also found to be capable of advancing the transition location at the same condition and at the higher enthalpy condition.

Different mineralization styles in a volcanic-hosted ore deposit: the fluid and isotopic signatures of the Mt Morgan Au-Cu deposit, Australia

Quantitative laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS analyses of fluid inclusions, trace element chemistry of sulfides, stable isotope (S), and Pb isotopes have been used to discriminate the formation of two contrasting mineralization styles and to evaluate the origin of the Cu and Au at Mt Morgan. The Mt Morgan Au-Cu deposit is hosted by Devonian felsic volcanic rocks that have been intruded by multiple phases of the Mt Morgan Tonalite, a low-K, low-Al2O3 tonalite-trondhjemite-dacite (TTD) complex. An early, barren massive sulfide mineralization with stringer veins is conforming to VHMS sub-seafloor replacement processes, whereas the high-grade Au-Cu. ore is associated with a later quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite stock work mineralization that is related to intrusive phases of the Tonalite complex. LA-ICP-MS fluid inclusion analyses reveal high As (avg. 8850 ppm) and Sb (avg. 140 ppm) for the Au-Cu mineralization and 5 to 10 times higher Cu concentration than in the fluids associated with the massive pyrite mineralization. Overall, the hydrothermal system of Mt Morgan is characterized by low average fluid salinities in both mineralization styles (45-80% seawater salinity) and temperatures of 210 to 270 degreesC estimated from fluid inclusions. Laser Raman Spectroscopic analysis indicates a consistent and uniform array Of CO2-bearing fluids. Comparison with active submarine hydrothermal vents shows an enrichment of the Mt Morgan fluids in base metals. Therefore, a seawater-dominated fluid is assumed for the barren massive sulfide mineralization, whereas magmatic volatile contributions are implied for the intrusive related mineralization. Condensation of magmatic vapor into a seawater-dominated environment explains the CO2 occurrence, the low salinities, and the enriched base and precious metal fluid composition that is associated with the Au-Cu. mineralization. The sulfur isotope signature of pyrite and chalcopyrite is composed of fractionated Devonian seawater and oxidized magmatic fluids or remobilized sulfur from existing sulfides. Pb isotopes indicate that Au and Cu. originated from the Mt Morgan intrusions and a particular volcanic strata that shows elevated Cu background. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Single mode Lamb waves in composite laminated plates generated by piezoelectric transducers

The technique of permanently attaching piezoelectric transducers to structural surfaces has demonstrated great potential for quantitative non-destructive evaluation and smart materials design. For thin structural members such as composite laminated plates, it has been well recognized that guided Lamb wave techniques can provide a very sensitive and effective means for large area interrogation. However, since in these applications multiple wave modes are generally generated and the individual modes are usually dispersive, the received signals are very complex and difficult to interpret. An attractive way to deal with this problem has recently been introduced by applying piezoceramic transducer arrays or interdigital transducer (IDT) technologies. In this paper, the acoustic wave field in composite laminated plates excited by piezoceramic transducer arrays or IDT is investigated. Based on dynamic piezoelectricity theory, a discrete layer theory and a multiple integral transform method, an analytical-numerical approach is developed to evaluate the input impedance characteristics of the transducer and the surface velocity response of the plate. The method enables the quantitative evaluation of the influence of the electrical characteristics of the excitation circuit, the geometric and piezoelectric properties of the transducer array, and the mechanical and geometrical features of the laminate. Numerical results are presented to validate the developed method and show the ability of single wave mode selection and isolation. The results show that the interaction between individual elements of the piezoelectric array has a significant influence on the performance of the IDT, and these effects can not be neglected even in the case of low frequency excitation. It is also demonstrated that adding backing materials to the transducer elements can be used to improve the excitability of specific wave modes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural changes in mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films upon nanoparticle formation

The formation of CdS nanoparticles by reacting mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films of arachidic acid and either octadecylamine or dimethyldioctadecylammonium nitrate on a cadmium-containing subphase with hydrogen sulfide gas has resulted in the identification of a number of structural changes, observed using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. In the case of octadecylamine, the structure after reaction is a hexagonal close-packed array of surfactant-stabilized nanoclusters, with a lattice constant of a = 17.65 Angstrom. In both octadecylamine and dimethyldioctadecylammonium nitrate films, the presence of a unit cell tilted at 38degrees to the plane of the substrate was found. Despite these changes, the average nanoparticle size was unaffected by the addition of either second component to the film.

Design of microchannel free-space optical interconnects based on vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays

We investigate the design of free-space optical interconnects (FSOIs) based on arrays of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), microlenses, and photodetectors. We explain the effect of the modal structure of a multimodeVCSEL beam on the performance of a FSOI with microchannel architecture. A Gaussian-beam diffraction model is used in combination with the experimentally obtained spectrally resolved VCSEL beam profiles to determine the optical channel crosstalk and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the system. The dependence of the SNR on the feature parameters of a FSOI is investigated. We found that the presence of higher-order modes reduces the SNR and the maximum feasible interconnect distance. We also found that the positioning of a VCSEL array relative to the transmitter microlens has a significant impact on the SNR and the maximum feasible interconnect distance. Our analysis shows that the departure from the traditional confocal system yields several advantages including the extended interconnect distance and/or improved SNR. The results show that FSOIs based on multimode VCSELs can be efficiently utilized in both chip-level and board-level interconnects. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.

Ecological responses to recent climate change

There is now ample evidence of the ecological impacts of recent climate change, from polar terrestrial to tropical marine environments. The responses of both flora and fauna span an array of ecosystems and organizational hierarchies, from the species to the community levels. Despite continued uncertainty as to community and ecosystem trajectories under global change, our review exposes a coherent pattern of ecological change across systems. Although we are only at an early stage in the projected trends of global warming, ecological responses to recent climate change are already clearly visible.

Movement through slits: cellular migration via the Slit family

First isolated in the fly and now characterised in vertebrates, the Slit proteins have emerged as pivotal components controlling the guidance of axonal growth cones and the directional migration of neuronal precursors. As well as extensive expression during development of the central nervous system (CNS), the Slit proteins exhibit a striking array of expression sites in non-neuronal tissues, including the urogenital system, limb primordia and developing eye. Zebrafish Slit has been shown to mediate mesodermal migration during gastrulation, while Drosophila slit guides the migration of mesodermal cells during myogenesis. This suggests that the actions of these secreted molecules are not simply confined to the sphere of CNS development, but rather act in a more general fashion during development and throughout the lifetime of an organism. This review focuses on the non-neuronal activities of Slit proteins, highlighting a common role for the Slit family in cellular migration.

Decreased expression of the Id3 gene at 1p36.1 in ovarian adenocarcinomas

The molecular events that drive the initiation and progression of ovarian adenocarcinoma are not well defined. We have investigated changes in gene expression in ovarian cancer cell lines compared to an immortalized human ovarian surface epithelial cell line (HOSE) using a cDNA array. We identified 17 genes that were under-expressed and 10 genes that were over-expressed in the cell lines compared to the HOSE cells. One of the genes under-expressed in the ovarian cancer cell lines, Id3, a transcriptional inactivator, was selected for further investigation. Id3 mRNA was expressed at reduced levels in 6 out of 9 ovarian cancer cell lines compared to the HOSE cells while at the protein level, all 7 ovarian cancer cell lines examined expressed the Id3 protein at greatly reduced levels. Expression of Id3 mRNA was also examined in primary ovarian tumours and was found in only 12/38 (32%) cases. A search was conducted far mutations of Id3 in primary ovarian cancers using single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Only one nucleotide substitution, present also in the corresponding constitutional DNA, was found in 94 ovarian tumours. Furthermore no association was found between LOH at 1p36 and lack of expression of Id3. These data suggest that Id3 is not the target of LOH at 1p36. (C) 2001 Cancer Research Campaign.

Ultrastructure of the mature spermatozoa of caecilians (Amphibia : Gymnophiona)

The spermatozoa of Gymnophiona show the following autapomorphies: 1) penetration of the distal centriole by the axial fiber; 2) presence of an acrosomal baseplate; 3) presence of an acrosome seat (flattened apical end of nucleus); and 4) absence of juxta-axonemal fibers. The wide separation of the plasma membrane bounding the undulating membrane is here also considered to be apomorphic. Three plesiomorphic spermatozoal characters are recognized that are not seen in other Amphibia but occur in basal amniotes: 1) presence of mitochondria with a delicate array of concentric cristae (concentric cristae of salamander spermatozoa differ in lacking the delicate array); 2) presence of peripheral dense fibers associated with the triplets of the distal centriole; and 3) presence of a simple annulus (a highly modified, elongate annulus is present in salamander sperm). The presence of an endonuclear canal containing a perforatorium is a plesiomorphic feature of caecilian spermatozoa that is shared with urodeles, some basal anurans, sarcopterygian fish, and some amniotes. Spermatozoal synapornorphies are identified for 1) the Uraeotyphlidae and Ichthyophiidae, an 2) the Caeciliidae and Typhlonectidae, suggesting that the members of each pair of families are more closely related to each other than to other caecilians. Although caecilian spermatozoa exhibit the clear amphibian synapomorphy of the unilateral location of the undulating membrane and its axial fiber, they have no apomorphic characters that suggest a closer relationship to either the Urodela or Axiura. J. Morphol. 258:179-192, 2003. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.