The dynamics and excitation of torsional waves in geodynamo simulations

The predominant force balance in rapidly rotating planetary cores is between Coriolis, pressure, buoyancy and Lorentz forces. This magnetostrophic balance leads to a Taylor state where the spatially averaged azimuthal Lorentz force is compelled to vanish on cylinders aligned with the rotation axis. Any deviation from this state leads to a torsional oscillation, signatures of which have been observed in the Earth's secular variation and are thought to influence length of day variations via angular momentum conservation. In order to investigate the dynamics of torsional oscillations (TOs), we perform several 3-D dynamo simulations in a spherical shell. We find TOs, identified by their propagation at the correct Alfvén speed, in many of our simulations. We find that the frequency, location and direction of propagation of the waves are influenced by the choice of parameters. Torsional waves are observed within the tangent cylinder and also have the ability to pass through it. Several of our simulations display waves with core traveltimes of 4–6 yr. We calculate the driving terms for these waves and find that both the Reynolds force and ageostrophic convection acting through the Lorentz force are important in driving TOs

Short-term Response of Holcus lanatus L. (Common Velvetgrass) to Chemical and Manual Control at Yosemite National Park, USA

One of the highest priority invasive species at both Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks is Holcus lanatus L. (common velvetgrass), a perennial bunchgrass that invades mid-elevation montane meadows. Despite velvetgrass being a high priority species, there is little information available on control techniques. The goal of this project was to evaluate the short-term response of a single application of common chemical and manual velvetgrass control techniques. The study was conducted at three montane sites in Yosemite National Park. Glyphosate spotspray treatments were applied at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% concentrations, and compared with hand pulling to evaluate effects on cover of common velvetgrass, cover of other plant species, and community species richness. Posttreatment year 1 cover of common velvetgrass was 12.1% 6 1.6 in control plots, 6.3% 6 1.5 averaged over the four chemical treatments (all chemical treatments performed similarly), and 13.6% 6 1.7 for handpulled plots. This represents an approximately 50% reduction in common velvetgrass cover in chemically- treated plots recoded posttreatment year 1 and no statistically significant reduction in hand pulled plots compared with controls. However, there was no treatment effect in posttreatment year 2, and all herbicide application rates performed similarly. In addition, there were no significant treatment effects on nontarget species or species richness. These results suggest that for this level of infestation and habitat type, (1) one year of hand pulling is not an effective control method and (2) glyphosate provides some level of control in the short-term without impact to nontarget plant species, but the effect is temporary as a single year of glyphosate treatment is ineffective over a twoyear period

A response to the House of Commons Education Committee report on Multi-Academy Trusts

The number of schools joining multi-academy trusts has grown over the last five years, and it is expected that this growth will continue. The House of Commons Education Committee has, as a result, looked into the performance and role of these trusts. Steven J Courtney, Ruth McGinity, Steven Jones, Robert Hindle, Stephen M Rayner and Belinda Hughes focus on four key aspects of the Committee’s report and argue that broader questions about the government’s policy remain untouched

The Fornax Spectroscopic Survey: The Number of Unresolved Compact Galaxies

We describe a sample of thirteen bright (18.5<Bj<20.1) compact galaxies at low redshift (0.05<z<0.21) behind the Fornax Cluster. These galaxies are unresolved on UK Schmidt sky survey plates, so would be missing from most galaxy catalogs compiled from this material. The objects were found during initial observations of The Fornax Spectroscopic Survey. This project is using the Two-degree Field spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain spectra for a complete sample of all 14000 objects, stellar and non-stellar, with 16.5<Bj<19.7, in a 12 square degree area centered on the Fornax cluster of galaxies. The surface density of compact galaxies with magnitudes 16.5<Bj<19.7 is 7+/-3 /sq.deg., representing 2.8+/-1.6% of all local (z<0.2) galaxies to this limit. There are 12+/-3 /sq.deg. with 16.5<Bj<20.2. They are luminous (-21.5<Mb<-18.0, for H0=50 km/s/mpc) and most have strong emission lines (H alpha equivalent widths of 40-200 A) and small sizes typical of luminous HII galaxies and compact narrow emission line galaxies. Four out of thirteen have red colors and early-type spectra, so are unlikely to have been detected in any previous surveys.Comment: LaTeX source; 5 pages including 3 figures; uses emulateapj.st

A microRNA cluster in the Fragile-X region expressed during spermatogenesis targets FMR1.

Testis-expressed X-linked genes typically evolve rapidly. Here, we report on a testis-expressed X-linked microRNA (miRNA) cluster that despite rapid alterations in sequence has retained its position in the Fragile-X region of the X chromosome in placental mammals. Surprisingly, the miRNAs encoded by this cluster (Fx-mir) have a predilection for targeting the immediately adjacent gene, Fmr1, an unexpected finding given that miRNAs usually act in trans, not in cis Robust repression of Fmr1 is conferred by combinations of Fx-mir miRNAs induced in Sertoli cells (SCs) during postnatal development when they terminate proliferation. Physiological significance is suggested by the finding that FMRP, the protein product of Fmr1, is downregulated when Fx-mir miRNAs are induced, and that FMRP loss causes SC hyperproliferation and spermatogenic defects. Fx-mir miRNAs not only regulate the expression of FMRP, but also regulate the expression of eIF4E and CYFIP1, which together with FMRP form a translational regulatory complex. Our results support a model in which Fx-mir family members act cooperatively to regulate the translation of batteries of mRNAs in a developmentally regulated manner in SCs

Infrared and Raman screening of seized novel psychoactive substances:a large scale study of >200 samples

The potential of IR absorption and Raman spectroscopy for rapid identification of novel psychoactive sub- stances (NPS) has been tested using a set of 221 unsorted seized samples suspected of containing NPS. Both IR and Raman spectra showed large variation between the different sub-classifications of NPS and smaller, but still distinguishable, differences between closely related compounds within the same class. In initial tests, screening the samples using spectral searching against a limited reference library allowed only 41% of the samples to be fully identified. The limiting factor in the identification was the large number of active compounds in the seized samples for which no reference vibrational data were available in the libraries rather than poor spectral quality. Therefore, when 33 of these compounds were independently identified by NMR and mass spectrometry and their spectra used to extend the libraries, the percentage of samples identified by IR and Raman screening alone increased to 76%, with only 7% of samples having no identifiable constituents. This study, which is the largest of its type ever carried out, therefore demon- strates that this approach of detecting non-matching samples and then identifying them using standard analytical methods has considerable potential in NPS screening since it allows rapid identification of the constituents of the majority of street quality samples. Only one complete feedback cycle was carried out in this study but there is clearly the potential to carry out continuous identification/updating when this system is used in operational settings

Effect of fish meal source on nursery pig performance

Citation: Jones, A. M., Woodworth, J. C., Goodband, R. D., Tokach, M. D., Dritz, S. S., & DeRouchey, J. M. (2016). Effect of fish meal source on nursery pig performance. Journal of Animal Science, 94, 94-94. doi:10.2527/msasas2016-199A total of 350 pigs (DNA Line 200 × 400; initially 6.5 ± 0.09 kg BW; 21 d of age) were used in a 14-d experiment to determine the effects of fish meal source on nursery pig performance. Pigs were randomly allotted to pens at weaning (d 0) and were fed a common starter diet for 7 d. On d 7, pens of pigs were randomly allotted by BW to 1 of 7 dietary treatments (10 pens/treatment and 5 pigs/pen) in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based that contained 10% dried whey and none (Control) or 3 or 6% fish meal from 1 of 3 sources (IPC 790 Fish Meal, The Scoular Company, Minneapolis, MN; Special Select Menhaden Fish Meal, Omega Proteins, Houston, TX; and Daybrook LT Prime Menhaden Fish Meal, Daybrook Fisheries, Morristown, NJ). All fish meal sources were from the 2014 catch year. All samples of fish meal contained less than 0.15% total volatile N suggesting high quality. A source × level interaction (P < 0.05) for ADG and final BW was observed as increasing levels of IPC 790 improved ADG; however, pigs fed Special Select and LT Prime fish meal only saw improvement when 3% was included. While no differences were observed between treatments for ADFI, there was a source × level interaction for G:F (Linear P = 0.005). This was a result of G:F linearly improving as IPC 790 increased, with pigs fed 3% Special Select or LT Prime having similar performance to 6% IPC 790, but no further improvement thereafter. In conclusion, adding 3% of any fish meal source improved ADG and G:F; however, only pigs fed IPC 790 had a further improvement in ADG when 6% was fed