Physics case of the very high energy electron--proton collider, VHEeP

The possibility of a very high energy electron-proton (VHEeP) collider with a centre-of-mass energy of 9 TeV has been presented at previous workshops. These proceedings briefly summarise the VHEeP concept, which was recently published, and developments since then, as well as future directions. At the VHEeP collider, with a centre-of-mass energy 30 times greater than HERA, parton momentum fractions, $x$, down to about $10^{-8}$ are accessible for photon virtualities, $Q^2$, of 1 GeV$^2$. This extension in the kinematic range to low $x$ complements proposals for other electron-proton or electron-ion colliders.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, for proceedings of DIS 2017 worksho

Potential impacts of advanced technologies on the ATC capacity of high-density terminal areas

Advanced technologies for airborne systems (automatic flight control, flight displays, navigation) and for ground ATC systems (digital communications, improved surveillance and tracking, automated decision-making) create the possibility of advanced ATC operations and procedures which can bring increased capacity for runway systems. A systematic analysis is carried out to identify certain such advanced ATC operations, and then to evaluate the potential benefits occurring over time at typical US high-density airports (Denver and Boston). The study is divided into three parts: (1) A Critical Examination of Factors Which Determine Operational Capacity of Runway Systems at Major Airports, is an intensive review of current US separation criteria and terminal area ATC operations. It identifies 11 new methods to increase the capacity of landings and takeoffs for runway systems; (2) Development of Risk Based Separation Criteria is the development of a rational structure for establishing reduced ATC separation criteria which meet a consistent Target Level of Safety using advanced technology and operational procedures; and (3) Estimation of Capacity Benefits from Advanced Terminal Area Operations - Denver and Boston, provides an estimate of the overall annual improvement in runway capacity which might be expected at Denver and Boston from using some of the advanced ATC procedures developed in Part 1. Whereas Boston achieved a substantial 37% increase, Denver only achieved a 4.7% increase in its overall annual capacity

Pollution responsibility allocation in supply networks: A game-theoretic approach and a case study

This study introduces a cooperative game theory approach aimed at addressing the problem of allocating pollution responsibility across partners collaborating in supply networks. The proposed framework includes three different allocation rules through which companies can share pollution responsibility across complex supply networks. A case study in the context of a supply network for the manufacturing of construction materials is illustrated for demonstrating the real-world applicability of the approach

Intrapartum epidural analgesia and breastfeeding: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Anecdotal reports suggest that the addition of fentanyl (an opioid) to epidural analgesia for women during childbirth results in difficulty establishing breastfeeding. The aim of this paper is to determine any association between epidural analgesia and 1) breastfeeding in the first week postpartum and 2) breastfeeding cessation during the first 24 weeks postpartum. METHODS A prospective cohort study of 1280 women aged > or = 16 years, who gave birth to a single live infant in the Australian Capital Territory in 1997 was conducted. Women completed questionnaires at weeks 1, 8, 16 and 24 postpartum. Breastfeeding information was collected in each of the four surveys and women were categorised as either fully breastfeeding, partially breastfeeding or not breastfeeding at all. Women who had stopped breastfeeding since the previous survey were asked when they stopped. RESULTS In the first week postpartum, 93% of women were either fully or partially breastfeeding their baby and 60% were continuing to breastfeed at 24 weeks. Intrapartum analgesia and type of birth were associated with partial breastfeeding and breastfeeding difficulties in the first postpartum week (p < 0.0001). Analgesia, maternal age and education were associated with breastfeeding cessation in the first 24 weeks (p < 0.0001), with women who had epidurals being more likely to stop breastfeeding than women who used non-pharmacological methods of pain relief (adjusted hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.53, 2.67). CONCLUSION Women in this cohort who had epidurals were less likely to fully breastfeed their infant in the few days after birth and more likely to stop breastfeeding in the first 24 weeks. Although this relationship may not be causal, it is important that women at higher risk of breastfeeding cessation are provided with adequate breastfeeding assistance and support.Christine Roberts is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Public Health Practitioner Fellowship and Siranda Torvaldsen is supported by a NHMRC Australian Research Training Fellowship. The cohort study was supported by a project grant from The Canberra Hospital Private Practice Fund. Additional funding was provided by The Canberra Hospital Auxiliary, the Nurses' Board of the Australian Capital Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory Department of Health & Community Care

Teaching sustainability and stewardship workshop 1: Collaborative approach to developing engagement with science and religion: Exploring sustainability in an international learning community

Workshop 1 introduces a collaborative approach to developing engagement with science and religion, by exploring sustainability in an international learning community of teachers based in Pakistan and England. The aim of the session was to begin to explore sustainability through science and religious worldviews. Participants were invited to: 1. Explore the meaning of the term ‘sustainability’ 2. Consider the relationship between science and religion 3. Reflect on the nature and communication of knowledge 4. Explore the Learning Community Blackboar

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays from Quark Novae

We explore acceleration of ions in the Quark Nova (QN) scenario, where a neutron star experiences an explosive phase transition into a quark star (born in the propeller regime). In this picture, two cosmic ray components are isolated: one related to the randomized pulsar wind and the other to the propelled wind, both boosted by the ultra-relativistic Quark Nova shock. The latter component acquires energies $10^{15} {\rm eV}<E<10^{18} {\rm eV}$ while the former, boosted pulsar wind, achieves ultra-high energies $E> 10^{18.6}$ eV. The composition is dominated by ions present in the pulsar wind in the energy range above $10^{18.6}$ eV, while at energies below $10^{18}$ eV the propelled ejecta, consisting of the fall-back neutron star crust material from the explosion, is the dominant one. Added to these two components, the propeller injects relativistic particles with Lorentz factors $\Gamma_{\rm prop.} \sim 1-1000$, later to be accelerated by galactic supernova shocks. The QN model appears to be able to account for the extragalactic cosmic rays above the ankle and to contribute a few percent of the galactic cosmic rays below the ankle. We predict few hundred ultra-high energy cosmic ray events above $10^{19}$ eV for the Pierre Auger detector per distant QN, while some thousands are predicted for the proposed EUSO and OWL detectors.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure. Major revisions in the text. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Measurements of nonmethane hydrocarbons in 28 United States cities

Between 1999 and 2005 a sampling campaign was conducted to identify and quantify the major species of atmospheric nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) in United States cities. Whole air canister samples were collected in 28 cities and analyzed for methane, carbon monoxide (CO) and NMHCs. Ambient mixing ratios exhibited high inter- and intra-city variability, often having standard deviations in excess of 50% of the mean value. For this reason, ratios of individual NMHC to CO, a combustion tracer, were examined to facilitate comparison between cities. Ratios were taken from correlation plots between the species of interest and CO, and most NMHCs were found to have correlation coefficients (r2) greater than 0.6, particularly ethene, ethyne and benzene, highlighting the influence of vehicular emissions on NMHC mixing ratios. Notable exceptions were the short-chain alkanes, which generally had poor correlations with CO. Ratios of NMHC vs. CO were also used to identify those cities with unique NMHC sources. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The nuclear spectrum of the radio galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A)

We present near-infrared spectra of the nuclear disk in the nearby radio galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A). On the basis of the observed strengths of the [S III] 0.9532um and [Fe II] 1.2567um lines, we classify NGC 5128 as a LINER. Modeling of the strengths of these and additional lines suggests that the nuclear region is powered by shocks rather than photoionization.Comment: 12 pages including 2 figures, accepted by ApJ Letter

Development of Replacement Heifers using Combinations of Three Forage Types and Feed Supplements (with or without Broiler Litter)

The proper management of replacement heifers is an essential component of successful cow/calf operations. The level of management and nutrition applied to replacement heifers as calves and yearlings can impact their subsequent reproductive performance and productivity

Matrix String Theory and its Moduli Space

The correspondence between Matrix String Theory in the strong coupling limit and IIA superstring theory can be shown by means of the instanton solutions of the former. We construct the general instanton solutions of Matrix String Theory which interpolate between given initial and final string configurations. Each instanton is characterized by a Riemann surface of genus h with n punctures, which is realized as a plane curve. We study the moduli space of such plane curves and find out that, at finite N, it is a discretized version of the moduli space of Riemann surfaces: instead of 3h-3+n its complex dimensions are 2h-3+n, the remaining h dimensions being discrete. It turns out that as $N$ tends to infinity, these discrete dimensions become continuous, and one recovers the full moduli space of string interaction theory.Comment: 30 pages, LaTeX, JHEP.cls class file, minor correction