Converting a series in \lambda to a series in \lambda^{-1}

We introduce a transformation for converting a series in a parameter, \lambda, to a series in the inverse of the parameter \lambda^{-1}. By applying the transform on simple examples, it becomes apparent that there exist relations between convergent and divergent series, and also between large- and small-coupling expansions. The method is also applied to the divergent series expansion of Euler-Heisenberg-Schwinger result for the one-loop effective action for constant background magnetic (or electric) field. The transform may help us gain some insight about the nature of both divergent (Borel or non-Borel summable series) and convergent series and their relationship, and how both could be used for analytical and numerical calculations.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 3 figures; Typos corrected. To appear in Journal of Physics A: Math and Ge

A Comparison of N\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO Emissions After Application of Dairy Slurry on Perennial Grass or Bare Soil Prior to Planting an Annual Crop in Coastal British Columbia, Canada

Because of restrictions on land application of manure in autumn and winter, dairy farmers in coastal British Columbia (BC) must apply half of their annual manure supply from mid-Feb. to mid-April. Although two thirds of their land is in perennial grass, most of this manure is applied to bare soil, usually maize land, prior to planting. This is done for convenience and to avoid damaging grass stands with equipment traffic. Farmers are encouraged to allocate more manure to grass to minimise soil NO3 concentrations after maize harvest, because maize takes up less N than grass, and the bare fields after harvest are subject to wintertime leaching. However, the effect of this practice on emissions of N2O is not known. Our objective was to compare the effect of spring application of manure on bare land and on grass with respect to emissions of N2O. A second objective was to compare early, late and split applications of manure

Assessment of emergency medical services in the Ashanti region of Ghana

Background: We aimed to assess the structure, function and performance of Ashanti Region’s emergency medical services system in the context of the regional need for prehospital emergency care.Design: A mixed-methods approach was employed, using retrospective collection of quantitative data and prospectively gathered qualitative data. Setting – pertinent data were collected from Ghanaian and international sources; interviews and technical assessments were performed primarily in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.Participants: All stakeholders relevant to emergency medical services in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were assessed; there was a special focus on National Ambulance Service (NAS) and Ashanti Region healthcare personnel.Intervention: This was an observational study using qualitative and quantitative assessment techniques.Main outcome measures: The structure, function and performance of the Ashanti emergency medical services system, guided by a relevant technical assessment framework.Results: NAS is the premier and only true prehospital agency in the Ashanti Region. NAS has developed almost every essential aspect of an EMS system necessary to achieve its mission within a low-resource setting. NAS continues to increase its number of response units to address the overwhelming Ashanti region demand, especially primary calls. Deficient areas in need of development are governance, reliable revenue, public access, community integration, clinical care guidelines, research and quality assurance processes.Conclusions: The Ashanti Region has a growing and thriving emergency medical services system. Although many essential areas for development were identified, NAS is well poised to meet the regional demand for prehospital emergency care and transport.Keywords: EMS, prehospital, ambulance, emergency, Ghana, Afric

Multi-Year Application of Dairy Slurry on Grassland: Effects on Crop, Soil Biota, Soil Nutrients, and N\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO Emission

The long-term effects of using manure as the principal nutrient source in intensive crop production systems are not well known. This paper reports on the effects of multi-year application of fertilizer or dairy slurry on a tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) sward. Slurry sustained greater grass yield than chemical fertilizer. Unlike fertilizer, slurry supplied 70 to 120 kg N/ha one year after application but little after one year; 4-years of manure applications built up the stable organic matter pool in the soil. Manure-N was less prone to leaching but more prone to N2O emissions than fertilizer-N. Manured soils had considerably more biological activity than fertilized soils. High rates of manure application increased soil P

Order and Chaos in some Trigonometric Series: Curious Adventures of a Statistical Mechanic

This paper tells the story how a MAPLE-assisted quest for an interesting undergraduate problem in trigonometric series led some "amateurs" to the discovery that the one-parameter family of deterministic trigonometric series \pzcS_p: t\mapsto \sum_{n\in\Nset}\sin(n^{-{p}}t), $p>1$, exhibits both order and apparent chaos, and how this has prompted some professionals to offer their expert insights. It is proved that \pzcS_p(t) = \alpha_p\rm{sign}(t)|t|^{1/{p}}+O(|t|^{1/{(p+1)}})\;\forall\;t\in\Rset, with explicitly computed constant $\alpha_p$. Experts' commentaries are reproduced stating the fluctuations of \pzcS_p(t) - \alpha_p{\rm{sign}}(t)|t|^{1/{p}} are presumably not Gaussian. Inspired by a central limit type theorem of Marc Kac, a well-motivated conjecture is formulated to the effect that the fluctuations of the $\lceil t^{1/(p+1)}\rceil$-th partial sum of \pzcS_p(t), when properly scaled, do converge in distribution to a standard Gaussian when $t\to\infty$, though --- provided that $p$ is chosen so that the frequencies \{n^{-p}\}_{n\in\Nset} are rationally linear independent; no conjecture has been forthcoming for rationally dependent \{n^{-p}\}_{n\in\Nset}. Moreover, following other experts' tip-offs, the interesting relationship of the asymptotics of \pzcS_p(t) to properties of the Riemann $\zeta$ function is exhibited using the Mellin transform.Comment: Based on the invited lecture with the same title delivered by the author on Dec.19, 2011 at the 106th Statistical Mechanics Meeting at Rutgers University in honor of Michael Fisher, Jerry Percus, and Ben Widom. (19 figures, colors online). Comments of three referees included. Conjecture 1 revised. Accepted for publication in J. Stat. Phy