Applications of Direct Injection Soft Chemical Ionisation-Mass Spectrometry for the Detection of Pre-blast Smokeless Powder Organic Additives

Analysis of smokeless powders is of interest from forensics and security perspectives. This article reports the detection of smokeless powder organic additives (in their pre-detonation condition), namely the stabiliser diphenylamine and its derivatives 2-nitrodiphenylamine and 4-nitrodiphenylamine, and the additives (used both as stabilisers and plasticisers) methyl centralite and ethyl centralite, by means of swab sampling followed by thermal desorption and direct injection soft chemical ionisation-mass spectrometry. Investigations on the product ions resulting from the reactions of the reagent ions H3O+ and O2+ with additives as a function of reduced electric field are reported. The method was comprehensively evaluated in terms of linearity, sensitivity and precision. For H3O+, the limits of detection (LoD) are in the range of 41-88 pg of additive, for which the accuracy varied between 1.5 and 3.2%, precision varied between 3.7 and 7.3% and linearity showed R20.9991. For O2+, LoD are in the range of 72 to 1.4 ng, with an accuracy of between 2.8 and 4.9% and a precision between 4.5 and 8.6% and R20.9914. The validated methodology was applied to the analysis of commercial pre-blast gun powders from different manufacturers.(VLID)4826148Accepted versio

Exploring pig trade patterns to inform the design of risk-based disease surveillance and control strategies

An understanding of the patterns of animal contact networks provides essential information for the design of risk-based animal disease surveillance and control strategies. This study characterises pig movements throughout England and Wales between 2009 and 2013 with a view to characterising spatial and temporal patterns, network topology and trade communities. Data were extracted from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)’s RADAR (Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risks) database, and analysed using descriptive and network approaches. A total of 61,937,855 pigs were moved through 872,493 movements of batches in England and Wales during the 5-year study period. Results show that the network exhibited scale-free and small-world topologies, indicating the potential for diseases to quickly spread within the pig industry. The findings also provide suggestions for how risk-based surveillance strategies could be optimised in the country by taking account of highly connected holdings, geographical regions and time periods with the greatest number of movements and pigs moved, as these are likely to be at higher risk for disease introduction. This study is also the first attempt to identify trade communities in the country, information which could be used to facilitate the pig trade and maintain disease-free status across the country in the event of an outbreak

Density-matrix functional theory of the Hubbard model: An exact numerical study

A density functional theory for many-body lattice models is considered in which the single-particle density matrix is the basic variable. Eigenvalue equations are derived for solving Levy's constrained search of the interaction energy functional W, which is expressed as the sum of Hartree-Fock energy and the correlation energy E_C. Exact results are obtained for E_C of the Hubbard model on various periodic lattices. The functional dependence of E_C is analyzed by varying the number of sites, band filling and lattice structure. The infinite one-dimensional chain and one-, two-, or three-dimensional finite clusters with periodic boundary conditions are considered. The properties of E_C are discussed in the limits of weak and strong electronic correlations, as well as in the crossover region. Using an appropriate scaling we observe a pseudo-universal behavior which suggests that the correlation energy of extended systems could be obtained quite accurately from finite cluster calculations. Finally, the behavior of E_C for repulsive (U>0) and attractive (U<0) interactions are contrasted.Comment: Phys. Rev. B (1999), in pres

Use of sonic tomography to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees.

Premise of the studyField methodology and image analysis protocols using acoustic tomography were developed and evaluated as a tool to estimate the amount of internal decay and damage of living trees, with special attention to tropical rainforest trees with irregular trunk shapes.Methods and resultsLiving trunks of a diversity of tree species in tropical rainforests in the Republic of Panama were scanned using an Argus Electronic PiCUS 3 Sonic Tomograph and evaluated for the amount and patterns of internal decay. A protocol using ImageJ analysis software was used to quantify the proportions of intact and compromised wood. The protocols provide replicable estimates of internal decay and cavities for trees of varying shapes, wood density, and bark thickness.ConclusionsSonic tomography, coupled with image analysis, provides an efficient, noninvasive approach to evaluate decay patterns and structural integrity of even irregularly shaped living trees

Physics of Solar Prominences: II - Magnetic Structure and Dynamics

Observations and models of solar prominences are reviewed. We focus on non-eruptive prominences, and describe recent progress in four areas of prominence research: (1) magnetic structure deduced from observations and models, (2) the dynamics of prominence plasmas (formation and flows), (3) Magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) waves in prominences and (4) the formation and large-scale patterns of the filament channels in which prominences are located. Finally, several outstanding issues in prominence research are discussed, along with observations and models required to resolve them.Comment: 75 pages, 31 pictures, review pape

The development of compassionate engagement and action scales for self and others

Background Studies of the value of compassion on physical and mental health and social relationships have proliferated in the last 25 years. Although, there are several conceptualisations and measures of compassion, this study develops three new measures of compassion competencies derived from an evolutionary, motivational approach. The scales assess 1. the compassion we experience for others, 2. the compassion we experience from others, and 3. self-compassion based on a standard definition of compassion as a ‘sensitivity to suffering in self and others with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it’. We explored these in relationship to other compassion scales, self-criticism, depression, anxiety, stress and well-being. Methods Participants from three different countries (UK, Portugal and USA) completed a range of scales including compassion for others, self-compassion, self-criticism, shame, depression, anxiety and stress with the newly developed ‘The Compassionate Engagement and Actions’ scale. Results All three scales have good validity. Interestingly, we found that the three orientations of compassion are only moderately correlated to one another (r < .5). We also found that some elements of self-compassion (e.g., being sensitive to, and moved by one’s suffering) have a complex relationship with other attributes of compassion (e.g., empathy), and with depression, anxiety and stress. A path-analysis showed that self-compassion is a significant mediator of the association between self-reassurance and well-being, while self-criticism has a direct effect on depressive symptoms, not mediated by self-compassion. Discussion Compassion evolved from caring motivation and in humans is associated with a range of different socially intelligent competencies. Understanding how these competencies can be inhibited and facilitated is an important research endeavour. These new scales were designed to assess these competencies. Conclusions This is the first study to measure the three orientations of compassion derived from an evolutionary model of caring motivation with specified competencies. Our three new measures of compassion further indicate important complex relationships between different potentiation’s of compassion, well-being, and vulnerability to psychopathologies.N/

Transcriptome Fingerprinting Analysis: An Approach to Explore Gene Expression Patterns in Marine Microbial Communities

Microbial transcriptomics are providing new insights into the functional processes of microbial communities. However, analysis of each sample is still expensive and time consuming. A rapid and low cost method that would allow the identification of the most interesting samples for posterior in-depth metatranscriptomics analysis would be extremely useful. Here we present Transcriptome Fingerprinting Analysis (TFA) as an approach to fulfill this objective in microbial ecology studies. We have adapted the differential display technique for mRNA fingerprinting based on the PCR amplification of expressed transcripts to interrogate natural microbial eukaryotic communities. Unlike other techniques, TFA does not require prior knowledge of the mRNA sequences to be detected. We have used a set of arbitrary primers coupled with a fluorescence labeled primer targeting the poly(A) tail of the eukaryotic mRNA, with further detection of the resulting labeled cDNA products in an automated genetic analyzer. The output represented by electropherogram peak patterns allowed the comparison of a set of genes expressed at the time of sampling. TFA has been optimized by testing the sensitivity of the method for different initial RNA amounts, and the repeatability of the gene expression patterns with increasing time after sampling both with cultures and environmental samples. Results show that TFA is a promising approach to explore the dynamics of gene expression patterns in microbial communities

STREGA: STRucture and Evolution of the GAlaxy - I : Survey overview and first results

STREGA (STRucture and Evolution of the GAlaxy) is a guaranteed time survey being performed at the VST (the ESO Very Large Telescope Survey Telescope) to map about 150 square degrees in the Galactic halo, in order to constrain the mechanisms of galactic formation and evolution. The survey is built as a 5 yr project, organized in two parts: a core programme to explore the surrounding regions of selected stellar systems and a second complementary part to map the southern portion of the Fornax orbit and extend the observations of the core programme. The adopted stellar tracers are mainly variable stars (RR Lyraes and long-period variables) and main-sequence turn-off stars for which observations in the g, r, i bands are obtained. We present an overview of the survey and some preliminary results for three observing runs that have been completed. For the region centred on ω Cen (37 deg^2), covering about three tidal radii, we also discuss the detected stellar density radial profile and angular distribution, leading to the identification of extratidal cluster stars. We also conclude that the cluster tidal radius is about 1.2 deg, in agreement with values in the literature based on the Wilson model.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Cognitive and social functioning correlates of employment among people with severe mental illness

We assess how social and cognitive functioning is associated to gaining employment for 213 people diagnosed with severe mental illness taking part in employment programs in Andalusia (Spain). We used the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and the Social Functioning Scale and conducted two binary logistical regression analyses. Response variables were: having a job or not, in ordinary companies (OCs) and social enterprises (SEs), and working in and OC or not. There were two variables with significant adjusted odds ratios for having a job: “attention” and “Educational level”. There were five variables with significant odds ratios for having a job in an OC: “Sex”, “Educational level”, “Attention”, “Communication”, and “Independence-competence”. The study looks at the possible benefits of combining employment with support and social enterprises in employment programs for these people and underlines how both social and cognitive functioning are central to developing employment models

Substrate Type Determines Metagenomic Profiles from Diverse Chemical Habitats

Environmental parameters drive phenotypic and genotypic frequency variations in microbial communities and thus control the extent and structure of microbial diversity. We tested the extent to which microbial community composition changes are controlled by shifting physiochemical properties within a hypersaline lagoon. We sequenced four sediment metagenomes from the Coorong, South Australia from samples which varied in salinity by 99 Practical Salinity Units (PSU), an order of magnitude in ammonia concentration and two orders of magnitude in microbial abundance. Despite the marked divergence in environmental parameters observed between samples, hierarchical clustering of taxonomic and metabolic profiles of these metagenomes showed striking similarity between the samples (>89%). Comparison of these profiles to those derived from a wide variety of publically available datasets demonstrated that the Coorong sediment metagenomes were similar to other sediment, soil, biofilm and microbial mat samples regardless of salinity (>85% similarity). Overall, clustering of solid substrate and water metagenomes into discrete similarity groups based on functional potential indicated that the dichotomy between water and solid matrices is a fundamental determinant of community microbial metabolism that is not masked by salinity, nutrient concentration or microbial abundance