Measurement of Aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory

The air fluorescence detectors (FDs) of the Pierre Auger Observatory are vital for the determination of the air shower energy scale. To compensate for variations in atmospheric conditions that affect the energy measurement, the Observatory operates an array of monitoring instruments to record hourly atmospheric conditions across the detector site, an area exceeding 3,000 square km. This paper presents results from four instruments used to characterize the aerosol component of the atmosphere: the Central Laser Facility (CLF), which provides the FDs with calibrated laser shots; the scanning backscatter lidars, which operate at three FD sites; the Aerosol Phase Function monitors (APFs), which measure the aerosol scattering cross section at two FD locations; and the Horizontal Attenuation Monitor (HAM), which measures the wavelength dependence of aerosol attenuation.Comment: Contribution to the 30th International Cosmic Ray Conference, Merida Mexico, July 2007; 4 pages, 4 figure

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Polarization and Electrocatalyst Selection for Polybenzimidazole Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

High temperature direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) using polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes could improve the energy density of portable power sources. This study examines the polarization of vapor phase PBI DMFCs constructed with commercial membranes manufactured by a sol-gel method. The polarization of the high temperature DMFCs is compared to similar low temperature membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) using Nafion V R membranes. The results showed that the cathode of the PBI DMFC had higher kinetic losses that are likely due to phosphate poisoning of the Pt electrocatalyst. At the tested conditions, the membrane conductivity of the PBI MEAs was comparable to the Nafion V R MEA even with no humidification. Higher cell temperatures significantly improved PBI DMFC performance for Pt electrocatalyst electrodes. In full cell tests, the PBI DMFC MEAs had higher performance than Nafion V R MEAs with similar catalyst loadings. The Pt and PtRu catalysts were tested for methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction activity by a rotating disk electrode (RDE) under 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and 0.5 M H 3 PO 4 . The combination of the polarization and RDE results for the PBI and Nafion V R DMFCs suggest that Pt is a more active electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation in PBI than in Nafion V R

Experimental neutron capture data of 58 Ni from the CERN n-TOF facility

The 58Ni(n,γ) cross section has been measured at the neutron time of flight facility n-TOF at CERN, in the energy range from 27 meV up to 400 keV. In total, 51 resonances have been analyzed up to 122 keV. Maxwellian averaged cross sections (MACS) have been calculated for stellar temperatures of kT=5-100 keV with uncertainties of less than 6%, showing fair agreement with recent experimental and evaluated data up to kT = 50 keV. The MACS extracted in the present work at 30 keV is 34.2±0.6stat±1.8sys mb, in agreement with latest results and evaluations, but 12% lower relative to the recent KADoNIS compilation of astrophysical cross sections. When included in models of the s-process nucleosynthesis in massive stars, this change results in a 60% increase of the abundance of 58Ni, with a negligible propagation on heavier isotopes. The reason is that, using both the old or the new MACS, 58Ni is efficiently depleted by neutron captures.Peer reviewe