A Reference Section for the Otavi Group (Damara Supergroup) in Eastern Kaoko Zone near Ongongo, Namibia

A reference section for the Otavi Group (Damara Supergroup) in the East Kaoko Zone near Ongongo is proposed and described. The section is easily accessible, well exposed, suitable for field excursions, and well documented in terms of carbonate lithofacies, depositional sequences and stableisotope chemostratigraphy. The late Tonian Ombombo Subgroup is 355 m thick above the basal Beesvlakte Formation, which is not included in the section due to poor outcrop and complex structure. The earlymiddle Cryogenian Abenab Subgroup is 636 m thick and the early Ediacaran Tsumeb Subgroup is 1020 m thick. While the section is complete in terms of formations represented, the Ombombo and lower Abenab subgroups have defined gaps due to intermittent uplift of the northward-sloping Makalani rift shoulder. The upper Abenab and Tsumeb subgroups are relatively thin due to erosion of a broad shallow trough during late Cryogenian glaciation and flexural arching during post-rift thermal subsidence of the carbonate platform

Grey matter volume differences in the left caudate nucleus of people who stutter.

The cause of stuttering has many theoretical explanations. A number of research groups have suggested changes in the volume and/or function of the striatum as a causal agent. Two recent studies in children and one in adults who stutter (AWS) report differences in striatal volume compared that seen in controls; however, the laterality and nature of this anatomical volume difference is not consistent across studies. The current study investigated whether a reduction in striatal grey matter volume, comparable to that seen in children who stutter (CWS), would be found in AWS. Such a finding would support claims that an anatomical striatal anomaly plays a causal role in stuttering. We used voxel-based morphometry to examine the structure of the striatum in a group of AWS and compared it to that in a group of matched adult control subjects. Results showed a statistically significant group difference for the left caudate nucleus, with smaller mean volume in the group of AWS. The caudate nucleus, one of three main structures within the striatum, is thought to be critical for the planning and modulation of movement sequencing. The difference in striatal volume found here aligns with theoretical accounts of stuttering, which suggest it is a motor control disorder that arises from deficient articulatory movement selection and sequencing. Whilst the current study provides further evidence of a striatal volume difference in stuttering at the group level compared to controls, the significant overlap between AWS and controls suggests this difference is unlikely to be diagnostic of stuttering

Factors affecting success of conservation translocations of terrestrial vertebrates: a global systematic review

Translocation—moving individuals for release in different locations—is among the most important conservation interventions for increasing or re-establishing populations of threatened species. However, translocations often fail. To improve their effectiveness, we need to understand the features that distinguish successful from failed translocations. We assembled and analysed a global database of translocations of terrestrial vertebrates (n = 514) to assess the effects of various design features and extrinsic factors on success. We analysed outcomes using standardised metrics: a categorical success/failure classification; and population growth rate. Probability of categorical success and population growth rate increased with the total number of individuals released but with diminishing returns above about 20–50 individuals. Positive outcomes—categorical success and high population growth—were less likely for translocations in Oceania, possibly because invasive species are a major threat in this region and are difficult to control at translocation sites. Rates of categorical success and population growth were higher in Europe and North America than elsewhere, suggesting the key role of context in positive translocation outcomes. Categorical success has increased throughout the 20th century, but that increase may have plateaued at about 75% since about 1990. Our results suggest there is potential for further increase in the success of conservation translocations. This could be best achieved by greater investment in individual projects, as indicated by total number of animals released, which has not increased over time.Shane D. Morris, Barry W. Brook, Katherine E. Moseby, Christopher N. Johnso

Parity nonconservation in heavy atoms: The radiative correction enhanced by the strong electric field of the nucleus

Parity nonconservation due to the nuclear weak charge is considered. We demonstrate that the radiative corrections to this effect due to the vacuum fluctuations of the characteristic size larger than the nuclear radius $r_0$ and smaller than the electron Compton wave-length $\lambda_C$ are enhanced because of the strong electric field of the nucleus. The parameter that allows one to classify the corrections is the large logarithm $\ln(\lambda_C/r_0)$. The vacuum polarization contribution is enhanced by the second power of the logarithm. Although the self-energy and the vertex corrections do not vanish, they contain only the first power of the logarithm. The value of the radiative correction is 0.4% for Cs and 0.9% for Tl, Pb, and Bi. We discuss also how the correction affects the interpretation of the experimental data on parity nonconservation in atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, RevTe

Cold Nuclear Matter Effects on Dijet Productions in Relativistic Heavy-ion Reactions at LHC

We investigate the cold nuclear matter(CNM) effects on dijet productions in high-energy nuclear collisions at LHC with the next-to-leading order perturbative QCD. The nuclear modifications for dijet angular distributions, dijet invariant mass spectra, dijet transverse momentum spectra and dijet momentum imbalance due to CNM effects are calculated by incorporating EPS, EKS, HKN and DS param-etrization sets of parton distributions in nucleus . It is found that dijet angular distributions and dijet momentum imbalance are insensitive to the initial-state CNM effects and thus provide optimal tools to study the final-state hot QGP effects such as jet quenching. On the other hand, the invariant mass spectra and the transverse momentum spectra of dijet are generally enhanced in a wide region of the invariant mass or transverse momentum due to CNM effects with a feature opposite to the expected suppression because of the final-state parton energy loss effect in the QGP. The difference of EPS, EKS, HKN and DS parametrization sets of nuclear parton distribution functions is appreciable for dijet invariant mass spectra and transverse momentum spectra at p+Pb collisions, and becomes more pronounced for those at Pb+Pb reactions.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figure

Impurity scattering and transport of fractional Quantum Hall edge state

We study the effects of impurity scattering on the low energy edge state dynamic s for a broad class of quantum Hall fluids at filling factor $\nu =n/(np+1)$, for integer $n$ and even integer $p$. When $p$ is positive all $n$ of the edge modes are expected to move in the same direction, whereas for negative $p$ one mode moves in a direction opposite to the other $n-1$ modes. Using a chiral-Luttinger model to describe the edge channels, we show that for an ideal edge when $p$ is negative, a non-quantized and non-universal Hall conductance is predicted. The non-quantized conductance is associated with an absence of equilibration between the $n$ edge channels. To explain the robust experimental Hall quantization, it is thus necessary to incorporate impurity scattering into the model, to allow for edge equilibration. A perturbative analysis reveals that edge impurity scattering is relevant and will modify the low energy edge dynamics. We describe a non-perturbative solution for the random $n-$channel edge, which reveals the existence of a new disorder-dominated phase, characterized by a stable zero temperature renormalization group fixed point. The phase consists of a single propagating charge mode, which gives a quantized Hall conductance, and $n-1$ neutral modes. The neutral modes all propagate at the same speed, and manifest an exact SU(n) symmetry. At finite temperatures the SU(n) symmetry is broken and the neutral modes decay with a finite rate which varies as $T^2$ at low temperatures. Various experimental predictions and implications which follow from the exact solution are described in detail, focusing on tunneling experiments through point contacts.Comment: 19 pages (two column), 5 post script figures appended, 3.0 REVTE

Improved SOT (Hinode mission) high resolution solar imaging observations

We consider the best today available observations of the Sun free of turbulent Earth atmospheric effects, taken with the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) onboard the Hinode spacecraft. Both the instrumental smearing and the observed stray light are analyzed in order to improve the resolution. The Point Spread Function (PSF) corresponding to the blue continuum Broadband Filter Imager (BFI) near 450 nm is deduced by analyzing i/ the limb of the Sun and ii/ images taken during the transit of the planet Venus in 2012. A combination of Gaussian and Lorentzian functions is selected to construct a PSF in order to remove both smearing due to the instrumental diffraction effects (PSF core) and the large-angle stray light due to the spiders and central obscuration (wings of the PSF) that are responsible for the parasitic stray light. A Max-likelihood deconvolution procedure based on an optimum number of iterations is discussed. It is applied to several solar field images, including the granulation near the limb. The normal non-magnetic granulation is compared to the abnormal granulation which we call magnetic. A new feature appearing for the first time at the extreme- limb of the disk (the last 100 km) is discussed in the context of the definition of the solar edge and of the solar diameter. A single sunspot is considered in order to illustrate how effectively the restoration works on the sunspot core. A set of 125 consecutive deconvolved images is assembled in a 45 min long movie illustrating the complexity of the dynamical behavior inside and around the sunspot.Comment: 15 pages, 22 figures, 1 movi

Athlete experiences of disordered eating in sport

To date, research into disordered eating in sport has focused on the prevalence and the identification of putative risk factors. Findings suggest that elite female athletes participating in sports with a focus on leanness or aesthetics are at greatest risk. A paucity of research remains as to the period after onset and how existing sufferers manage their illness over time. In line with the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study 'gives voice' to four athletes who have experienced disordered eating, documenting their personal accounts and interpreting these accounts from a psychological perspective. In‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were conducted and verbatim transcripts were analysed according to the procedures of IPA. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data: the struggle to disclose, social support needs and identity challenges. Athletes' stories provided rich descriptions of their subjective disordered eating experiences. Their accounts give critical insight into the impact of eating disturbance on the lives of athletes. Future research should continue to identify athletes with existing eating problems in order to improve understanding as to how such individuals can best be helped

Improving the assessment of gestational age in a Zimbabwean population

Objectives: To evaluate the performance and the utility of using birthweight‐adjusted scores of Dubowitz and Ballard methods of estimating gestational age in a Zimbabwean population. Method: The Dubowitz and the Ballard methods of estimating gestational age were administered to 364 African newborn infants with a known last menstrual period (LMP) at Harare Maternity Hospital. Results: Both methods were good predictors of gestational age useful in differentiating term from pre‐term infants. Our regression line was Y(LMP gestational age)=23.814+0.301*score for the Dubowitz and Y(LMP gestational age)=24.493+0.420*score for the Ballard method. Addition of birthweight to the regression models improved prediction of gestational age; Y(LMP gestational age)=23.512+0.219*score+0.0015*grams for Dubowitz and Y(LMP gestational age)=24.002+0.292*score+0.0016*grams for Ballard method. Conclusions: We recommend the use of our birthweight‐adjusted maturity scales; the Dubowitz for studies of prematurity, and the Ballard for routine clinical practice.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135611/1/ijgo7.pd

Precise calculation of parity nonconservation in cesium and test of the standard model

We have calculated the 6s-7s parity nonconserving (PNC) E1 transition amplitude, E_{PNC}, in cesium. We have used an improved all-order technique in the calculation of the correlations and have included all significant contributions to E_{PNC}. Our final value E_{PNC} = 0.904 (1 +/- 0.5 %) \times 10^{-11}iea_{B}(-Q_{W}/N) has half the uncertainty claimed in old calculations used for the interpretation of Cs PNC experiments. The resulting nuclear weak charge Q_{W} for Cs deviates by about 2 standard deviations from the value predicted by the standard model.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure