Forbidden Ca 2 in the sun unmasked by way of Venus

Eleven high-dispersion spectra of Venus, taken with blue Doppler shifts have permitted the unmasking of the 7323.88A forbidden line of Ca II from terrestrial absorption. An equivalent width is obtained of 7.4 + or - 0.4mA for this line in integrated sunlight. Our value of W sub lambda is smaller than previous values and much more accurate. The HSRA solar model gives a solar calcium abundance of A sub Ca = 6.21

An Alternative Parameterization of R-matrix Theory

An alternative parameterization of R-matrix theory is presented which is mathematically equivalent to the standard approach, but possesses features which simplify the fitting of experimental data. In particular there are no level shifts and no boundary-condition constants which allows the positions and partial widths of an arbitrary number levels to be easily fixed in an analysis. These alternative parameters can be converted to standard R-matrix parameters by a straightforward matrix diagonalization procedure. In addition it is possible to express the collision matrix directly in terms of the alternative parameters.Comment: 8 pages; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C; expanded Sec. IV, added Sec. VI, added Appendix, corrected typo

Photometry, spectrophotometry and polarimetry of comet P/Encke during fall of 1979

Broadband S-20, B and V magnitudes of P/Encke were obtained with the digital area photometer, using an Image Dissector Scanner (IDS) detector on the 2.7 m telescope at McDonald Observatory during August 1979. The notation V(S-20) is used for S-20 magnitudes transformed to V magnitudes. The variation in the V(S20) magnitudes (26, 5 minute integrations) on the best photometric night (21 August) was small and random indicating either a lack of rotational albedo variations or, more likely, a masking of the nucleus by the outburst activity. A spectrum covering the region from 3630 to 4900 A at a resolution of 5 A was obtained on 27 August with the IDS spectrograph. The spectrum was featureless, showing no emission at the CN or CO+ wavelengths

The 8^8B Neutrino Spectrum

Knowledge of the energy spectrum of $^8$B neutrinos is an important ingredient for interpreting experiments that detect energetic neutrinos from the Sun. The neutrino spectrum deviates from the allowed approximation because of the broad alpha-unstable $^8$Be final state and recoil order corrections to the beta decay. We have measured the total energy of the alpha particles emitted following the beta decay of $^8$B. The measured spectrum is inconsistent with some previous measurements, in particular with a recent experiment of comparable precision. The beta decay strength function for the transition from $^8$B to the accessible excitation energies in $^8$Be is fit to the alpha energy spectrum using the R-matrix approach. Both the positron and neutrino energy spectra, corrected for recoil order effects, are constructed from the strength function. The positron spectrum is in good agreement with a previous direct measurement. The neutrino spectrum disagrees with previous experiments, particularly for neutrino energies above 12 MeV.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev. C, typos correcte

Richness and Abundance of Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera), in Northeastern Dairy Pastures Under Intensive Grazing

Dairy cattle has become popular to dairy farmers in the Northeast looking for management schemes to cut production costs. Carabidae (ground beetles) and Staphylinidae (rove beetles) are indicators of habitat disturbances, such as drainage of wetlands, or grassland for grazing animals, and their monitoring could provide one measure of ecosystem sustainability if intensive management systems expand or intensify in the future. Our objective was assess the abundance and species richness of these two beetle families under intensive grazing throughout Pennsylvania, southern New York and Vermont. We collected 4365 ground beetles (83 species) and 4,027 rove beetles (79 species) by pitfall traps in three years in Pennsylvania. Nine ground beetle species, Amara aenea, Poecilus chalcites, Pterostichus melanarius, Bembidion quadrimaculatum oppositum, Amara familiaris, Poecilus lucublandus, Agonum muelleri, Bembidion obtusum and Bembidion mimus represented 80% of the Carabidae collected. Five other species were new to Pennsylvania. Four rove beetle species, Philonthus cognatus, Meronera venustula, Amischa analis, and Philonthus various = (carbonarius), comprised 74% of the total Staphylinidae collected. Yearly distributions of the dominant species did not change significantly in the three years with A. aenea and P. cognatus being most abundant every year. A parasitic rove beetle, Aleochara tristis, was recovered for the first time in Pennsylvania and Vermont since its release in the 1960\u27s to control face fly, Musca autumnalis. Similar results were found in New York and Vermont. We collected 1,984 ground beetles (68 species). Pterostichus melanarius was most abundant. Pterostichus vernalis was detected for the first time in the United States (Vermont). It was previously reported from Montreal, Canada. We collected 843 rove beetles (45 species). Philonthus cognatus was the most abundant rove beetle. In addition, Tachinus corticinus, previously known only from Canada, was discovered for the first time in the United States in Vermont. Pastures in Pennsylvania were diverse, containing 14 species of forage plants and 17 weed species. Botanical composition was similar in New York and Vermont. Sixteen species of grasses and legumes made up 90% of the plant composition and 36 species of weeds made up the remainder. This di­verse plant ecosystem may explain the richness of ground and rove beetles in northeastern U.S. pastures because the heterogeneity in the plant population provided additional resources which can support a rich assemblage of beetles. Monitoring richness and abundance of Carabidae and Staphylinidae over three years in Pennsylvania suggests intensive grazing systems are eco­logically sustainable

Astrophysical SS factor for the 15N(p,γ)16O{}^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma){}^{16}{\rm O} reaction from RR-matrix analysis and asymptotic normalization coefficient for 16O→15N+p{}^{16}{\rm O} \to {}^{15}{\rm N} + p. Is any fit acceptable?

The $^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma)^{16}{\rm O}$ reaction provides a path from the CN cycle to the CNO bi-cycle and CNO tri-cycle. The measured astrophysical factor for this reaction is dominated by resonant capture through two strong $J^{\pi}=1^{-}$ resonances at $E_{R}= 312$ and 962 keV and direct capture to the ground state. Recently, a new measurement of the astrophysical factor for the $^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma)^{16}{\rm O}$ reaction has been published [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. The analysis has been done using the $R$-matrix approach with unconstrained variation of all parameters including the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC). The best fit has been obtained for the square of the ANC $C^{2}= 539.2$ fm${}^{-1}$, which exceeds the previously measured value by a factor of $\approx 3$. Here we present a new $R$-matrix analysis of the Notre Dame-LUNA data with the fixed within the experimental uncertainties square of the ANC $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. Rather than varying the ANC we add the contribution from a background resonance that effectively takes into account contributions from higher levels. Altogether we present 8 fits, five unconstrained and three constrained. In all the fits the ANC is fixed at the previously determined experimental value $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. For the unconstrained fit with the boundary condition $B_{c}=S_{c}(E_{2})$, where $E_{2}$ is the energy of the second level, we get $S(0)=39.0 \pm 1.1$ keVb and normalized ${\tilde \chi}^{2}=1.84$, i.e. the result which is similar to [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. From all our fits we get the range $33.1 \leq S(0) \leq 40.1$ keVb which overlaps with the result of [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. We address also physical interpretation of the fitting parameters.Comment: Submitted to PR

Magnetic buoyancy instabilities in the presence of magnetic flux pumping at the base of the solar convection zone

We perform idealized numerical simulations of magnetic buoyancy instabilities in three dimensions, solving the equations of compressible magnetohydrodynamics in a model of the solar tachocline. In particular, we study the effects of including a highly simplified model of magnetic flux pumping in an upper layer (‘the convection zone’) on magnetic buoyancy instabilities in a lower layer (‘the upper parts of the radiative interior – including the tachocline’), to study these competing flux transport mechanisms at the base of the convection zone. The results of the inclusion of this effect in numerical simulations of the buoyancy instability of both a preconceived magnetic slab and a shear-generated magnetic layer are presented. In the former, we find that if we are in the regime that the downward pumping velocity is comparable with the Alfvén speed of the magnetic layer, magnetic flux pumping is able to hold back the bulk of the magnetic field, with only small pockets of strong field able to rise into the upper layer. In simulations in which the magnetic layer is generated by shear, we find that the shear velocity is not necessarily required to exceed that of the pumping (therefore the kinetic energy of the shear is not required to exceed that of the overlying convection) for strong localized pockets of magnetic field to be produced which can rise into the upper layer. This is because magnetic flux pumping acts to store the field below the interface, allowing it to be amplified both by the shear and by vortical fluid motions, until pockets of field can achieve sufficient strength to rise into the upper layer. In addition, we find that the interface between the two layers is a natural location for the production of strong vertical gradients in the magnetic field. If these gradients are sufficiently strong to allow the development of magnetic buoyancy instabilities, strong shear is not necessarily required to drive them (cf. previous work by Vasil & Brummell). We find that the addition of magnetic flux pumping appears to be able to assist shear-driven magnetic buoyancy in producing strong flux concentrations that can rise up into the convection zone from the radiative interior

Application of energy and angular momentum balance to gravitational radiation reaction for binary systems with spin-orbit coupling

We study gravitational radiation reaction in the equations of motion for binary systems with spin-orbit coupling, at order (v/c)^7 beyond Newtonian gravity, or O(v/c)^2 beyond the leading radiation reaction effects for non-spinning bodies. We use expressions for the energy and angular momentum flux at infinity that include spin-orbit corrections, together with an assumption of energy and angular momentum balance, to derive equations of motion that are valid for general orbits and for a class of coordinate gauges. We show that the equations of motion are compatible with those derived earlier by a direct calculation.Comment: 12 pages, submitted to General Relativity and Gravitatio

Associations between social risk factors and surgical site infections after colectomy and abdominal hysterectomy

Importance: Surgical site infection (SSI) is an important patient safety outcome. Although social risk factors have been linked to many adverse health outcomes, it is unknown whether such factors are associated with higher rates of SSI. Objectives: To determine whether social risk factors, including race/ethnicity, insurance status, and neighborhood income, are associated with higher rates of SSI after colectomy or abdominal hysterectomy, 2 surgical procedures for which SSI rates are publicly reported and included in pay-for-performance programs by Medicare and other groups. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study analyzed adults undergoing colectomy or abdominal hysterectomy, as captured in State Inpatient Databases for Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Vermont. Operations were performed in 2013 through 2014 at general acute care hospitals in the United States. Data analysis was conducted from October 2018 through June 2019. Exposures: Colectomy or hysterectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Postoperative complex SSI rates. Results: A total of 149 741 patients met the inclusion criteria, including 90 210 patients undergoing colectomies (mean [SD] age, 63.4 [15.6] years; 49 029 [54%] female; 74% white, 11% black, 9% Hispanic, and 5% other or unknown race/ethnicity) and 59 531 patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomies (mean [SD] age, 49.8 [11.8] years; 100% female; 52% white, 26% black, 14% Hispanic, and 8% other or unknown race/ethnicity). In the colectomy cohort, 34% had private insurance, 52% had Medicare, 9% had Medicaid, and 5% had other or unknown insurance or were uninsured; 24% were from the lowest quartile of median zip code income. In the hysterectomy cohort, 57% had private insurance, 16% had Medicare, 19% had Medicaid, and 3% had other or unknown insurance or were uninsured; 27% were from the lowest-income zip codes. Within 30 days of surgery, SSI rates were 2.55% for the colectomy cohort and 0.61% for the hysterectomy cohort. For colectomy, black race (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61-0.82) was associated with lower odds of SSI, whereas Medicare (AOR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10-1.41), Medicaid (AOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.06-1.44), and low neighborhood income (AOR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29) were associated with higher odds of SSI. For hysterectomy, no social risk factors that were examined in this study had statistically significant associations with SSI after adjustment for clinical risk. Conclusions and Relevance: Inconsistent associations between social risk factors and SSIs were found. For colectomy, infection prevention programs targeting low-income groups may be important for reducing disparities in this postoperative outcome, and policy makers could consider taking social risk factors into account when evaluating hospital performance

‘On the high street’ tuition for primary-aged children in London: Critiquing discourses of accessibility, attainment and assistance

Private tuition, often referred to as ‘shadow education’, is commercially provided, supplementary education which has been variously constructed to support children in their academic abilities. As growing numbers of children are engaging with tuition, it is receiving greater scrutiny and scholarly attention. This paper explores the growth and role of commercial tuition centres for primary-aged children. Such centres, which operate ‘on the high street’, are not a new phenomenon, but their expansion and assertive commercialisation is notable. With attention to managers’ and tutors’ perspectives, we interrogate the positioning of these services and critically analyse the discursive construction of three ‘As’ of their offer: accessibility of service, promise of enhanced attainment, and assistance with learning. In so doing, tuition centres lead the (re)positioning of private tuition as highly visible private businesses, located within and amongst other commercial enterprises, with an emerging focus on younger children, and are worthy of further research