A step-wise gray approximation of the radiative absorption coefficient for an isothermal hydrogen plasma

The radiative absorption coefficient of an isothermal hydrogen plasma is calculated using a step-wise gray approximation. The approximation retains a high degree of accuracy while significantly reducing the numerical computer time. The accuracy of the approximation depends on the spacing of the steps taken in the frequency spectrum as well as the number or steps used; 135 steps are used in this study. Plasma conditions of interest in this study are for temperatures between 5000 and 60,000ºK, densities between 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁷ gm/cm³, and thicknesses between 0.1 and 100 cm. Flux and intensity calculations are made for each case using the average absorption coefficient developed from the step-wise gray approximation. The importance of the trade-off between the shift to higher frequencies in the maximum of the Planck function and the population increase of the high electronic states as temperature increases is discussed. The results are shown in graphical and tabular form for conditions pertinent to the Jovian atmospheric entry problem --Abstract, page ii

Church and state in Solomon Islands

"Therefore in this paper the relationship of Church and State in the Solomon Islands will be discussed, both historically, in the present context, and with a view to future involvement of the churches in governance. The role and position of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) of which both authors are ministers is especially relevant as it is the largest church in the Solomon Islands, and is the majority denomination in Isabel, Central and Temotu Provinces, with substantial minorities in the other provinces. Therefore observations about the Anglican Church, even where they are not applicable to other denominations, nevertheless have a broad application in Solomon Islands ..." - page 2AusAI

Indoor Characterisation of a Photovoltaic/ Thermal Phase Change Material System

Photovoltaic/ thermal (PV/T) systems integrate photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies and have the added advantage of producing both electrical and thermal energy simultaneously. This study has been carried out to investigate the performance of a PV/T phase change material (PCM) system under experimental climatic conditions. Electricity is generated by the PV during daylight hours and the heat produced is absorbed and stored in PCM. Water flows through a pipe network within the PCM and absorbs the stored heat in the PCM. In the PV/T-PCM system, water remained at a higher temperature for an extended period of time as well as shifting the time period of available heat when compared to the reference systems

Applying a SNP-based tool for conservation of wild and managed black bees in Ireland

Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm) is threatened over much of its natural range. However, in Ireland microsatellite and mitochondrial data have shown that a significant population of this subspecies exists in pure form and is spread over a large geographical region on the Island. Black bees have been managed and protected by beekeepers on the island, some of whom formed the Native Irish Honeybee Society (NIHBS)in 2012 and a breeding programme was initiated for Amm in 2014/2015. The application of a SNP panel that detects hybridization between M and C lineages clearly supports other data showing that the majority of beekeepers included in the breeding programme indeed have bees with very low to no introgression from the C lineage. Furthermore, SNP data has also been applied to the first feral bee colonies located in Ireland subsequent to the introduction of Varroa. Here we will present on the use of molecular data as an aid to manage and conserve honeybees in Ireland, and to elucidate patterns in colour variation and honeybee subspecies purity in wild and managed bees with a view towards improving conservation approaches in the face of a potential hybridization threat.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

National HPCC Software Exchange

This report describes an effort to construct a National HPCC Software Exchange (NHSE). This system shows how the evolving National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be used to facilitate sharing of software and information among members of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) community. To access the system use the URL: http://www.netlib.org/nse/

Effectiveness of exercise programs to reduce falls in older people with dementia living in the community: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise programs to reduce falls in older people with dementia who are living in the community. Method: Peer-reviewed articles (randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and quasi-experimental trials) published in English between January 2000 and February 2014, retrieved from six electronic databases – Medline (ProQuest), CINAHL, PubMed, PsycInfo, EMBASE and Scopus – according to predefined inclusion criteria were included. Where possible, results were pooled and meta-analysis was conducted. Results: Four articles (three RCT and one single-group pre- and post-test pilot study) were included. The study quality of the three RCTs was high; however, measurement outcomes, interventions, and follow-up time periods differed across studies. On completion of the intervention period, the mean number of falls was lower in the exercise group compared to the control group (mean difference [MD] [95% confidence interval {CI}] =-1.06 [-1.67 to -0.46] falls). Importantly, the exercise intervention reduced the risk of being a faller by 32% (risk ratio [95% CI] =0.68 [0.55–0.85]). Only two other outcomes were reported in two or more of the studies (step test and physiological profile assessment). No between-group differences were observed in the results of the step test (number of steps) (MD [95% CI] =0.51 [-1.77 to 2.78]) or the physiological profile assessment (MD [95% CI] =-0.10 [-0.62 to 0.42]).Conclusion: Findings from this review suggest that an exercise program may potentially assist in preventing falls of older people with dementia living in the community. However, further research is needed with studies using larger sample sizes, standardized measurement outcomes, and longer follow-up periods, to inform evidence-based recommendations

Can introgression in M-lineage honey bees be detected by abdominal colour patterns?

Honey bee abdominal pigmentation is one of the most recognisable traits and it is often used by beekeepers as an indicator of M-lineage subspecies purity. However, this approach may negatively impact population diversity and is futile if there is no association between tergite colour patterns and the genetic background. To assess whether this trait can be used as a proxy for introgression proportions in M-lineage subspecies, we genotyped, with highly informative SNP assays, A. m. mellifera and A. m. iberiensis individuals displaying four different colour phenotypes. The SNP data detected highly introgressed bees exhibiting a black phenotype and, at the same time, pure or marginally introgressed bees with yellow banding patterns, in both subspecies. Despite these observations, contrary to A. m. iberiensis , in A. m. mellifera , introgression proportions revealed to be a significant predictor of abdominal pigmentation. Therefore, abdominal pigmentation could be used by A. m. mellifera conservationists to guide colony selection when genetic tools are unavailable.KAB was funded by Dr. Tony Ryan research scholarship and an Irish Research Council scholarship. This work was financed by the Native Irish Honeybee Society (NIHBS), Federation of Irish Beekeeping Associations (FIBKA) and FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) through the program COMPETE 2020–POCI (Programa Operacional para a Competividade e Internacionalização) and by the Portuguese funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) in the framework of the project BeeHappy (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029871).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio