The feasibility of fertilising oats and forage sorghum with nitrogen and phosphorus in the Brigalow belt of Queensland: A modelling study

Annual forage crops such as oats and forage sorghum are sources of high-quality feed for mixed grain and beef enterprises in the northern region. However forage productivity declines over time as organic matter and subsequent supply of nutrients decrease with continued cultivation. The use of fertilisers to maintain production from oats and forage sorghum is common practice in higher rainfall and irrigated situations, however fertiliser use in generally drier and more variable environments such as the Brigalow belt is minimal despite declining productivity. We undertook a desktop, modelling assessment of the feasibility of fertilising these forages with nitrogen and phosphorus in the Brigalow belt in southern and central Queensland to better understand the dry matter and feed quality responses necessary to generate positive economic impacts. Results indicated significantly higher dry matter production is possible with fertiliser use, which can lead to higher animal liveweight gain and stocking rates. However under current market conditions the additional costs associated with applying fertiliser outweighed the extra benefits that can be generated. A combination of high dry-matter and animal production responses, lower costs associated with fertiliser application and positive price margins for the livestock grazing the forage are required to make fertiliser application consistently profitable. This modelling study demonstrates land-managers in the northern region need to carefully consider and monitor both the production and economic responses from trial areas before paddock scale applications are implemented

The development of a cislunar space infrastructure

The primary objective of this Advanced Mission Design Program is to define the general characteristics and phased evolution of a near-Earth space infrastructure. The envisioned foundation includes a permanently manned, self-sustaining base on the lunar surface, a space station at the Libration Point between earth and the moon (L1), and a transportation system that anchors these elements to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) station. The implementation of this conceptual design was carried out with the idea that the infrastructure is an important step in a larger plan to expand man's capabilities in space science and technology. Such expansion depends on low cost, reliable, and frequent access to space for those who wish to use the multiple benefits of this environment. The presence of a cislunar space infrastructure would greatly facilitate the staging of future planetary missions, as well as the full exploration of the lunar potential for science and industry. The rationale for, and a proposed detailed scenario in support of, the cislunar space infrastructure are discussed

Electromagnetic Transition Strengths in Heavy Nuclei

We calculate reduced B(E2) and B(M1) electromagnetic transition strengths within and between K-bands in support of a recently proposed model for the structure of heavy nuclei. Previously, only spectra and a rough indication of the largest B(E2) strengths were reported. The present more detailed calculations should aid the experimental identification of the predicted $0^+$, $1^+$ and $2^+$ bands and, in particular, act to confirm or refute the suggestion that the model $0^+$ and $2^+$ bands correspond to the well known and widespread beta and gamma bands. Furthermore they pinpoint transitions which can indicate the presence of a so far elusive $1^+$ band by feeding relatively strongly into or out of it. Some of these transitions may already have been measured in $^{230}$Th, $^{232}$Th and $^{238}$U.Comment: 10 pages, 1 Figure, submitted to Physical Review

Documentation of the data analysis system for the gamma ray monitor aboard OSO-H

The programming system is presented which was developed to prepare the data from the gamma ray monitor on OSO-7 for scientific analysis. The detector, data, and objectives are described in detail. Programs presented include; FEEDER, PASS-1, CAL1, CAL2, PASS-3, Van Allen Belt Predict Program, Computation Center Plot Routine, and Response Function Programs

Optical properties of bialkali photocathodes

The optical properties of the `bialkali' KCsSb and RbCsSb photomultiplier cathodes have been experimentally investigated in the visible range. The measurements carried out include the absolute reflectance at near-normal incidence, the polarization-dependent relative reflectance at various angles and the change in polarization upon reflection from the photocathode. These experimental inputs have been combined with a theoretical model to determine the complex refractive index of the photocathodes in the wavelength range 380 to 680 nm and their thickness. As a result of this work, we derive a model which predicts the fraction of light impinging on a photomultiplier tube that is reflected, absorbed or transmitted, as a function of wavelength and angle, and dependent on the medium to which the photomultiplier is coupled.Comment: 51 pages (double spacing), 16 figures, submitted for publication in NIM

Prototype scintillator cell for an In-based solar neutrino detector

We describe the work carried out at MPIK to design, model, build and characterize a prototype cell filled with a novel indium-loaded scintillator of interest for real-time low energy solar neutrino spectroscopy. First, light propagation in optical modules was studied with experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. Subsequently a 5 cm x 5 cm x 100 cm prototype detector was set up and the optical performances of several samples were measured. We first tested a benchmark PXE-based scintillator, which performed an attenuation length of ~ 4.2 m and a photo-electron yield of ~ 730 pe/MeV. Then we measured three In-loaded samples. At an In-loading of 44 g/l, an energy resolution of ~ 11.6 % and a spatial resolution of ~ 7 cm were attained for 477 keV recoil electrons. The long-range attenuation length in the cell was ~1.3 m and the estimated photo-electron yield ~ 200 pe/MeV. Light attenuation and relative light output of all tested samples could be reproduced reasonably well by MC. All optical properties of this system have remained stable over a period of > 1 y.Comment: 57 pages, 19 figures, 10 tables elsevier template for manuscript submission submitted to NIMA 10 February 200

Effect of voluntary exercise on weight gain and associated neuroimmune signaling in ovariectomized rats

Obesity is a multifaceted disease that poses a health care challenge, affecting ~40% of adults in the United States. It is associated with a range of co-morbidities and exorbitant medical costs. Obesity as a disease disproportionately affects different ethnic groups, as well as individuals of different socioeconomic status. However, the disparity between sexes is particularly concerning. 45% of women are obese compared to only 38% in men. Given this disparity, there is still surprisingly little literature on female obesity, even in animal models. It is known that ovarian hormones influence body weight, and that ovariectomized (OVX) rats rapidly gain weight. Additionally, it was noted in our previous study that this post-OVX weight gain is associated with regionally specific changes in neuroimmune signals in the CNS, particularly in areas involved in body weight regulation and feeding control, such as the arcuate nucleus (ARC), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and the dorsal vagal complex (DVC). Obesity management is an issue as well. Due to its multifaceted nature, obesity is difficult to control. The most common recommendations for obese individuals are still dieting and exercise. In this study, we investigated the impact of exercise on weight gain along with the associated changes in neuroimmune signals focusing on Interleukin-6 (IL6), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP-1), Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) due to their involvement in innate immune activation, which is associated with obesity.Sixteen female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were OVX, with 8 then housed in cages with running wheels attached, while the other 8 were housed in standard cages without access to running wheels. Body weight and running distance were recorded weekly. At the 3-week mark, the rats were switched, with rats that initially were sedentary housed in cages with running wheels, and rats that had immediate access to running wheels transferred to standard cages. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the 6th week, and plasma, brains and spleens were collected. Punches were taken from ARC, PVN, and DVC and the expression of IL6, MCP-1, GFAP, and TLR4 were quantified using immunoblotting (IL-6, MCP) or ELISA kits (GFAP, TLR4).OVX rats gained significantly less weight during their first week of running, regardless of whether they ran immediately or 3 weeks after OVX. Both TLR4 and GFAP in the DVC were significantly greater in the immediate exercise group, whereas IL-6 and MCP showed no differences between the two groups. Thus, exercise had transient effects to slow post-OVX weight gain, but was more effective when it was delayed for 3 weeks. With regard to neuroimmune signals, the effects of exercise were limited to GFAP and TLR4 and were regionally specific. Together, these findings suggest that exercise and the concomitant slowing of the post-OVX weight gain may reduce innate immune activation in hindbrain areas that respond to stimuli associated with feeding

alpha-nucleus potentials for the neutron-deficient p nuclei

alpha-nucleus potentials are one important ingredient for the understanding of the nucleosynthesis of heavy neutron-deficient p nuclei in the astrophysical gamma-process where these p nuclei are produced by a series of (gamma,n), (gamma,p), and (gamma,alpha) reactions. I present an improved alpha-nucleus potential at the astrophysically relevant sub-Coulomb energies which is derived from the analysis of alpha decay data and from a previously established systematic behavior of double-folding potentials.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.