Measurement of the threshold sensitivity of honeybees to weak, extremely low-frequency magnetic fields

Experiments reported previously demonstrate that free-flying honeybees are able to detect static intensity fluctuations as weak as 26 nT against the background, earth-strength magnetic field. We report here an extension of this work to weak, alternating fields at frequencies of 10 and 60 Hz. Our results indicate that the sensitivity of the honeybee magnetoreception system decreases rapidly with increasing frequency. At 60 Hz, alternating field strengths above 100 µT are required to elicit discrimination. These results are consistent with biophysical predictions of a magnetite-based magnetoreceptor

The Waters of The Third Pole: Sources of Threat, Sources of Survival

The purpose of this report is to open up a dialogue on an issue that could put the lives and livelihoods of millions of people at risk in the foreseeable future. This issue is water – water as a vital resource and as a potential crisis driver in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. In seeking to foster that dialogue, the report has three specific objectives: [i] to survey various types of potential water-related hazards and crisis drivers that could affect the region; [ii] to foster new types of alliances – including greater attention to what will be called humanitarian policy-maker/ science dialogues – for addressing the threats that the region may face; and [iii] to propose first steps that must be taken now to lead to prevention and preparedness measures commensurate with the nature and scale of threats facing the region

Quasiparticle Density of States of Clean and Dirty s-Wave Superconductors in the Vortex State

The quasiparticle density of states (DOS) in the vortex state has been probed by specific heat measurements under magnetic fields (H) for clean and dirty s-wave superconductors, Y(Ni1-xPtx)2B2C and Nb1-xTaxSe2. We find that the quasiparticle DOS per vortex is appreciably H-dependent in the clean-limit superconductors, while it is H-independent in the dirty superconductors as expected from a conventional rigid normal electron core picture. We discuss possible origins for our observations in terms of the shrinking of the vortex core radius with increasing H.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol. 68 No.

Factors Influencing Mental Health Outcomes of University Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Previous research links the COVID-19 pandemic to negative effects on physical and mental health; however, little is known about how those effects can be mitigated. Additionally, college campuses experience mental health issues regularly, which were heightened during the pandemic. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of mental health within a university community and identify factors associated with excessive worry during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as mental health, resilience, grit, and other demographic factors. Methods: A questionnaire examining five domains (demographics, COVID-19 distancing behaviors, physical, mental, and social and economic health) was created, validated, and distributed to a college campus in the Southeastern United States. Unadjusted and adjusted ordinal logistic regression models were used to examine the cross-sectional association between worry and mental health measures while controlling for resilience and grit. Results: Participants (n=162) experienced varying levels of stress, anxiety, and depression with moderate levels of resilience (mean=3.76±0.59) and grit (mean=3.32±0.38) and some level of pandemic-related worry. Participants with mild anxiety and stress, and moderate/severe anxiety, stress, and depression were more worried, mitigated by resiliency. Conclusion: Resiliency is an important mitigating factor for mental health; college/university campuses should prioritize establishing resilience within their community

The Flame Emission of Indium from a Pyrotechnical View

Until today, all blue‐colored light‐generating pyrotechnics are still based on copper and a halogen‐source providing the blue‐emitting species copper(I) chloride, copper(I) bromide or copper(I) iodide. The use of indium as a potential halogen‐free blue light emitter in modern pyrotechnics is described. Therefore, metallic indium was introduced as both fuel and colorant in various pyrotechnical formulations including guanidine nitrate or potassium nitrate as oxidizing agent as well as magnesium, hexamethylentetramine and 5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazole as fuel. The effect of incandescence was examined by applying different magnesium contents within the mixtures. Emission spectra and occurring emission lines of indium‐based pyrotechnical compositions were recorded and evaluated for the first time. Since the expected blue flame color could not be completely achieved, the emission of indium was discussed from an academic point of view

Validity of annoyance scores for estimation of long term air pollution exposure in epidemiologic studies: the Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA)

In air pollution epidemiology, estimates of long term exposure are often based on measurements made at one fixed site monitor per area. This may lead to exposure misclassification. The present paper validates a questionnaire-based indicator of ambient air pollution levels and its applicability to assess their within-area variability. Within the framework of the SAPALDIA (Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults) cross-sectional study (1991), 9,651 participants reported their level of annoyance caused by air pollution on an 11-point scale. This subjective measure was compared with annual mean concentrations of particulate matter less than 10 microm in diameter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide. The impact of individual factors on reported scores was evaluated. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations at home outdoors (measured in 1993), smoking, workplace dust exposure, and respiratory symptoms were found to be predictors of individual annoyance scores. Regression of population mean annoyance scores against annual mean PM10 and nitrogen dioxide concentrations (measured in 1993 and 1991, respectively) across areas showed a linear relation and strong correlations (r>0.85). Analysis within areas yielded consistent results. The observed associations between subjective and objective air pollution exposure estimates suggest that population mean scores, but not individual scores, may serve as a simple tool for grading air quality within areas. Reported annoyance due to air pollution should be considered an indicator for a complex environmental condition and thus might be used for evaluating the implementation of environmental policies

Diffuse versus square-well confining potentials in modelling AA@C60_{60} atoms

Attention: this version-$2$ of the manuscript differs from its previously uploaded version-$1$ (arXiv:1112.6158v1) and subsequently published in 2012 J. Phys. B \textbf{45} 105102 only by a removed typo in Eq.(2) of version-$1$; there was the erroneous factor "2" in both terms in the right-hand-side of the Eq.(2) of version-$1$. Now that the typo is removed, Eq.(2) is correct. A perceived advantage for the replacement of a discontinuous square-well pseudo-potential, which is often used by various researchers as an approximation to the actual C$_{60}$ cage potential in calculations of endohedral atoms $A$@C$_{60}$, by a more realistic diffuse potential is explored. The photoionization of endohedral H@C$_{60}$ and Xe@C$_{60}$ is chosen as the case study. The diffuse potential is modelled by a combination of two Woods-Saxon potentials. It is demonstrated that photoionization spectra of $A$@C$_{60}$ atoms are largely insensitive to the degree $\eta$ of diffuseness of the potential borders, in a reasonably broad range of $\eta$'s. Alternatively, these spectra are found to be insensitive to discontinuity of the square-well potential either. Both potentials result in practically identical calculated spectra. New numerical values for the set of square-well parameters, which lead to a better agreement between experimental and theoretical data for $A$@C$_{60}$ spectra, are recommended for future studies.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Peri‐operative cardiac arrest in children as reported to the 7th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists

The 7th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists studied peri‐operative cardiac arrest. An activity survey estimated UK paediatric anaesthesia annual caseload as 390,000 cases, 14% of the UK total. Paediatric peri‐operative cardiac arrests accounted for 104 (12%) reports giving an incidence of 3 in 10,000 anaesthetics (95%CI 2.2–3.3 per 10,000). The incidence of peri‐operative cardiac arrest was highest in neonates (27, 26%), infants (36, 35%) and children with congenital heart disease (44, 42%) and most reports were from tertiary centres (88, 85%). Frequent precipitants of cardiac arrest in non‐cardiac surgery included: severe hypoxaemia (20, 22%); bradycardia (10, 11%); and major haemorrhage (9, 8%). Cardiac tamponade and isolated severe hypotension featured prominently as causes of cardiac arrest in children undergoing cardiac surgery or cardiological procedures. Themes identified at review included: inappropriate choices and doses of anaesthetic drugs for intravenous induction; bradycardias associated with high concentrations of volatile anaesthetic agent or airway manipulation; use of atropine in the place of adrenaline; and inadequate monitoring. Overall quality of care was judged by the panel to be good in 64 (62%) cases, which compares favourably with adults (371, 52%). The study provides insight into paediatric anaesthetic practice, complications and peri‐operative cardiac arrest

Stabilized tin-oxide-based oxidation/reduction catalysts

The invention described herein involves a novel approach to the production of oxidation/reduction catalytic systems. The present invention serves to stabilize the tin oxide reducible metal-oxide coating by co-incorporating at least another metal-oxide species, such as zirconium. In one embodiment, a third metal-oxide species is incorporated, selected from the group consisting of cerium, lanthanum, hafnium, and ruthenium. The incorporation of the additional metal oxide components serves to stabilize the active tin-oxide layer in the catalytic process during high-temperature operation in a reducing environment (e.g., automobile exhaust). Moreover, the additional metal oxides are active components due to their oxygen-retention capabilities. Together, these features provide a mechanism to extend the range of operation of the tin-oxide-based catalyst system for automotive applications, while maintaining the existing advantages