A study of poultry processing plant noise characteristics and potential noise control techniques

The noise environment in a typical poultry processing plant was characterized by developing noise contours for two representative plants: Central Soya of Athens, Inc., Athens, Georgia, and Tip Top Poultry, Inc., Marietta, Georgia. Contour information was restricted to the evisceration are of both plants because nearly 60 percent of all process employees are stationed in this area during a normal work shift. Both plant evisceration areas were composed of tile walls, sheet metal ceilings, and concrete floors. Processing was performed in an assembly-line fashion in which the birds travel through the area on overhead shackles while personnel remain at fixed stations. Processing machinery was present throughout the area. In general, the poultry processing noise problem is the result of loud sources and reflective surfaces. Within the evisceration area, it can be concluded that only a few major sources (lung guns, a chiller component, and hock cutters) are responsible for essentially all direct and reverberant sound pressure levels currently observed during normal operations. Consequently, any effort to reduce the noise problem must first address the sound power output of these sources and/or the absorptive qualitities of the room

Computational Design of Chemical Nanosensors: Metal Doped Carbon Nanotubes

We use computational screening to systematically investigate the use of transition metal doped carbon nanotubes for chemical gas sensing. For a set of relevant target molecules (CO, NH3, H2S) and the main components of air (N2, O2, H2O), we calculate the binding energy and change in conductance upon adsorption on a metal atom occupying a vacancy of a (6,6) carbon nanotube. Based on these descriptors, we identify the most promising dopant candidates for detection of a given target molecule. From the fractional coverage of the metal sites in thermal equilibrium with air, we estimate the change in the nanotube resistance per doping site as a function of the target molecule concentration assuming charge transport in the diffusive regime. Our analysis points to Ni-doped nanotubes as candidates for CO sensors working under typical atmospheric conditions

Graphene defect formation by extreme ultraviolet generated photoelectrons

We have studied the effect of photoelectrons on defect formation in graphene during extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiation. Assuming the major role of these low energy electrons, we have mimicked the process by using low energy primary electrons. Graphene is irradiated by an electron beam with energy lower than 80 eV. After e-beam irradiation, it is found that the D peak, I(D), appears in the Raman spectrum, indicating defect formation in graphene. The evolution of I(D)/I(G) follows the amorphization trajectory with increasing irradiation dose, indicating that graphene goes through a transformation from microcrystalline to nanocrystalline and then further to amorphous carbon. Further, irradiation of graphene with increased water partial pressure does not significantly change the Raman spectra, which suggests that, in the extremely low energy range, e-beam induced chemical reactions between residual water and graphene is not the dominant mechanism driving defect formation in graphene. Single layer graphene, partially suspended over holes was irradiated with EUV radiation. By comparing with the Raman results from e-beam irradiation, it is concluded that the photoelectrons, especially those from the valence band, contribute to defect formation in graphene during irradiation.Comment: appears in Journal of Applied Physics 201

Entanglement of distant optomechanical systems

We theoretically investigate the possibility to generate non-classical states of optical and mechanical modes of optical cavities, distant from each other. A setup comprised of two identical cavities, each with one fixed and one movable mirror and coupled by an optical fiber, is studied in detail. We show that with such a setup there is potential to generate entanglement between the distant cavities, involving both optical and mechanical modes. The scheme is robust with respect to dissipation, and nonlocal correlations are found to exist in the steady state at finite temperatures.Comment: 12 pages (published with minor modifications

A new dawn? The Roman Catholic Church and environmental issues

This is a PDF version of an article published in New Blackfriars© 1997. The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.This article discusses the stance of the Roman Catholic Church on environmental issues and argues that the Church tends to stay on the fringe rather than get involved. Some of the ways in which Roman Catholic theologians have incorporated environmental issues into theological reflection is discussed, as are environmental challenges facing the Church in Britain (conservation, resources, biodiversity, animal welfare, biotechnology, cooperate/individual ethics, environmental justice, economics/policy development, and global issues)

About Those New Oats - Burnett and Newton

These two new oat varieties will be available for planting in 1958. You can see them growing this year at Iowa State College or in the fields of certified seed producers. Here are the details on what you can expect

Implementation evaluation and refinement of an intervention to improve blunt chest injury management—A mixed-methods study

© 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Aims and objectives: To investigate uptake of a Chest Injury Protocol (ChIP), examine factors influencing its implementation and identify interventions for promoting its use. Background: Failure to treat blunt chest injuries in a timely manner with sufficient analgesia, physiotherapy and respiratory support, can lead to complications such as pneumonia and respiratory failure and/or death. Design: This is a mixed-methods implementation evaluation study. Methods: Two methods were used: (i) identification and review of the characteristics of all patients eligible for the ChIP protocol, and (ii) survey of hospital staff opinions mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation. The characteristics and treatment received between the groups were compared using the chi-square test or Fischer's exact test for proportions, and the Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous data. Quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were coded in NVivo 10 using a coding guide based on the TDF and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). Identification of interventions to change target behaviours was sourced from the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy Version 1 in consultation with stakeholders. Results: Only 68.4% of eligible patients received ChIP. Fifteen facilitators and 10 barriers were identified to influence the implementation of ChIP in the clinical setting. These themes were mapped to 10 of the 14 TDF domains and corresponded with all nine intervention functions in the BCW. Seven of these intervention functions were selected to address the target behaviours and a multi-faceted relaunch of the revised protocol developed. Following re-launch, uptake increased to 91%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated how the BCW may be used to revise and improve a clinical protocol in the ED context. Relevance to clinical practice: Newly implemented clinical protocols should incorporate clinician behaviour change assessment, strategy and interventions. Enhancing the self-efficacy of emergency nurses when performing assessments has the potential to improve patient outcomes and should be included in implementation strategy

Rotational Feshbach Resonances in Ultracold Molecular Collisions

In collisions at ultralow temperatures, molecules will possess Feshbach resonances, foreign to ultracold atoms, whose virtual excited states consist of rotations of the molecules. We estimate the mean spacing and mean widths of these resonant states, exploiting the fact the molecular collisions at low energy display chaotic motion. As examples, we consider the experimentally relevant molecules O_2, OH, and PbO. The density of s-wave resonant states for these species is quite high, implying that a large number of narrow resonant states will exist.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure