Pentaborate(1-) salts templated by substituted pyrrolidinium cations: synthesis, structural characterization, and modelling of solid-state H-bond interactions by DFT calculations

The synthesis and characterization of a series of pentaborate(1�) salts of substituted pyrrolidinium cations [C4H8NH2][B5O6(OH)4] (1), [C4H8NMe2][B5O6(OH)4] (2) [C4H8NMeH][B5O6(OH)4] (3), [(2-CH2OH)C4H7NH2][B5O6(OH)4] (4) is reported. All compounds were characterized by single-crystal XRD studies with 3 (1/2CH3COCH3) and 4 (1/2H2O) solvated. TGA/DSC analysis of the pentaborates 1�4 showed that they thermally decomposed in air at 800 °C to 2.5 B2O3, in a 2 step process involving dehydration (<250 °C) and oxidative decomposition (250�600 °C). BET analysis of materials derived thermally from the pentaborates 1 and 2 had internal porosities of <1 m2 g�1, indicating they were non-porous. All compounds show extensive supramolecular H-bonded anionic lattices. H-bond interactions are described in detail and motifs found in these and in other pentaborate structures have been examined and modelled by DFT calculations. These calculations confirm that H-bonds interactions in pentaborates are moderately strong (ca. �10 to �21 kJ mol�1) and are likely to dominate the energetics of their templated syntheses

Effects of culling on badger abundance : implications for tuberculosis control

Culling is often considered as a tool for controlling wildlife diseases that can also infect people or livestock. Culling European badgers Meles meles can cause both positive and negative effects on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle. One factor likely to influence the outcome of different badger culling strategies for cattle TB is the reduction in badger population density achieved. However, this reduction is difficult to measure because badgers, being nocturnal and fossorial, are difficult to count. Here, we use indices of badger abundance to measure the population impacts of two culling strategies tested in Britain. The densities of badger setts and latrines recorded before culling were correlated with the densities of badgers captured on initial culls, suggesting that both were indices of actual badger abundance. Widespread 'proactive' culling was associated with a 73% reduction in the density of badger latrines, a 69% reduction in the density of active burrows and a 73% reduction in the density of road killed badgers. This population reduction was achieved by a coordinated effort entailing widespread and repeated trapping over several years. However, this strategy caused only modest reductions in cattle TB incidence in culled areas and elevated incidence in neighbouring unculled areas. Localized 'reactive' culling caused a 26% reduction in latrine density, a 32% reduction in active burrow density and a 10% reduction in the density of road killed badgers, but apparently increased the incidence of cattle TB. These results indicate that the relationship between badger population reduction and TB transmission to cattle is strongly non linear, probably because culling prompts changes in badger behaviour that influence transmission rates. These findings raise serious questions about the capacity of badger culling to contribute to the control of cattle TB in Britain

Study of the Hindrance Effect in Sub-barrier Fusion Reactions

We have measured the fusion cross sections of the 12C(13C, p)24Na reaction through off-line measurement of the beta-decay of 24Na using the beta-gamma coincidence method. Our new measurements in the energy range of Ec.m. = 2.6-3.0 MeV do not show an obvious S-factor maximum but a plateau. Comparison between this work and various models is presented.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, Talk at the "10th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions", Beijing, 16-21 August 200

A study of debinding behaviour and microstructural development of sintered Al-Cu-Sn alloy

A new approach is explored to achieve sintered aluminium alloy from metallic powder mixtures without compression or adding Mg. In this approach, mixtures of micron-sized aluminium powder (average size of 2.5 μm) and nano-sized alloying elemental powder of Cu and Sn (less than of 70nm), at appropriate proportions to compositions of Al-6wt%Cu, Al-6wt%Cu-3wt%Sn with and without adhesive binder were prepared by magnetic stirring. Then, the powder mixture was poured into a crucible and heat treated at a temperature of 600°C for 11 hours in inert atmosphere of N2 or Ar. In this paper, we investigate the debinding behavior of loosely packed Al-based powder mixture and the microstructural development and mechanical property sintered parts using a combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractrometry (XRD) and hardness test

A Multi-Isotope Investigation of Human and Dog mobility and diet in the pre-colonial Antilles.

The complex relationships between humans and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have a very deep and unique history. Dogs have accompanied humans as they colonised much of the world, and were introduced via human agency into the insular Caribbean where they became widespread throughout the Ceramic Age. It is likely that the dynamic interactions between humans, dogs, and their environments in the Caribbean were spatially, chronologically, and socially variable. However, almost no research has specifically addressed the nature, or potential variability, of human/dog interactions in this region. This study presents isotopic (strontium and carbon) evidence bearing on human and dog paleomobility and paleodietary patterns in the pre-colonial Caribbean. The isotope results illustrate a generally high degree of correspondence between human and dog dietary practices at all analysed sites but also slight differences in the relative importance of different dietary inputs. Striking parallels are also observed between the human and dog mobility patterns and shed light on broader networks of social interaction and exchange. Lastly, the paper addresses the possible utility and relevance of canine isotope data as proxies for inferring past human behaviours.Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)Archaeology of the America

Making alumina microcomponents from Al powder

Alumina microcomponents have distinguishing advantages over Si counterparts. However, the shrinkage of alumina, as high as 20%, makes it difficult to produce precision components that require a high tolerance. A new fabrication process is presented to greatly reduce the shrinkage. The process consists of forming an Al powdered component through sintering and transforming the Al powdered component into an alumina part. In this way, the shrinkage occurring in sintering the Al powder component will be compensated by the expansion occurred when Al transforms into alumina. The process involves producing micro-moulds, preparing metallic paste, filling the micro-moulds with the metallic paste, demoulding, sintering the green Al patterns and finally oxidising the sintered Al-based components to achieve alumina components. The process was proven successful. Characterization of the sintered alumina microcomponents has been undertaken, including SEM image analysis, density and scale measurements

The Possibilist Transactional Interpretation and Relativity

A recent ontological variant of Cramer's Transactional Interpretation, called "Possibilist Transactional Interpretation" or PTI, is extended to the relativistic domain. The present interpretation clarifies the concept of 'absorption,' which plays a crucial role in TI (and in PTI). In particular, in the relativistic domain, coupling amplitudes between fields are interpreted as amplitudes for the generation of confirmation waves (CW) by a potential absorber in response to offer waves (OW), whereas in the nonrelativistic context CW are taken as generated with certainty. It is pointed out that solving the measurement problem requires venturing into the relativistic domain in which emissions and absorptions take place; nonrelativistic quantum mechanics only applies to quanta considered as 'already in existence' (i.e., 'free quanta'), and therefore cannot fully account for the phenomenon of measurement, in which quanta are tied to sources and sinks.Comment: Final version with some minor corrections as published in Foundations of Physics. This paper has significant overlap with Chapter 6 of my book on the Transactional Interpretation, forthcoming from Cambridge University Press: http://www.cambridge.org/us/knowledge/isbn/item6860644/?site_locale=en_US (Additional preview material is available at rekastner.wordpress.com) Comments welcom

PROFIT: a new alternative for emission-line PROfile FITting

I briefly describe a simple routine for emission-line profiles fitting by Gaussian curves or Gauss-Hermite series. The PROFIT (line-PROfile FITting) routine represent a new alternative for use in fits data cubes, as those from Integral Field Spectroscopy or Fabry-Perot Interferometry, and may be useful to better study the emission-line flux distributions and gas kinematics in distinct astrophysical objects, such as the central regions of galaxies and star forming regions. The PROFIT routine is written in IDL language and is available at http://www.ufsm.br/rogemar/software.html. The PROFIT routine was used to fit the [Fe II]1.257um emission-line profiles for about 1800 spectra of the inner 350 pc of the Seyfert galaxy Mrk1066 obtained with Gemini NIFS and shows that the line profiles are better reproduced by Gauss-Hermite series than by the commonly used Gaussian curves. The two-dimensional map of the h_3 Gauss-Hermite moment shows its highest absolute values in regions close to the edge of the radio structure. These high values may be originated in an biconical outflowing gas associated with the radio jet - previously observed in the optical [O III] emission. The analysis of this kinematic component indicates that the radio jet leaves the center of the galaxy with the north-west side slightly oriented towards us and the south-east side away from us, being partially hidden by the disc of the galaxy.Comment: Accepted for publication Astrophysics & Space Science - 7 pges; 4 Fig

A cluster randomised controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the 'Girls Active' intervention: a study protocol

Background: Despite the health benefits of physical activity, data from the UK suggest that a large proportion of adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). This is particularly evident in girls, who are less active than boys across all ages and may display a faster rate of decline in physical activity throughout adolescence. The &lsquo;Girls Active&rsquo; intervention has been designed by the Youth Sport Trust to target the lower participation rates observed in adolescent girls. &lsquo;Girls Active&rsquo; uses peer leadership and marketing to empower girls to influence decision making in their school, develop as role models and promote physical activity to other girls. Schools are provided with training and resources to review their physical activity, sport and PE provision, culture and practices to ensure they are relevant and attractive to adolescent girls.&nbsp; Methods/Design: This study is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) aiming to recruit 20 secondary schools. Clusters will be randomised at the school level (stratified by school size and proportion of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) pupils) to receive either the &lsquo;Girls Active&rsquo; intervention or carry on with usual practice (1:1). The 20 secondary schools will be recruited from state secondary schools within the Midlands area. We aim to recruit 80 girls aged 11&ndash;14 years in each school. Data will be collected at three time points; baseline and seven and 14months after baseline. Our primary aim is to investigate whether &lsquo;Girls Active&rsquo; leads to higher objectively measured (GENEActiv) moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adolescent girls at 14months after baseline assessment compared to the control group. Secondary outcomes include other objectively measured physical activity variables, adiposity, physical activity-related psychological factors and the cost-effectiveness of the &lsquo;Girls Active&rsquo; intervention. A thorough process evaluation will be conducted during the course of the intervention delivery.&nbsp; Discussion: The findings of this study will provide valuable information on whether this type of school-based approach to increasing physical activity in adolescent girls is both effective and cost-effective in the UK

The impact of neighbourhood walkability on the effectiveness of a structured education programme to increase objectively measured walking

Background: Incorporating physical activity into daily activities is key for the effectiveness of lifestyle education interventions aimed at improving health outcomes; however, consideration of the environmental context in which individuals live is not always made. Walkability is a characteristic of the physical environment, and may be a potential facilitator to changing physical activity levels.  Methods: Using data collected during the Walking Away from Diabetes randomised controlled trial, we examined the association between the walkability of the home neighbourhood and physical activity of participants. We also determined whether home neighbourhood walkability of participants was associated with the intervention effect of the education programme.  Results: Data from 706 participants were available for analysis. Neighbourhood walkability was not significantly associated with any of the physical activity measures at baseline, or at 12, 24 or 36 months following the intervention (p>0.05 for all). There was no association between walkability and change in purposeful steps/ day from baseline to 36months in the usual care or intervention arm; 25.77 (-99.04, 150.58) and 42.97 (-327.63, 413.45) respectively.  Conclusion: Neighbourhood walkability appeared to have no association with objectively-measured physical activity in this population. Furthermore, the walkability of participant’s neighbourhood did not influence the effectiveness of a lifestyle programme