International Congress Against Abuse of Alcohol.

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Post-Prior discrepancies in CDW-EIS calculations for ion impact ionization fully differential cross sections

In this work we present fully differential cross sections (FDCSs) calculations using post and prior version of CDW--EIS theory for helium single ionization by 100 MeV C$^{6+}$ amu$^{-1}$ and 3.6 MeV amu$^{-1}$ Au$^{24+}$ and Au$^{53+}$ ions. We performed our calculations for different momentum transfer and ejected electron energies. The influence of internuclear potential on the ejected electron spectra is taken into account in all cases. We compare our calculations with absolute experimental measurements. It is shown that prior version calculations give better agreement with experiments in almost all studied cases.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Inverse problem for the Landau-Zener effect

We consider the inverse Landau-Zener problem which consists in finding the energy-sweep functions W(t)=E1(t)-E2(t) resulting in the required time dependences of the level populations for a two-level system crossing the resonance one or more times during the sweep. We find sweep functions of particular forms that let manipulate the system in a required way, including complete switching from the state 1 to the state 2 and preparing the system at the exact ground and excited states at resonance.Comment: 7 EPL pages, 6 figure

Disordered, stretched, and semiflexible biopolymers in two dimensions

We study the effects of intrinsic sequence-dependent curvature for a two dimensional semiflexible biopolymer with short-range correlation in intrinsic curvatures. We show exactly that when not subjected to any external force, such a system is equivalent to a system with a well-defined intrinsic curvature and a proper renormalized persistence length. We find the exact expression for the distribution function of the equivalent system. However, we show that such an equivalent system does not always exist for the polymer subjected to an external force. We find that under an external force, the effect of sequence-disorder depends upon the averaging order, the degree of disorder, and the experimental conditions, such as the boundary conditions. Furthermore, a short to moderate length biopolymer may be much softer or has a smaller apparent persistent length than what would be expected from the "equivalent system". Moreover, under a strong stretching force and for a long biopolymer, the sequence-disorder is immaterial for elasticity. Finally, the effect of sequence-disorder may depend upon the quantity considered

Spinal manipulative therapy versus Graston Technique in the treatment of non-specific thoracic spine pain: Design of a randomised controlled trial

Background: The one year prevalence of thoracic back pain has been estimated as 17% compared to 64% for neck pain and 67% for low back pain. At present only one randomised controlled trial has been performed assessing the efficacy of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) for thoracic spine pain. In addition no high quality trials have been performed to test the efficacy and effectiveness of Graston Technique® (GT), a soft tissue massage therapy using hand-held stainless steel instruments. The objective of this trial is to determine the efficacy of SMT and GT compared to a placebo for the treatment of non specific thoracic spine pain. Methods: Eighty four eligible people with non specific thoracic pain mid back pain of six weeks or more will be randomised to one of three groups, either SMT, GT, or a placebo (de-tuned ultrasound). Each group will receive up to 10 supervised treatment sessions at the Murdoch University Chiropractic student clinic over a 4-week period. Treatment outcomes will be measured at baseline, one week after their first treatment, upon completion of the 4-week intervention period and at three, six and twelve months post randomisation. Outcome measures will include the Oswestry Back Pain Disability Index and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Intention to treat analysis will be utilised in the statistical analysis of any group treatment effects

Statistics of the largest geomagnetic storms per solar cycle (1844-1993)

International audienceA previous application of extreme-value statistics to the first, second and third largest geomagnetic storms per solar cycle for nine solar cycles is extended to fourteen solar cycles (1844?1993). The intensity of a geomagnetic storm is measured by the magnitude of the daily aa index, rather than the half-daily aa index used previously. Values of the conventional aa index (1868?1993), supplemented by the Helsinki Ak index (1844?1880), provide an almost continuous, and largely homogeneous, daily measure of geomagnetic activity over an interval of 150 years. As in the earlier investigation, analytic expressions giving the probabilities of the three greatest storms (extreme values) per solar cycle, as continuous functions of storm magnitude (aa), are obtained by least-squares fitting of the observations to the appropriate theoretical extreme-value probability functions. These expressions are used to obtain the statistical characteristics of the extreme values; namely, the mode, median, mean, standard deviation and relative dispersion. Since the Ak index may not provide an entirely homogeneous extension of the aa index, the statistical analysis is performed separately for twelve solar cycles (1868?1993), as well as nine solar cycles (1868?1967). The results are utilized to determine the expected ranges of the extreme values as a function of the number of solar cycles. For fourteen solar cycles, the expected ranges of the daily aa index for the first, second and third largest geomagnetic storms per solar cycle decrease monotonically in magnitude, contrary to the situation for the half-daily aa index over nine solar cycles. The observed range of the first extreme daily aa index for fourteen solar cycles is 159?352 nT and for twelve solar cycles is 215?352 nT. In a group of 100 solar cycles the expected ranges are expanded to 137?539 and 177?511 nT, which represent increases of 108% and 144% in the respective ranges. Thus there is at least a 99% probability that the daily aa index will satisfy the condition aa < 550 for the largest geomagnetic storm in the next 100 solar cycles. The statistical analysis is used to infer that remarkable conjugate auroral observations on the night of 16 September 1770, which were recorded during the first voyage of Captain Cook to Australia, occurred during an intense geomagnetic storm

The History and Conservation of Saltpeter Works in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Remains of the saltpeter mining operation in Mammoth Cave are a significant feature of several cave tours and figure prominently in the history of cave use. We undertook a comprehensive review of existing historical descriptions and recent archaeological investigations to construct the most reasonable account of how the saltpeter operation worked and assess its current conditions. At least three types of saltpeter vats were constructed in the cave reflecting an increase in the size of the operation and efficiency of processing sediments over time. Remains of three pump towers are also found in the cave in various states of preservation. The water pipe system was mostly dismantled, but archaeological evidence indicates its most probable route through the cave. We recommend more thorough documentation of existing remains, conservation efforts to preserve existing remains, better interpretative signage, and possibly repair or replication of damaged or missing components to further enhance public interpretation