Glen Gallic Mallee (Eucalyptus dealbata subsp. aperticola, Myrtaceae), a new taxon from the sandstone escarpment of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Eucalyptus dealbata subsp. aperticola S.A.J. Bell & D. Nicolle, a new mallee red gum from Triassic aged sandstone benches in the northern part of Wollemi National Park north-west of Sydney, is described and illustrated, and notes on affinities, distribution, ecology and conservation status provided

Resolution of a 35-year taxonomic dilemma: Eucalyptus sp. Howes Swamp Creek (Myrtaceae) from eastern Wollemi National Park, New South Wales

The identity of a population of eucalypts from Howes Swamp Creek in the eastern part of Wollemi National Park in New South Wales has remained unresolved for over 35 years. Despite several workers inspecting both the site and the trees growing there over this period, little consensus has been achieved on its taxonomic status. Various suggestions have been made that the entity was a new species with affinities to Eucalyptus dalrympleana, E. viminalis or E. bridgesiana, and at one time the unpublished manuscript name E. ‘wollemiensis’ was used. Because of the perceived small population size and threats posed by wildfire and other factors, the entity phrase name E. sp. Howes Swamp Creek (M.Doherty 26) was listed as an endangered taxon in both Commonwealth and State threatened species legislation. Our investigations over the last few years, involving field, seedling, and herbarium studies, have determined the original reference specimen designated for the phrase name is E. bridgesiana, and that the population from which the specimen was gathered comprises a hybrid swarm of E. bridgesiana × E. viminalis. Both parent species are present at the site, although the former species is seemingly very rare there. We recommend that E. sp. Howes Swamp Creek be removed from threatened species legislation, and that the names E. sp. Howes Swamp Creek (M.Doherty 26) and E. ‘wollemiensis’ ms be considered nomenclatural synonyms of E. bridgesiana

Synthesis of Biomass-Derived Ethers for Use as Fuels and Lubricants.

Ethers synthesized from biomass-derived compounds have exceptional properties as fuels, lubricants, and specialty chemicals and can serve as replacements for petroleum-derived products. Recent efforts have identified heterogeneous catalysts for the selective synthesis of ethers from alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, furans, esters, olefins, carboxylic acids, and other molecules derived from biomass. This Review highlights the scope of etherification reactions and provides insights into the choice of catalysts and reaction conditions best suited for producing targeted ethers from the available starting materials. First, the properties of ethers for specific applications and the methods by which synthons for ether synthesis can be obtained from biomass are discussed. Then the progress that has been made on the synthesis of ethers via the following methods is summarized: direct etherification of alcohols; reductive etherification of alcohols with aldehydes or ketones; etherification of furanic compounds, esters, and carboxylic acids; and the addition of alcohols to olefins. Next, the mechanisms of these reactions and catalyst properties required to promote them are discussed, with the goal of understanding how reaction conditions can be tuned to optimize catalyst activity and selectivity towards desired ethers. The Review closes by examining the tradeoffs between catalyst selectivity, activity, stability, and reaction conditions required to achieve the most economically and environmentally favorable routes to biomass-derived ethers

Little angels: The mediation of parenting

This Article does not have an abstract

Exact diffusion coefficient of self-gravitating Brownian particles in two dimensions

We derive the exact expression of the diffusion coefficient of a self-gravitating Brownian gas in two dimensions. Our formula generalizes the usual Einstein relation for a free Brownian motion to the context of two-dimensional gravity. We show the existence of a critical temperature T_{c} at which the diffusion coefficient vanishes. For T<T_{c} the diffusion coefficient is negative and the gas undergoes gravitational collapse. This leads to the formation of a Dirac peak concentrating the whole mass in a finite time. We also stress that the critical temperature T_{c} is different from the collapse temperature T_{*} at which the partition function diverges. These quantities differ by a factor 1-1/N where N is the number of particles in the system. We provide clear evidence of this difference by explicitly solving the case N=2. We also mention the analogy with the chemotactic aggregation of bacteria in biology, the formation of ``atoms'' in a two-dimensional (2D) plasma and the formation of dipoles or supervortices in 2D point vortex dynamics

The benefits of 24/7 in-house intensivist coverage for prolonged-stay cardiac surgery patients

ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of 24/7 in-house intensivist care for patients requiring prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay following cardiac surgery.MethodsA propensity-matched retrospective before-and-after observational study comparing 2 models of ICU physician staffing was undertaken. Previously, residents (with intensivist backup) provided care for patients after cardiac surgery (surgical ICU cohort). ICU physician staffing was modified with the implementation of 24/7 in-house board-certified intensivist coverage in a cardiac surgery ICU (cardiac surgery ICU cohort) for postoperative care. Patients with a prolonged ICU stay (ie, >48 hours) were identified and their outcomes analyzed for both models of care.ResultsPropensity matching between cohorts was successful for 271 patients (75.7%), with matched patients being used for comparison. There was no difference in ICU or 30-day mortality. There was also no difference in ICU length of stay (LOS); however, the median hospital LOS was significantly shorter in the cardiac surgery ICU cohort (12.3 vs 11.0 days; P < .01). There was a decrease in the proportion of patients receiving transfused red blood cells in the cardiac surgery ICU cohort (80.8% vs 65.7%; P < .001). The cardiac surgery ICU cohort had reduced complications relating to sepsis (4.7% vs 0.7%; P < .01) and renal failure (22.5% vs 12.5%; P < .01); however, the identification of neurologic dysfunction was significantly higher (11.1% vs 20.7%; P < .01).ConclusionsFor patients requiring a prolonged ICU stay, our model of 24/7 in-house intensivist coverage was not associated with changes in ICU LOS, nor ICU and 30-day mortality. However a reduction in blood product use, ICU complications, and total hospital LOS was observed

Data S1: Sabokseir et al. raw dataset

Background. The inconsistent prevalence of fluorosis for a given level of fluoride in drinking water suggests developmental defects of enamel (DDEs) other than fluorosis were being misdiagnosed as fluorosis. The imprecise definition and subjective perception of fluorosis indices could result in misdiagnosis of dental fluorosis. This study was conducted to distinguish genuine fluorosis from fluorosis-resembling defects that could have adverse health-related events as a cause using Early Childhood Events Life-grid method (ECEL). Methods. A study was conducted on 400 9-year-old children from areas with high, optimal and low levels of fluoride in the drinking water of Fars province, Iran. Fluorosis cases were diagnosed on the standardized one view photographs of the anterior teeth using Dean’s and TF (Thylstrup and Fejerskov) Indices by calibrated dentists. Agreements between examiners were tested. Early childhood health-related data collected retrospectively by ECEL method were matched with the position of enamel defects. Results. Using both Dean and TF indices three out of four dentists diagnosed that 31.3% (115) children had fluorosis, 58.0%, 29.1%, and 10.0% in high (2.12–2.85 ppm), optimal (0.62–1.22 ppm), and low (0.24–0.29 ppm) fluoride areas respectively (p < 0.001). After matching health-related events in the 115 (31.3%) of children diagnosed with fluorosis, 31 (8.4%) of children had fluorosis which could be matched with their adverse health-related events. This suggests that what was diagnosed as fluorosis were non-fluoride related DDEs that resemble fluorosis. Discussion. The frequently used measures of fluorosis appear to overscore fluorosis. Use of ECEL method to consider health related events relevant to DDEs could help to differentiate between genuine fluorosis and fluorosis-resembling defects

The distance to the Leo I dwarf spheroidal galaxy from the Red Giant Branch Tip

We present V and I photometry of a 9.4 arcmin X 9.4 arcmin field centered on the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Leo I. The I magnitude of the tip of the Red Giant Branch is robustly estimated from two different datasets (I^{TRGB}=17.97 +0.05/-0.03). From this estimate, adopting [M/H]=-1.2 from the comparison of RGB stars with Galactic templates, we obtain a distance modulus (m-M)_0=22.02 +/- 0.13, corresponding to a distance D=254 +16/-19 Kpc.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Fig. 1 and 2 provided in low resolution version. Latex. Accepted for publication by MNRA

Upgrading Lignocellulosic Products to Drop-In Biofuels via Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling and Hydrodeoxygenation Sequence

Life-cycle analysis (LCA) allows the scientific community to identify the sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of novel routes to produce renewable fuels. Herein, we integrate LCA into our investigations of a new route to produce drop-in diesel/jet fuel by combining furfural, obtained from the catalytic dehydration of lignocellulosic pentose sugars, with alcohols that can be derived from a variety of bio- or petroleum-based feedstocks. As a key innovation, we developed recyclable transition-metal-free hydrotalcite catalysts to promote the dehydrogenative cross-coupling reaction of furfural and alcohols to give high molecular weight adducts via a transfer hydrogenation- aldol condensation pathway. Subsequent hydrodeoxygenation of adducts over Pt/NbOPO4 yields alkanes. Implemented in a Brazilian sugarcane biorefinery such a process could result in a 53-79% reduction in life-cycle GHG emissions relative to conventional petroleum fuels and provide a sustainable source of low carbon diesel/jet fuel

Impact of the PROFHER trial findings on surgeons' clinical practice : An online questionnaire survey

OBJECTIVES: To explore whether orthopaedic surgeons have adopted the Proximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation (PROFHER) trial results routinely into clinical practice. METHODS: A questionnaire was piloted with six orthopaedic surgeons using a 'think aloud' process. The final questionnaire contained 29 items and was distributed online to surgeon members of the British Orthopaedic Association and British Elbow and Shoulder Society. Descriptive statistics summarised the sample characteristics and fracture treatment of respondents overall, and grouped them by whether they changed practice based on PROFHER trial findings. Free-text responses were analysed qualitatively for emerging themes using Framework Analysis principles. RESULTS: There were complete responses from 265 orthopaedic and trauma surgeons who treat patients with proximal humeral fractures. Around half (137) had changed practice to various extents because of PROFHER, by operating on fewer PROFHER-eligible fractures. A third (43) of the 128 respondents who had not changed practice were already managing patients non-operatively. Those who changed practice were more likely to be younger, work in a trauma unit rather than a major trauma centre, be specialist shoulder surgeons and treat fewer PROFHER-eligible fractures surgically. This group gave higher scores when assessing validity and applicability of PROFHER. In contrast, a quarter of the non-changers were critical, sometimes emphatically, of PROFHER. The strongest theme that emerged overall was the endorsement of evidence-based practice. CONCLUSION: PROFHER has had an impact on surgeons' clinical practice, both through changing it, and through underpinning existing non-operative practice. Although some respondents expressed reservations about the trial, evidence from such trials was found to be the most important influence on surgeons' decisions to change practice.Cite this article: L. Jefferson, S. Brealey, H. Handoll, A. Keding, L. Kottam, I. Sbizzera, A. Rangan. Impact of the PROFHER trial findings on surgeons' clinical practice: An online questionnaire survey. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:590-599. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.610.BJR-2017-0170