A first simulation of soil-laser interaction investigation for soil characteristic analysis : simulation of soil-laser interaction investigation

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is an important technique utilized in several areas including that of agriculture and space exploration. However, whilst LIBS provides a new way of analyzing chemical composition of targeted soils or rocks, the quality and repeatability of the results are affected by the terrain and soil conditions as a result of physical matrix effects which occur due to varying properties like specific heat and thermal conductivity. These physical and chemical matrix effects cause difficulties with quantitative LIBS analysis. Together with this, the diverse areas in which LIBS is utilized means that it can require varying conditions of ablation techniques. Therefore, it is prudent to investigate theoretically the effect of different soil characteristics on the ablation process. The work presented here is the first simulation based research on soil quality analysis using LIBS. Aiming to gain insights into the soil breakdown process, laser coupling, sample temperature and its sensing performance through simulation of the laser ablation of soil using finite element modelling software. The proposed model within COMSOL Multiphysics was designed and developed to study the influence of multiple nanosecond (ns) laser pulses on the surface of samples of soil with varying properties. The simulation results reveal the simulated soil sensing behaviour for the first time. The computational results were compared to those obtained from LIBS experiments conducted for the Argibot project at the University of Strathclyde

Mobility Clinic Team Composition: Optimizing Care for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

INTRODUCTION Specialized interprofessional primary care-based Mobility Clinics represent a significant opportunity to improve spinal cord injury (SCI) care, however, there are no gold standards to inform team composition. This study explored the ideal mix of skill sets and competencies for Mobility Clinics. METHODS Twelve individual interviews were conducted with primary care and rehabilitation clinicians and individuals from professional associations representing nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians, physician assistants, and recreation therapists. Participants received briefing notes on the Mobility Clinic care model and roles of each discipline within this model. Questions were asked related to discipline specific scope of practice, ideal team composition to meet consumer needs, and opportunities for expanding and sharing discipline roles. RESULTS Discipline specific role descriptions within the Mobility Clinic were perceived to be comprehensive and accurate; in some cases additional activities were suggested for some disciplines. Suggestions were made for cross discipline sharing of tasks (e.g., some social worker activities can be assumed by occupational therapists, OT or nurse practitioners, NPs). Recommendations for core team members included a physician, nurse, OT, exercise therapist, and a representative from a SCI-specific community service, with linkages to specialists or interprofessional rehabilitation teams for consultation support. Potential roles were described for disciplines not currently represented in this care model (nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, physician assistants, recreation therapists). CONCLUSION As there exists a critical balance of optimizing care and availability of resources, this study informs appropriate Mobility Clinic team composition, adaptable within the context of existing human resources

The Ageing Gut-Brain Study : Exploring the role of the gut microbiota in dementia

Alex Johnstone, Alison Donaldson, Karen Scott and Phyo Myint all contributed equally to the writing and preparation of the manuscript. This study is funded by Tenovus Scotland Research Project No. G16‐08 (start 1 June 2017, end date 31 January 2019) and NHS‐Grampian Research and Development Endowment Research Grants Project No: 16/11/043 (start date 1 April 2017, end date 31 January, 2019) and the Scottish government as part of the Strategic Research Programme at the Rowett Institute (start date 1 April 2016–31 March 2021).Peer reviewedPostprin

Effects of sample pretreatment and particle size on the determination of nitrogen in soil by portable LIBS and potential use on robotic-borne remote Martian and agricultural soil analysis systems

Field determination of nitrogen in soil is of interest for both terrestrial and Martian applications. Improved management of soil nitrogen levels on Earth could benefit global food production, whilst the determination of soil nitrogen on Mars is required to assess the planet's future habitability. In this study, a mobile laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system with a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser delivering 25 mJ per pulse was used to assess the effects of sample pretreatment on the measurement of nitrogen in soil. Although pelletisation was preferred, simply milling the sample to <100 mm particle size – which may be more feasible on a remote rover-based analytical platform – improved the spectra obtained. Ablation craters formed in targets prepared from different particle size fractions of the same commercially-available topsoil showed a clear trend in morphology, with smaller particles yielding more uniform craters with fewer fractures. The LIBS emission intensity at 746.83 nm followed a similar trend to results obtained for total nitrogen content in the soil particle size fractions by microanalysis (Perkin Elmer CHN Elemental Analyser) and was well-correlated (R2 = 0.94) with soil nitrate determined by ion chromatography (Dionex DX-100). Although correlations were less good when analysing field soil samples collected from central Scotland (R2 = 0.82 for comparison between LIBS and microanalysis) the study nevertheless demonstrates the potential of portable LIBS for measurement of soil nitrogen content

The pharmacological effect of BGC20-1531, a novel prostanoid EP4 receptor antagonist, in the Prostaglandin E2 human model of headache

Using a human Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) model of headache, we examined whether a novel potent and selective EP4 receptor antagonist, BGC20-1531, may prevent headache and dilatation of the middle cerebral (MCA) and superficial temporal artery (STA). In a three-way cross-over trial, eight healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to receive 200 and 400 mg BGC20-1531 and placebo, followed by a 25-min infusion of PGE2. We recorded headache intensity on a verbal rating scale, MCA blood flow velocity and STA diameter. There was no difference in headache response or prevention of the dilation of the MCA or the STA (P > 0.05) with either dose of BGC20-1531 relative to placebo, although putative therapeutic exposures were not reached in all volunteers. In conclusion, these data suggest that the other EP receptors may be involved in PGE2 induced headache and dilatation in normal subjects

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from the Prairie Vole

The vast majority of animals mate more or less promiscuously. A few mammals, including humans, utilize more restrained mating strategies that entail a longer term affiliation with a single mating partner. Such pair bonding mating strategies have been resistant to genetic analysis because of a lack of suitable model organisms. Prairie voles are small mouse-like rodents that form enduring pair bonds in the wild as well as in the laboratory, and consequently they have been used widely to study social bonding behavior. The lack of targeted genetic approaches in this species however has restricted the study of the molecular and neural circuit basis of pair bonds. As a first step in rendering the prairie vole amenable to reverse genetics, we have generated induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSC) lines from prairie vole fibroblasts using retroviral transduction of reprogramming factors. These IPSC lines display the cellular and molecular hallmarks of IPSC cells from other organisms, including mice and humans. Moreover, the prairie vole IPSC lines have pluripotent differentiation potential since they can give rise to all three germ layers in tissue culture and in vivo. These IPSC lines can now be used to develop conditions that facilitate homologous recombination and eventually the generation of prairie voles bearing targeted genetic modifications to study the molecular and neural basis of pair bond formation

Being user-oriented: convergences, divergences, and the potentials for systematic dialogue between disciplines and between researchers, designers, and providers

The challenge this panel addresses is drawn from intersecting literature reviews and critical commentaries focusing on: 1) user studies in multiple fields; and 2) the difficulties of bringing different disciplines and perspectives to bear on user‐oriented research, design, and practice. 1 The challenge is that while we have made some progress in collaborative work, we have some distance to go to become user‐oriented in inter‐disciplinary and inter‐perspective ways. The varieties of our approaches and solutions are, as some observers suggest, an increasing cacophony. One major difficulty is that most discussions are solution‐oriented, offering arguments of this sort ‐‐ if only we addressed users in this way… Each solution becomes yet another addition to the cacophony. This panel implements a central approach documented for its utility by communication researchers and long used by communication mediators and negotiators ‐‐ that of focusing not on communication but rather on meta‐communication: communicating about communication. The intent in the context of this panel is to help us refocus attention from too frequent polarizations between alternative solutions to the possibility of coming to understand what is behind the alternatives and where they point to experientially‐based convergences and divergences, both of which might potentially contribute to synergies. The background project for this panel comes from a series of in‐depth interviews with expert researchers, designers, and providers in three field groupings ‐‐ library and information science; human computer interaction/information technology; and communication and media studies. One set of interviews involved 5‐hour focus groups with directors of academic and public libraries serving 44 colleges and universities in central Ohio; the second involved one‐on‐one interviews averaging 50 minutes with 81 nationally‐internationally known experts in the 3 fields, 25‐27 interviews per field. Using Dervin\u27s Sense‐Making Methodological approach to interviewing, the expert interviews of both kinds asked each interviewee: what he/she considered to be the big unanswered questions about users and what explained why the questions have not been answered; and, what he/she saw as hindering versus helping in attempts to communicate about users across disciplinary and perspective gaps. 2 The panel consists of six teams, two from each field. Prior to the panel presentation at ASIST, each team will have read the set of interviews and completed impressionistic essays of what patterns and themes they saw as emerging. At this stage, team members will purposively not homogenize their differences and most will write solo‐authored essays that will be placed on a web‐site accessible to ASIST members prior to the November meeting. In addition, at least one systematic analysis will be completed and available online. 3 At the ASIST panel, each team\u27s leader will present a brief and intentionally provocative impressionist account of what his/her team came to understand about our struggles communicating across fields and perspectives about users. Again, each team will purposively not homogenize its own differences in viewpoints, but rather highlight them as fodder for discussion. A major purpose will be to invite audience members to join the panel in discussion. At least 20 minutes will be left open for this purpose

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Participatory instructional redesign by students and teachers in secondary education: effects on perceptions of instruction

Könings, K. D., Brand-Gruwel, S., & Van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2011). Participatory instructional redesign by students and teachers in secondary education: effects on perceptions of instruction. Instructional Science, 39(5), 737–762.Students’ perceptions of instruction are important because they direct the learning of students. The fact that teachers have only limited knowledge of these perceptions is likely to threaten the effectiveness of learning, because congruence between interpretations of an instructional intervention is necesarry for its optimal use. This study examines participatory design as a strategy for taking student perceptions into account in instructional re/design. Participatory design meetings of groups of teachers and seven co-designing students in a secondary education setting identified changes to improve the regular education process. The results on changes in student perceptions, perceived-desired discrepancy, and teacher-student disagreement showed some improvement for the co-designers but, unexpectedly, limited or even negative effects for the non-co-designing students. Possible causes are discussed. Participatory design seems to have potential for improving education, but further research is needed