1,058 research outputs found
Spatial and temporal variability of soil temperature, moisture and surface soil properties
The overall objectives of this research were to: (l) Relate in-situ measured soil-water content and temperature profiles to remotely sensed surface soil-water and temperature conditions; to model simultaneous heat and water movement for spatially and temporally changing soil conditions; (2) Determine the spatial and temporal variability of surface soil properties affecting emissivity, reflectance, and material and energy flux across the soil surface. This will include physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of primary soil components and aggregate systems; and (3) Develop surface soil classes of naturally occurring and distributed soil property assemblages and group classes to be tested with respect to water content, emissivity and reflectivity. This document is a report of studies conducted during the period funded by NASA grants. The project was designed to be conducted over a five year period. Since funding was discontinued after three years, some of the research started was not completed. Additional publications are planned whenever funding can be obtained to finalize data analysis for both the arid and humid locations
The East Timorese in Australia: multilingual repertoires, language attitudes, practices and identity in the diaspora
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis (Routledge) via the DOI in this record.This article explores language repertoires, attitudes, and practices amongst
members of the East Timorese diaspora in Australia. It relies on quantitative and
qualitative data gathered through a recent sociolinguistic survey, ethnographic
observation, as well as on general observations of online language use. Our study
reveals a complex and variable multilingualism that reflects in the first instance
specific sociolinguistic conditions and changing language policies in East Timor,
leading to a reshaping of language repertoires over generations in that country.
Participants, mostly raised in East Timor, are more multilingual than their
parents, but their children raised in Australia show signs of shift to English, as
well as evidence of reduced multilingualism. An increasing emphasis on English
is coupled with a rise in the importance assigned, more generally, to Tetum
amongst most East Timorese at the expense of Portuguese and other languages.
Tetum is most strongly linked to East Timorese identity whilst Portuguese and
other languages show signs of restricted use and status, if not decline, in the
Australian context. At the same time, the Hakka Chinese sub-group of East
Timorese maintain in Australia, as in East Timor, a different linguistic patterning
coupled with a strong sense of their own ethnic and linguistic identity
Uber die Darstellung von Additionsverbindungen des wasserfreien Scandiumchlorids und Scandiumbromids mit Alkoholen
Es wird gezeigt, dass das wasserfreie Scandiumchlorid bzw. Scandiumbromid mit verschiedenen Alkoholen ROH wohldefinierte Additionsverbindungen von der Zusammensetzung ScX3 • n ROH bilden, wobei n bis auf Ausnahmen ganzzahlig und hochtens gleich 5 ist. Die Darstellung der hochsten Additionsverbindungen erfolgte durch die Einwirkung von Alkoholdampfen auf das wasserfreie Scandiumhalogenid, wahrend die niederen Additionsverbindungen durch den stufenweisen Abbau erhalten werden
Phase transition and landscape statistics of the number partitioning problem
The phase transition in the number partitioning problem (NPP), i.e., the
transition from a region in the space of control parameters in which almost all
instances have many solutions to a region in which almost all instances have no
solution, is investigated by examining the energy landscape of this classic
optimization problem. This is achieved by coding the information about the
minimum energy paths connecting pairs of minima into a tree structure, termed a
barrier tree, the leaves and internal nodes of which represent, respectively,
the minima and the lowest energy saddles connecting those minima. Here we apply
several measures of shape (balance and symmetry) as well as of branch lengths
(barrier heights) to the barrier trees that result from the landscape of the
NPP, aiming at identifying traces of the easy/hard transition. We find that it
is not possible to tell the easy regime from the hard one by visual inspection
of the trees or by measuring the barrier heights. Only the {\it difficulty}
measure, given by the maximum value of the ratio between the barrier height and
the energy surplus of local minima, succeeded in detecting traces of the phase
transition in the tree. In adddition, we show that the barrier trees associated
with the NPP are very similar to random trees, contrasting dramatically with
trees associated with the spin-glass and random energy models. We also
examine critically a recent conjecture on the equivalence between the NPP and a
truncated random energy model
Landscape statistics of the low autocorrelated binary string problem
The statistical properties of the energy landscape of the low autocorrelated
binary string problem (LABSP) are studied numerically and compared with those
of several classic disordered models. Using two global measures of landscape
structure which have been introduced in the Simulated Annealing literature,
namely, depth and difficulty, we find that the landscape of LABSP, except
perhaps for a very large degeneracy of the local minima energies, is
qualitatively similar to some well-known landscapes such as that of the
mean-field 2-spin glass model. Furthermore, we consider a mean-field
approximation to the pure model proposed by Bouchaud and Mezard (1994, J.
Physique I France 4 1109) and show both analytically and numerically that it
describes extremely well the statistical properties of LABSP
Cooling down Levy flights
Let L(t) be a Levy flights process with a stability index \alpha\in(0,2), and
U be an external multi-well potential. A jump-diffusion Z satisfying a
stochastic differential equation dZ(t)=-U'(Z(t-))dt+\sigma(t)dL(t) describes an
evolution of a Levy particle of an `instant temperature' \sigma(t) in an
external force field. The temperature is supposed to decrease polynomially
fast, i.e. \sigma(t)\approx t^{-\theta} for some \theta>0. We discover two
different cooling regimes. If \theta<1/\alpha (slow cooling), the jump
diffusion Z(t) has a non-trivial limiting distribution as t\to \infty, which is
concentrated at the potential's local minima. If \theta>1/\alpha (fast cooling)
the Levy particle gets trapped in one of the potential wells
Neuropathic complications after 157 procedures of continuous popliteal nerve block for hallux valgus surgery. A retrospective study
SummaryBackgroundContinuous peripheral nerve block (CPNB), in particular at the popliteal fossa, is widely used in orthopedic surgery, allowing good postoperative analgesia. Possible neuropathic complications, however, remain poorly known.ObjectiveTo review the characteristics of peripheral neuropathy (PN) after sciatic CPNB at the popliteal fossa, estimating prevalence, severity, evolution and possible risk factors, especially those relating to the procedure.MethodsRetrospective study of PN associated with popliteal fossa CPNB for hallux valgus surgery, between November 1st, 2005 and November 1st, 2009. All procedures were analyzed (type of anesthesia, approach, nerve location technique, number of procedures by operator) with, for each case of PN, analysis of clinical and electromyographic data.ResultsOne hundred and fifty seven sciatic CPNBs were performed (92% women; mean age, 55 years). The approach was lateral (n=62), posterior (n=74) or unknown (n=21). Ultrasound guidance was combined to neurostimulation for 69 patients (44%). Three women (prevalence=1.91%), aged 19, 24 and 65 years respectively, developed associated common superficial peroneal and sural nerve injury (2), axonal on electromyography, with motor (n=1) and/or sensory (n=3) residual dysfunction.DiscussionThe higher prevalence found in the present study than in the literature (0 to 0.5%) raises questions of methodological bias or technical problems. The common peroneal and sural nerves seem to be exposed, unlike the tibial. Several mechanisms can be suggested: anesthetic neurotoxicity, direct mechanical lesion, or tourniquet-related ischemia and conduction block. Further studies are necessary to determine the ideal anesthetic procedure.ConclusionPatients should be informed of the potential risk, however rare, even during mild surgery. The best possible technique should be implemented, with reinforced surveillance.Level of evidenceLevel IV retrospective study
Ion-Molecule Interactions Enable Unexpected Phase Transitions in Organic-Inorganic Aerosol
Atmospheric aerosol particles are commonly complex, aqueous organic-inorganic mixtures, and accurately predicting the properties of these particles is essential for air quality and climate projections. The prevailing assumption is that aqueous organic-inorganic aerosols exist predominately with liquid properties and that the hygroscopic inorganic fraction lowers aerosol viscosity relative to the organic fraction alone. Here, in contrast to those assumptions, we demonstrate that increasing inorganic fraction can increase aerosol viscosity (relative to predictions) and enable a humidity-dependent gel phase transition through cooperative ion-molecule interactions that give rise to long-range networks of atmospherically relevant low-mass oxygenated organic molecules (180 to 310 Da) and divalent inorganic ions. This supramolecular, ion-molecule effect can drastically influence the phase and physical properties of organic-inorganic aerosol and suggests that aerosol may be (semi)solid under more conditions than currently predicted. These observations, thus, have implications for air quality and climate that are not fully represented in atmospheric models
Changes in body weight and food choice in those attempting smoking cessation: a cluster randomised controlled trial
<p><b>Background:</b> Fear of weight gain is a barrier to smoking cessation and significant cause of relapse for many people. The provision of nutritional advice as part of a smoking cessation programme may assist some in smoking cessation and perhaps limit weight gain. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a structured programme of dietary advice on weight change and food choice, in adults attempting smoking cessation.</p>
<p><b>Methods:</b> Cluster randomised controlled design. Classes randomised to intervention commenced a 24-week intervention, focussed on improving food choice and minimising weight gain. Classes randomised to control received "usual care".</p>
<p><b>Results:</b> Twenty-seven classes in Greater Glasgow were randomised between January and August 2008. Analysis, including those who continued to smoke, showed that actual weight gain and percentage weight gain was similar in both groups. Examination of data for those successful at giving up smoking showed greater mean weight gain in intervention subjects (3.9 (SD 3.1) vs. 2.7 (SD 3.7) kg). Between group differences were not significant (p=0.23, 95% CI -0.9 to 3.5). In comparison to baseline improved consumption of fruit and vegetables and breakfast cereal were reported in the intervention group. A higher percentage of control participants continued smoking (74% vs. 66%).</p>
<p><b>Conclusions:</b> The intervention was not successful at minimising weight gain in comparison to control but was successful in facilitating some sustained improvements in the dietary habits of intervention participants. Improved quit rates in the intervention group suggest that continued contact with advisors may have reduced anxieties regarding weight gain and encouraged cessation despite weight gain. Research should continue in this area as evidence suggests that the negative effects of obesity could outweigh the health benefits achieved through reductions in smoking prevalence.</p>
General geometry of belief function combination
In this paper we build on previous work on the geometry of Dempster’s rule to investigate the geometric behaviour of various other combination rules, including Yager’s, Dubois’, and disjunctive combination, starting from the case of binary frames of discernment. Believability measures for unnormalised belief functions are also considered. A research programme to complete this analysis is outlined
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