Foster-Miller's development of dry coal feed systems

Dry coal feeder systems developed for pressurized conversion processes were carried through a laboratory scale development program. These concepts include: (1) a centrifugal solids feeder; (2) a fluidized piston feeder; (3) a linear pocket feeder; and (4) a compacted coal plug feeder. Results of laboratory model testing of all concepts are reviewed

A multidisciplinary approach to the implementation of non-pharmacological strategies to manage infant pain

Hills E., Rosenberg J., Banfield N., Harding C. A multidisciplinary approach to the implementation of non-pharmacological strategies to manage infant pain. Infant 2020; 16(2): 78-81. 1. Newborn infants are capable of experiencing pain. 2. Infants requiring specialist hospital care are likely to experience painful medical procedures. 3. Unmanaged pain has a long-lasting impact on an infant’s behaviour and physiological status

General practice registrars’ intentions for future practice: Implications for rural medical workforce planning

The models of practice that general practice registrars (GPRs) envisage undertaking will affect workforce supply. The aim of this research was to determine practice intentions of current GPRs in a regional general practice training program (Coast City Country General Practice Training). Questionnaires were circulated to 220 GPRs undertaking general practice placements to determine characteristics of ideal practice models and intentions for future practice. Responses were received for 99 participants (45%). Current GPRs intend to work an average of less than eight half-day sessions/week, with male participants intending to work more hours (t(91) = 3.528, P = 0.001). More than one-third of this regional cohort intends to practice in metropolitan centres. Proximity to family and friends was the most important factor influencing the choice of practice location. Men ranked remuneration for work as more important (t (88) = –4.280, P \u3c 0.001) and women ranked the ability to work part-time higher (t(94) = 3.697, P \u3c 0.001). Fee-for-service payment alone, or in combination with capitation, was the preferred payment system. Only 22% of Australian medical graduates intend to own their own practice compared with 52% of international medical graduates (χ2(1) = 8.498, P = 0.004). Future general practitioners (GPs) intend to work fewer hours than current GPs. Assumptions about lifestyle factors, practice models and possible professional roles should be carefully evaluated when developing strategies to recruit GPs and GPRs into rural practice

Modeling the Pulse Profiles of Millisecond Pulsars in the Second LAT Catalog of gamma-ray Pulsars

Significant gamma-ray pulsations have been detected from ~40 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) using 3 years of sky-survey data from the Fermi LAT and radio timing solutions from across the globe. We have fit the radio and gamma-ray pulse profiles of these MSPs using geometric versions of slot gap and outer gap gamma-ray emission models and radio cone and core models. For MSPs with radio and gamma-ray peaks aligned in phase we also explore low-altitude slot gap gamma-ray models and caustic radio models. The best-fit parameters provide constraints on the viewing geometries and emission sites. While the exact pulsar magnetospheric geometry is unknown, we can use the increased number of known gamma-ray MSPs to look for significant trends in the population which average over these uncertainties.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on High-Energy Astronom

Promoting positive communication environments: a service evaluation.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation of a programme of training and support provided to staff, which aimed to encourage supported communication environments for people with learning disabilities. Design/methodology/approach Training, monitoring and support for communication, specifically augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies, was provided by speech and language therapy staff to two residential services over 46 weeks. Staff and service user communications were observed pre- and post-intervention. Findings In one provision there was an increase in service user initiations and the use of some AAC strategies by support staff. In the other provision there was no change in service user initiations and a decrease in the range of AAC strategies used. It appears that some forms for AAC remain challenging for staff to implement. Originality/value This evaluation explores ways of using specialist support services to improve communication environments for people with learning difficulties. Possible reasons for differences in the outcome of the intervention are discussed. Future research into the types of communication interactions experienced by people with learning disabilities across the range of communication styles may be useful so that support staff can be better helped to provide sustained and enriched communication environments

The Effect of Different Magnetospheric Structures on Predictions of Gamma-ray Pulsar Light Curves

The second pulsar catalogue of the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) will contain in excess of 100 gamma-ray pulsars. The light curves (LCs) of these pulsars exhibit a variety of shapes, and also different relative phase lags with respect to their radio pulses, hinting at distinct underlying emission properties (e.g., inclination and observer angles) for the individual pulsars. Detailed geometric modelling of the radio and gamma-ray LCs may provide constraints on the B-field structure and emission geometry. We used different B-field solutions, including the static vacuum dipole and the retarded vacuum dipole, in conjunction with an existing geometric modelling code, and constructed radiation sky maps and LCs for several different pulsar parameters. Standard emission geometries were assumed, namely the two-pole caustic (TPC) and outer gap (OG) models. The sky maps and LCs of the various B-field and radiation model combinations were compared to study their effect on the resulting LCs. As an application, we compared our model LCs with Fermi LAT data for the Vela pulsar, and inferred the most probable configuration in this case, thereby constraining Vela's high-altitude magnetic structure and system geometry.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, conference article, appears in Proceedings of SAIP2012, the 57th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, edited by Johan Janse van Rensburg, ISBN: 978-1-77592-070-

Constraining viewing geometries of pulsars with single-peaked gamma-ray profiles using a multiwavelength approach

Since the launch of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi spacecraft in June 2008, the number of observed gamma-ray pulsars has increased dramatically. A large number of these are also observed at radio frequencies. Constraints on the viewing geometries of 5 of 6 gamma-ray pulsars exhibiting single-peaked gamma-ray profiles were derived using high-quality radio polarization data (Weltevrede et al., 2010). We obtain independent constraints on the viewing geometries of 6 by using a geometric emission code to model the Fermi LAT and radio light curves (LCs). We find fits for the magnetic inclination and observer angles by searching the solution space by eye. Our results are generally consistent with those previously obtained (Weltevrede et al., 2010), although we do find small differences in some cases. We will indicate how the gamma-ray and radio pulse shapes as well as their relative phase lags lead to constraints in the solution space. Values for the flux correction factor corresponding to the fits are also derived (with errors).Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, Proceedings of SAIP2011, the 56th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics (ISBN: 978-1-86888-688-3), ed. I. Basson and A. E. Botha, http://www.saip.org.za, pp. 531-53

Studies on heavy metal toxicity and accumulation in the catchment area of the Derwent Reservoir

A three year long study has been carried out of the distribution of zinc, lead and cadmium within the water, sediments and submerged plants of the Derwent Reservoir and its catchment These studies have been extended to include detailed field investigations of the accumulation of heavy metals by Lemanea fluviatilis, an alga common in the R. Derwent Further field and laboratory investigations have been carried out of the tolerance to zinc of Stxgeoclonxum tenue. Elevated concentrations of zinc, lead and cadmium were shown to be present, in the water and sediments of the R. Derwent at its point of entry to the Derwent Reservoir. These metals were derived mainly from Bolts Burn, a polluted tributary. This latter stream was found to receive inputs of heavy metals from clearly defined sources within an active fluorspar mine. Although old mine workings were present within the catchment, these had a relatively small effect on the composition of water in Bolts Burn and the R. Derwent. Detailed investigations of the composition of stream and river water enabled various aspects of the behaviour of different fractions of metals to be described and compared in polluted and non-polluted reaches. The concentrations of zinc, lead and cadmium within the water, sediments and submerged plants of the Derwent Reservoir were found to be high when compared with data from other published studies. The pollution of the reservoir with these metals may therefore be regarded as serious. Surveys of the distribution of heavy metals in the water column were carried out at different stages in the filling cycle of the reservoir. These, together with surveys of the composition of sediments and submerged plants, enabled several of the major factors influencing the distribution of metals within the reservoir to be determined. Studies of the accumulation of heavy metals by 47 populations of Lemanea fluviatilis indicated that the alga is a potentially useful 'monitor' of pollution by zinc, lead and cadmium in flowing waters. Although the enrichment ratios for these metals were not constant over a range of concentrations in the water, clear linear relationships were apparent between the concentrations of each metal in the water and in filaments of Lemanea. Intensive sampling from a single population in the R. Derwent demonstrated that a proportion of the zinc content of filaments was sensitive to short term fluctuations in the zinc content of the surrounding water. The results of a series of transplant experiments are also reported. Stigeoclonium tenue was found to be abundant in several streams carrying relatively high concentrations of zinc in the water A study of populations isolated from 35 reaches demonstrated that material growing in higher concentrations of zinc in the field had an enhanced tolerance to zinc. This tolerance was stable during long term culturing, and appeared to have a genetic basis. Assays of populations from harder waters suggested that high concentrations of calcium acted to reduce the toxicity of zinc in the field. Further studies performed in the laboratory demonstrated that increases in pH and the concentrations of magnesium, calcium and phosphate all acted to reduce the toxicity of zinc to Stigeoclonium tenue. However, the effects of these factors on toxicity were found to differ between a zinc sensitive population and a zinc tolerant populatio