Seed kikuyu performs well

The kikuya variety, Whittet, which can be established from seed has performed well in a trial at Denmark

A feasibility study for advanced technology integration for general aviation

An investigation was conducted to identify candidate technologies and specific developments which offer greatest promise for improving safety, fuel efficiency, performance, and utility of general aviation airplanes. Interviews were conducted with general aviation airframe and systems manufacturers and NASA research centers. The following technologies were evaluated for use in airplane design tradeoff studies conducted during the study: avionics, aerodynamics, configurations, structures, flight controls, and propulsion. Based on industry interviews and design tradeoff studies, several recommendations were made for further high payoff research. The most attractive technologies for use by the general aviation industry appear to be advanced engines, composite materials, natural laminar flow airfoils, and advanced integrated avionics systems. The integration of these technologies in airplane design can yield significant increases in speeds, ranges, and payloads over present aircraft with 40 percent to 50 percent reductions in fuel used

What's the point of knowing how?

Why is it useful to talk and think about knowledge-how? Using Edward Craig’s discussion of the function of the concepts of knowledge and knowledge-how as a jumping off point, this paper argues that considering this question can offer us new angles on the debate about knowledge-how. We consider two candidate functions for the concept of knowledge-how: pooling capacities, and mutual reliance. Craig makes the case for pooling capacities, which connects knowledge-how to our need to pool practical capacities. I argue that the evidence is much more equivocal. My suggested diagnosis is that the concept of knowledge-how plays both functions, meaning that the concept of knowledge-how is inconsistent, and that the debate about knowledge-how is at least partly a metalinguistic negotiation. In closing, I suggest a way to revise the philosophical concept of knowledge how

An evaluation of the implementation of Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) roles in an acute hospital setting.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of implementing Advanced Nurse Practitioner roles on patients, staff members and organizational outcomes in an acute hospital. Background: The worldwide development of advanced practice roles in nursing has been influenced by increasing demands and costs of health care. A key issue in the UK has been the reduction in hours junior doctors can work. While there is evidence these roles can have a positive impact in a variety of clinical specialties, little is known about the impact advanced nurses substituting for junior doctors can have on patients, staff members and organizational outcomes in general hospital care settings. Design: Collective case study. Methods: A collective case study in a district general hospital in England was undertaken in 2011–2012. Interviews with strategic stakeholders (n = 13) were followed by three individual case studies. Each case study represented the clinical area in which the roles had been introduced: medicine, surgery and orthopaedics and included interviews (n = 32) and non-participant observation of practice. Findings: The ANPs had a positive impact on patient experience, outcomes and safety. They improved staff knowledge, skills and competence and enhanced quality of working life, distribution of workload and team-working. ANPs contributed to the achievement of organizational priorities and targets and development of policy. Conclusion: ANPs undertaking duties traditionally performed by junior doctors in acute hospital settings can have a positive impact on a range of indicators relating to patients, staff members and organizational outcomes which are highly relevant to nursing

Applicability of ERTS-1 to lineament and photogeologic mapping in Montana: Preliminary report

A lineament map prepared from a mosaic of western Montana shows about 85 lines not represented on the state geologic map, including elements of a northeast-trending set through central western Montana which merit ground truth checking and consideration in regional structural analysis. Experimental fold annotation resulted in a significant local correction to the state geologic map. Photogeologic mapping studies produced only limited success in identification of rock types, but they did result in the precise delineation of a late Cretaceous or early Tertiary volcanic field (Adel Mountain field) and the mapping of a connection between two granitic bodies shown on the state map. Imagery was used successfully to map clay pans associated with bentonite beds in gently dipping Bearpaw Shale. It is already apparent that ERTS imagery should be used to facilitate preparation of a much needed statewide tectonic map and that satellite imagery mapping, aided by ground calibration, provides and economical means to discover and correct errors in the state geologic map

Have news reports on suicide and attempted suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic adhered to guidance on safer reporting? A UK-wide content analysis study

Background: Associations between sensational news coverage of suicide and increases in suicidal behaviour have been well documented. Amidst growing concern over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates, it is especially important that news coverage adheres to recommended standards. Methods: We analysed the quality and content of print and online UK news reports of possible COVID-19 related suicides and suicide attempts in the first four months of the pandemic (N=285). Results: Most reports made explicit links between suicidal behaviour and the COVID-19 pandemic in the headline (65.5%), based on statements by family, friends or acquaintances of the deceased (60%). The impact of the pandemic on suicidal behaviour was most often attributed to feelings of isolation (27.4%), poor mental health (14.7%) and entrapment due to government-imposed restrictions (14.4%). Although rarely of poor overall quality, reporting was biased towards young people, frontline staff and relatively unusual suicides and, to varying degrees, failed to meet recommended standards (e.g. 41.1% did not signpost readers to sources of support). Limitations: This analysis cannot account for the impact of reporting on suicide. Conclusions: Careful attention must be paid to the quality and content of reports, especially as longer-term consequences of the pandemic develop

Thermal Equilibria of Optically Thin, Magnetically Supported, Two-Temperature, Black Hole Accretion Disks

We obtained thermal equilibrium solutions for optically thin, two-temperature black hole accretion disks incorporating magnetic fields. The main objective of this study is to explain the bright/hard state observed during the bright/slow transition of galactic black hole candidates. We assume that the energy transfer from ions to electrons occurs via Coulomb collisions. Bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, and inverse Compton scattering are considered as the radiative cooling processes. In order to complete the set of basic equations, we specify the magnetic flux advection rate. We find magnetically supported (low-beta), thermally stable solutions. In these solutions, the total amount of the heating via the dissipation of turbulent magnetic fields goes into electrons and balances the radiative cooling. The low-$\beta$ solutions extend to high mass accretion rates and the electron temperature is moderately cool. High luminosities and moderately high energy cutoffs in the X-ray spectrum observed in the bright/hard state can be explained by the low-beta solutions.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures,accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Towards a New Standard Theory for Astrophysical Disk Accretion

We briefly review recent developments in black hole accretion disk theory, placing new emphasis on the vital role played by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stresses in transporting angular momentum. The apparent universality of accretion-related outflow phenomena is a strong indicator that vertical transport of angular momentum by large-scale MHD torques is important and may even dominate radial transport by small-scale MHD turbulence. This leads to an enhanced overall rate of angular momentum transport and allows accretion of matter to proceed at an interesting rate. Furthermore, we argue that when vertical transport is important, the radial structure of the accretion disk is modified and this affects the disk emission spectrum. We present a simple model demonstrating that energetic, magnetically-driven outflows give rise to a disk spectrum that is dimmer and redder than a standard accretion disk accreting at the same rate. We briefly discuss the implications of this key result for accreting black holes in different astrophysical systems.Comment: Accepted for publication as brief review in Mod. Phys. Let.

Discovery of a New Nearby Star

We report the discovery of a nearby star with a very large proper motion of 5.06 +/- 0.03 arcsec/yr. The star is called SO025300.5+165258 and referred to herein as HPMS (high proper motion star). The discovery came as a result of a search of the SkyMorph database, a sensitive and persistent survey that is well suited for finding stars with high proper motions. There are currently only 7 known stars with proper motions > 5 arcsec/yr. We have determined a preliminary value for the parallax of 0.43 +/- 0.13 arcsec. If this value holds our new star ranks behind only the Alpha Centauri system (including Proxima Centauri) and Barnard's star in the list of our nearest stellar neighbors. The spectrum and measured tangential velocity indicate that HPMS is a main-sequence star with spectral type M6.5. However, if our distance measurement is correct, the HPMS is underluminous by 1.2 +/- 0.7 mag.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to ApJ Letter