A Method to Unambiguously Determine the Parity of the Theta+ Pentaquark

With the recent discovery of the $\Theta(1540)$ pentaquark, the question of its parity is paramount since this will constrain the correct description of its internal structure. We show that the measurement of the spin singlet and triplet cross sections for the reaction $\vec{p}\vec{p} \to \Sigma^+ \Theta^+$ will unambiguously determine the parity of the $\Theta^+$.Comment: 3 page

Exploring the practical knowledge of eccentric resistance training in high-performance strength and conditioning practitioners

Habitual use of eccentric exercise has been recognised to increase strength and power; however, the current body of knowledge has limited potential to understand the application of such resistance training in athletic populations. In order to develop appropriate applied research, that relates to elite athletic populations, it is vital to appreciate the practical knowledge of strength and conditioning practitioners operating in high-performance environments. This study summarised the questionnaire responses from 100 strength and conditioning practitioners operating in performance sport relating to questions such as the training effects to various eccentric resistance training regimes, the rationale for the use of these techniques and the knowledge supporting its application. The combination of closed and open-ended questions enabled a thematic analysis to be conducted. There was evidence that practitioners employed a variety of eccentric training methodologies; however, there was interest in gaining greater understanding of the training dose to bring about the optimal adaptive changes, and importantly how this might translate to sport-specific performance. In addition, practitioners would welcome recommendations associated with eccentric training, whilst concurrently minimising the issues of excessive fatigue, muscle damage and soreness. The training effects of interest included neural, architectural and morphological adaptations and, importantly, translation to performance of sports-specific skills. Collectively, these responses called for more practically relevant research to be conducted within the high-performance environment, alongside more opportunities for professional development through learning and knowledge-sharing opportunities. The outcomes summarised in this work should inform future applied research projects and educational content relating to eccentric training

Pyrolysis of switchgrass (\u3ci\u3ePanicum virgatum\u3c/i\u3e) harvested at several stages of maturity

The pyrolysis of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) of the cultivar, ‘‘Cave-in-Rock’’ harvested at three stages of physiological maturity was studied in a PY–GC/MS system at the 600–1050 °C temperature range. Under these conditions, the decomposition was complete within 20 s yielding char, and two sets of pyrolysis gas, condensable and non-condensable. The former consisted of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), acetic acid (CH3COOH) and higher molecular weight compounds possibly from the hydroxyl group and from the methoxy groups of the cell wall components. The non-condensable gases were mainly CO, CO2 and C1–C3 hydrocarbons. For these, there was a 900 °C temperature boundary where dramatic change occurred in their evolution rates. Below this temperature, CO2 decreased but CO and the C1–C3 hydrocarbons increased almost linearly with temperature. Above this temperature boundary, the hydrocarbons leveled off but there was a rapid rise in CO and CO2 evolution at a constant CO/CO2 ratio. These suggest the appearance of secondary or tertiary pyrolysis reactions involving rearrangement and release of CO and hydrocarbons prior to this temperature boundary and the release of CO and CO2 from the tightly bond oxygen functionalities including C–C bonds thereafter. At \u3c750 \u3e°C, there were modest increases in condensable gas yield and decrease in non-condensable gas due to differences in plant maturity at harvest. However, the effect of switchgrass physiological maturity on gas yield was statistically insignificant at high temperatures. The energy content of the non-condensable gas measured was about 68% of the gross energy content of the biomass for the early harvest crop and 80% for the mature crop. The activation energy for the decomposition, estimated assuming first order reaction kinetics, showed a linear increasewith plant physiological maturity. The results demonstrate that physiological maturity at harvest of switchgrass biomass can result in different concentrations of pyrolysis products at different temperatures. These results also demonstrate the need for additional research with a broader array of herbaceous biomass materials to develop a better understanding of the synergies of crop cultivation, harvesting and processing of dedicated herbaceous biomass energy crops during their thermochemical conversion

Constituent quark models and pentaquark baryons

We discuss certain general features of the pentaquark picture for the theta, its 10bar_F partner, Xi_{3/2}, and possible heavy quark analogues. Models employing spin-dependent interactions based on either effective Goldstone boson exchange or effective color magnetic exchange are also used to shed light on possible corrections to the Jaffe-Wilczek and Karliner-Lipkin scenarios. Some model-dependent features of the pentaquark picture (splitting patterns and relative decay couplings) are also discussed in the context of these models.Comment: 4 pages. Prepared for the Proceedings of the 1st APS Topical Group on Hadronic Physics (GHP) meeting, FNAL, Oct. 24-26, 200

The Three Degrees Conference: One Year Later

This edition of the Washington Law Review features scholarship emanating from the 2009 Three Degrees Conference, and is a testament to the University of Washington School of Law’s continuing exploration of the connection between climate change and human rights through its larger Three Degrees project. Three Degrees is building on an agenda that began to take shape in late 2007 with the Malé Declaration on the Human Dimension of Global Climate Change, an initiative of the Association of Small Island States. It was the Malé Declaration that led to a call for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of the United Nations to undertake an analytical study of the relationship between human rights protections and climate change. The resulting report, promulgated in January 2009, affirmed the impact of climate change on a wide array of recognized human rights, articulated the foundations of arguments for legal duties to threatened and injured people, and advocated international cooperation among states to address human rights impacts of climate change. And yet, reasonable commentators argue that the linkage between the existing structure of international human rights obligations and the ability to use that structure to address climate injuries seems insecure as a formal legal matter, and the framing of climate injuries as human rights harms strikes others as impolitic. Thus, while the OHCHR Report has sharpened awareness that discussion of climate change cannot be complete without consideration of issues of justice to the vulnerable peoples of the world, the work of making that justice a necessary element of our global climate response remains incomplete