Current-carrying cosmic string loops 3D simulation: towards a reduction of the vorton excess problem

The dynamical evolution of superconducting cosmic string loops with specific equations of state describing timelike and spacelike currents is studied numerically. This analysis extends previous work in two directions: first it shows results coming from a fully three dimensional simulation (as opposed to the two dimensional case already studied), and it now includes fermionic as well as bosonic currents. We confirm that in the case of bosonic currents, shocks are formed in the magnetic regime and kinks in the electric regime. For a loop endowed with a fermionic current with zero-mode carriers, we show that only kinks form along the string worldsheet, therefore making these loops slightly more stable against charge carrier radiation, the likely outcome of either shocks or kinks. All these combined effects tend to reduce the number density of stable loops and contribute to ease the vorton excess problem. As a bonus, these effects also may provide new ways of producing high energy cosmic rays.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX 4 format, 8 figures, submitted to PR

Dimethyl fumarate in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits inflammasome-mediated inflammation and has been proposed as a treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. This randomised, controlled, open-label platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing multiple treatments in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 (NCT04381936, ISRCTN50189673). In this assessment of DMF performed at 27 UK hospitals, adults were randomly allocated (1:1) to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus DMF. The primary outcome was clinical status on day 5 measured on a seven-point ordinal scale. Secondary outcomes were time to sustained improvement in clinical status, time to discharge, day 5 peripheral blood oxygenation, day 5 C-reactive protein, and improvement in day 10 clinical status. Between 2 March 2021 and 18 November 2021, 713 patients were enroled in the DMF evaluation, of whom 356 were randomly allocated to receive usual care plus DMF, and 357 to usual care alone. 95% of patients received corticosteroids as part of routine care. There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of DMF on clinical status at day 5 (common odds ratio of unfavourable outcome 1.12; 95% CI 0.86-1.47; p = 0.40). There was no significant effect of DMF on any secondary outcome

Characterizing ice sheets during the Pliocene: evidence from data and models

The Pliocene (c. 5.3 - 1.8 Myr BP) was the last epoch of geological time in which global temperatures were generally higher than modern. It is important if we are to understand the dynamics of warm climates. This is particuarly true of the interaction of climate and cryosphere, where the Pliocene may represent the first epoch in which ice sheets, at least on Antarctica, were a permanent feature. In this paper, we review the available evidence for the state of ice sheets during the Pliocene as well as previous attempts to model them. We then present new models and sensitivity studies of the mid-Pliocene East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) and consider the implications for the debate on ice-sheet stability during the Pliocene. These new reconstructions suggest that the mid-Pliocene EAIS was significantly smaller than modern, but the modelled average mid-Pliocene climate is not sufficient to cause the widespread deglaciation suggested by Sirius Group diatom evidence

Which type of hospital discharge report reaches general practitioners most quickly?

Patients recently discharged from hospital often have to be followed up by their general practitioners in the absence of any information from the hospital because of delays of several days before a discharge note reaches the practice. Some hospitals have combined the form for prescribing treatment for patients to take home with them with the discharge note. Thus a note is automatically written to the general practitioner for any patient who is given drugs to take home before that patient can be discharged. The note should be posted before, or at the time of, discharge. This combined discharge note and prescription form should reach the general practitioner more quickly on average than a separate discharge note, which is usually written when the junior hospital doctor can find time, not necessarily at the time of the patient's discharge. We carried out a study to assess this

Conserving grain on the small farm in the tropics

Traditionally, structures for the storage of grain from peasant farms in tropical countries have·been concerned with keeping the rain off and the rats out. However, a major source of loss in storage, that caused by insect damage, has not been effectively controlled by traditional methods. The use of fumigants, certain safe and effective insecticides and improvements to storage structures may provide a solution, but the existence of an adequate and well-trained advisory service is essential