Time-lapse CCD imagery of plasma-tail motions in Comet Austin

The appearance of the bright comet Austin 1989c1 in April-May of 1990 allowed us to test a new imaging instrument at the Joint Observatory for Cometary Research (JOCR). It is a 300mm lens/charge coupled device (CCD) system with interference filters appropriate for cometary emissions. The 13 frames were made into a time-lapse movie showing the evolution of the plasma tail. We were able to follow at least two large-scale waves out through the main tail structure. During the sequence, we saw two new tail rays form and undergo similar wave motion

Creatinine biosensors: principles and designs

Creatinine biosensors, based on both potentiometric and amperometric devices, have been created. However, there are significant problems still to be addressed, including the balance between sensitivity and selectivity, interference rejection and sensor stability. In addition, many devices still rely on a dual-sensor approach for creatine and creatinine subtractive measurements. However, creatinine biosensors appear close to attaining the performance goals necessary for their widespread application. This article looks at the operating principle and design of both potentiometric and amperometric creatinine biosensors, and shows how the design of these devices affects their performance

Attributes of innovations and approaches to scalability - lessons from a national program to extend the scope of practice of health professionals

The context for the paper was the evaluation of a national program in Australia to investigate extended scopes of practice for health professionals (paramedics, physiotherapists, and nurses). The design of the evaluation involved a mixed-methods approach with multiple data sources. Four multidisciplinary models of extended scope of practice were tested over an 18-month period, involving 26 organizations, 224 health professionals, and 36 implementation sites. The evaluation focused on what could be learned to inform scaling up the extended scopes of practice on a national scale. The evaluation findings were used to develop a conceptual framework for use by clinicians, managers, and policy makers to determine appropriate strategies for scaling up effective innovations. Development of the framework was informed by the literature on the diffusion of innovations, particularly an understanding that certain attributes of innovations influence adoption. The framework recognizes the role played by three groups of stakeholders: evidence producers, evidence influencers, and evidence adopters. The use of the framework is illustrated with four case studies from the evaluation. The findings demonstrate how the scaling up of innovations can be influenced by three quite distinct approaches - letting adoption take place in an uncontrolled, unplanned, way; actively helping the process of adoption; or taking deliberate steps to ensure that adoption takes place. Development of the conceptual framework resulted in two sets of questions to guide decisions about scalability, one for those considering whether to adopt the innovation (evidence adopters), and the other for those trying to decide on the optimal strategy for dissemination (evidence influencers)

The Clergy of Early Seventeenth-Century France: Self-Perception and Society\u27s Perception

To understand the nature of the seventeenth-century French church, one must understand the rural clergy and their parishioners; the majority of the population was rural. One glimpse of how the clergy perceived themselves and how others viewed them is given in the cahiers de doleances prepared by each estate for the Estates General of 1614. The article also explores the First Estate’s role in society and the reformation of the clergy proposed by all three estates. The elite are best represented in the cahiers of the First and Third Estates, while a cross-section of the Second Estate is represented. Nonetheless, J.M. Hayden and Malcolm Greenshields argue that it is a good source of knowledge about public opinion. The First Estate acknowledged a pressing need for reform within the cahiers, but only of rural clergy, and it wanted to control the process. The other two estates argued for reform of the entire First Estate, with greater involvement from the laity. Specific problems, abuses, ecclesiastical privileges, and reforms are described. Each estate had different expectations of the clergy’s qualifications and service, which are discussed

Igneous Rocks of Northern Rhode Island

Guidebook to geologic field studies in Rhode Island and adjacent areas: The 73rd annual meeting of the New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, October 16-18, 1981: Trip B-