Hoosier Farmland Wildlife Notes: Windbreaks for Farms and Wildlife

A home or farmstead windbreak is a strip of vegetation, generally consisting of multiple rows of trees and/or shrubs that shelters a residence and related structures from the negative effects of wind. While windbreaks can provide excellent food and cover for a variety of wildlife species, their primary function is to reduce wind velocity on the leeward side of the windbreak. The degree of protection depends upon the density and height of the windbreak. However, windbreaks will typically protect an area on their leeward side of 10 times the height of the windbreak (Figure 1). Benefits of windbreaks may even extend to a distance of 20-30 times the height of the windbreak

Late Gadolinium Enhancement of the right ventricular myocardium: Is it really different from the left ?

It has been suggested that, in late gadolinium enhancement, the signal of right ventricular myocardium is nulled at a shorter inversion time than the left. While we initially made the same observation, we believe that the difference is not real, but results from artifacts

Modifiable healthcare factors affecting 28-day survival in bloodstream infection: a prospective cohort study

Background: Bloodstream infection is common in the UK and has significant mortality depending on the pathogen involved, site of infection and other patient factors. Healthcare staffing and ward activity may also impact on outcomes in a range of conditions, however there is little specific National Health Service (NHS) data on the impact for patients with bloodstream infection. Bloodstream Infections – Focus on Outcomes is a multicentre cohort study with the primary aim of identifying modifiable risk factors for 28-day mortality in patients with bloodstream infection due to one of six key pathogens. Methods: Adults under the care of five NHS Trusts in England and Wales between November 2010 and May 2012 were included. Multivariable Cox regression was used to quantify the association between modifiable risk factors, including staffing levels and timing of appropriate therapy, and 28-day mortality, after adjusting for non-modifiable risk factors such as patient demographics and long-term comorbidities. Results: A total of 1676 patients were included in the analysis population. Overall, 348/1676 (20.8%) died within 28 days. Modifiable factors associated with 28-day mortality were ward speciality, ward activity (admissions and discharges), movement within ward speciality, movement from critical care, and time to receipt of appropriate antimicrobial therapy in the first 7 days. For each additional admission or discharge per 10 beds, the hazard increased by 4% (95% CI 1 to 6%) in medical wards and 11% (95% CI 4 to 19%) in critical care. Patients who had moved wards within speciality or who had moved out of a critical care ward had a reduction in hazard of mortality. In the first 7 days, hazard of death increased with increasing time to receipt of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Conclusion: This study underlines the importance of appropriate antimicrobials within the first 7 days, and the potential for ward activity and ward movements to impact on survival in bloodstream infection

Adsorption of para-Hydrogen on Krypton pre-plated graphite

Adsorption of para-Hydrogen on the surface of graphite pre-plated with a single layer of atomic krypton is studied thoretically by means of Path Integral Ground State Monte Carlo simulations. We compute energetics and density profiles of para-hydrogen, and determine the structure of the adsorbed film for various coverages. Results show that there are two thermodynamically stable monolayer phases of para-hydrogen, both solid. One is commensurate with the krypton layer, the other is incommensurate. No evidence is seen of a thermodynamically stable liquid phase, at zero temperature. These results are qualitatively similar to what is seen for for para-hydrogen on bare graphite. Quantum exchanges of hydrogen molecules are suppressed in this system.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, to appear in the proceedings of "Advances in Computational Many-Body Physics", Banff, Alberta (Canada), January 13-16 200

Epidural abscess caused by Streptococcus milleri in a pregnant woman

BACKGROUND: Bacteria in the Streptococcus milleri group (S. anginosus, S. constellatus, and S. intermedius) are associated with bacteremia and abscess formation. While most reports of Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) infection occur in patients with underlying medical conditions, SMG infections during pregnancy have been documented. However, SMG infections in pregnant women are associated with either neonatal or maternal puerperal sepsis. Albeit rare, S. milleri spinal-epidural abscess in pregnancy has been reported, always as a complication of spinal-epidural anesthesia. We report a case of spinal-epidural abscess caused by SMG in a young, pregnant woman without an antecedent history of spinal epidural anesthesia and without any underlying risk factors for invasive streptococcal disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A 25 year old pregnant woman developed neurological symptoms consistent with spinal cord compression at 20 weeks gestation. She underwent emergency laminectomy for decompression and was treated with ceftriaxone 2 gm IV daily for 28 days. She was ambulatory at the time of discharge from the inpatient rehabilitation unit with residual lower extremity weakness. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a Streptococcus milleri epidural abscess in a healthy, pregnant woman with no history of epidural anesthesia or invasive procedures. This report adds to the body of literature on SMG invasive infections. Treatment of SMG spinal-epidural abscess with neurologic manifestations should include prompt and aggressive surgical decompression coupled with targeted anti-infective therapy

An improved pinhole spatial filter

Lasers generate phase aberrated light that can damage laser glass, frequency conversion crystals, lenses, and mirror coatings and can also reduce extractable energy and power. Spatial pinhole filters can partly eliminate such ``hot spots.`` Problems are that the pinhole closes during the laser pulse and has to be made too large initially. Debris from the pinhole can coat or damage spatial filter lenses. This paper presents a novel design for a more robust pinhole filter. Phase distorted (hot spot) light refracts at grazing incidence by plasma on the wall of a funnel shaped filter resulting in less absorption and debris. Refracted light absorbs at low intensities on the vacuum wall. We present 2D hydrodynamic computer simulations and compare the two types of filters with experiment

Target experimental area and systems of the U.S. National Ignition Facility

One of the major goals of the US National Ignition Facility is the demonstration of laser driven fusion ignition and burn of targets by inertial confinement and provide capability for a wide variety of high energy density physics experiments. The NIF target area houses the optical systems required to focus the 192 beamlets to a target precisely positioned at the center of the 10 meter diameter, 10-cm thick aluminum target chamber. The chamber serves as mounting surface for the 48 final optics assemblies, the target alignment and positioning equipment, and the target diagnostics. The internal surfaces of the chamber are protected by louvered steel beam dumps. The target area also provides the necessary shielding against target emission and environmental protection equipment. Despite its complexity, the design provides the flexibility to accommodate the needs of the various NIF user groups, such as direct and indirect drive irradiation geometries, modular final optics design, capability to handle cryogenic targets, and easily re-configurable diagnostic instruments. Efficient target area operations are ensured by using line-replaceable designs for systems requiring frequent inspection, maintenance and reconfiguration, such as the final optics, debris shields, phase plates and the diagnostic instruments. A precision diagnostic instrument manipulator (DIMS) allows fast removal and precise repositioning of diagnostic instruments. In addition the authors describe several activities to enhance the target chamber availability, such as the target debris mitigation, the use of standard experimental configurations and the development of smart shot operations planning tools