Evaluation of ADCP wave, WAVEWATCH III and HF radar data on the GBR

Wave climate can have a very significant impact on the dynamics of the near-coastal oceans, including geomorphology and currents. This study is a preliminary investigation of the suitability and compatibility of a wave-capable Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) mooring, an HF ocean radar system and the numerical model WAVEWATCH III (WW3), with the focus on the area of the Capricorn and Bunker Groups of reefs and islands, Australia

Population Synthesis of Common Envelope Mergers: I. Giant Stars with Stellar or Substellar Companions

Using a population synthesis technique, we have calculated detailed models of the present-day field population of objects that have resulted from the merger of a giant primary and a main-sequence or brown dwarf secondary during common-envelope evolution. We used a grid of 116 stellar and 32 low-mass/brown dwarf models, a crude model of the merger process, and followed the angular momentum evolution of the binary orbit and the primary's rotation prior to merger, as well as the merged object's rotation after the merger. We find that present-day merged objects that are observable as giant stars or core-helium burning stars in our model population constitute between 0.24% and 0.33% of the initial population of ZAMS binaries, depending upon the input parameters chosen. The median projected rotational velocity of these merged objects is ~16 km/sec, an order of magnitude higher than the median projected rotational velocity in a model population of normal single stars calculated using the same stellar models and initial mass function. The masses of the merged objects are typically less than ~2 solar masses, with a median mass of 1.28 solar masses, which is slightly more than, but not significantly different from, their normal single star counterparts. The luminosities in our merged object population range from ~10-100 solar luminosities, with a strong peak in the luminosity distribution at ~60 solar luminosities, since the majority of the merged objects (57%) lie on the horizontal branch at the present epoch. The results of our population synthesis study are discussed in terms of possible observational counterparts either directly involving the high rotational velocity of the merger product or indirectly, via the effect of rotation on envelope abundances and on the amount and distribution of circumstellar matter.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Towards energetically viable asymmetric deprotonations : selectivity at more elevated temperatures with C2-symmetric magnesium bisamides

A novel chiral magnesium bisamide has enabled the development of effective asymmetric deprotonation protocols at substantially more elevated temperatures. This new, structurally simple, C2-symmetric magnesium complex displays excellent levels of asymmetric efficiency and energy reduction in the synthesis of enantioenriched enol silane

A kinematic analysis of the spine during rugby scrummaging on natural and synthetic turfs

Artificial surfaces are now an established alternative to grass (natural) surfaces in rugby union. Little is known, however, about their potential to reduce injury. This study characterises the spinal kinematics of rugby union hookers during scrummaging on third-generation synthetic (3G) and natural pitches. The spine was sectioned into five segments, with inertial sensors providing three-dimensional kinematic data sampled at 40 Hz/sensor. Twenty-two adult, male community club and university-level hookers were recruited. An equal number were analysed whilst scrummaging on natural or synthetic turf. Players scrummaging on synthetic turf demonstrated less angular velocity in the lower thoracic spine for right and left lateral bending and right rotation. The general reduction in the range of motion and velocities, extrapolated over a prolonged playing career, may mean that the synthetic turf could result in fewer degenerative injuries. It should be noted, however, that this conclusion considers only the scrummaging scenario

New potentially chelating chiral magnesium amide bases for use in enantioselective deprotonation reactions

A series of chiral secondary amines, incorporating a 5- or 6-membered heterocycle, were synthesised and used to prepare novel chiral magnesium bisamide reagents. These amide bases were subsequently applied within asymmetric deprotonation reactions to probe the potential for chelation-assisted selectivity enhancement. Good levels of selectivity could be achieved (up to 87:13 e.r. (R:S)) across a range of prochiral cyclohexanone substrates when employing a thiophene-derived magnesium bisamide complex

Differentially Regulated Host Proteins Associated with Chronic Rhinosinusitis Are Correlated with the Sinonasal Microbiome

The chronic inflammatory nature of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) makes it a morbid condition for individuals with the disease and one whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. To date, proteomic approaches have been applied successfully in a handful of CRS studies. In this study we use a multifaceted approach, including proteomics (iTRAQ labeling) and microbiome (bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing) analyses of middle meatus swabs, as well as immune cell analysis of the underlying tissue, to investigate the host-microbe interaction in individuals with CRS (n = 10) and healthy controls (n = 9). Of the total 606 proteins identified in this study, seven were significantly (p < 0.05) more abundant and 104 were significantly lower in the CRS cohort compared with healthy controls. The majority of detected proteins (82% of proteins identified) were not significantly correlated with disease status. Elevated levels of blood and immune cell proteins in the CRS cohort, together with significantly higher numbers of B-cells and macrophages in the underlying tissue, confirmed the inflammatory status of CRS individuals. Protein PRRC2C and Ras-related protein (RAB14) (two of the seven elevated proteins) showed the biggest fold difference between the healthy and CRS groups. Validation of the elevated levels of these two proteins in CRS samples was provided by immunohistochemistry. Members of the bacterial community in the two study cohorts were not associated with PRRC2C, however members of the genus Moraxella did correlate with RAB14 (p < 0.0001, rho = −0.95), which is a protein involved in the development of basement membrane. In addition, significant correlations between certain members of the CRS bacterial community and 33 lower abundant proteins in the CRS cohort were identified. Members of the genera Streptococcus, Haemophilus and Veillonella were strongly correlated with CRS and were significantly associated with a number of proteins with varying functions. The results from this study reveal a strong association between the host and microbes in the sinonasal cavity. Proteins identified as associated with CRS could be new targets for drug therapies and biomarkers for assessment of treatment efficacy

Emerging use of isotope ratio mass spectrometry as a tool for discrimination of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine by synthetic route

Drug profiling, or the ability to link batches of illicit drugs to a common source or synthetic route, has long been a goal of law enforcement agencies. Research in the past decade has explored drug profiling with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). This type of research can be limited by the use of substances seized by police, of which the provenance is unknown. Fortunately, however, some studies in recent years have been carried out on drugs synthesized in-house and therefore of known history. In this study, 18 MDMA samples were synthesized in-house from aliquots of the same precursor by three common reductive amination routes and analyzed for C-13, N-15, and H-2 isotope abundance using IRMS. For these three preparative methods, results indicate that H-2 isotope abundance data is necessary for discrimination by synthetic route. Furthermore, hierarchical cluster analysis using H-2 data on its own or combined with C-13 and/or N-15 provides a statistical means for accurate discrimination by synthetic route

Proposta de ferramenta de gestão das bolsas de resíduos brasileiras com uso do Balanced Scorecard e Boston Consulting Group

Um grande marco para o Brasil foi a aprovação da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS), em 02 de agosto de 2010, por meio da Lei nº 12.305/10. A PNRS introduziu diversos mecanismos tendentes a minimizar os impactos negativos provocados pelos consumidores e produtores, definindo as etapas gerenciais para minimização desses impactos, tendo destaque para a reutilização e reciclagem dos resíduos. Um aliado para aumentar os percentuais de produtos reutilizados e reciclados é a utilização da Bolsa de Resíduos como identificadora de mercados para negociação de resíduos, por meio da aproximação entre os geradores e os interessados em reciclar e reutilizar. A bolsa é uma importante ferramenta de gerenciamento de resíduos no Brasil, porém subutilizada, pois existem alguns entraves no sistema de gestão das bolsas que dificultam mensurar a importância no processo de mitigação de resíduos. Essa pesquisa é justificada pela necessidade de buscar melhorias no sistema de gestão das bolsas de resíduos a fim de aumentar o percentual de reuso e reciclagem dos resíduos anunciados. O objetivo dessa pesquisa é elaborar uma estrutura de Balanced Scorecard (BSC) como proposta para utilização na gestão das bolsas de resíduos brasileiras em atendimento aos princípios e objetivos da PNRS. A proposta de construir uma estrutura de BSC para a gestão das bolsas possibilita o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta administrativa baseada em 4 perspectivas (financeira, clientes, processos internos e aprendizado) para identificar os entraves do sistema de gestão e potencializar o uso da bolsa de resíduos como ferramenta para PNRS. Com relação ao método da pesquisa, o trabalho apresenta uma abordagem de caráter qualitativo, composta de duas fases: uma bibliográfica exploratória e uma pesquisa aplicada. Como conclusão a estrutura de BSC foi desenvolvida e adaptada para uma melhor operacionalização das bolsas de resíduos brasileiras em atendimento aos clientes. As 4 perspectivas estão em sintonia para melhorar e aprimorar as informações e serviços prestados aos usuários das bolsas. O BSC desenvolvido propõe modificações na estrutura de gestão das bolsas de modo a aprimorar sua utilização, aumentando o volume de resíduos negociados, desenvolvendo planos em conjunto com setor privado (redução, reciclagem e reuso) e transformando sua estrutura para que opere com recursos próprios, de modo financeiramente estável, atendendo assim aos princípios e objetivos da PNRS.A great milestone for Brazil was the approval of the National Policy Solid Waste, on 2010 August 2nd, by Law number 12.305/10. The National Policy Solid Waste which introduced several mechanisms to minimize the negative impacts caused by consumers and manufacturers, defining managerial steps to minimize these impacts, with emphasis on reuse and recycling waste. For improving the percentage of reused and recycled products is the use of waste exchange as identifying markets for trading of waste by means of rapprochement between generators and interested in recycling and reuse. Waste exchange is an important tool for waste management in Brazil, but underutilized, because there are some obstacles in the management system that make it difficult to measure the importance of the mitigation process waste. This research is justified by the need to improvements in the management of waste exchange in order to increase the percentage of reuse and recycling of waste advertised, corroborating the National Policy Solid Waste, contributing to sustainable development. The objective of this research is to develop a framework of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) as proposed for use in the management of waste exchange of Brazilian in compliance with the principles and objectives of National Policy Solid Waste. The proposal to build a framework of BSC for management of waste exchange enables the development of a management tool based on four perspectives (financial, customer, internal processes and learning) for identifying obstacles management system and increase the use of waste exchange as a tool for National Policy Solid Waste. With respect to the research method, the paper presents a qualitative approach consisting of two phases: an exploratory literature and applied research. In conclusion the structure of BSC was developed and adapted for better operationalization of waste exchange in Brazilian customer service. The four perspectives are tuned to improve and enhance the information and services provided to users. The BSC developed proposed changes in the management structure of the waste exchange in order to enhance their use, increasing the volume of waste traded develop plans in conjunction with private sector (reduction, recycling and reuse) and changing it structure to operate with own resources, financially stable, according to the principles and objectives of National Policy Solid Waste