The platinum nuclei: concealed configuration mixing and shape coexistence

The role of configuration mixing in the Pt region is investigated. For this chain of isotopes, the nature of the ground state changes smoothly, being spherical around mass $A\sim 174$ and $A\sim 192$ and deformed around the mid-shell N=104 region. This has a dramatic effect on the systematics of the energy spectra as compared to the systematics in the Pb and Hg nuclei. Interacting Boson Model with configuration mixing calculations are presented for gyromagnetic factors, $\alpha$-decay hindrance factors, and isotope shifts. The necessity of incorporating intruder configurations to obtain an accurate description of the latter properties becomes evident.Comment: Accepted in Physical Review

Ring laser angle encoder

Ring laser angle encoder with a scanning photometer autocollimator and an isolation axis, provides continuous digital readout. It measures the angular difference in inertial attitudes of target /any phenomena generating or reflecting a light beam/ two at a time relative to target one at a time

The Electrosphere of Macroscopic "Quark Nuclei": A Source for Diffuse MeV Emissions from Dark Matter

Using a Thomas-Fermi model, we calculate the structure of the electrosphere of the quark antimatter nuggets postulated to comprise much of the dark matter. This provides a single self-consistent density profile from ultrarelativistic densities to the nonrelativistic Boltzmann regime that use to present microscopically justified calculations of several properties of the nuggets, including their net charge, and the ratio of MeV to 511 keV emissions from electron annihilation. We find that the calculated parameters agree with previous phenomenological estimates based on the observational supposition that the nuggets are a source of several unexplained diffuse emissions from the Galaxy. As no phenomenological parameters are required to describe these observations, the calculation provides another nontrivial verification of the dark-matter proposal. The structure of the electrosphere is quite general and will also be valid at the surface of strange-quark stars, should they exist.Comment: 20 Pages, REVTeX4.

Chemical Properties of Soils and Streams in Natural and Disturbed Forest Ecosystems in the Ouachita Mountains

One year of pre-harvest and five years of post-harvest water chemistry data were collected and analyzed for N03-N, TKN, TP, OP, K and Ca on nine small watersheds in the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas. Gross exports of all nutrients except TKN were significantly increased by cl earcutting followed by mechanical site preparation and broadcast burning of slash. Discharge-weighted nutrient concentrations were increased only for OP, K and Ca. The treatment effect was brief, lasting only one year. The first harvest of a selection system regime had no measurable effect on gross losses or concentrations of nutrients. Precipitation chemistry measurements from the region indicated that annual imports of all nutrients considered in this study generally exceed the gross losses measured. However, because of the possible threat to soil fertility by the leaching effects of acid deposition, foresters should be especially vigilant in their efforts to protect site productivity where soils are low in base cations

Renal fibrosis in feline chronic kidney disease: known mediators and mechanisms of injury

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common medical condition of ageing cats. In most cases the underlying aetiology is unknown, but the most frequently reported pathological diagnosis is renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Renal fibrosis, characterised by extensive accumulation of extra-cellular matrix within the interstitium, is thought to be the final common pathway for all kidney diseases and is the pathological lesion best correlated with function in both humans and cats. As a convergent pathway, renal fibrosis provides an ideal target for the treatment of CKD and knowledge of the underlying fibrotic process is essential for the future development of novel therapies. There are many mediators and mechanisms of renal fibrosis reported in the literature, of which only a few have been investigated in the cat. This article reviews the process of renal fibrosis and discusses the most commonly cited mediators and mechanisms of progressive renal injury, with particular focus on the potential significance to feline CKD

One step multiderivative methods for first order ordinary differential equations

A family of one-step multiderivative methods based on Padé approximants to the exponential function is developed. The methods are extrapolated and analysed for use in PECE mode. Error constants and stability intervals are calculated and the combinations compared with well known linear multi-step combinations and combinations using high accuracy Newton-Cotes quadrature formulas as correctors. w926020

Two universal results for Wilson loops at strong coupling

We present results for Wilson loops in strongly coupled gauge theories. The loops may be taken around an arbitrarily shaped contour and in any field theory with a dual IIB geometry of the form M x S^5. No assumptions about supersymmetry are made. The first result uses D5 branes to show how the loop in any antisymmetric representation is computed in terms of the loop in the fundamental representation. The second result uses D3 branes to observe that each loop defines a rich sequence of operators associated with minimal surfaces in S^5. The action of these configurations are all computable. Both results have features suggesting a connection with integrability.Comment: 1+12 pages. LaTeX. No figure

Hunters and gatherers: Strategies for curriculum mapping and data collection for assuring learning

Assurance of learning is a predominant feature in both quality enhancement and assurance in higher education. Assurance of learning is a process that articulates explicit program outcomes and standards, and systematically gathers evidence to determine the extent to which performance matches expectations. Benefits accrue to the institution through the systematic assessment of whole of program goals. Data may be used for continuous improvement, program development, and to inform external accreditation and evaluation bodies. Recent developments, including the introduction of the Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) will require universities to review the methods they use to assure learning outcomes. This project investigates two critical elements of assurance of learning: 1. the mapping of graduate attributes throughout a program; and 2. the collection of assurance data. An audit was conducted with twenty five Business Schools in Australian universities to identify current methods of mapping graduate attributes across degree programs and their impact on the curriculum, followed by a review of the systems used to collect and store data. Our findings indicate that external drivers like professional body accreditation (for example: Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)) and TEQSA are important motivators for assuring learning, and those who were undertaking AACSB accreditation had more robust assurance of learning systems in place. It was reassuring to see that the majority of institutions (96%) had adopted an embedding approach to assuring learning rather than opting for independent standardised testing. The main challenges that were evident were the development of sustainable processes not considered a burden to academic staff, and obtainment of academic buy in to the benefits of assuring learning rather than assurance being seen as a tick box exercise. This cultural change is the real challenge in assurance of learning practice

Building sustainable and effective assurance of learning processes in a changing higher education environment

In a study of assuring learning in Australian Business Schools, 25 Teaching and Learning Associate Deans were interviewed to identify current issues in developing and measuring the quality of teaching and learning outcomes. Results indicate that for most institutions developing a perspective on graduate attributes and mapping assessments to measure outcomes across an entire program required knowledge creation and the building of new inclusive processes. Common elements of effective practice, namely those which offered consistently superior outcomes, included: inclusive processes; and embedded graduate attributes throughout a program; alongside consistent and appropriate assessment. Results indicate that assurance of learning processes are proliferating nationally while quality of teaching and learning outcomes and in the processes for assuring it is increasing as a result