Cultivation of Pleurotus mushrooms in substrates obtained by short composting and steam pasteurization

This paper presents results of two experiments for cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius and Pleurotus eryngii grown with different formulations of grass and straw mixtures derived from agro-industrial residues. Cultivation was prepared through a number of approaches, such as short composting/pasteurization and axenic culture. In the first experiment, P. pulmonarius was grown on two formulations of different grasses, with no significant differences observed for either productivity or biological efficiency, with values close to 20 and 60%, respectively. The second experiment revealed similar productivity and biological efficiency between P. pulmonarius and P. ostreatus for both forms of substrate treatment (short composting/pasteurization vs. axenic culture), with similar values to those observed in the first experiment. P. eryngii did not produce mushrooms in the composting treatment and showed lower productivity (17.5%) than the other two species (20.5 and 20.8%, respectively) when the substrates were autoclaved (axenic culture). The preparation for short composting and steam pasteurization was described in illustrative figures in order to provide expertise to small producers who wish to initiate economic and sustainable mushroom cultivation making use of regional lignocellulosic residues.Keywords: Steam pasteurization, lignocellulosic biomass, straw mixtures, mushroom

Comparing the Cognitive Screening Tools: MMSE and SLUMS

Practitioners have long relied upon the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) to quickly assess cognitive functioning in older adults. The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam possesses many potential psychometric advantages, however data on the relationship between scores on the SLUMS and MMSE has yet to be established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish comparative norms between the MMSE and the SLUMS examinations. The current study hypothesized that participants would score lower on the SLUMS than the MMSE, with adults exhibiting higher levels of cognitive reserve, as measured by educational attainment, having a greater difference between the test scores. A total of 118 individuals (96 female, 21 male) with an age range from 41 to 96 (M=80.03, SD=8.71) with an average educational attainment of 14.97 years (SD= 2.68), completed both tests. Results indicate a significant difference between the mean SLUMS and MMSE scores (p\u3c.001), as well as a significant difference between those in assisted and independent living environments (p\u3c.001). The evidence did not support the cognitive reserve hypothesis. Implications and suggestions for future research will be discussed

Classification of phase transitions and ensemble inequivalence, in systems with long range interactions

Systems with long range interactions in general are not additive, which can lead to an inequivalence of the microcanonical and canonical ensembles. The microcanonical ensemble may show richer behavior than the canonical one, including negative specific heats and other non-common behaviors. We propose a classification of microcanonical phase transitions, of their link to canonical ones, and of the possible situations of ensemble inequivalence. We discuss previously observed phase transitions and inequivalence in self-gravitating, two-dimensional fluid dynamics and non-neutral plasmas. We note a number of generic situations that have not yet been observed in such systems.Comment: 42 pages, 11 figures. Accepted in Journal of Statistical Physics. Final versio

Statistical Determination of Bulk Flow Motions

We present here a new parameterization for the bulk motions of galaxies and clusters (in the linear regime) that can be measured statistically from the shape and amplitude of the two-dimensional two-point correlation function. We further propose the one-dimensional velocity dispersion (v_p) of the bulk flow as a complementary measure of redshift-space distortions, which is model-independent and not dependent on the normalisation method. As a demonstration, we have applied our new methodology to the C4 cluster catalogue constructed from Data Release Three (DR3) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find v_p=270^{+433}km/s (also consistent with v_p=0) for this cluster sample (at z=0.1), which is in agreement with that predicted for a WMAP5-normalised LCDM model (i.e., v_p(LCDM=203km/s). This measurement does not lend support to recent claims of excessive bulk motions (\simeq1000 km/s) which appear in conflict with LCDM, although our large statistical error cannot rule them out. From the measured coherent evolution of v_p, we develop a technique to re-construct the perturbed potential, as well as estimating the unbiased matter density fluctuations and scale--independent bias.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Patterns of initiation of second generation antipsychotics for bipolar disorder: a month-by-month analysis of provider behavior

Background: Several second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) received FDA approval for bipolar disorder in the 2000s. Although efficacious, they have been costly and may cause significant side effects. Little is known about the factors associated with prescribers’ decisions to initiate SGA prescriptions for this condition. Methods: We gathered administrative data from the Department of Veterans Affairs on 170,713 patients with bipolar disorder between fiscal years 2003–2010. Patients without a prior history of taking SGAs were considered eligible for SGA initiation during the study (n =126,556). Generalized estimating equations identified demographic, clinical, and comorbidity variables associated with initiation of an SGA prescription on a month-by-month basis. Results: While the number of patients with bipolar disorder using SGAs nearly doubled between 2003 and 2010, analyses controlling for patient characteristics and the rise in the bipolar population revealed a 1.2% annual decline in SGA initiation during this period. Most medical comorbidities were only modestly associated with overall SGA initiation, although significant differences emerged among individual SGAs. Several markers of patient severity predicted SGA initiation, including previous hospitalizations, psychotic features, and a history of other antimanic prescriptions; these severity markers became less firmly linked to SGA initiation over time. Providers in the South were somewhat more likely to initiate SGA treatment. Conclusions: The number of veterans with bipolar disorder prescribed SGAs is rising steadily, but this increase appears primarily driven by a corresponding increase in the bipolar population. Month-by-month analyses revealed that higher illness severity predicted SGA initiation, but that this association may be weakening over time

Gravitomagnetism in the Kerr-Newman-Taub-NUT spacetime

We study the motion of test particles and electromagnetic waves in the Kerr-Newman-Taub-NUT spacetime in order to elucidate some of the effects associated with the gravitomagnetic monopole moment of the source. In particular, we determine in the linear approximation the contribution of this monopole to the gravitational time delay and the rotation of the plane of the polarization of electromagnetic waves. Moreover, we consider "spherical" orbits of uncharged test particles in the Kerr-Taub-NUT spacetime and discuss the modification of the Wilkins orbits due to the presence of the gravitomagnetic monopole.Comment: 12 pages LaTeX iopart style, uses PicTex for 1 Figur

Gravitomagnetism and Relative Observer Clock Effects

The gravitomagnetic clock effect and the Sagnac effect for circularly rotating orbits in stationary axisymmetric spacetimes are studied from a relative observer point of view, clarifying their relationships and the roles played by special observer families. In particular Semer\'ak's recent characterization of extremely accelerated observers in terms of the two-clock clock effect is shown to be complemented by a similarly special property of the single-clock clock effect.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, IOP macros with package epsf and 1 eps figure, to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravity, slight revisio

Critical Issues For Understanding Particle Acceleration in Impulsive Solar Flares

This paper, a review of the present status of existing models for particle acceleration during impulsive solar flares, was inspired by a week-long workshop held in the Fall of 1993 at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Recent observations from Yohkoh and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and a reanalysis of older observations from the Solar Maximum Mission, have led to important new results concerning the location, timing, and efficiency of particle acceleration in flares. These are summarized in the first part of the review. Particle acceleration processes are then discussed, with;particular emphasis on new developments in stochastic acceleration by magnetohydrodynamic waves and direct electric field acceleration by both sub- and super-Dreicer electric fields. Finally, issues that arise when these mechanisms are incorporated into the large-scale flare structure are considered. Stochastic and super-Dreicer acceleration may occur either in a single large coronal reconnection site or at multiple \u27\u27fragmented\u27\u27 energy release sites. Sub-Dreicer acceleration requires a highly filamented coronal current pattern. A particular issue that needs to be confronted by all theories is the apparent need for large magnetic field strengths in the flare energy release region