Thermal Studies on Rubidium Dinitramide

The present study has been carried out to investigate conflicting reports in the literature on the nature of the thermal decomposition of the energetic oxidant rubidium dinitramide in the liquid state. The techniques employed included DSC, simultaneous TG-DTA, simultaneous TG-mass spectrometry and thermomicroscopy. The measurements were supplemented by quantitative chemical analysis of the reaction products. The results showed that, following fusion at 106 °C, the overall decomposition proceeded in a single exothermic reaction stage forming a mixture of rubidium nitrate and rubidium nitrite in the molar ratio 1.2 : 1

Persistent current formation in a high-temperature Bose-Einstein condensate: an experimental test for c-field theory

Experimental stirring of a toroidally trapped Bose-Einstein condensate at high temperature generates a disordered array of quantum vortices that decays via thermal dissipation to form a macroscopic persistent current [T. W. Neely em et al. arXiv:1204.1102 (2012)]. We perform 3D numerical simulations of the experimental sequence within the Stochastic Projected Gross-Pitaevskii equation using ab initio determined reservoir parameters. We find that both damping and noise are essential for describing the dynamics of the high-temperature Bose field. The theory gives a quantitative account of the formation of a persistent current, with no fitted parameters.Comment: v2: 7 pages, 3 figures, new experimental data and numerical simulation

Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sweet Sorghum Juice in Texas

The economic feasibility of producing ethanol from sweet sorghum juice is projected using Monte Carlo simulation models to estimate the price ethanol plants will likely have to pay for sweet sorghum and the uncertain returns for ethanol plants. Ethanol plants in high yielding regions will likely generate returns on assets of 11%-12% and in low yield areas the returns on assets will be less than 10%.Sweet Sorghum, Ethanol, Monte Carlo Simulation, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty, D20 G10 D81 C15,

Acceptability of a Parental Early Warning Tool: Outcomes from a Feasibility Study of Parental Home Monitoring and Assessment

Aim: to explore the feasibility and acceptability of a Congenital Heart Assessment Tool (CHAT) as part of a home monitoring programme (HMP) for parents going home with their infant between stage 1 & 2 surgery for complex CHD. Background: HMPs were developed to encourage early recognition of deterioration in infants at risk of potentially life threatening events between stage 1 & 2. In this study, the HMP was compared with the CHAT, a traffic light system enabling assessment of the infant’s condition through individualised parameters. Method: A mixed methods approach including: data collected at four time points: at discharge [T0]; 2 weeks after [T1], 8 weeks after [T2] & after stage 2 surgery [T3] using self-report tools, interviews & daily diaries. Parents were recruited between August 2013 & February 2015 & randomised to either Gp A: HMP & CHAT; Gp B: CHAT or Gp C: standard discharge care. Results: 13 mothers, 4 fathers of 13 infants consented (A =5; B =4; C =4). The time period T0 to T3 ranged from 62-228 days; all infants survived stage 1 & 2 of surgery. The qualitative data set included 38 interviews. Four themes emerged regarding the CHAT: prepared parents for the signs to look for at home; easy to use; increased parental confidence & gave them reassurance to call for advice when something was different. Themes emerging regarding the HMP: parents felt daily wt. were not needed; the scales were ‘a hindrance more than helpful’, SpO2 was more reassuring. Gp C parents described normalisation of going home & recognition that the HMP may have made them more reliant & anxious. Only 2 diaries were completed; CHAT amber triggers (n=7 occasions, no admissions); red triggers & drop in SpO2 (n=1, 1 local hospital readmission); calls to ward staff (n=13); other contact with HCP (n=7) no contacts were cardiac in origin. Conclusions: The CHAT gave parents confidence regarding changes in their infant’s condition. No early admissions for stage 2 based on trigger of CHAT or HMP

Economic Analysis of Cellulosic Feedstock for Bioenergy in the Texas Rio Grande Valley

Farm Management,

IL-21 receptor expression in human tendinopathy

The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying tendinopathy remain unclear, with much debate as to whether inflammation or degradation has the prominent role. Increasing evidence points toward and early inflammatory infiltrate and associated inflammatory cytokine production in human and animal models of tendon disease. The IL-21/IL-21R axis is a proinflammatory cytokine complex that has been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. This project aimed to investigate the role and expression of the cytokine/receptor pair IL-21/IL-21R in human tendinopathy. We found significantly elevated expression of IL-21 receptor message and protein in human tendon samples but found no convincing evidence of the presence of IL-21 at message or protein level. The level of expression of IL-21R message/protein in human tenocytes was significantly up regulated by proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα/IL-1β) in vitro. These findings demonstrate that IL-21R is present in early human tendinopathy mainly expressed by tenocytes and macrophages. Despite a lack of IL-21 expression these data again suggest that early tendinopathy has an inflammatory/cytokine phenotype, which may provide novel translational targets in the treatment of tendinopathy

INVISQUE as a tool for intelligence analysis: the construction of explanatory narratives

We report an exploratory user-study in which a group of civil servants with experience of, or involvement in, intelligence analysis used the tool INVISQUE to address a problem using the 2011 VAST dataset. INVISQUE uses a visual metaphor that combines searching, clustering and sorting of document surrogates with free-form manipulation on an infinite canvas. We were interested in exposing the behaviours and related cognitive strategies that users would employ to better understand how this and similar environments might better support intelligence type work. Our results include the observation that the search and spatial features of the system supported participants in establishing, elaborating and systematically evaluating explanatory narratives that accounted for the data. Also, visual persistence at the interface allowed them to keep track of searches and to re-find documents when their importance became apparent. We conclude with reflections on our findings and propose a set of guidelines for developing systems that support sensemaking

Psychosocial Adjustment and Adaptation in Parents of Infants with Complex Congenital Heart Disease Going Home for the First Time Following First Stage Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Review

Aim: The study presented here prospectively explored psychosocial adaptation and adjustment (anxiety, depression & confidence) in parents going home for the first time with their infants following first stage cardiac surgery for complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Method: 17 parents (13 mothers, 4 fathers) of infants (n=13) being discharged from a specialist cardiac centre in the UK were recruited into a mixed methods feasibility study, from August 2013 until September 2015. Parents were randomised into either: Group A: home monitoring using weighing scales, an oxygen saturation monitor and a Congenital Heart Assessment Tool (CHAT); Group B: the CHAT tool only, or Group C: standard discharge care. Parents were interviewed at 4 time points: T0 before discharge, T1 2 weeks post discharge, T2 8 weeks post discharge and T3 after stage 2 surgery. Baseline demographic data was collected at T0 and parents completed PHQ9, GAD7 and Maternal Confidence score (MCS) at each interview. Results: A fear response was evident in all interviews at T0; 3 mothers and 1 father displayed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder at T0. Mean GAD7 scores were significantly higher before discharge (T0) compared to T3 (p<0.01, d=0.77). There was no significant difference in scores whilst the parents were at home with their infant (T1, T2). Mean PHQ9 scores were significantly higher at T0 than at T1 (p<0.01, d=1.03); T2 (p<0.05, d=0.87); T3 (p<0.01, d=1.1). Mean MCS were significantly higher at T1 (p<0.01, d=1.1), T2 (p<0.01, d=1.3), T3 (p<0.0005, d=1.6) than at T0. Conclusion: Signs of acute stress disorder: anxiety, depression, shock were evident in all interviews at T0. 4 parents showed signs of PTSD however these symptoms decreased over time as their confidence increased. Despite the small number of families recruited into the study, the results provide an important insight into the psychosocial support that parents require between stage 1 and 2 of their infants’ cardiac surgery

Characteristics of Two-Dimensional Quantum Turbulence in a Compressible Superfluid

Under suitable forcing a fluid exhibits turbulence, with characteristics strongly affected by the fluid's confining geometry. Here we study two-dimensional quantum turbulence in a highly oblate Bose-Einstein condensate in an annular trap. As a compressible quantum fluid, this system affords a rich phenomenology, allowing coupling between vortex and acoustic energy. Small-scale stirring generates an experimentally observed disordered vortex distribution that evolves into large-scale flow in the form of a persistent current. Numerical simulation of the experiment reveals additional characteristics of two-dimensional quantum turbulence: spontaneous clustering of same-circulation vortices, and an incompressible energy spectrum with $k^{-5/3}$ dependence for low wavenumbers $k$ and $k^{-3}$ dependence for high $k$.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Reference [29] updated for v