A slab model for computing ground temperature in climate models

A method is developed for computing the ground temperature accurately over both the diurnal and annual cycles. The ground is divided vertically into only two or three slabs, resulting in very efficient computation. Seasonal storage and release of heat is incorporated, and thus the method is well suited for use in climate models

Identification of behaviour change techniques and engagement strategies to design a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption using a formal consensus method

Background: Digital interventions to reduce excessive alcohol consumption have the potential to have a broader reach and be more cost-effective than traditional brief interventions. However, there is not yet a strong evidence base on their ability to engage users or on their effectiveness. Objective: This study aimed to identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and engagement strategies most worthy of further study by inclusion in a smartphone application (app) to reduce alcohol consumption, using formal expert consensus methods. Methods: The first phase of the study consisted of a Delphi exercise with three rounds. It was conducted with seven international experts in the field of alcohol and/or behaviour change. In the first round, experts identified BCTs most likely to be effective at reducing alcohol consumption and strategies most likely to engage users with an app; these were rated in the second round; and those rated as effective by at least four out of seven participants were ranked in the third round. The rankings were analysed using Kendall’s W coefficient of concordance, which indicates consensus between participants. The second phase consisted of a new, independent group of experts (n=43) ranking the BCTs that were identified in the first phase. The correlation between the rankings of the two groups was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: Twelve BCTs were identified as likely to be effective. There was moderate agreement among the experts over their ranking (W=.465, χ2(11)=35.77, P<.001) and the BCTs receiving the highest mean rankings were self-monitoring, goal-setting, action planning, and feedback in relation to goals. There was a significant correlation between the ranking of the BCTs by the group of experts who identified them and a second independent group of experts (Spearman’s rho=.690, P=.01). Seventeen responses were generated for strategies likely to engage users. There was moderate agreement among experts on the ranking of these engagement strategies (W=.563, χ2(15)=59.16, P<.001) and those with the highest mean rankings were ease of use, design – aesthetic, feedback, function, design – ability to change design to suit own preferences, tailored information, and unique smartphone features. Conclusions: The BCTs with greatest potential to include in a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption were judged by experts to be self-monitoring, goal-setting, action planning, and feedback in relation to goals. The strategies most likely to engage users were ease of use, design, tailoring of design and information, and unique smartphone features

Causal sites as quantum geometry

We propose a structure called a causal site to use as a setting for quantum geometry, replacing the underlying point set. The structure has an interesting categorical form, and a natural "tangent 2-bundle," analogous to the tangent bundle of a smooth manifold. Examples with reasonable finiteness conditions have an intrinsic geometry, which can approximate classical solutions to general relativity. We propose an approach to quantization of causal sites as well.Comment: 21 pages, 3 eps figures; v2: added references; to appear in JM

Racial Equity Considerations In Safe To Sleep Messaging: Learning From The Community

In Indiana, twice as many Black infants as White infants die in their first year of life. Infants in unsafe sleep positions are more likely to die from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Safe to Sleep® education has led to a dramatic decrease in mortality among White infants, but over 60% of Black families do not follow Safe to Sleep® guidelines. What is the best way to share this message with Black families

Analysis of fluorine via 19F(n,)20F decay in the presence of a Na interferant using NAA [abstract]

Abstract only availableSociety's concern with the development of innovative diagnostic tools in medicine has prompted a great deal of interest in research. An important area of research includes the development of molecular imaging agents. These agents hold promise for noninvasive in vivo imaging, quantification, and monitoring of important biomarkers for several diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer. This area of research has benefited greatly from instrumental neutron activation analysis. INAA is an analytical technique that is useful for performing quantitative multi-elemental analysis. NAA is superior to other forms of analysis of its ability to simultaneously analyze several elements in a sample and it offers high sensitivity; part per million to low part per billion level. The imaging agent of interest in this project is a lipid encapsulated, liquid perfluorocarbon nanoparticle directly coupled to a selective v3-integrin ligand. The nanoparticle also contains the paramagnetic contrast agent gadolinium linked to the nanoparticle as Gd-DTPA-bis-oleate.1 Utilizing INAA, analysis of this molecular imaging agent for its concentration in biological tissue, specifically, rabbit aortas via a 19F(n, )20F reaction. Measurement of fluorine in tissue is particularly difficult due to fluorine's short half-life (t1/2 = 11s) and sodium's interference via a fast neutron reaction. INAA will also be employed to quantitatively determine the concentration of gadolinium in biological tissues. These measurements will allow for the comparison of Gd to F ratio pre-injection to the Gd to F ratio post-injection. Efficiency of Gd's arrival at the target location will be determined by the comparison of these ratios. (Image included in PDF

Old and New Fields on Super Riemann Surfaces

The ``new fields" or ``superconformal functions" on $N=1$ super Riemann surfaces introduced recently by Rogers and Langer are shown to coincide with the Abelian differentials (plus constants), viewed as a subset of the functions on the associated $N=2$ super Riemann surface. We confirm that, as originally defined, they do not form a super vector space.Comment: 9 pages, LaTex. Published version: minor changes for clarity, two new reference

Remembering the past and imagining the future in autism spectrum disorder

Recent research has revealed that episodic memory (remembering past experiences) and episodic future thinking (imagining future experiences) rely on the same underlying neuro-cognitive system. Consistent with this suggestion, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to experience difficulties in both domains. In the present study, 18 adults with ASD and 18 typical adults performed sentence completion tasks assessing the ability to generate past and future events. Contrary to previous research findings, results demonstrated that adults with ASD performed at an equivalent level to typical adults when generating both past and future events; generating a higher number of specific events when recalling past (relative to simulating future) events, and a higher number of semantic associates when simulating future (relative to recalling past) events. Results are discussed with respect to methodological factors affecting task performance in ASD including the social nature of the research, the need to verbalise memories to the experimenter, and whether or not the specific memory request is explicit