Cloud tracking in cloud-resolving models

In recent years Cloud Resolving Models (CRMs) have become an increasingly important tool for the study of convective phenomena. CRMs should not be regarded as simply providing surrogates for observations; rather

Modern merthods and a controversial surname: Plant

In the past few years, DNA testing has begun to contribute to our understanding. It is currently emerging more clearly which surnames are multi-origin, originating with many different forefathers, and which descend from a single male ancestor. As a case study, I shall describe the application of modern, multidisciplinary methods to the surname Plant, which has been ascribed a different meaning each time an authority has written about it. The recent emergence of a different view anout this name's origins has prompted a reassessment of its meaning

Surname studies with genetics

Genetic studies of surnames are briefly reviewed. In particular, such DNA studies can sometimes provide clues to a surname's meaning. A few surnames are being found to include unusually large single families, which are far more populous than computer simulations for monogamous families predict, suggesting that they might best be explained by their getting off to a fast start through polygyny or concubines: Brehon Law in Ireland and medieval Welsh Law were relatively accepting of polygyny. The Plant surname in the Welsh Marches largely comprises an abnormally large single family and this favours the Welsh meaning '[many] children', though various other meanings for this surname have been suggested. The surnames Meates, Meats, Mates, Mate and Myatt in north Staffordshire and Ireland belong to a single family and appear to have derived from the female forename Maiot

ϱ → 4π in chirally symmetric models

The decays rho0 → 2π+2π− and rho0 → 2π0π+π− are studied using various effective Lagrangians for π and rho (and in some case a1) mesons, all of which respect the approximate chiral symmetry of the strong interaction. Partial widths of the order of 1 keV or less are found in all cases. These are an order of magnitude smaller than recent predictions based on non-chiral models

Cost effectiveness of ward based non-invasive ventilation for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: economic analysis of randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of standard treatment with and without the addition of ward based non-invasive ventilation in patients admitted to hospital with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. DESIGN: Incremental cost effectiveness analysis of a randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Medical wards in 14 hospitals in the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: The trial comprised 236 patients admitted to hospital with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mild to moderate acidosis (pH 7.25-7.35) secondary to respiratory failure. The economic analysis compared the costs of treatment that these patients received after randomisation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incremental cost per in-hospital death. RESULTS: 24/118 died in the group receiving standard treatment and 12/118 in the group receiving non-invasive ventilation (P=0.05). Allocation to the group receiving non-invasive ventilation was associated with a reduction in costs of £49 362 ($78 741; 73 109), mainly through reduced use of intensive care units. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio was £645 per death avoided (95% confidence interval £2310 to £386), indicating a dominant (more effective and less costly) strategy. Modelling of these data indicates that a typical UK hospital providing a non-invasive ventilation service will avoid six deaths and three to nine admissions to intensive care units per year, with an associated cost reduction of £12 000-53 000 per year. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive ventilation is a highly cost effective treatment that both reduced total costs and improved mortality in hospital

The truncated and evolving inner accretion disc of the black hole GX 339-4

The nature of accretion onto stellar mass black holes in the low/hard state remains unresolved, with some evidence suggesting that the inner accretion disc is truncated and replaced by a hot flow. However, the detection of relativistic broadened Fe emission lines, even at relatively low luminosities, seems to require an accretion disc extending fully to its innermost stable circular orbit. Modelling such features is however highly susceptible to degeneracies, which could easily bias any interpretation. We present the first systematic study of the Fe line region to track how the inner accretion disc evolves in the low/hard state of the black hole GX 339$-$4. Our four observations display increased broadening of the Fe line over two magnitudes in luminosity, which we use to track any variation of the disc inner radius. We find that the disc extends closer to the black hole at higher luminosities, but is consistent with being truncated throughout the entire low/hard state, a result which renders black hole spin estimates inaccurate at these stages of the outburst. Furthermore, we show that the evolution of our spectral inner disc radius estimates corresponds very closely to the trend of the break frequency in Fourier power spectra, supporting the interpretation of a truncated and evolving disc in the hard state.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Some typos corrected from version

Revealing accretion onto black holes: X-ray reflection throughout three outbursts of GX 339-4

Understanding the dynamics behind black hole state transitions and the changes they reflect in outbursts has become long-standing problem. The X-ray reflection spectrum describes the interaction between the hard X-ray source (the power-law continuum) and the cool accretion disc it illuminates, and thus permits an indirect view of how the two evolve. We present a systematic analysis of the reflection spectrum throughout three outbursts (500+ observations) of the black hole binary GX 339-4, representing the largest study applying a self-consistent treatment of reflection to date. Particular attention is payed to the coincident evolution of the power-law and reflection, which can be used to determine the accretion geometry. The hard state is found to be distinctly reflection weak, however the ratio of reflection to power-law gradually increases as the source luminosity rises. In contrast the reflection is found dominate the power-law throughout most of the soft state, with increasing supremacy as the source decays. We discuss potential dynamics driving this, favouring inner disc truncation and decreasing coronal height for the hard and soft states respectively. Evolution of the ionisation parameter, power-law slope and high-energy cut-off also agree with this interpretation.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA