X-ray Diffraction Analysis of γ2 (Sn-Hg) Phase in High Copper Amalgams of Varying Mercury Content

Microstructures of high copper commercial amalgams containing varying amounts of mercury, ranging from 20% above to 25% below recommended values, were primarily investigated by x-ray diffraction. Mechanisms relating to the absence or presence of γ2 (Sn-Hg) phase in these amalgams were discussed in relation to the presence of copper and tin elements in their original alloys. The optimum mercury concentration in some amalgams was determined in order to keep them free of the γ2 (Sn-Hg) phase.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66731/2/10.1177_00220345810600021001.pd

Gluons and the quark sea at high energies: distributions, polarization, tomography

This report is based on a ten-week program on "Gluons and the quark sea at high-energies", which took place at the Institute for Nuclear Theory in Seattle in Fall 2010. The principal aim of the program was to develop and sharpen the science case for an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a facility that will be able to collide electrons and positrons with polarized protons and with light to heavy nuclei at high energies, offering unprecedented possibilities for in-depth studies of quantum chromodynamics. This report is organized around four major themes: i) the spin and flavor structure of the proton, ii) three-dimensional structure of nucleons and nuclei in momentum and configuration space, iii) QCD matter in nuclei, and iv) Electroweak physics and the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Beginning with an executive summary, the report contains tables of key measurements, chapter overviews for each of the major scientific themes, and detailed individual contributions on various aspects of the scientific opportunities presented by an EIC.Comment: 547 pages, A report on the joint BNL/INT/Jlab program on the science case for an Electron-Ion Collider, September 13 to November 19, 2010, Institute for Nuclear Theory, Seattle; v2 with minor changes, matches printed versio

'...art is man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him...' Ordering reality, an analysis of symbolism in the novels of Chinua Achebe

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN034910 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Pulmonary rehabilitation is successful for COPD irrespective of MRC dyspnoea grade

SummaryBackgroundIt is not clear whether the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) apply equally to patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with different levels of starting disability. We have therefore investigated the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation stratified by the MRC dyspnoea scale in patients with COPD.MethodsThis is a retrospective, observational study of data collected from 450 consecutive patients with COPD attending outpatient PR: 247 male, mean (SD) age 69.5 (8.9) yrs and FEV1 44.6 (19.7)% predicted. The Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) was performed before and after the seven-week courseResults395 patients (88%) completed the programme. The mean (SD) baseline ISWT performance was 167 (113)m. The distribution of baseline MRC grades was 2 – 15.4%, 3 – 24.9%, 4 – 27.3% and 5 – 32.4%. The mean (95% CI) improvement in ISWT after PR for each MRC scale grade was highly significant (p<0.0005); 2 – 66 (50–83)m, 3 – 63 (50–75)m, 4 – 59 (49–70)m, and 5 – 54 (43–64)m.ConclusionsPatients with COPD, of all MRC dyspnoea grades, benefit comparably from pulmonary rehabilitation achieving both statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in exercise performance. MRC grade should therefore not be used to exclude patients from pulmonary rehabilitation