Quantum phases of bosons in double-well optical lattices

We study the superfluid to Mott insulator transition of bosons in a two-legged ladder optical lattice, of a type accessible in current experiments on double-well optical lattices. The zero-temperature phase diagram is mapped out, with a focus on its dependence upon interchain hopping and the tilt between double wells. We find that the unit-filling Mott phase exhibits a non-monotonic behavior as a function of the tilt parameter, producing a reentrant phase transition between Mott insulator and superfluid phases.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Quantitative X-ray microradiography for high-throughput phenotyping of osteoarthritis in mice

Objective To investigate and validate digital X-ray microradiography as a novel, high-throughput and cost-effective screening approach to identify abnormal joint phenotypes in mice. Method Digital X-ray microradiography was used to quantify the subchondral bone mineral content (BMC) in the medial tibial plateau. Accuracy and reproducibility of the method were determined in 22 samples from C57BL/6(B6Brd;B6Dnk;B6N-Tyrc-Brd) wild-type mice. The method was then validated in wild-type mice that had undergone surgical destabilisation of medial meniscus (DMM) and in a genetically modified mouse strain with an established increase in trabecular bone mass. Results The measurement of subchondral BMC by digital X-ray microradiography had a coefficient of variation of 3.6%. Digital X-ray microradiography was able to demonstrate significantly increased subchondral BMC in the medial tibial plateau of male mice 4 and 8 weeks after DMM surgery and in female mice 8 weeks after surgery. Furthermore, digital X-ray microradiography also detected the increase in subchondral BMC in a genetically modified mouse strain with high trabecular bone mass. Conclusion Quantitation of subchondral BMC by digital X-ray microradiography is a rapid, sensitive and cost-effective method to identify abnormal joint phenotypes in mice of both genders at several ages

Activated Carbon Prepared in a Novel Gas Fired Static Bed Pyrolysis-Gasification Reactor for Gold Di-Cyanide Adsorption

A novel gas fired static-bed pyrolysis-gasification/activation reactor has been designed. A special feature of the reactor is its rectangular cross-section, having a square groove positioned symmetrically at the bottom part of the reactor, which allows efficient heat transfer into the bed of material being pyrolysed. The reactor is designed also to allow easy feeding of precursors as well as easy discharging of carbonised products. The operating parameters of the reactor such as temperature, which is dependent on the fuel gas flow rate; and the rate of flow of steam into the reactor for gasification, can be monitored. Palm kernel shells based activated carbon was prepared by carbonisation of the shells at 900 ºC pyrolysis temperature, followed by steam activation of the derived char also at 900 ºC for 6 hours. Activation was done at steam addition rate of 0.2 mol/h/g in the reactor. The derived activated carbon was characterised using the hard groove test method and the carbons were found to possess relative hardness comparable to the commercial one in use in some gold processing companies. The gold di-cyanide adsorption characteristics of the derived activated carbon compared very well with that of the commercial activated carbon, Norit RO 3515 used in most mines in Ghana.Keywords: Pyrolysis, Gasification, Activated carbon, Gold processing, Adsorptio

A Cross-Sectional Survey of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Antimicrobial Users and Providers in an Area of High-Density Livestock-Human Population in Western Kenya

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important global health crises in recent times and is driven primarily by antimicrobial consumption. In East Africa, there is a paucity of data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to antimicrobial use (AMU). We investigate the ways in which antimicrobial users in the veterinary sector accessed veterinary antimicrobials, and common behaviors of veterinary antimicrobial users and prescribers associated with AMU and AMR. // Methods: In total, 70 farmers, staff at 49 agricultural-veterinary antimicrobial shops (agrovet staff) and 28 veterinary animal healthcare workers or veterinary surgeons (veterinary professionals) were interviewed in Busia county, western Kenya in 2016 using a standard questionnaire as a framework for structured interviews. Data recorded included participant demographics, level of education, access to and sources of veterinary antimicrobials, prescribing patterns, and knowledge of AMR and antimicrobial withdrawal periods. // Results: The majority of antimicrobials were accessed through informal means, purchased from agroveterinary shops; more than half of staff did not hold nationally mandated qualifications to advise on or sell veterinary antimicrobials. Approximately 40% of veterinary antimicrobials were sold without a prescription and it was noted that both price and customer preference were important factors when selling antimicrobials in almost all agrovet shops. Knowledge of the dangers associated with AMR and AMU were mostly superficial. Treatment failure occurred often, and there was a lack of differentiation between AMR and simply treatment failure. // Conclusion: In this study area in East Africa with high-density human and livestock populations, AMU was primarily for maintenance of livestock health. These findings have highlighted several aspects surrounding inappropriate access to antimicrobials, and as such require attention from policy makers concerned with AMR in both livestock and human medicine sectors. Improving prescribing practices and ensuring a minimum level of general education and awareness of prescribers, as well as expanding the role of agrovet staff in antimicrobial stewardship programmes, may help begin to mitigate the maintenance and transmission of AMR, particularly amongst livestock

Sensitivity of chemical-looping combustion to particle reaction kinetics

A simple simulation for chemical-looping combustion (CLC) is discussed: two, coupled fluidised reactors with steady circulation of particles of oxygen carrier between them. In particular, the sensitivity of CLC to different particle kinetics is investigated. The results show that the system is relatively insensitive to different kinetics when the mean residence time of particles in each reactor is greater than the time taken for them to react completely.This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009250916302779

Resolution requirements for numerical simulations of transition

The resolution requirements for direct numerical simulations of transition to turbulence are investigated. A reliable resolution criterion is determined from the results of several detailed simulations of channel and boundary-layer transition

The effect of different particle residence time distributions on the chemical looping combustion process

A model for chemical looping combustion has been developed to allow the effect of different residence time distributions of oxygen carrier particles in the air and fuel reactors to be investigated. The model envisages two, coupled fluidised bed reactors with steady circulation of particles between them. The results show that the process is sensitive to the residence time distributions, particularly when the mean residence time of particles in the reactors is similar to the time required for them to react completely. Under certain operating conditions, decreasing the variance of the residence time distribution, leads to a greater mean conversion of the particles by the time they leave the reactors and higher mean rates of reaction in the beds. In this way the required inventory and circulation rate of solids could be reduced, which would lower the capital and operating costs of a CLC process. Since the residence time distribution of solids is important, it should be taken into account when modelling or designing a chemical looping combustion process, e.g. by using a tanks-in-series model. This work indicates that if the number of tanks, N ≤ 5, knowing N to the nearest integer is generally sufficient, unless a high degree of accuracy is needed. As N increases, the sensitivity of the coupled system decreases, so for N > 5, knowing the value to the nearest 5 or 10 tanks is sufficient. This is valid whether N is the same or different in the two reactors. Chemical looping combustion is one example of a reactor-regenerator system, so the results are also relevant for other processes of this type, such as fluidised catalytic cracking

Rescaling pain intensity measures for meta-analyses of analgesic medicines for low back pain appears justified: an empirical examination from randomised trials

Objective: Meta-analyses of analgesic medicines for low back pain often rescale measures of pain intensity to use mean difference (MD) instead of standardised mean difference for pooled estimates. Although this improves clinical interpretability, it is not clear whether this method is justified. Our study evaluated the justification for this method. Methods: We identified randomised clinical trials of analgesic medicines for adults with low back pain that used two scales with different ranges to measure the same construct of pain intensity. We transformed all data to a 0–100 scale, then compared between-group estimates across pairs of scales with different ranges. Results: Twelve trials were included. Overall, differences in means between pain intensity measures that were rescaled to a common 0–100 scale appeared to be small and randomly distributed. For one study that measured pain intensity on a 0–100 scale and a 0–10 scale; when rescaled to 0–100, the difference in MD between the scales was 0.8 points out of 100. For three studies that measured pain intensity on a 0–10 scale and 0–3 scale; when rescaled to 0–100, the average difference in MD between the scales was 0.2 points out of 100 (range 5.5 points lower to 2.7 points higher). For two studies that measured pain intensity on a 0–100 scale and a 0–3 scale; when rescaled to 0–100, the average difference in MD between the scales was 0.7 points out of 100 (range 6.2 points lower to 12.1 points higher). Finally, for six studies that measured pain intensity on a 0–100 scale and a 0–4 scale; when rescaled to 0–100, the average difference in MD between the scales was 0.7 points (range 5.4 points lower to 8.3 points higher). Conclusion: Rescaling pain intensity measures may be justified in meta-analyses of analgesic medicines for low back pain. Systematic reviewers may consider this method to improve clinical interpretability and enable more data to be included. Study registration/data availability: Open Science Framework (osf.io/8rq7f)