Application of a diode array spectroradiometer to measuring the spectral scattering properties of cloud types in a laboratory

International audienceIn the last few years diode array spectroradiometers have become useful complements to traditional scanning instruments when measuring visible and ultraviolet solar radiation incident on the ground. This study describes the application of such an instrument to the problem of measuring the radiation scattered by different cloud-types in a laboratory environment. Details of how the instrument is incorporated into the experimental set-up are given together with the development of the system as a whole. The capability to measure a full spectrum for each scattering angle is an undoubted advantage, although the limited sensitivity impacts on the usefulness for optically thin clouds. Nevertheless example results are presented: (1) scattering phase functions at a range of wavelengths recorded simultaneously for water clouds, showing spectral deviation at the rainbow angle and verification of Mie theory; (2) likewise for mixed phase clouds, with evidence of both halo and rainbow features in a single scattering function; and, (3) detail of the forward scattering region in a glaciated cloud showing a barely perceptible halo feature, with implications for the small-scale structure of the ice crystals produced

Results from Beam Commissioning of an SRF Plug Gun Cavity Photoinjector

Superconducting rf photo electron injectors SRF photoinjectors hold the promise to deliver high brightness, high average current electron beams for future light sources or other applications demanding continuous wave operation of an electron injector. This paper discusses results from beam commissioning of a hybrid SRF photoinjector based on a Pb coated plug and a Nb rf gun cavity for beam energies up to 2.5MeV at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin HZB . Emittance measurements and transverse phase space characterization with solenoid scan and slitmask methods will be presente

The construction and characterization of MgO transmission dynodes

In this work we demonstrate that ultra-thin (5 and 15 nm) MgO transmission dynodes (tynodes) with sufficient high transmission electron yield (TEY) can be constructed. These tynodes act as electron amplification stages in a novel vacuum electron multiplier: the Timed Photon Counter (TiPC). The ultra-thin membranes with a diameter of 30 {\mu}m are arranged in a square 64-by-64-array. The TEY was determined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) using primary electrons with primary energies of 0.75 - 5 keV. The method allow us to make a TEY map of the surface while simultaneously imaging the surface. The TEY of individual membranes can be extracted from the TEY map. An averaged maximum TEY of 4.6 +/- 0.2 was achieved by using 1.35 keV primary electrons on a TiN/MgO bi-layer membrane with a layer thickness of 2 and 5 nm, respectively. The TiN/MgO membrane with a layer thickness of 2 and 15 nm, respectively, has a maximum TEY of 3.3 +/- 0.1 (2.35 keV). Furthermore, the effect of the electric field strength on transmission (secondary) electron emission was investigated by placing the emission surface of a tynode in close proximity to a planar collector. By increasing the electric potential between the tynode and the collector, from -50 V to -100 V, the averaged maximum TEY improved from 4.6 +/- 0.2 to 5.0 +/- 0.3 at a primary energy of 1.35 keV with an upper limit of 5.5 on one of the membranes

A behavioural change package to prevent hand dermatitis in nurses working in the national health service (the SCIN trial): study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Hand dermatitis can be a serious health problem in healthcare workers. While a range of skin care strategies and policy directives have been developed in recent years to minimise the risk, their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness remain unclear. Evidence now suggests that psychological theory can facilitate behaviour change with respect to improved hand care practices. Therefore, we will test the hypothesis that a behavioural change intervention to improve hand care, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and implementation intentions, coupled with provision of hand moisturisers, can produce a clinically useful reduction in the occurrence of hand dermatitis, when compared to standard care, among nurses working in the UK National Health Service (NHS) who are particularly at risk. Secondary aims will be to assess impacts on participants’ beliefs and behaviour regarding hand care. In addition, we will assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention in comparison with normal care. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a cluster randomised controlled trial at 35 NHS hospital trusts/health boards/universities, focussing on student nurses with a previous history of atopic disease or hand eczema and on nurses in intensive care units. Nurses at ‘intervention-light’ sites will be managed according to what would currently be regarded as best practice, with provision of an advice leaflet about optimal hand care to prevent hand dermatitis and encouragement to contact their occupational health (OH) department early if hand dermatitis occurs. Nurses at ‘intervention-plus’ sites will additionally receive a behavioural change programme (BCP) with on-going active reinforcement of its messages, and enhanced provision of moisturising cream. The impact of the interventions will be compared using information collected by questionnaires and through standardised photographs of the hands and wrists, collected at baseline and after 12 months follow-up. In addition, we will assemble relevant economic data for an analysis of costs and benefits, and collect information from various sources to evaluate processes. Statistical analysis will be by multi-level regression modelling to allow for clustering by site, and will compare the prevalence of outcome measures at follow-up after adjustment for values at baseline. The principal outcome measure will be the prevalence of visible hand dermatitis as assessed by the study dermatologists. In addition, several secondary outcome measures will be assessed. DISCUSSION: This trial will assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of an intervention to prevent hand dermatitis in nurses in the United Kigdom. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN53303171: date of registration, 21 June 2013

A behaviour change package to prevent hand dermatitis in nurses working in health care: the SCIN cluster RCT

BACKGROUND: Although strategies have been developed to minimise the risk of occupational hand dermatitis in nurses, their clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: The Skin Care Intervention in Nurses trial tested the hypothesis that a behaviour change package intervention, coupled with provision of hand moisturisers, could reduce the point prevalence of hand dermatitis when compared with standard care among nurses working in the NHS. The secondary aim was to assess the impact of the intervention on participants' beliefs and behaviour regarding hand care, and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention in comparison with normal care. DESIGN: Cluster randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Thirty-five NHS hospital trusts/health boards/universities. PARTICIPANTS: First-year student nurses with a history of atopic tendency, and full-time intensive care unit nurses. INTERVENTION: Sites were randomly allocated to be 'intervention plus' or 'intervention light'. Participants at 'intervention plus' sites received access to a bespoke online behaviour change package intervention, coupled with personal supplies of moisturising cream (student nurses) and optimal availability of moisturising cream (intensive care unit nurses). Nurses at 'intervention light' sites received usual care, including a dermatitis prevention leaflet. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The difference between intervention plus and intervention light sites in the change of point prevalence of visible hand dermatitis was measured from images taken at baseline and at follow-up. RANDOMISATION: Fourteen sites were randomised to the intervention plus arm, and 21 sites were randomised to the intervention light arm. BLINDING: The participants, trial statistician, methodologist and the dermatologists interpreting the hand photographs were blinded to intervention assignment. NUMBERS ANALYSED: An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted on data from 845 student nurses and 1111 intensive care unit nurses. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat analysis showed no evidence that the risk of developing dermatitis was greater in the intervention light group than in the intervention plus group (student nurses: odds ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 2.69; intensive care unit nurses: odds ratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 2.44). Both groups had high levels of baseline beliefs about the benefits of using hand moisturisers before, during and after work. The frequency of use of hand moisturisers before, during and after shifts was significantly higher in the intensive care unit nurses in the intervention plus arm at follow-up than in the comparator group nurses. For student nurses, the intervention plus group mean costs were £2 lower than those for the comparator and 0.00002 more quality-adjusted life-years were gained. For intensive care unit nurses, costs were £4 higher and 0.0016 fewer quality-adjusted life-years were gained. HARMS: No adverse events were reported. LIMITATIONS: Only 44.5% of participants in the intervention plus arm accessed the behaviour change package. CONCLUSION: The intervention did not result in a statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of hand dermatitis in the intervention plus group. FUTURE WORK: Participants had a high level of baseline beliefs about the importance of using hand moisturisers before, during and after work. Future research should focus on how workplace culture can be changed in order for that knowledge to be actioned. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN53303171. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 58. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information

EMMA—mouse mutant resources for the international scientific community

The laboratory mouse is the premier animal model for studying human disease and thousands of mutants have been identified or produced, most recently through gene-specific mutagenesis approaches. High throughput strategies by the International Knockout Mouse Consortium (IKMC) are producing mutants for all protein coding genes. Generating a knock-out line involves huge monetary and time costs so capture of both the data describing each mutant alongside archiving of the line for distribution to future researchers is critical. The European Mouse Mutant Archive (EMMA) is a leading international network infrastructure for archiving and worldwide provision of mouse mutant strains. It operates in collaboration with the other members of the Federation of International Mouse Resources (FIMRe), EMMA being the European component. Additionally EMMA is one of four repositories involved in the IKMC, and therefore the current figure of 1700 archived lines will rise markedly. The EMMA database gathers and curates extensive data on each line and presents it through a user-friendly website. A BioMart interface allows advanced searching including integrated querying with other resources e.g. Ensembl. Other resources are able to display EMMA data by accessing our Distributed Annotation System server. EMMA database access is publicly available at http://www.emmanet.org

Glacial geomorphology between the Gran Campo Nevado and Estrecho de Magallanes, Chile (52–53°S, 73°W)

We present the first extensive high-resolution glacial geomorphic map west of the Andean Cordillera in southernmost Chile (52.8–53.1°S, 73.0–73.9°W). The map extends over 1565 km2 and is based on high-resolution satellite images and aerial photographs. At selected locations, the remotely mapped geomorphology was corroborated by field observations. The study area is dominated by glacial erosional landforms (77%) over depositional landforms (23%), with published submarine depositional landforms having been included (e.g. moraines). Glacial drift, kettle kame topography and lateral and frontal moraines form the primary depositional landforms and sediment associations. Glacial cirques, wide U-shaped valleys, whalebacks, roches moutonnées and scoured bedrock characterize most of the mapped area. The spatial distribution of whalebacks and roches moutonnées in the study area indicates a lack of lithological control on their formation and a warm-based, dynamic ice velocity and thickness regime during Patagonian Ice Sheet cover and retreat during the last glacial cycle

Mobilisation of arsenic from bauxite residue (red mud) affected soils: effect of pH and redox conditions

The tailings dam breach at the Ajka alumina plant, western Hungary in 2010 introduced ~1 million m3 of red mud suspension into the surrounding area. Red mud (fine fraction bauxite residue) has a characteristically alkaline pH and contains several potentially toxic elements, including arsenic. Aerobic and anaerobic batch experiments were prepared using soils from near Ajka in order to investigate the effects of red mud addition on soil biogeochemistry and arsenic mobility in soil–water experiments representative of land affected by the red mud spill. XAS analysis showed that As was present in the red mud as As(V) in the form of arsenate. The remobilisation of red mud associated arsenate was highly pH dependent and the addition of phosphate to red mud suspensions greatly enhanced As release to solution. In aerobic batch experiments, where red mud was mixed with soils, As release to solution was highly dependent on pH. Carbonation of these alkaline solutions by dissolution of atmospheric CO2 reduced pH, which resulted in a decrease of aqueous As concentrations over time. However, this did not result in complete removal of aqueous As in any of the experiments. Carbonation did not occur in anaerobic experiments and pH remained high. Aqueous As concentrations initially increased in all the anaerobic red mud amended experiments, and then remained relatively constant as the systems became more reducing, both XANES and HPLC–ICP-MS showed that no As reduction processes occurred and that only As(V) species were present. These experiments show that there is the potential for increased As mobility in soil–water systems affected by red mud addition under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions