An Alternative Electrode System for Monitoring Belousov-Zhabotinsky Chemical Oscillations

The capability of copper-platinum (Cu/Pt) electrode system as a BelousovZhabotinsky (BZ) chemical oscillation monitor was compared with that of the normally used SCE/Pt electrode system, by testing it on three BZ systems, which were obtained by varying the oscillator in the combination bromate, oscillator and malonic acid. The oscillators, used separately, were cerium(IV), manganese(II) and ferroin [iron (II)-1,10- phenanthroline complex].Cu/Pt electrode gave essentially identical values of oscillation characteristics (oscillation period, peak potential, induction period, peak width) except peak potentials. This indicated that the Cu/Pt electrode system would be more useful than the SCE/Pt electrode system (which had chloride leakage problem), in electrical applications of chemical oscillations, such as electrical switches, which would depend only on the on/off frequency

Application of different organic and mineral fertilizers on the growth, yield and nutrient accumulation of rice in a Japanese ordinary paddy field

A rice cultivation study was conducted at Kyushu University farm. Cow manure (CM), poultry manure (PM), rice straw + urea mix-application (SU), urea (UF) and M-coat, a slow released compound fertilizer (M-coat) were used as the N sources by comparing with no application (Control). Treatments were made with two levels application of each N source at 40 (level I) and 80 kg N ha-1(level II) excluding M-coat. In all urea treatments, three split applications were made. A study of soil incubation was conducted for 2 weeks to investigate the mineralized N of applied mineral and organic fertilizer. Plant growth characters, dry matter, yield and plant nutrient accumulations were higher in mineral fertilization than organic. Mineral fertilization was observed in correlation with the larger crop removal. PM-II as an organic matter provided comparatively higher nutrient accumulations which in turn enhanced the growth and yield of rice. CM and SU gave the lower plant growth, yield and nutrient accumulation. Mineralized N was higher in sole mineral N applications. Organic matter with high C/N ratio provided very low mineralized N and its net N mineralization percentage. Negative values of net N mineralization percentage were observed in SU due to N immobilization. Keywords: Cow Manure, Mineralized N, Paddy Soil, Poultry Manure, Rice (Oryza sativa L.), Rice Stra

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and subsequent cardiovascular disease : current national and international guidelines and the need for future research

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Λ\Lambda-Σ\Sigma coupling effect in the neutron-rich Λ\Lambda-hypernucleus Λ10_{\Lambda}^{10}Li by microscopic shell model

We investigate the structure of the neutron-rich $\Lambda$-hypernucleus $_{\Lambda}^{10}$Li by using microscopic shell-model calculations considering a $\Lambda$-$\Sigma$ coupling effect. The calculated $\Sigma$-mixing probability in the $_{\Lambda}^{10}$Li ground state is found to be about 0.34 % which is coherently enhanced by the $\Lambda$-$\Sigma$ coupling configurations, leading to the energy shift 0.28 MeV which is about 3 times larger than that in $_{\Lambda}^{7}$Li. The importance of the $\Sigma$ configuration obtained by the $\Sigma N$ interaction and the potentiality of the neutron-rich environment are discussed.Comment: 6 figure

A Comparison of Initial and Subsequent Follow-Up Strobovideolaryngoscopic Examinations in Singers.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have identified abnormal findings in up to 86.1% of singers on initial screening strobovideolaryngoscopy (SVL) examinations. No studies have compared the prevalence of abnormalities in singers on their subsequent follow-up SVL. Our study evaluates the frequency of these findings in both the initial and subsequent examinations. METHODS: Retrospective charts and SVL reports were reviewed on students from an opera conservatory from 1993 to 2014. All students had initial screening SVL, but only students who later returned with acute voice complaints were included in the study (n = 51, 137 follow-up visits). Normal SVL was defined as an examination without structural or functional abnormalities and reflux finding score ≤7. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. RESULTS: For initial examinations, 90.2% (including reflux) and 88.2% (excluding reflux) were abnormal. In follow-up examinations, 94.9% (including reflux) and 94.2% (excluding reflux) had abnormal findings, which included muscle tension dysphonia (40.1%), vocal fold (VF) masses (unilateral 48.9%, bilateral 30.7%), vascular abnormalities (unilateral 27.0%, bilateral 5.8%), sulcus (unilateral 17.5%, bilateral 5.1%), VF hypomobility (unilateral 36.3%, bilateral 5.9%), phase (30.6%) and amplitude (44.8%) asymmetries, and glottic insufficiency (49.3%). Follow-up examinations revealed a significant increase in laryngopharyngeal reflux (χ(2) = 7.043; P \u3c 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We found a higher prevalence of abnormal findings compared with previous studies, which we attributed to a more inclusive definition of abnormal pathologies, improvements in SVL technology, and possibly increased experience with SVL interpretation. This high prevalence of abnormal findings in asymptomatic singers further supports the importance of baseline examinations

Long Term Prognostic Impact of Sex-specific Longitudinal Changes in Blood Pressure. The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Cohort Study

AIMS: We aimed to determine the sex differences in longitudinal systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) trajectories in mid-life and delineate the associations between these and mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular, and non-cardiovascular) and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in old age. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants were selected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer, Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) cohort study. Sex-specific trajectories were determined using group-based trajectory models using three clinic BP measurements acquired between 1993 and 2012 (mean exposure ∼12.9 years). Multivariable Cox regressions determined the associations between trajectories and incident outcomes over the follow-up (median follow-up 9.4 years). A total of 2897 men (M) and 3819 women (F) were included. At baseline, women were younger (F-55.5, M-57.1), had a worse cardiometabolic profile and were less likely to receive primary CVD prevention including antihypertensive treatment (F-36.0%, M-42.0%). Over the exposure period, women had lower SBP trajectories while men exhibited more pronounced SBP decreases over this period. Over the follow-up period, women had lower mortality (F-11.9%, M-20.5%) and CVD incidence (F-19.8%, M-29.6%). Compared to optimal SBP (≤120 mmHg) and DBP (≤70 mmHg) trajectories, hypertensive trajectories were associated with increased mortality and incident CVD in both men and women during follow-up at univariable level. These associations were nevertheless not maintained upon extensive confounder adjustment including antihypertensive therapies. CONCLUSION: We report sex disparities in CVD prevention which may relate to worse cardiometabolic profiles and less pronounced longitudinal SBP decreases in women. Effective anti-hypertensivetherapy may offset the adverse outcomes associated with prolonged exposure to high blood pressure