Stoichiometry, structure, and transport in the quasi-one-dimensional metal, Li(0.9)Mo(6)O(17)

A correlation between lattice parameters, oxygen composition, and the thermoelectric and Hall coefficients is presented for single-crystal Li(0.9)Mo(6)O(17), a quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) metallic compound. The possibility that this compound is a compensated metal is discussed in light of a substantial variability observed in the literature for these transport coefficients.Comment: 5 pages, 4 Figures; Phys. Rev. B (in press

Photospheric and chromospheric magnetic activity of seismic solar analogs. Observational inputs on the solar/stellar connection from Kepler and Hermes

We identify a set of 18 solar analogs among the seismic sample of solar-like stars observed by the Kepler satellite rotating between 10 and 40 days. This set is constructed using the asteroseismic stellar properties derived using either the global oscillation properties or the individual acoustic frequencies. We measure the magnetic activity properties of these stars using observations collected by the photometric Kepler satellite and by the ground-based, high-resolution Hermes spectrograph mounted on the Mercator telescope. The photospheric (Sph) and chromospheric (S index) magnetic activity levels of these seismic solar analogs are estimated and compared in relation to the solar activity. We show that the activity of the Sun is comparable to the activity of the seismic solar analogs, within the maximum-to-minimum temporal variations of the 11-year solar activity cycle 23. In agreement with previous studies, the youngest stars and fastest rotators in our sample are actually the most active. The activity of stars older than the Sun seems to not evolve much with age. Furthermore, the comparison of the photospheric, Sph, with the well-established chromospheric, S index, indicates that the Sph index can be used to provide a suitable magnetic activity proxy which can be easily estimated for a large number of stars from space photometric observations.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Mobilizing Greater Crop and Land Potentials with Conservation Agriculture

The engine that supplies food and agricultural products is the way we farm. The current dominant engine of conventional tillage farming based on the Green Revolution agriculture mind-set is faltering and needs to be replaced to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the future food and agricultural demands by consumers and society. This chapter elaborates on the alternate no-till Conservation Agriculture (CA) paradigm (involving no-till seeding in soils with mulch cover and in diversified cropping systems). This new paradigm of CA is able to raise productivity sustainably and efficiently, reduce inputs, regenerate degraded land, minimize soil erosion, and harness the flow of ecosystem services. CA is an ecosystems approach to regenerative farming which is capable of enhancing the economic and environmental performance of crop production and land management that can contribute to achieving several SDGs. The new CA paradigm also promotes a mind-set change of producing ‘more from less’ inputs, the key attitude needed to move towards sustainable production based on agro-ecological intensification of output. CA is spreading globally in all continents at an annual rate of around 10 M ha of cropland. The current (in 2015/16) spread of CA is approximately 180 M ha, of which 48% is located in the Global South. CA not only provides the possibility of increased crop yields and profit for the low input smallholder farmer, it also provides a pro-poor rural and agricultural development model to support sustainable agricultural intensification in low income countries in an affordable manner for poverty alleviation, food security and economic development. However, for SDGs to contribute real lasting value to the quality of human life and to nature, the current and future human and ethical consequences of the uncontrolled consumer demands and pressures placed upon agricultural production by the food and agriculture system as a whole must be addressed

Símbolos populares Colombianos

El presente proyecto de investigación está enfocado a identificar los símbolos populares colombianos que gozan de una relevancia cultural en nuestro país. Son reconocidos pero poco explotados comercialmente, ya que esto se puede evidenciar en aquellos objetos e indumentaria que las personas llevan a diario. Nuestra intencionalidad es tomar e intervenir representaciones icónicas que guardan una aceptación y un acuerdo social y estético en culturas como la nuestra, y se configuran en el imaginario, para que desde lo simbólico puedan ser comunicados desde el diseño y la comunicación gráfica en una propuesta atractiva que le genere un sentido de pertenencia a un grupo juvenil determinado, el cual oscila entre 15 a 25 años

Símbolos populares Colombianos

El presente proyecto de investigación está enfocado a identificar los símbolos populares colombianos que gozan de una relevancia cultural en nuestro país. Son reconocidos pero poco explotados comercialmente, ya que esto se puede evidenciar en aquellos objetos e indumentaria que las personas llevan a diario. Nuestra intencionalidad es tomar e intervenir representaciones icónicas que guardan una aceptación y un acuerdo social y estético en culturas como la nuestra, y se configuran en el imaginario, para que desde lo simbólico puedan ser comunicados desde el diseño y la comunicación gráfica en una propuesta atractiva que le genere un sentido de pertenencia a un grupo juvenil determinado, el cual oscila entre 15 a 25 años

Exercise-Based Stroke Rehabilitation: Clinical Considerations Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic attributable to the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant and continuing impact across all areas of healthcare including stroke. Individuals post-stroke are at high risk for infection, disease severity, and mortality after COVID-19 infection. Exercise stroke rehabilitation programs remain critical for individuals recovering from stroke to mitigate risk factors and morbidity associated with the potential long-term consequences of COVID-19. There is currently no exercise rehabilitation guidance for people post-stroke with a history of COVID-19 infection. Purpose. To (1) review the multi-system pathophysiology of COVID-19 related to stroke and exercise; (2) discuss the multi-system benefits of exercise for individuals post-stroke with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection; and (3) provide clinical considerations related to COVID-19 for exercise during stroke rehabilitation. This article is intended for healthcare professionals involved in the implementation of exercise rehabilitation for individuals post-stroke who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection and non-infected individuals who want to receive safe exercise rehabilitation. Results. Our clinical considerations integrate pre-COVID-19 stroke (n = 2) and COVID-19 exercise guidelines for non-stroke populations (athletic [n = 6], pulmonary [n = 1], cardiac [n = 2]), COVID-19 pathophysiology literature, considerations of stroke rehabilitation practices, and exercise physiology principles. A clinical decision-making tool for COVID-19 screening and eligibility for stroke exercise rehabilitation is provided, along with key subjective and physiological measures to guide exercise prescription. Conclusion. We propose that this framework promotes safe exercise programming within stroke rehabilitation for COVID-19 and future infectious disease outbreaks

Time to embrace access programmes for medicines: Lessons from the South African flucytosine access programme.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal Meningitis (CM) is estimated to cause 181,000 deaths annually; with the majority occurring in Sub Saharan Africa. Flucytosine is recommended by the World Health Organization as part of the treatment for CM. Widespread use of flucytosine could reduce mortality in hospital by as much as 40% compared to the standard of care, yet due to market failure quality assured flucytosine remains unregistered and largely inaccessible throughout Africa. METHODS: The recently established South African flucytosine clinical access programme is an attempt to address market failure which led to a lack of public-sector access to flucytosine for cryptococcal meningitis, by making the medicine freely available to tertiary hospitals in South Africa. RESULTS: Between November 2018 and September 2019, 327 CM patients received flucytosine through this programme, with efforts to support sustainable national scale up presently ongoing. We describe why this programme was needed, its catalytic potential, what is still required to ensure widespread access to flucytosine, and observation from this experience that may have wider relevance. CONCLUSIONS: The South African Flucytosine Access Programme illustrates how access programmes may be one part of the solution to addressing the vicious cycle of perceived low demand, limiting manufacturer interest in specific product markets

Rituximab suppresses disease activity after natalizumab withdrawal: an exploratory study

Background Natalizumab is highly effective in reducing multiple sclerosis disease activity; however it carries a risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, that represents the main reason of drug discontinuation. After natalizumab withdrawal, reactivation of disease is soon observed and, until now, it is not known which treatment strategy should be followed after natalizumab discontinuation. Aim of this study is to evaluate rituximab efficacy in controlling disease activity after natalizumab withdrawal

Spectroscopic survey of Kepler stars – II. FIES/NOT observations of A- and F-type stars

We have analysed high-resolution spectra of 28 A and 22 F stars in the Kepler field, observed using the Fibre-Fed Échelle Spectrograph at the Nordic Optical Telescope. We provide spectral types, atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances for 50 stars. Balmer, Fe I and Fe II lines were used to derive effective temperatures, surface gravities and microturbulent velocities. We determined chemical abundances and projected rotational velocities using a spectrum synthesis technique. Effective temperatures calculated by spectral energy distribution fitting are in good agreement with those determined from the spectral line analysis. The stars analysed include chemically peculiar stars of the Am and λ Boo types, as well as stars with approximately solar chemical abundances. The wide distribution of projected rotational velocity, vsin i, is typical for A and F stars. The microturbulence velocities obtained are typical for stars in the observed temperature and surface gravity ranges. Moreover, we affirm the results of Niemczura et al. that Am stars do not have systematically higher microturbulent velocities than normal stars of the same temperature