109 research outputs found
A Small Ion Propelled Spacecraft for Near Earth Experiments
It has become increasingly apparent that designers of today\u27s large and complex spacecraft are reluctant to adopt many new and innovative technologies due to the lack of in-orbit operational experience with these devices, a particular example being ion propulsion. The reasons for this are understandable but as a consequence many new ideas are caught in a \u27chicken and egg\u27 situation where they will not be flown until they have been and shown to work reliably. A study has been carried out in an attempt to provide a simple, low cost spacecraft that can be launched from almost any vehicle into any orbits that could subsequently be used as a testbed for small innovative ideas
Lattice Dynamics and the High Pressure Equation of State of Au
Elastic constants and zone-boundary phonon frequencies of gold are calculated
by total energy electronic structure methods to twofold compression. A
generalized force constant model is used to interpolate throughout the
Brillouin zone and evaluate moments of the phonon distribution. The moments are
used to calculate the volume dependence of the Gruneisen parameter in the fcc
solid. Using these results with ultrasonic and shock data, we formulate the
complete free energy for solid Au. This free energy is given as a set of closed
form expressions, which are valid to compressions of at least V/V_0 = 0.65 and
temperatures up to melting. Beyond this density, the Hugoniot enters the
solid-liquid mixed phase region. Effects of shock melting on the Hugoniot are
discussed within an approximate model. We compare with proposed standards for
the equation of state to pressures of ~200 GPa. Our result for the room
temperature isotherm is in very good agreement with an earlier standard of
Heinz and Jeanloz.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures. Accepted by Phys. Rev.
An intervention study to prevent relapse in patients with schizophrenia
Purpose: To determine whether the use of relapse prevention plans (RPPs) in nursing practice is an effective intervention in reducing relapse rates among patients with schizophrenia. Design and Methods: Experimental design. Patients with schizophrenia (or a related psychotic disorder) and nurses from three mental health organizations were randomly assigned to either an experimental (RPP) or control condition (care as usual). The primary outcome measure was the psychotic relapses in the research groups. Results: The relapse rates in the experimental and control groups after 1-year follow-up were 12.5% and 26.2%, respectively (p=.12, ns). The relative risk of a relapse in the experimental versus the control group was 0.48(ns). Conclusions: In this study no statistically significant effects of the intervention were found. Effectiveness research in this area should be continued with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods
Critical behavior of the two-dimensional N-component Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian with cubic anisotropy
We study the two-dimensional N-component Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian with
cubic anisotropy. We compute and analyze the fixed-dimension perturbative
expansion of the renormalization-group functions to four loops. The relations
of these models with N-color Ashkin-Teller models, discrete cubic models,
planar model with fourth order anisotropy, and structural phase transition in
adsorbed monolayers are discussed. Our results for N=2 (XY model with cubic
anisotropy) are compatible with the existence of a line of fixed points joining
the Ising and the O(2) fixed points. Along this line the exponent has
the constant value 1/4, while the exponent runs in a continuous and
monotonic way from 1 to (from Ising to O(2)). For N\geq 3 we find a
cubic fixed point in the region , which is marginally stable or
unstable according to the sign of the perturbation. For the physical relevant
case of N=3 we find the exponents and at the cubic
transition.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure
Extent and Causes of Chesapeake Bay Warming
Coastal environments such as the Chesapeake Bay have long been impacted by eutrophication stressors resulting from human activities, and these impacts are now being compounded by global warming trends. However, there are few studies documenting long-term estuarine temperature change and the relative contributions of rivers, the atmosphere, and the ocean. In this study, Chesapeake Bay warming, since 1985, is quantified using a combination of cruise observations and model outputs, and the relative contributions to that warming are estimated via numerical sensitivity experiments with a watershed–estuarine modeling system. Throughout the Bay’s main stem, similar warming rates are found at the surface and bottom between the late 1980s and late 2010s (0.02 +/- 0.02C/year, mean +/- 1 standard error), with elevated summer rates (0.04 +/- 0.01C/year) and lower rates of winter warming (0.01 +/- 0.01C/year). Most (~85%) of this estuarine warming is driven by atmospheric effects. The secondary influence of ocean warming increases with proximity to the Bay mouth, where it accounts for more than half of summer warming in bottom waters. Sea level rise has slightly reduced summer warming, and the influence of riverine warming has been limited to the heads of tidal tributaries. Future rates of warming in Chesapeake Bay will depend not only on global atmospheric trends, but also on regional circulation patterns in mid-Atlantic waters, which are currently warming faster than the atmosphere.
Supporting model data available at: https://doi.org/10.25773/c774-a36
NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics
Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC): an unusual potential pathogen in cerebrospinal fluid of AIDS patients
La survie des arbres dépend de la densité dans une ancienne forêt tempérée du nordest de la Chine
The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set
Background
Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables.
Methods
Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set.
Results
Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy
Open data from the third observing run of LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO
The global network of gravitational-wave observatories now includes five detectors, namely LIGO Hanford, LIGO Livingston, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO 600. These detectors collected data during their third observing run, O3, composed of three phases: O3a starting in 2019 April and lasting six months, O3b starting in 2019 November and lasting five months, and O3GK starting in 2020 April and lasting two weeks. In this paper we describe these data and various other science products that can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at https://gwosc.org. The main data set, consisting of the gravitational-wave strain time series that contains the astrophysical signals, is released together with supporting data useful for their analysis and documentation, tutorials, as well as analysis software packages
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