27,057 research outputs found
USSR Space Life Sciences Digest, volume 1, no. 3
An overview of the developments and direction of the USSR Space Life Sciences Program is given. Highlights of launches, program development, and mission planning are given. Results of ground-based research and space flight studies are summarized. Topics covered include: space medicine and physiology; space biology; and life sciences technology
Shear-induced overaging in a polymer glass
A phenomenon recently coined as ``overaging'' implies a slowdown in the
collective (slow) relaxation modes of a glass when a transient shear strain is
imposed. We are able to reproduce this behavior in simulations of a supercooled
polymer melt by imposing instantaneous shear deformations. The increases in
relaxation times rise rapidly with deformation, becoming
exponential in the plastic regime. This ``overaging'' is distinct from standard
aging. We find increases in pressure, bond-orientational order and in the
average energy of the inherent structures () of the system, all
dependent on the size of the deformation. The observed change in behavior from
elastic to plastic deformation suggests a link to the physics of the ``jammed
state''Comment: 5 pages including 5 figure
Adiabatic and Non-Adiabatic Contributions to the Free Energy from the Electron-Phonon Interaction for Na, K, Al, and Pb
We calculate the adiabatic contributions to the free energy due to the
electron--phonon interaction at intermediate temperatures, for the elemental metals Na, K, Al, and Pb. Using our
previously published results for the nonadiabatic contributions we show that
the adiabatic contribution, which is proportional to at low
temperatures and goes as at high temperatures, dominates the
nonadiabatic contribution for temperatures above a cross--over temperature,
, which is between 0.5 and 0.8 , where is the melting
temperature of the metal. The nonadiabatic contribution falls as for
temperatures roughly above the average phonon frequency.Comment: Updated versio
An AGN Identification for 3EG J2006-2321
We present a multiwavelength analysis of the high-energy gamma-ray source 3EG
J2006-2321. The flux of this source above 100 MeV is shown to be variable on
time scales of days and months. Optical observations and careful examination of
archived radio data indicate that its radio counterpart is PMN J2005-2310, a
flat-spectrum radio quasar with a 5-GHz flux density of 260 mJy. Study of the
optical counterpart indicates a redshift of 0.833 and variable linear
polarization. No X-ray source has been detected near the position of PMN
J2005-2310, but an X-ray upper limit is derived from ROSAT data. This upper
limit provides for a spectral energy distribution with global characteristics
similar to those of known gamma-ray blazars. Taken together, these data
indicate that 3EG J2006-2321, listed as unidentified in the 3rd EGRET Catalog,
is a member of the blazar class of AGN. The 5-GHz radio flux density of this
blazar is the lowest of the 68 EGRET-detected AGN. The fact that EGRET has
detected such a source has implications for unidentified EGRET sources,
particularly those at high latitudes (), many of which may be
blazars.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures. To appear in ApJ v569 n1, 10 April 200
Effects of composting manures and other organic wastes on soil processes and pest and disease interactions
Introduction
Composts and manures are of major importance in providing fertility in organic farming systems, since synthetic fertilisers are prohibited. It is understood that composts have radically different nutrient release characteristics to those of uncomposted materials and manures, and it is believed that composting increases the beneficial effects of organic materials on soil health, soil quality, soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency. It has also been shown that some plant pests and diseases are suppressed through the application of composts and compost extracts to soils. There is considerable potential to use a wider range of feedstocks from on and off-farm sources and to improve the composting process and compost/manure application techniques. This review of scientific work to date was urgently required to help determine key research priorities to achieve this potential (Defra project OF0313).
Project aims
1.To document the current standards, regulations and legislation relevant to recycling, compost/manure preparation and application and to review common UK practices relating to the preparation and application of uncomposted materials, manures, composts and compost extracts.
2. To review current scientific knowledge (from the literature) of the effects of different composting processes on chemical and biological parameters in the finished compost or compost extract.
3. To review (from the literature) the effects of uncomposted materials, manures and composts on soil health and quality, soil fertility and crop development and nutrition.
4. To review (from the literature) the effects of uncomposted materials, manures, composts and compost extracts on pest and disease incidence and severity in agricultural and horticultural crops.
5. To outline a proposed strategy for research which seeks to develop composting systems and compost/manure application protocols with a view to optimising soil fertility management and pest and disease control in organic agriculture and horticulture.
Objective 1 - The current standards, regulations and legislation relevant to recycling, compost/manure preparation and application are documented in detail in the full report on Objective 1 (Appendix 2). Manures and uncomposted plant materials (e.g. green manures) are commonly used on UK organic farms. True composts (defined in the glossary, Appendix 1) are rarely prepared on UK organic farms, although there is increasing interest in their use, particularly on farms producing high value horticultural crops. An increasing number of companies are producing (or are interested in producing) composts suitable for use on organic farms as soil amendments or growing media.
Objective 2 - The effects of different composting processes on chemical and biological parameters in the finished compost or compost extract are reviewed in detail in the full report on Objective 2 (Appendix 3). A short version of this review appears on pages 7-10 of this report.
Objective 3 - The effects of uncomposted materials, manures and composts on soil health and quality, soil fertility and crop development and nutrition are reviewed in detail in the full report on Objective 3 (Appendix 4). A short version of this review appears on pages 10-13 of this report.
Objective 4 - The effects of uncomposted materials, manures, composts and compost extracts on pest and disease incidence and severity in agricultural and horticultural crops are reviewed in detail in the full report on Objective 4 (Appendix 5). A short version of this review appears on pages 13-17 of this report.
Objective 5 - A proposed strategy for research was outlined which seeks to develop composting systems and compost/manure application protocols with a view to optimising soil fertility management and pest/disease control in organic agriculture/horticulture
Organic farming systems are by nature holistic. In other words, they function as a whole and all aspects of the system are interdependent on many other aspects of the system. It is essential therefore that research which is carried out to optimise the use of uncomposted plant residues, composts, manures and compost extracts is interdisciplinary; that is it must be carried out with reference to the organic farming system as a whole and not just a single aspect of it.
Technology transfer and knowledge transfer are key elements to the proposed strategy for research. Seminars and conferences, farm walks, demonstration farms and a wide range of publishing formats must be used to ensure that end users have full access to the results of research carried out in the UK and abroad. The amount of information which is available for dissemination to those who wish to make or use composts will naturally depend on the amount of relevant research and development work which is going on in the UK, Europe and worldwide
What is the excess risk of infertility in women after genital chlamydia infection? A systematic review of the evidence
Methods: Twelve databases were searched, limited to peer-reviewed literature published from January 1970 to September 2007. Conference abstracts and reference lists from reviews published since 2000 and from key articles were hand-searched. Studies were selected for review if they met the following criteria: (1) the study population comprised women of child-bearing age (defined as 15–45 years) and incorporated a comparison group of women documented as "chlamydia negative"; (2) the study outcomes included either infertility or successful pregnancy; and (3) the study design was one of the following: cohort, randomised controlled trial, "before and after" study, screening trial and systematic review. Studies were excluded if they described genital infections that either did not include Chlamydia trachomatis or described genital chlamydial co-infection, in which no data were available for C trachomatis infection alone.
Results: 3349 studies were identified by the search. One study satisfied the inclusion criteria, a longitudinal investigation measuring pregnancy rates in adolescent women with and without current chlamydial infection at baseline. That study reported no significant difference in subsequent pregnancy rates; however, it had serious methodological limitations, which restricted its conclusions.
Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrates the absence of valid evidence on the attributable risk of post-infective tubal factor infertility after genital chlamydial infection. The findings contribute empirical data to the growing debate surrounding previous assumptions about the natural history of chlamydial infection in women
Which outcome expectancies are important in determining young adults intentions to use condoms with casual sexual partners?: A cross-sectional study
Background: The prevalence of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection amongst young adults represents an important public health problem in the UK. Individuals attitude towards the use of condoms has been identified as an important determinant of behavioural intentions and action. The Theory of Planned Behaviour has been widely used to explain and predict health behaviour. This posits that the degree to which an individual positively or negatively values a behaviour (termed direct attitude) is based upon consideration of the likelihood of a number of outcomes occurring (outcome expectancy) weighted by the perceived desirability of those outcomes (outcome evaluation). Outcome expectancy and outcome evaluation when multiplied form indirect attitude. The study aimed to assess whether positive outcome expectancies of unprotected sex were more important for young adults with lower safe sex intentions, than those with safer sex intentions, and to isolate optimal outcomes for targeting through health promotion campaigns. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data was collected from 1051 school and university students aged 16-24 years. Measures of intention, direct attitude and indirect attitude were taken. Participants were asked to select outcome expectancies which were most important in determining whether they would use condoms with casual sexual partners. Results: People with lower safe sex intentions were more likely than those with safer sex intentions to select all positive outcome expectancies for unprotected sex as salient, and less likely to select all negative outcome expectancies as salient. Outcome expectancies for which the greatest proportion of participants in the less safe sex group held an unfavourable position were: showing that I am a caring person, making sexual experiences less enjoyable, and protecting against pregnancy. Conclusions: The findings point to ways in which the attitudes of those with less safe sex intentions could be altered in order to motivate positive behavioural change. They suggest that it would be advantageous to highlight the potential for condom use to demonstrate a caring attitude, to challenge the potential for protected sex to reduce sexual pleasure, and to target young adults risk appraisals for pregnancy as a consequence of unprotected sex with casual sexual partners
The Health of Aging Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Adults in California
Examines rates of diabetes, hypertension, poor mental health, physical disability, and fair or poor self-reported health status among homosexual adults ages 50 to 70 compared with their heterosexual peers. Recommends enhancing policies and practices
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