Preliminary study of Australian Pinot noir wines by colour and volatile analyses, and the Pivot© Profile method using wine professionals

The aim of this preliminary study was to identify potential colour components, volatile and sensory attributes that could discriminate Pinot noir wines from five Australian winegrowing regions (Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Northern and Southern Tasmania). The sensory analysis consisted of the Pivot© Profile method that was performed by wine professionals. A headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used to quantify multiple volatile compounds, while the Modified Somers method was used for colour characterisation. Analysis of data suggested ethyl decanoate, ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, in addition to decanoic acid as important contributors to the discrimination between regions. Similarly, wine hue, chemical age indices, total anthocyanin, and (%) non-bleachable pigment also discriminated wines between regions. The sensory analysis showed that wines from Mornington Peninsula were associated with the ‘red fruits’ aroma, ‘acidic’, and ‘astringency’ palate descriptors, while those from Adelaide Hills were associated with the ‘brown’ colour attribute. This study indicates regionality is a strong driver of aroma typicity of wine

Nature of orchestral noise

Professional orchestral musicians are at risk of exposure to excessive noise when at work. This is an industry-wide problem that threatens not only the hearing of orchestral musicians but also the way orchestras operate. The research described in this paper recorded noise levels within a professional orchestra over three years in order to provide greater insight to the orchestral noise environment; to guide future research into orchestral noise management and hearing conservation strategies; and to provide a basis for the future education of musicians and their managers. Every rehearsal, performance, and recording from May 2004 to May 2007 was monitored, with the woodwind, brass, and percussion sections monitored in greatest detail. The study recorded dBALEQ and dBC peak data, which are presented in graphical form with accompanying summarized data tables. The findings indicate that the principal trumpet, first and third horns, and principal trombone are at greatest risk of exposure to excessive sustained noise levels and that the percussion and timpani are at greatest risk of exposure to excessive peak noise levels. However, the findings also strongly support the notion that the true nature of orchestral noise is a great deal more complex than this simple statement would imply

A Mass Model for Estimating the Gamma Ray Background of the Burst and Transient Source Experiment

Orbiting x-ray and gamma ray instruments are subject to large background count rates due to local particle fluxes in the space environment. The ability of an instrument to make calibrated measurements of the flux from a source of interest is highly dependent on accurately determining the background level. We present here a method of calculating the energy dependent background flux for any point in the complete data set recorded by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) in its nine year mission. The BATSE Mass Model (BAMM) uses a Monte Carlo mass modelling approach to produce a data base of the gamma ray background which is then filtered to simulate the background count rate with a 2.048 second time resolution. This method is able to reduce the variations in the background flux by a factor of 8 - 10, effectively `flat-fielding' the detector response. With flat-fielded BATSE data it should be possible to use the Earth occultation technique to produce a hard x-ray all sky survey to the 1-2 mCrab sensitivity limit. BAMM is also capable of estimating the contribution to the spectra measured from gamma ray sources due to the reprocessing of source photons in inactive material surrounding a gamma ray detector. Possible applications of this aspect of the model in the area of Gamma Ray Burst spectral analysis are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Figures have been reduced to conform to astro-ph standard

Trial Forge Guidance 1 : what is a Study Within A Trial (SWAT)?

Randomised trials are a central component of all evidence-informed health care systems and the evidence coming from them helps to support health care users, health professionals and others to make more informed decisions about treatment. The evidence available to trialists to support decisions on design, conduct and reporting of randomised trials is, however, sparse. Trial Forge is an initiative that aims to increase the evidence base for trial decision-making and in doing so, to improve trial efficiency.One way to fill gaps in evidence is to run Studies Within A Trial, or SWATs. This guidance document provides a brief definition of SWATs, an explanation of why they are important and some practical 'top tips' that come from existing experience of doing SWATs. We hope the guidance will be useful to trialists, methodologists, funders, approvals agencies and others in making clear what a SWAT is, as well as what is involved in doing one

Empirical and theoretical investigation of the noise performance of indirect detection, active matrix flatâ panel imagers (AMFPIs) for diagnostic radiology

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134855/1/mp7919.pd