An Observed Entanglement of Lagenorhynchus obliquidens in the High Seas Driftnet Area in the North Pacific

In August, 1991, an entanglement event was observed in the High Seas Driftnet area in the North Pacific. This description of an entanglement of Lagenorhynchus obliquidens is the first such documented report of dolphins entangling while bowriding. One of the entangled dolphins was rescued from the driftnet

Ion collection by oblique surfaces of an object in a transversely-flowing strongly-magnetized plasma

The equations governing a collisionless obliquely-flowing plasma around an ion-absorbing object in a strong magnetic field are shown to have an exact analytic solution even for arbitrary (two-dimensional) object-shape, when temperature is uniform, and diffusive transport can be ignored. The solution has an extremely simple geometric embodiment. It shows that the ion collection flux density to a convex body's surface depends only upon the orientation of the surface, and provides the theoretical justification and calibration of oblique `Mach-probes'. The exponential form of this exact solution helps explain the approximate fit of this function to previous numerical solutions.Comment: Four pages, 2 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Letter

Protrepticus

A new translation and edition of Aristotle's Protrepticus (with critical comments on the fragments) Welcome The Protrepticus was an early work of Aristotle, written while he was still a member of Plato's Academy, but it soon became one of the most famous works in the whole history of philosophy. Unfortunately it was not directly copied in the middle ages and so did not survive in its own manuscript tradition. But substantial fragments of it have been preserved in several works by Iamblichus of Chalcis, a third century A.D. neo-Pythagorean philosopher and educator. On the basis of a close study of Iamblichus' extensive use and excerption of Aristotle's Protrepticus, it is possible to reconstruct the backbone of the lost work, and then to flesh it out with the other surviving reports about the work from antiquity (for example in Alexander of Aphrodisias and other ancient commentators on Aristotle). It is also possible to identify several papyrus fragments of the work, and many references and literary allusions in later authors, especially Cicero, whose own lost dialogue Hortensius was a defense of philosophy modeleld on Aristotle's

An Exploratory Study of Forces and Frictions affecting Large-Scale Model-Driven Development

In this paper, we investigate model-driven engineering, reporting on an exploratory case-study conducted at a large automotive company. The study consisted of interviews with 20 engineers and managers working in different roles. We found that, in the context of a large organization, contextual forces dominate the cognitive issues of using model-driven technology. The four forces we identified that are likely independent of the particular abstractions chosen as the basis of software development are the need for diffing in software product lines, the needs for problem-specific languages and types, the need for live modeling in exploratory activities, and the need for point-to-point traceability between artifacts. We also identified triggers of accidental complexity, which we refer to as points of friction introduced by languages and tools. Examples of the friction points identified are insufficient support for model diffing, point-to-point traceability, and model changes at runtime.Comment: To appear in proceedings of MODELS 2012, LNCS Springe

Novel Dynamical Resonances in Finite-Temperature Bose-Einstein Condensates

We describe a variety of intriguing mode-coupling effects which can occur in a confined Bose-Einstein condensed system at finite temperature. These arise from strong interactions between a condensate fluctuation and resonances of the thermal cloud yielding strongly non-linear behaviour. We show how these processes can be affected by altering the aspect ratio of the trap, thereby changing the relevant mode-matching conditions. We illustrate how direct driving of the thermal cloud can lead to significant shifts in the excitation spectrum for a number of modes and provide further experimental scenarios in which the dramatic behaviour observed for the $m=0$ mode at JILA (Jin {\it et al.} 1997) can be repeated. Our theoretical description is based on a successful second-order finite-temperature quantum field theory which includes the full coupled dynamics of the condensate and thermal cloud and all relevant finite-size effects

Stability of Extemporaneously Prepared Sodium Benzoate Oral Suspension

The stability of extemporaneously prepared sodium benzoate oral suspension in cherry syrup and Ora-Sweet was studied. Oral solutions of 250-mg/mL sodium benzoate were prepared in either cherry syrup or Ora-Sweet. To a beaker, 50 grams of Sodium Benzoate Powder USP was dissolved and filtered, the solution was divided equally into two parts, and each aliquot was added into two separate calibrated 100-mL amber vials. In the first vial, cherry syrup was added to make a final volume of 100 mL. In the second vial, Ora-Sweet was added to give a final volume of 100 mL. This process was repeated to prepare three solutions of each kind and all were stored at room temperature. A 250-µL sample was withdrawn immediately after preparation and again at 7, 14, 28, 60, and 90 days for each sample. At each time point, further dilution was made to an expected concentration of 0.25 mg/mL with sample diluent, and the samples were assayed in triplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 92% of the initial concentration of sodium benzoate in cherry syrup and at least 96% of the sodium benzoate in Ora-Sweet remained throughout the 90-day study period. There were no detectable changes in color and no visible microbial growth in any sample. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of sodium benzoate in cherry syrup or Ora-Sweet were stable for at least 90 days when stored in a 4-oz amber plastic bottle at room temperature in reduced lighting

A preliminary case study of the effect of shoe-wearing on the biomechanics of a horse’s foot

Horse racing is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has raised welfare concerns due to injured and euthanized animals. Whilst the cause of musculoskeletal injuries that lead to horse morbidity and mortality is multifactorial, pre-existing pathologies, increased speeds and substrate of the racecourse are likely contributors to foot disease. Horse hooves have the ability to naturally deform during locomotion and dissipate locomotor stresses, yet farriery approaches are utilised to increase performance and protect hooves from wear. Previous studies have assessed the effect of different shoe designs on locomotor performance; however, no biomechanical study has hitherto measured the effect of horseshoes on the stresses of the foot skeleton in vivo. This preliminary study introduces a novel methodology combining three-dimensional data from biplanar radiography with inverse dynamics methods and finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the effect of a stainless steel shoe on the function of a Thoroughbred horse's forefoot during walking. Our preliminary results suggest that the stainless steel shoe shifts craniocaudal, mediolateral and vertical GRFs at mid-stance. We document a similar pattern of flexion-extension in the PIP (pastern) and DIP (coffin) joints between the unshod and shod conditions, with slight variation in rotation angles throughout the stance phase. For both conditions, the PIP and DIP joints begin in a flexed posture and extend over the entire stance phase. At mid-stance, small differences in joint angle are observed in the PIP joint, with the shod condition being more extended than the unshod horse, whereas the DIP joint is extended more in the unshod than the shod condition. We also document that the DIP joint extends more than the PIP after midstance and until the end of the stance in both conditions. Our FEA analysis, conducted solely on the bones, shows increased von Mises and Maximum principal stresses on the forefoot phalanges in the shod condition at mid-stance, consistent with the tentative conclusion that a steel shoe might increase mechanical loading. However, because of our limited sample size none of these apparent differences have been tested for statistical significance. Our preliminary study illustrates how the shoe may influence the dynamics and mechanics of a Thoroughbred horse's forefoot during slow walking, but more research is needed to quantify the effect of the shoe on the equine forefoot during the whole stance phase, at faster speeds/gaits and with more individuals as well as with a similar focus on the hind feet. We anticipate that our preliminary analysis using advanced methodological approaches will pave the way for new directions in research on the form/function relationship of the equine foot, with the ultimate goal to minimise foot injuries and improve animal health and welfare