The Acoustic Detection of Ultra High Energy Neutrinos

Attempts have been made to parameterise the thermoacoustic emission of particle cascades induced by EeV neutrinos interacting in the sea. Understanding the characteristic radiation from such an event allows us to predict the pressure pulse observed by underwater acoustic sensors distributed in kilometre scale arrays. We find that detectors encompassing thousands of cubic kilometres are required, with a minimum of 100 hydrophones per kilometre cubed, in order to observe the flux of neutrinos predicted by the attenuation of ultra high energy cosmic rays on cosmic microwave background photons. The pressure threshold of such an array must be in the range 5-10 mPa and the said detector will have to operate for five years or more. Additionally a qualitative analysis of the first acoustic data recorded by the Rona hydrophone array off the north-west coast of Scotland is reported.Comment: PhD Thesis: The University of Sheffield; England. (Submitted April 2007

The eutectic point in choline chloride and ethylene glycol mixtures

The choline chloride (ChCl) and ethylene glycol (EG) mixture has become established as a paradigmatic deep eutectic solvent (DES). Here, we present measurements of the phase behaviour of this mixture over a wide composition range, and provide an extended phase diagram. The eutectic point was found to lie at −28 ± 1 °C and 0.01 < xChCl < 0.02, sharply contrasting with the previously expected eutectic composition. Our observations confirm that the eutectic temperature is not ‘deep’ compared to the ideal solution theory prediction. We also observe a cold-crystallisation at T = −65 °C which may have been formerly misinterpreted as the eutectic point

Quantized Friction across Ionic Liquid Thin Films

Ionic liquids, salts in the liquid state under ambient conditions, are of great interest as precision lubricants. Ionic liquids form layered structures at surfaces, yet it is not clear how this nano-structure relates to their lubrication properties. We measured the friction force between atomically smooth solid surfaces across ionic liquid films of controlled thickness in terms of the number of ion layers. Multiple friction-load regimes emerge, each corresponding to a different number of ion layers in the film. In contrast to molecular liquids, the friction coefficients differ for each layer due to their varying composition

Going rogue: what scientists can learn about Twitter communication from “alt” government accounts

The inauguration of President Trump in the United States led to the active restriction of science communication from federal agencies, resulting in the creation of many unofficial “alt” Twitter accounts to maintain communication. Alt accounts had many followers (e.g., 15 accounts had \u3e 100,000) and received a large amount of media attention, making them ideal for better understanding how differences in messaging can affect public engagement with science on microblogging platforms. We analyzed tweets produced by alt and corresponding official agency accounts to compare the two groups and determine if specific features of a tweet made them more likely to be retweeted or liked to help the average scientist potentially reach a broader audience on Twitter. We found adding links, images, hashtags, and mentions, as well as expressing angry and annoying sentiments all increased retweets and likes. Evidence-based terms such as “peer-review” had high retweet rates but linking directly to peer-reviewed publications decreased attention compared to popular science websites. Word choice and attention did not reflect official or alt account types, indicating topic is more important than source. The number of tweets generated and attention received by alt accounts has decreased since their creation, demonstrating the importance of timeliness in science communication on social media. Together our results show potential pathways for scientists to increase efficacy in Twitter communications

Feasibility and Acceptability of Home-Based Exercise Snacking and Tai Chi Snacking Delivered Remotely to Self-Isolating Older Adults During COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of remotely delivered, home-based exercise programs on physical function and well-being in self-isolating older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a four-arm randomized controlled trial, 63 participants (aged 65 years and older) were allocated to one of three home-based daily (2 × 10-min) exercise interventions (exercise snacking, tai chi snacking, and combination) or control (UK National Health Service Web pages). Functional assessments were conducted via video call at baseline and 4-week follow-up. A web-based survey assessed the acceptability of each exercise program and secondary psychological/well-being outcomes. Ecological momentary assessment data, collected in Weeks 1 and 4, explored feeling states as antecedents and consequences of exercise. All intervention groups saw increased physical function at follow-up and displayed good adherence with exercise snacking considered the most acceptable program. Multilevel models revealed reciprocal associations between feelings of energy and exercise engagement. Further studies are needed with larger, more diverse demographic samples.</p

Feasibility and Acceptability of Home-Based Exercise Snacking and Tai Chi Snacking Delivered Remotely to Self-Isolating Older Adults During COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of remotely delivered, home-based exercise programs on physical function and well-being in self-isolating older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a four-arm randomized controlled trial, 63 participants (aged 65 years and older) were allocated to one of three home-based daily (2 × 10-min) exercise interventions (exercise snacking, tai chi snacking, and combination) or control (UK National Health Service Web pages). Functional assessments were conducted via video call at baseline and 4-week follow-up. A web-based survey assessed the acceptability of each exercise program and secondary psychological/well-being outcomes. Ecological momentary assessment data, collected in Weeks 1 and 4, explored feeling states as antecedents and consequences of exercise. All intervention groups saw increased physical function at follow-up and displayed good adherence with exercise snacking considered the most acceptable program. Multilevel models revealed reciprocal associations between feelings of energy and exercise engagement. Further studies are needed with larger, more diverse demographic samples.</p

Feasibility and Acceptability of Home-Based Exercise Snacking and Tai Chi Snacking Delivered Remotely to Self-Isolating Older Adults During COVID-19

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of remotely delivered, home-based exercise programs on physical function and well-being in self-isolating older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a four-arm randomized controlled trial, 63 participants (aged 65 years and older) were allocated to one of three home-based daily (2 × 10-min) exercise interventions (exercise snacking, tai chi snacking, and combination) or control (UK National Health Service Web pages). Functional assessments were conducted via video call at baseline and 4-week follow-up. A web-based survey assessed the acceptability of each exercise program and secondary psychological/well-being outcomes. Ecological momentary assessment data, collected in Weeks 1 and 4, explored feeling states as antecedents and consequences of exercise. All intervention groups saw increased physical function at follow-up and displayed good adherence with exercise snacking considered the most acceptable program. Multilevel models revealed reciprocal associations between feelings of energy and exercise engagement. Further studies are needed with larger, more diverse demographic samples.</p

The Efficacy of 12-Week Progressive Home-Based Strength and Tai-Chi Exercise Snacking in Older Adults:A Mixed-Method Exploratory Randomised Control Trial

Background: Maintaining physical function is important for independence and frailty prevention in later life, but very few older adults meet exercise recommendations. Previous studies found that 4-week ‘exercise and Tai-chi snacking’ as a viable alternative to traditional exercise is acceptable to healthy older adults. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a 12-week progressive exercise and Tai-chi snacking programme on physical function and psychological outcomes in pre-frail older adults. Design: Randomised controlled trial. Setting: Community-dwelling older adults. Participants: 90 older adults with impaired strength and balance were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated to an intervention or waitlist control group. Intervention: A 12-week progressive exercise and Tai-chi snacking programme. Measurements: Physical function (the short physical performance battery (SPPB), single-leg balance test and sit-to-stand test) was remotely measured at participants’ homes via video calls at baseline, 4-, 8-, and 12-weeks. The self-reported psychological outcomes were also assessed every 4 weeks using online questionnaires. A subset of 40 participants also completed in-person functional assessments, and 26 intervention participants underwent semi-structured interviews to feedback on their experiences. Results: The 12-week progressive home-based exercise and Tai-chi snacking improved SPPB strength (estimated mean difference in week 4: 1.05; week 8: 0.79; and week 12: 0.79) and balance (estimated mean difference in week 4: 0.71; week 8: 0.57; and week 12: 0.65) at each timepoint compared to control group. Timed-up-and-go (estimated mean difference in week 4: 1.94; week 8: 1.58; and week 12: 1.1) and total SPPB scores (estimated mean difference in week 4: 2.24; week 8: 1.79; and week 12: 1.76) were also better in the intervention group compared to the control group in lab subset participants. Based on the qualitative findings, Participants found the programme accessible and beneficial, making it suitable for older adults and increasing self-efficacy in physical activities. Conclusion: The home-based exercise and Tai-chi snacking programme significantly improved lower extremity strength, balance, and mobility in pre-frail older adults. This programme is considered to be a beneficial, acceptable and easy implemented physical function intervention.</p