Scaling laws and simulation results for the self--organized critical forest--fire model

We discuss the properties of a self--organized critical forest--fire model which has been introduced recently. We derive scaling laws and define critical exponents. The values of these critical exponents are determined by computer simulations in 1 to 8 dimensions. The simulations suggest a critical dimension $d_c=6$ above which the critical exponents assume their mean--field values. Changing the lattice symmetry and allowing trees to be immune against fire, we show that the critical exponents are universal.Comment: 12 pages, postscript uuencoded, figures included, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Testing foundations of quantum mechanics with photons

The foundational ideas of quantum mechanics continue to give rise to counterintuitive theories and physical effects that are in conflict with a classical description of Nature. Experiments with light at the single photon level have historically been at the forefront of tests of fundamental quantum theory and new developments in photonics engineering continue to enable new experiments. Here we review recent photonic experiments to test two foundational themes in quantum mechanics: wave-particle duality, central to recent complementarity and delayed-choice experiments; and Bell nonlocality where recent theoretical and technological advances have allowed all controversial loopholes to be separately addressed in different photonics experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, published as a Nature Physics Insight review articl

Bio-nanotechnology application in wastewater treatment

The nanoparticles have received high interest in the field of medicine and water purification, however, the nanomaterials produced by chemical and physical methods are considered hazardous, expensive, and leave behind harmful substances to the environment. This chapter aimed to focus on green-synthesized nanoparticles and their medical applications. Moreover, the chapter highlighted the applicability of the metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the inactivation of microbial cells due to their high surface and small particle size. Modifying nanomaterials produced by green-methods is safe, inexpensive, and easy. Therefore, the control and modification of nanoparticles and their properties were also discussed

Microbial differences between dental plaque and historic dental calculus are related to oral biofilm maturation stage

Dental calculus, calcified oral plaque biofilm, contains microbial and host biomolecules that can be used to study historic microbiome communities and host responses. Dental calculus does not typically accumulate as much today as historically, and clinical oral microbiome research studies focus primarily on living dental plaque biofilm. However, plaque and calculus reflect different conditions of the oral biofilm, and the differences in microbial characteristics between the sample types have not yet been systematically explored. Here, we compare the microbial profiles of modern dental plaque, modern dental calculus, and historic dental calculus to establish expected differences between these substrates.- Background - Results -- Authentication of a preserved oral biofilm in calculus samples -- Dental calculus and plaque biofilm communities are distinct -- Health-associated communities of dental plaque and calculus are distinct -- Signatures of health and of disease are shared in modern and historic calculus samples -- Microbial community differences between health and disease in calculus are poorly resolved -- Absence of caries-specific microbial profiles in dental calculus -- Microbial co-exclusion patterns in plaque and calculus reflect biofilm maturity -- Microbial complexes in plaque and calculus -- Functional prediction in calculus is poorly predictive of health status -- Proteomic profiles of historic healthy site calculus -- Correlations between taxonomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiles - Discussion - Conclusions - Materials and methods --Historic and modern calculus sample collection DNA extraction -- DNA library construction and high-throughput sequencing -- DNA sequence processing -- Genetic assessment of historic calculus sample preservation -- Genetic microbial taxonomic profiling -- Principal component analysis -- Assessment of differentially abundant taxa -- Sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis -- Assessment of microbial co-exclusion patterns -- Gene functional categorization with SEED -- Proteomics -- Metabolomics -- Regularized canonical correlation analysi

A falls prevention programme to improve quality of life, physical function and falls efficacy in older people receiving home help services: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Falls and fall-related injuries in older adults are associated with great burdens, both for the individuals, the health care system and the society. Previous research has shown evidence for the efficiency of exercise as falls prevention. An understudied group are older adults receiving home help services, and the effect of a falls prevention programme on health-related quality of life is unclear. The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to examine the effect of a falls prevention programme on quality of life, physical function and falls efficacy in older adults receiving home help services. A secondary aim is to explore the mediating factors between falls prevention and health-related quality of life. METHODS: The study is a single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Participants are older adults, aged 67 or older, receiving home help services, who are able to walk with or without walking aids, who have experienced at least one fall during the last 12 months and who have a Mini Mental State Examination of 23 or above. The intervention group receives a programme, based on the Otago Exercise Programme, lasting 12 weeks including home visits and motivational telephone calls. The control group receives usual care. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life (SF-36). Secondary outcomes are leg strength, balance, walking speed, walking habits, activities of daily living, nutritional status and falls efficacy. All measurements are performed at baseline, following intervention at 3 months and at 6 months' follow-up. Sample size, based on the primary outcome, is set to 150 participants randomised into the two arms, including an estimated 15-20% drop out. Participants are recruited from six municipalities in Norway. DISCUSSION: This trial will generate new knowledge on the effects of an exercise falls prevention programme among older fallers receiving home help services. This knowledge will be useful for clinicians, for health managers in the primary health care service and for policy makers

Asteroseismology

Asteroseismology is the determination of the interior structures of stars by using their oscillations as seismic waves. Simple explanations of the astrophysical background and some basic theoretical considerations needed in this rapidly evolving field are followed by introductions to the most important concepts and methods on the basis of example. Previous and potential applications of asteroseismology are reviewed and future trends are attempted to be foreseen.Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures, to appear in: "Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems", eds. T. D. Oswalt et al., Springer Verla

Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves high-intensity cycling performance in trained cyclists

Purpose: Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) can attenuate gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms following acute bicarbonate loading, although the subsequent effects on exercise performance have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of enteric-coated NaHCO3 supplementation on high-intensity exercise performance and GI symptoms. Methods: Eleven trained male cyclists completed three 4 km time trials after consuming; a placebo or 0.3 g∙kg–1 body mass NaHCO3 in enteric-coated or gelatin capsules. Exercise trials were timed with individual peak blood bicarbonate ion concentration ([HCO3–]). Blood acid–base balance was measured pre-ingestion, pre-exercise, and post-exercise, whereas GI symptoms were recorded pre-ingestion and immediately pre-exercise. Results: Pre-exercise blood [HCO3−] and potential hydrogen (pH) were greater for both NaHCO3 conditions (P &lt; 0.0005) when compared to placebo. Performance time was faster with enteric-coated (− 8.5 ± 9.6 s, P = 0.044) and gelatin (− 9.6 ± 7.2 s, P = 0.004) NaHCO3 compared to placebo, with no significant difference between conditions (mean difference = 1.1 ± 5.3 s, P = 1.000). Physiological responses were similar between conditions, although blood lactate ion concentration was higher with gelatin NaHCO3 (2.4 ± 1.7 mmol∙L–1, P = 0.003) compared with placebo. Furthermore, fewer participants experienced GI symptoms with enteric-coated (n = 3) compared to gelatin (n = 7) NaHCO3. Discussion: Acute enteric-coated NaHCO3 consumption mitigates GI symptoms at the onset of exercise and improves subsequent 4 km cycling TT performance. Athletes who experience GI side-effects after acute bicarbonate loading may, therefore, benefit from enteric-coated NaHCO3 supplementation prior to exercise performance.</p

Comprehensive medication reviews by ward-based pharmacists in Swedish hospitals: what does the patient have to say?

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Inappropriate medication prescribing and use amongst older patients is a major patient safety and health care problem. To promote appropriate medication prescribing and use, comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) by ward-based pharmacists, including follow-up telephone calls after hospital discharge, have been conducted in older patients in the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT). One of the key actors in a CMR is the patient. To support the understanding of the effects of CMRs on patients' health outcomes and improve clinical practice, knowledge about the patient perspective is needed. We therefore aimed to explore older patients' experiences with, and views on, hospital-initiated CMRs and follow-up telephone calls by ward-based clinical pharmacists within an RCT. Methods: We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 patients (66-94 years) and carers from four hospitals in Sweden. Discussion topics included communication, information, decision-making, and effects on the patient. Interviews took place after discharge, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed using a framework approach. Results: In general, patients' experiences and views were positive. Seven key themes were identified: (a) feeling of being taken care of and heterogenous health effects; (b) the pharmacist is competent; (c) despite the unclear role of pharmacists, their involvement is appreciated; (d) patients rely on health care professionals for decision-making; (e) importance of being informed, but receiving and retaining information is problematic; (f) time, location, and other factors influencing the effectiveness of CMRs; and (g) generic substitution is a problem. Conclusions: Older patients generally have positive experiences with and views on CMRs and follow-up telephone calls. However, some factors, like the unclear role of the ward-based pharmacist and problems with receiving and retaining information, may negatively impact the effectiveness of these interventions. Future initiatives on hospital-initiated CMRs by clinical pharmacists should address these negative factors and utilize the positive views

Effective Rheology of Bubbles Moving in a Capillary Tube

We calculate the average volumetric flux versus pressure drop of bubbles moving in a single capillary tube with varying diameter, finding a square-root relation from mapping the flow equations onto that of a driven overdamped pendulum. The calculation is based on a derivation of the equation of motion of a bubble train from considering the capillary forces and the entropy production associated with the viscous flow. We also calculate the configurational probability of the positions of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur