Demand for public hospital emergency department services in Australia : 2000–2001 to 2009–2010

Objective: Hospital EDs are a significant and high-profile component of Australia’s health-care system, which in recent years have experienced considerable crowding. This crowding is caused by the combination of increasing demand, throughput and output factors. The aim of the present article is to clarify trends in the use of public ED services across Australia with a view to providing an evidence basis for future policy analysis and discussion. Methods: The data for the present article have been extracted, compiled and analysed from publicly available sources for a 10 year period between 2000–2001 and 2009–2010. Results: Demand for public ED care increased by 37% over the decade, an average annual increase of 1.8% in the utilization rate per 1000 persons. There were significant differences in utilization rates and in trends in growth among states and territories that do not easily relate to general population trends alone. Conclusions: This growth in demand exceeds general population growth, and the variability between states both in utilization rates and overall trends defies immediate explanation. The growth in demand for ED services is a partial contributor to the crowding being experienced in EDs across Australia. There is a need for more detailed study, including qualitative analysis of patient motivations in order to identify the factors driving this growth in demand.

Core-leaf onion-like carbon/MnO2 hybrid nano-urchins for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

A hybrid nano-urchin structure consisting of spherical onion-like carbon and MnO2 nanosheets is synthesized by a facile and environmentally-friendly hydrothermal method. Lithium-ion batteries incorporating the hybrid nano-urchin anode exhibit reversible lithium storage with superior specific capacity, enhanced rate capability, stable cycling performance, and nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of designing hybrid nano-architectures with uniform and isotropic structure, high loading of electrochemically-active materials, and good conductivity for the dramatic improvement of lithium storage.

Two-dimensional tin disulfide nanosheets for enhanced sodium storage

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as complementary alternatives to lithium-ion batteries for grid energy storage due to the abundance of sodium. However, low capacity, poor rate capability, and cycling stability of existing anodes significantly hinder the practical applications of SIBs. Herein, ultrathin two-dimensional SnS2 nanosheets (3-4 nm in thickness) are synthesized via a facile refluxing process toward enhanced sodium storage. The SnS2 nanosheets exhibit a high apparent diffusion coefficient of Na+ and fast sodiation/desodiation reaction kinetics. In half-cells, the nanosheets deliver a high reversible capacity of 733 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, which still remains up to 435 mAh g-1 at 2 A g-1. The cell has a high capacity retention of 647 mA h g-1 during the 50th cycle at 0.1 A g-1, which is by far the best for SnS2, suggesting that nanosheet morphology is beneficial to improve cycling stability in addition to rate capability. The SnS2 nanosheets also show encouraging performance in a full cell with a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode. In addition, the sodium storage mechanism is investigated by ex situ XRD coupled with high-resolution TEM. The high specific capacity, good rate capability, and cycling durability suggest that SnS2 nanosheets have great potential working as anodes for high-performance SIBs. © 2015 American Chemical Society.

A novel fibre-coated sorbent for rapid removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Sorption of Zinc(II) from dilute aqueous solutions in the presence of high concentrations of common salts

The commercial acrylic fibre "Cashmilon" was partially hydrolyzed to convert a fraction of its nitrile (-CN) groups to carboxylic acid (-COOH) groups and then coated with polyethylenimine (PEI) resin and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde to produce a novel gel-coated fibrous sorbent with multiple functionalities of cationic, anionic and chelating types, and significantly faster sorption kinetics than bead-form sorbents. The sorption properties of the fibrous sorbent were measured using Zn(II) in aqueous solution as the sorbate to determine the effects of pH and the presence of common ions in the solution on the sorption capacity. The rate of sorption on the gel-coated fibre was measured in comparison with that on Amberlite IRA-68 weak-base resin beads, to demonstrate the marked difference between fibre and bead-form sorbents in their kinetic behaviour.

A novel fibre-coated sorbent for rapid removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Sorption of Zinc(II) from dilute aqueous solutions in the presence of high concentrations of common salts

The commercial acrylic fibre "Cashmilon" was partially hydrolyzed to convert a fraction of its nitrile (-CN) groups to carboxylic acid (-COOH) groups and then coated with polyethylenimine (PEI) resin and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde to produce a novel gel-coated fibrous sorbent with multiple functionalities of cationic, anionic and chelating types, and significantly faster sorption kinetics than bead-form sorbents. The sorption properties of the fibrous sorbent were measured using Zn(II) in aqueous solution as the sorbate to determine the effects of pH and the presence of common ions in the solution on the sorption capacity. The rate of sorption on the gel-coated fibre was measured in comparison with that on Amberlite IRA-68 weak-base resin beads, to demonstrate the marked difference between fibre and bead-form sorbents in their kinetic behaviour.

Low-Complexity Near-ML Decoding of Large Non-Orthogonal STBCs using Reactive Tabu Search

Non-orthogonal space-time block codes (STBC) with large dimensions are attractive because they can simultaneously achieve both high spectral efficiencies (same spectral efficiency as in V-BLAST for a given number of transmit antennas) as well as full transmit diversity. Decoding of non-orthogonal STBCs with large dimensions has been a challenge. In this paper, we present a reactive tabu search (RTS) based algorithm for decoding non-orthogonal STBCs from cyclic division algebras (CDA) having largedimensions. Under i.i.d fading and perfect channel state information at the receiver (CSIR), our simulation results show that RTS based decoding of 12 X 12 STBC from CDA and 4-QAM with 288 real dimensions achieves i) 10(-3) uncoded BER at an SNR of just 0.5 dB away from SISO AWGN performance, and ii) a coded BER performance close to within about 5 dB of the theoretical MIMO capacity, using rate-3/4 turbo code at a spectral efficiency of 18 bps/Hz. RTS is shown to achieve near SISO AWGN performance with less number of dimensions than with LAS algorithm (which we reported recently) at some extra complexity than LAS. We also report good BER performance of RTS when i.i.d fading and perfect CSIR assumptions are relaxed by considering a spatially correlated MIMO channel model, and by using a training based iterative RTS decoding/channel estimation scheme.

Benefits of Electronic Wiring and Spacers on Lithium Storage in Nanostructured Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes

The demand for high power density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for diverse applications ranging from mobile electronics to electric vehicles have resulted in an upsurge in the development of nanostructured electrode materials worldwide. Graphite has been the anode of choice in commercial LiBs. Due to several detrimental electrochemical and environmental issues, efforts are now on to develop alternative non-carbonaceous anodes which are safe, nontoxic and cost effective and at the same time exhibit high lithium storage capacity and rate capability. Titania (TiO2) and tin (Sn) based systems have gained much attention as alternative anode materials. Nanostructuring of TiO2 and SnO2 have resulted in enhancement of structural stability and electrochemical performances. Additionally, electronic wiring of mesoporous materials using carbon also effectively enhanced electronic conductivity of mesoporous electrode materials. We discuss in this article the beneficial influence of structural spacers and electronic wiring in anatase titania (TiO2) and tin dioxide (SnO2).

A study of women's participation in fish food security and poverty alleviation in Lagos and Ogun States

Women, all over the world have contributed in various ways to the social, political and economic development of the Society. In fact, the World Resource Institute recognizes that "women have profound and preserve effect onn the well-being of their families, communities and local ecosystems" (Gamble and Well 1997:211). Women constitute more than 50 percent of the Agricultural (Fisheries being a sub sector), labour force. A study on Women in Fisheries showed that they participate in all aspects of the sector (capture, culture, processing, marketing research, training and Extension services). This paper reports the result of the study on women's contributions in the development of the Fisheries Industry particularly their roles in Fish Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and high rates of women's adoption of Fisheries technologies. The Case-study research methodology is used to study the "How" and "Why" Women's Contribution in Fish Food Security and Poverty Alleviation is at the index level recorded for the gender. The study made use of "Case Study" Research Instrument; documents, interview, artefacts, direct observation and archival records. The sampling techniques were purposive for research audiences and simple random for fisher-folks in the chosen locations. Analysed data showed among others that in Fisheries Research women occupy very important positions as Heads of Division/Section, Fisheries Liasion/Extension Officers and Fisheries Laboratory Chiefs etc. The paper also gave results of women production, processing, marketing and other services statistics; it also discusses the "whys" of women's low capacity in fisheries development of the nation and finally suggested ways in improving women's optimal capacity utilization in fisheries development

Status of the shrimp sector in Bangladesh in the context of HACCP and trade issues: a review

Shrimp culture in Bangladesh has emerged as an important aquaculture industry over the last three decades although its culture in greater parts of the farming area is done in traditional ways. In the meantime, the government of Bangladesh has taken necessary measures along with the private sectors to increase production, upgrade processing industries and to promote export performance. Long supply chain in raw material collection, inadequate infrastructure facilities, poor level of cool chain and lack of adequate HACCP-based training on hygiene and sanitation of different groups of people involved in the field level are the main problems of quality loss of raw materials. Shortage of raw materials results in poor capacity utilization of the processing plants. The growth of bagda (P. monodon) hatchery has expanded rapidly over the last few years, remaining mostly concentrated in Cox's Bazar region is enough to meet the target production. However, there is a shortage of pelleted shrimp feed in Bangladesh. A large number of export processors are now producing increasing amounts of value-added products such as individually quick-frozen, peeled and divined, butterfly cut shrimp, as well as cooked products. The export earnings from value added products is about half of the total export value. About 95% of total fish products are exported to European countries, USA and Japan and the remaining to the Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Most of the EU approved shrimp processing industries have been upgraded with laboratory facilities and provided HACCP training to their workers. As of now, HACCP is applied on the processing plants, but to ensure the quality of raw materials and to reduce risks, shrimp farms are also required to adopt HACCP plan. There is increased pressure time to time from importing countries for fish processors to establish effective quality assurance system in processing plants. Fish Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) of the Department of Fisheries while having moderately equipped laboratories with chemical, bio-chemical and microbiological testing facilities and qualified technical personnel, the creation of facilities for testing of antibiotics is underway. FIQC mainly supervises quality aspects of the processing plants and has little or no control over raw material supply chains from farm to processing plants. Bangladesh export consignments sometimes face rejection due to reported poor quality of the products. Three types of barriers are reported for export of shrimp to EU countries. These are:(1) government participation in trade and restrictive practices (state aid, countervailing duties, state trading enterprises, government monopoly practices), customs and administrative entry procedures (anti-dumping duties, customs valuation, classification, formalities, rules of origin); (2) technical barriers to trade or TBT (technical regulations, standards, testing, certification arrangement); (3) specific limitations (quantitative restrictions, import licensing, embargoes, exchange control, discriminatory sourcing, export restraints, measures to regulate domestic prices, requirements concerning marking, labeling and packaging).

Study on methane hydration process in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor

The methane hydration process is investigated in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor. Liquid temperatures and reaction rates without stirrer are compared with those occurring with stirrer, while at the same time better stirring conditions of the methane hydration process are given by the experiments. Some basic data of fluid mechanics, for example, stirring Reynolds number, Froucle number and stirrer power, are calculated during the methane hydration process, which can be applied to evaluate stirrer capacity and provide some basic data for a scaled up reactor. Based on experiment and calculations in this work, some conclusions are drawn. First, the stirrer has great influence on the methane hydration process. Batch stirring is helpful to improve the mass transfer and heat transfer performances of the methane hydration process. Second, induction time can be shortened effectively by use of the stirrer. Third, in this paper, the appropriate stirring velocity and stirring time were 320 rpm and 30 min, respectively, at 5.0 MPa, for which the storage capacity and reaction time were 159.1 V/V and 370 min, respectively. Under the condition of the on-flow state, the initial stirring Reynolds number of the fluid and the stirring power were 12,150 and 0.54 W, respectively. Fourth, some suggestions, for example, the use of another type of stirrer or some baffles, are proposed to accelerate the methane hydration process. Comparing with literature data, higher storage capacity and hydration rate are achieved in this work. Moreover, some fluid mechanics parameters are calculated, which can provide some references to engineering application.

草地植被恢复对次降雨土壤水分动态的影响分析

通过对宁南典型草原植被恢复过程次降雨土壤水分动态的研究,阐明植被恢复对次降雨后土壤水分的影响及机理。结果表明,次降雨提高了土壤含水率和贮水量,均表现出1 d>3 d>7 d。草地封育能够提高次降雨资源化效率,随封育时间延长,次降雨后0-60 cm土壤含水率和0-100 cm土壤贮水量不断提高。降雨对封育草地土壤水分的影响范围在100 cm土层内,100 cm以下不能得到降雨的补充。封育时间延长土壤水分活跃层加深,坡耕地仅为40 cm,封育17 a后达到60 cm。土壤持水能力越强,表层土壤饱和导水率越大,雨后1 d在0-100 cm土壤贮水量越大。地上生物量愈大,雨后1~7 d在0-200 cm土壤耗水量越大。

六盘山不同森林群落地被物的持水特性

在森林生态系统中,地被物由林下枯落物、苔藓层以及表层土壤的根系组成(Kosugiet al.,2001;程金花等,2003)。在动物、微生物以及环境温湿度的作用下,地被物不断分解,补充了土壤养分含量(刘洋等,2006)。地被物在地表形成一层结构疏松的毡层,不仅能够减小雨水对地面的冲击,阻滞和分散降水,还增加了地表粗糙度,能够阻滞地表径流,吸收和储存降水,促使水分缓慢入渗,在防止土壤侵蚀和保持水土方面发挥了重要作用(张洪江等,2003)。此外,研究还发现,地被物层能够减少土壤蒸发(Schaapet al.,1997),缓解表层土温变化,影响冬季土壤的冻结过程(Sharratt,1997),同时又是林下种子萌发和幼苗更新的制约因素之一(班勇等,1995)。目前,国内外地被物研究主要集中于枯落物的凋落动态(张冀等,2001;杨玉盛等,2001;郑征等,2005)、苔藓层和枯落物的持水特性(Naethet al.,1991;薛立等,2005;叶吉等,2004;Zhanget al.,2006)、枯落物分解及养分归还(王瑾等,2001;Chandiniet al.,2002;魏晶等,2004;邵玉琴等,2004)、枯落...

科学饲喂原理与方法——如何提高饲料利用率

主要从家畜营养、生态角度出发 ,围绕如何提高饲料利用率问题 ,重点讲述了饲料生产和家畜饲养两个环节中应注意的问题 ,包括 :饲料营养中负组合效应的消除 ,毒物和抗营养因子的消除 ;鉴于草食动物的特殊性 ,饲养中就如何控制瘤胃发酵阐述了改变饲养程序、水平和日粮成分 ,用活性剂补充日粮 ,非蛋白氮的有效利用和过瘤胃技术 ;最后是如何减轻家畜冷热应激等。

半湿润地区农田夏玉米氮肥利用率及土壤硝态氮动态变化

以土垫旱耕人为土为供试土壤,通过田间试验,研究了不同施氮量下(0、45、90、135和180 kg.hm-2)夏玉米生育期土壤剖面NO3--N的变化特征、氮素利用率及施氮量与土壤NO3--N残留的关系.结果表明:在整个生育期内,土壤NO3--N含量均以0~20 cm土层最高,且施氮量越高,NO3--N含量也越高;0~60 cm土层NO3--N含量变化显著,60~100 cm土层NO3--N含量变化不大.夏玉米整个生育期,受玉米对氮素的需求和降雨的影响,0~100cm土层NO3--N累积量呈波动式降低趋势;当施氮量小于135 kg.hm-2时,作物氮肥利用率随施氮量的增加而显著提高,但当施氮量超过135 kg.hm-2时呈下降趋势.氮肥农学利用率随施氮量的增加而减小,氮肥生理利用率随施氮量的增加而递增.土壤中残留NO3--N与施氮量呈极显著正线性相关关系(R2=0.957**,n=5);施氮处理籽粒产量显著高于不施氮处理(P<0.05);施氮量与籽粒产量呈极显著正线性相关关系(R2=0.934**,n=5).在本试验条件下,夏玉米生长季适宜施氮量为135 kg.hm-2.该施氮水平可保证效益和环境的双赢.

Crystallographic and electrochemical characteristics of TiZrNiCu quasicrystal ball-milled with La0.9Zr0.1Ni4.5Al0.5 alloy

Icosahedral quasicrystalline Ti45Zr35Ni17Cu3 alloy was ball-milled with 30 mass% La0.9Zr0.1Ni4.5Al0.5 alloy (LaNi5 phase), the effect of the milling time on crystallographic and electrochemical characteristics of the alloy powder was investigated. The amount of amorphous phase increased with increasing milling time from 60 to 360 min, and the LaNi5 phase cannot be observed when milling time was 240 min or more. The maximum discharge capacity and high-rate dischargeability of milled alloy electrodes were obviously higher than those of the alloy electrode before milling. The cycling capacity retention rate after 40 cycles increased from 52.8% (t = 60 min) to 62.9% (t = 360 min).