Barnyardgrass and other troublesome weeds have become a major problem for producers in a flooded rice system. Cultural control options and more efficient herbicide applications have become a priority to increase efficiency and weed control in rice. This study aimed to determine the effects of row width and nozzle selection on spray coverage and weed control in a flooded rice system. A field experiment was conducted at 7 site-years (Lonoke, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Pine Tree, AR, in 2021 and 2022; Rohwer, AR, in 2022; and Stoneville, MS, in 2021 and 2022) as a randomized complete block split-plot design. Five nozzles (XR, AIXR, TTI, TTI60, and AITTJ60) (subplot factor) were used for herbicide applications, and plots were drill-seeded in four row widths (whole plot factor) (13, 19, 25, and 38 cm). A droplet size experiment was conducted to evaluate the droplet size and velocity of each nozzle type used in the field experiment. Overall, as row width increased, barnyardgrass density increased. The rice grown in a wider width took longer to generate canopy closure, allowing weed escapes in the crop. For example, the 13-cm width had a 12 percentage point canopy coverage increase compared to the 38-cm row width at the preflood timing resulting in a reduction of six barnyardgrass plants per square meter. The smallest droplet size-producing nozzle (XR) provided greater weed control throughout the study but is more prone to drift. The dual-fan nozzles (AITTJ60 and TTI60) had variable weed control impacts, and it was difficult to predict when this might occur; however, they did have increased deposits on water-sensitive cards compared to single-fan counterparts (AIXR and TTI). In conclusion, a narrower row width (e.g., 19-cm or less) and a smaller droplet size producing nozzle (XR) are optimal for barnyardgrass control in a flooded rice system.

Furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) has become a popular option for rice production in Arkansas. Highly troublesome weeds like barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] are a major problem for producers in all rice production systems. Cultural tactics should become a priority to enhance crop growth and competitiveness. This research aimed to determine the effects of bed width (irrigation furrow spacing) and crop row spacing manipulation on E. crus-galli emergence and seed production in a furrow-irrigated rice system. Three bed widths (76, 97, and 152 cm) (whole-plot factor) were used, and plots were drill seeded in four crop row spacings (13, 19, 25, and 38 cm) (subplot factor). The widest width of 152 cm had a slight increase in E. crus-galli density in the early rice life cycle but, by the end of the season, did not differ from the narrower bed widths. Conversely, a decrease in E. crus-galli seed production was observed as the bed width increased. Similar rice canopy coverage and yields occurred among all three bed widths. As for crop row spacing, as the width increased, E. crus-galli density also increased. The 13-cm crop row spacing had the lowest preflood E. crus-galli density, preharvest panicle count, and seed production. No effect of crop row spacing was observed on rice canopy coverage; however, the 13-cm crop row spacing produced the greatest rice yield. The 13-cm crop row spacing paired with the 152-cm bed width may be the optimum combination of ecological strategies in furrow-irrigated rice to reduce E. crus-galli seed production while maintaining rice growth and yield.

The Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) is an 18000 m2 radio telescope located 40 km from Canberra, Australia. Its operating band (820–851 MHz) is partly allocated to telecommunications, making radio astronomy challenging. We describe how the deployment of new digital receivers, Field Programmable Gate Array-based filterbanks, and server-class computers equipped with 43 Graphics Processing Units, has transformed the telescope into a versatile new instrument (UTMOST) for studying the radio sky on millisecond timescales. UTMOST has 10 times the bandwidth and double the field of view compared to the MOST, and voltage record and playback capability has facilitated rapid implementaton of many new observing modes, most of which operate commensally. UTMOST can simultaneously excise interference, make maps, coherently dedisperse pulsars, and perform real-time searches of coherent fan-beams for dispersed single pulses. UTMOST operates as a robotic facility, deciding how to efficiently target pulsars and how long to stay on source via real-time pulsar folding, while searching for single pulse events. Regular timing of over 300 pulsars has yielded seven pulsar glitches and three Fast Radio Bursts during commissioning. UTMOST demonstrates that if sufficient signal processing is applied to voltage streams, innovative science remains possible even in hostile radio frequency environments.

The class of radio transients called Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) encompasses enigmatic single pulses, each unique in its own way, hindering a consensus for their origin. The key to demystifying FRBs lies in discovering many of them in order to identity commonalities – and in real time, in order to find potential counterparts at other wavelengths. The recently upgraded UTMOST in Australia, is undergoing a backend transformation to rise as a fast transient detection machine. The first interferometric detections of FRBs with UTMOST, place their origin beyond the near-field region of the telescope thus ruling out local sources of interference as a possible origin. We have localised these bursts to much better than the ones discovered at the Parkes radio telescope and have plans to upgrade UTMOST to be capable of much better localisation still.

We describe the performance of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array, the prototype for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope. Boolardy Engineering Test Array is the first aperture synthesis radio telescope to use phased array feed technology, giving it the ability to electronically form up to nine dual-polarisation beams. We report the methods developed for forming and measuring the beams, and the adaptations that have been made to the traditional calibration and imaging procedures in order to allow BETA to function as a multi-beam aperture synthesis telescope. We describe the commissioning of the instrument and present details of Boolardy Engineering Test Array’s performance: sensitivity, beam characteristics, polarimetric properties, and image quality. We summarise the astronomical science that it has produced and draw lessons from operating Boolardy Engineering Test Array that will be relevant to the commissioning and operation of the final Australian Square Kilometre Array Path telescope.

This paper describes the system architecture of a newly constructed radio telescope – the Boolardy engineering test array, which is a prototype of the Australian square kilometre array pathfinder telescope. Phased array feed technology is used to form multiple simultaneous beams per antenna, providing astronomers with unprecedented survey speed. The test array described here is a six-antenna interferometer, fitted with prototype signal processing hardware capable of forming at least nine dual-polarisation beams simultaneously, allowing several square degrees to be imaged in a single pointed observation. The main purpose of the test array is to develop beamforming and wide-field calibration methods for use with the full telescope, but it will also be capable of limited early science demonstrations.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, July 31--August 4, 2005

Informed consent is becoming an increasingly important issue in patient care. Inherent in this is the ability to accurately inform patients of the risks and complications involved in surgery. Nasal septal surgery is commonly performed by otolaryngologists and although often considered routine has a number of recognized complications that can have a significant effect on life quality. We carried out a review of the literature over the last 25 years and reviewed studies quoting rates of complications after septoplasty and submucous resection (SMR) using strictly applied criteria for study inclusion. There was a paucity of prospective data, especially for the cosmetic effects of septal surgery. Rates of septal perforation were two to eight per cent for SMR and 1.6–5.4 per cent for septoplasty. The incidence of cosmetic deformity was low for both procedures zero to one per cent. More well-designed studies are required to augment the current evidence base. While this does not replace the need for surgeons to audit their own results it provides evidence-based information to assist in the process of informed consent.

Epistaxis associated with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a challenging condition. Septodermoplasty, electrocautery and laser treatment often provide short-term relief only. The surgical closure of the nostrils (‘Young’s procedure’) represents a longer term solution but has the disadvantage of causing permanent complete nasal obstruction. A Silastic™ obturator has the advantage of being a non-surgical intervention and allows temporary relief of the nasal obstruction. We present the cases of three patients with HHT who used the obturator with good clinical effect, suggesting that this is a realistic non-surgical alternative to Young’s procedure for patients with HHT.

A ceramic waste form is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory* (ANL) as part of the demonstration of the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel [1]. The halide, alkaline earth, alkali, transuranic, and rare earth fission products are stabilized in zeolite which is combined with glass and processed in a hot isostatic press (HIP) to form a ceramic composite. The mineral sodalite is formed in the HIP from the zeolite precursor. The process, from starting materials to final product, is relatively simple. An overview of the processing operations is given. The metrics that have been developed to measure the success or completion of processing operations are developed and discussed. The impact of variability in processing metrics on the durability of the final product is presented. The process is demonstrated to be robust for the type and range of operation metrics considered and the performance metric (PCT durability test) against which the operation metrics are evaluated.

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a ceramic waste form to immobilize radioactive waste salt produced during the electrometallurgical treatment of spent fuel. The first ceramic waste forms that immobilize the radioactive waste salt have been produced. This study presents the first results from electron microscopy and durability testing of a ceramic waste form produced from that radioactive electrorefiner salt. The waste form consists of two primary phases: sodalite and glass. The sodalite phase appears to incorporate most of the alkali and alkaline earth fission products. Other fission products (rare earths and yttrium) tend to form a separate phase and are frequently associated with the actinides, which form mixed oxides. Seven-day leach test results are also presented.

Argonne National Laboratory has developed a composite ceramic waste form for the disposition of high level radioactive waste produced during electrometallurgical conditioning of spent nuclear fuel. The electrorefiner LiCl/KCl eutectic salt, containing fission products and transuranics in the chloride form, is contacted with a zeolite material which removes the fission products from the salt. After salt contact, the zeolite is mixed with a glass binder. The zeolite/glass mixture is then hot isostatic pressed (HIPed) to produce the composite ceramic waste form. The ceramic waste form provides a durable medium that is well suited to incorporate fission products and transuranics in the chloride form. Presented are preliminary results of the process qualification and characterization studies, which include chemical and physical measurements and product durability testing, of the ceramic waste form.

It is shown, assuming the linear case of Schinzel's Hypothesis, that the first-order theory of the structure 〈ω; +, P〉, where P is the set of primes, is undecidable and, in fact, that multiplication of natural numbers is first-order definable in this structure. In the other direction, it is shown, from the same hypothesis, that the monadic second-order theory of 〈ω S, P〉 is decidable, where S is the successor function. The latter result is proved using a general result of A. L. Semënov on decidability of monadic theories, and a proof of Semënov's result is presented.

Let A be an arbitrary set of positive integers (finite or infinite) other than the empty set or the set consisting of the single element unity. Let p(n) = pA(n) denote the number of partitions of the integer n into parts taken from the set A, repetitions being allowed. In other words, p(n) is the number of ways n can be expressed in the form n1a1 + n2a2 + …, where a1, a2, … are the distinct elements of A and n1, n2, … are arbitrary non-negative integers. In this paper we shall prove that p(n) is a strictly increasing function of n for sufficiently large n if and only if A has the following property (which we shall subsequently call property P1): A contains more than one element, and if we remove any single element from A, the remaining elements have greatest common divisor unity.