Optimal Extraction of Fibre Optic Spectroscopy

We report an optimal extraction methodology, for the reduction of multi-object fibre spectroscopy data, operating in the regime of tightly packed (and hence significantly overlapping) fibre profiles. The routine minimises crosstalk between adjacent fibres and statistically weights the extraction to reduce noise. As an example of the process we use simulations of the numerous modes of operation of the AAOmega fibre spectrograph and observational data from the SPIRAL Integral Field Unit at the Anglo-Australian Telescope.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

Metric space analysis of systems immersed in a magnetic field

Understanding the behavior of quantum systems subject to magnetic fields is of fundamental importance and underpins quantum technologies. However, modeling these systems is a complex task, because of many-body interactions and because many-body approaches such as density functional theory get complicated by the presence of a vector potential into the system Hamiltonian. We use the metric space approach to quantum mechanics to study the effects of varying the magnetic vector potential on quantum systems. The application of this technique to model systems in the ground state provides insight into the fundamental mapping at the core of current density functional theory, which relates the many-body wavefunction, particle density and paramagnetic current density. We show that the role of the paramagnetic current density in this relationship becomes crucial when considering states with different magnetic quantum numbers, $m$. Additionally, varying the magnetic field uncovers a richer complexity for the "band structure" present in ground state metric spaces, as compared to previous studies varying scalar potentials. The robust nature of the metric space approach is strengthened by demonstrating the gauge invariance of the related metric for the paramagnetic current density. We go beyond ground state properties and apply this approach to excited states. The results suggest that, under specific conditions, a universal behavior may exist for the relationships between the physical quantities defining the system

Clinical Associations of Deliberate Self-Injury and Its Impact on the Outcome of Community-Based and Long-Term Inpatient Treatment for Personality Disorder

Background: Deliberate self-injury (DSI) is significantly associated with personality disorder (PD). There are gaps in our knowledge of DSI as an indicator of severity of psychopathology, as moderator of outcome and with regard to its response to different treatment programs and settings. Methods: We compare 2 samples of PD with (n = 59) and without (n = 64) DSI in terms of clinical presentation, response to psychosocial treatment and relative outcome when treated with specialist long-term residential and community-based programs. We test the assumption that DSI is an appropriate indicator for long-term inpatient care by contrasting the outcomes (symptom severity and DSI recidivism) of the 2 DSI sub-groups treated in the 2 different approaches. Results: PD with DSI had greater severity of presentation on a number of variables (early maternal separation, sexual abuse, axis-I comorbidities, suicidality and inpatient episodes) than PD without DSI. With regard to treatment response, we found a significant 3-way interaction between DSI, treatment model and outcome at 24-month follow-up. PD with DSI treated in a community-based program have significantly greater chances of improving on symptom severity and recidivism of self-injurious behaviour compared to PD with DSI treated in a long-term residential program. Conclusions: Although limitations in the study design invite caution in interpreting the results, the poor outcome of the inpatient DSI group suggests that explicit protocols for the management of DSI in inpatient settings may be beneficial and that the clinical indications for long-term inpatient treatment for severe and non-severe PD may require updating. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Base

Motor deficits are produced by removing some cortical transplants grafted into injured sensorimotor cortex of neonatal rats.

Fetal frontal cortex was transplanted into cavities formed in the right motor cortex of neonatal rats. As adults, the animals were trained to press two levers in rapid succession with their left forelimb to receive food rewards. Once they had reached an optimal level of performance, the effect of removing their transplants was assessed. Surgical removal of transplants significantly impaired the performance of 2 of 4 subjects. Placing a cross-strain skin graft to induce the immunological rejection of the transplants produced a behavioral deficit in 1 of 2 subjects with complete transplant removal. Skin grafts produced no behavioral effects in four subjects that had surviving transplants. Since the motor deficits produced by transplant removal resembled those observed following the removal of normal motor cortex, we propose that these three transplants functioned within the host brain. Histology showed that the procedures used to remove cortical grafts did not injure any host brains. Therefore, host brain damage is unlikely to account for the behavioral deterioration that followed transplant removals

Study of storm time fluxes of heavy ions

Ion composition data sets from Lockheed instruments on a variety of spacecraft were used in combination with each other and with data from other instruments to address a variety of problems regarding plasma sources, energization and transport within the magnetosphere. The availability of data from several differing orbits has given a highly flexible approach to attacking the continually evolving questions of magnetospheric physics. This approach is very successful and should be continued in the future

Unsung heroes: who supports social work students on placement?

Since the introduction of the three year degree programme in 2003, social work education has undergone a number of significant changes. The time students spend on placement has been increased to two hundred days, and the range of placement opportunities and the way in which these placements have been configured has significantly diversified. A consistent feature over the years, however, has been the presence of a Practice Educator (PE) who has guided, assessed and taught the student whilst on placement. Unsurprisingly, the role of the PE and the pivotal relationship they have with the student has been explored in the past and features in social work literature. This paper, however, concentrates on a range of other relationships which are of significance in providing support to students on placement. In particular it draws on research to discuss the role of the university contact tutor, the place of the wider team in which the student is sited, and the support offered by family, friends and others. Placements and the work undertaken by PE’s will continue to be integral to the delivery of social work education. It is, however, essential to recognise and value the often over looked role of others in providing support to students on placement

Industrial policy and European integration: lessons from experience in Western Europe over the last 25 years

This paper seeks to draw together the work undertaken for the EU (Fourth Framework Programme) TSER project on Science, Technology and Broad Industrial Policy with the experience of the countries of East and Central Europe (CEECs) as it has been catalogued through the papers written for this ESRC Programme on the Emerging Industrial Architecture of the Wider Europe. The former project sought to explore developments in science, technology and industrial/innovation policy in six Western European countries - France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Sweden and Ireland - through the last 25 years of the 20th Century and found a process both of integration (in the sense both of a growing together of economies and a coming together of policies) but also of co-evolution, with national policies co-existing with new strong strands of policy emerging at both EU and regional levels of government. What role for industrial policy? The paper begins by defining industrial policy as a mix of institution building and incentive structures. It emphasizes the importance of institutions to the proper functioning of markets, a lesson that has been learned in other contexts in the CEECs, but also the degree to which institutions both reflect and shape cultures. While the process of accession provides an important stimulus to institution building, it is important that each country listens to its own stakeholders and shapes its own institutions. The non-globalisation of institutions in the member states of the EU helps to explain the degree to which national policy still plays such an important role in the industrial policy area, but it also helps to provide for a wealth of experience from which to draw. It is important to promote flexibility, but not too much - change is a good thing, but in moderation; too much change can be destabilising. Globalisation and Integration The paper then continues by examining changing industrial environment and the degree to which, during the last 25 years, the process of European integration has been played out against a background of globalisation. It suggests that while the 1970s might be dubbed 'the age of the national champion', the 1980s was marked by the emergence of a series of large and successful multinational, but European, firms and the 1990s by a series of trans-continental mergers from which a number of truly global companies had emerged. These latter changes had been accompanied by a dramatic shift in control, away from country (and often family) based management systems towards systems run by professional managers and institutional investors. Given global oligopoly in many sectors, these companies operate in a world of intense competition in which costs and innovation are key factors. The search for economy has led to downsizing and outsourcing; the search for new products and new markets had spread operations widely around the globe. Together it makes for a world in which foreign direct investment (FDI) is fickle and seeking to compete on labour costs alone uncertain; in which small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) play an important role in supply chains, but have to be able to meet the quality control and 'just in time' requirements of the MNCs; and in which much hope (arguably too much hope) is centred upon the new, but still small, technology based firms (NTBFs) as potential MNCs for the future. Policy has adapted and will have to go on adapting to this changing environment It is this world in which the CEECs have to make their mark and compete. The paper notes that in response to these trends, policy in Western European countries has adapted. Over the last 25 years a number of clear trends are discernable: from intervention to laissez faire; from policy concentrating on large firms to policy concentrating on SMEs; from policy concentrating on national issues to policy concentrating on regional issues; from mission oriented, often sector based policies to diffusion oriented policies; from subsidies to physical capital to subsidies for human capital. Specific areas of industrial policy The paper then examines developments in a number of different policy areas: * FDI - foreign capital is playing a vital role in opening up and revitalizing the economies of the CEECs, but the lessons from Ireland, in particular, suggest that it pays to discriminate in favour of FDI which brings more than just jobs but also training in skills and management from which indigenous capabilities may emerge; * Competition policy - anti-trust, monopoly and merger control have emerged as three key areas of European policy. While the Commission is keen to see restructuring which makes the most of the advantages of the single market, it is equally necessary to ensure that positions of dominance are not abused. National policy here must play a significant, and complementary role, to EU policy; * State Aids policy - commonly regarded as the main core of industrial policy, this has been one of the areas where the Commission have in fact developed a powerful position, laying down clear guidelines, restricting the use of ad hoc measures and and generally dampening expectations of what national governments may do to help stricken sectors. * Regional policy and the Structural Funds - the paper highlights the growing role of regions in Europe in developing 'bottom-up' support networks linking SMEs not only with each other but also with local universities and technical colleges, local bankers and venture capitalists, local government and local big business. The Structural Funds have played a vital part in encouraging regional self-confidence, but to date too much money is swallowed up in capital intensive developments (roads and bridges) and not enough by innovation and human capital; * Science, technology policy and the Framework Programmes - the paper emphasizes the degree to which collaboration through the Framework Programmes has provided opportunities for scientists from the less developed countries of Europe to learn what world class science and technology means, but also points out that it is excellence in basic science that is the key attractor for high value MNC investments; Some more general policy conclusions The paper concludes by suggesting that there are a number of more general lessons for the CEECs to be drawn from the experience of 'older' member states: * It helps to have a clear vision of where you want to go and how you propose to get there, and the more open a government is about this, involving different 'stakeholders' in the preparation and revision, the more it becomes a shared vision and one that the population as a whole will support and 'buy into'; * Given the importance of creating added value in a knowledge-based economy, government, industry and academe become three complementary players. Their inter-relationship, sometimes referred to as the triple-helix relationship, underpin the process of economic development. * Over time the science base can become the nucleus of a successful economy both in terms of attracting investments bringing high value added jobs and in terms of creating skills and capabilities necessary to generate future investment. But the science base does not come for free. It requires continuous investment, and, while encouraging 1000 flowers to bloom has its attractions, few countries, and especially small countries, can excel at everything. International co-operation and focus of effort complement each other. * Equally university laboratories, firms and government research institutes can only benefit from co-operation if their scientists and engineers are well versed enough in science and technology to be able to understand and make use of modern techniques. Successful technology transfer depends upon person-to-person contact. Both public and private sectors have to invest enough in R&D to develop and maintain sufficient competence to remain members of the 'international club'. * The general maxim of devolving responsibilities to the lowest feasible level both accords with the principle of subsidiarity and helps to create a sense of involvement, shared vision and shared experience. It is vital, however, to have all level of government working in the same direction and complementing each others' policies by their own actions. * While SMEs become a vital part of the economy, it is important to remember that they too learn not from glossy brochures and government pronouncements but by word of mouth and personal contacts. Networking, at all levels is essential. It is futile to have Brussels, the national and regional governments, all vying with each other to develop such networks. In most cases it is simpler, more efficient and more economic to use the regional tier of government to stimulate networks among SMEs, and in a number of instances such a policy has been amazingly successful