Men procuring sexual services from women: everyman or peculiar man?

Objective: To explore characteristics of men procuring sexual services from women. Design: Quantitative study using questionnaires and purposive sampling. Setting: New South Wales, Australia including brothels and outreach organisations where sex worker is decriminalised. Participants: 309 men who reported procuring sexual services with women. Results: Primary motivations for procurement included thrill/excitement and attractiveness of the sex worker. Cluster analysis identified five groups, the most frequent being those with a drive for exciting, thrill-seeking sex with an attractive partner and those with the same drive but not wanting investment. High proportions of men were married, in professional employment and did not present with a criminal history. Sexual experiences procured were conventional. Procurement presented as an enduring behaviour maintained across decades, commencing at a young age. Involvement in procurement preceded decriminalisation. Conclusion: The results do not support men’s procurement as primarily ‘deviant’. Commonality of procurement and similarities across motivations lends support to the ‘everyman’ perspective. Professionals may need to explicitly enquire about such behaviour where relevant to do so (e.g. in discussing sexual health) and in doing so ensure procurement is discussed as normative and not as unusual behaviour

Multi-wavelength holography with a single spatial light modulator for ultracold atom experiments

The authors acknowledge funding from the Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant RPG-2013-074 and from the EPSRC grant GR/T08272/01.We demonstrate a method to independently and arbitrarily tailor the spatial profile of light of multiple wavelengths and we show possible applications to ultracold atoms experiments. A single spatial light modulator is programmed to create a pattern containing multiple spatially separated structures in the Fourier plane when illuminated with a single wavelength. When the modulator is illuminated with overlapped laser beams of different wavelengths, the position of the structures is wavelength-dependent. Hence, by designing their separations appropriately, a desired overlap of different structures at different wavelengths is obtained. We employ regional phase calculation algorithms and demonstrate several possible experimental scenarios by generating light patterns with 670 nm, 780 nm and 1064 nm laser light which are accurate to the level of a few percent. This technique is easily integrated into cold atom experiments, requiring little optical access.PostprintPeer reviewe

Examining the portrayal of homophobic and non-homophobic aggression in print media through an integrated grounded behavioural linguistic inquiry (IGBLI) approach

The role of the media in supporting an understanding of the social world is well documented. The representation of homosexuals in the media can therefore impact on homophobia within society. This chapter examines how homosexuals are portrayed in the media generally, before examining and comparing newspaper reports of homosexual aggression with heterosexual aggression. Utilising a new and innovative research methodology, an Integrated Grounded Behavioural Linguistic Inquiry (IGBLI) approach, a sample of articles from daily newspapers in circulation within the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia are examined. The similarities and differences in the way print media report on these aggressive incidents are considered

Partner abuse and its association with emotional distress: A study exploring LGBTI relationships

This study examines partner abuse in LBGTI relationships, with focus on the associations with emotional distress and protective factors. Two hundred and eighty-seven participants took part. Partner abuse (victimisation) comprised three factors; conflict orientated aggression; hostile ignorance and control of communication; and social control and possessiveness (including threats to possessions). Perpetration factors were similar. Significant differences across sexuality or gender were limited to the perpetration of abuse relating to suspicion and possessiveness, where men were more likely to report this than the other gender groups, and women were less likely to report this. Of those reporting abuse in their current relationship, over half reported experiencing abuse in a primary relationship previously, with 60 per cent reporting exposure to abuse as a child. Partner abuse in their current relationship predicted current levels of increased emotional distress, with reduced satisfaction with the current relationship having an indirect impact on this association. Resilience traits were not a predictor or mediator. The results demonstrate the similarity in abuse across LGB communities despite the diversity of genders, sexualities and experiences within these groups. The results are discussed with regards to directions for future research and implications for practic

Potential landscaping for ultracold atoms using holographic optical traps

The development of new laser beam shaping methods is important in a variety of fields within optics, atomic physics and biophotonics. Spatial light modulators offer a highly versatile method of time-dependent beam shaping, based on imprinting a phase profile onto an incident laser beam that determines the intensity in the trapping plane laser field. The calculation of the required phase is a well-known inverse problem, which can be tackled with different approaches. Our method based on conjugate gradient minimisation [1] not only allows the calculation of smooth and accurate intensity profiles suitable for trapping cold atoms, but can also be used to generate multi-wavelength traps [2] and for simultaneous control over both the intensity and the phase of the light [3], with exceptionally high reconstruction fidelity. References: [1] T Harte, et al., "Conjugate gradient minimisation approach to generating holographic traps for ultracold atoms" Opt. Express 22, 26548 (2014) [2] D Bowman, et al., "Multi-wavelength holography with a single spatial light modulator for ultracold atom experiments" Opt. Express 23, 8365 (2015) [3] D Bowman, et al., "High-fidelity phase and amplitude control of phase-only computer generated holograms using conjugate gradient minimisation" Opt. Express 25, 11692 (2017)PostprintNon peer reviewe

High-fidelity phase and amplitude control of phase-only computer generated holograms using conjugate gradient minimisation

Funding: Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2013-074); EPSRC (EP/G03673X/1; EP/L015110/1).We demonstrate simultaneous control of both the phase and amplitude of light using a conjugate gradient minimisation-based hologram calculation technique and a single phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM). A cost function, which incorporates the inner product of the light field with a chosen target field within a defined measure region, is efficiently minimised to create high fidelity patterns in the Fourier plane of the SLM. A fidelity of F = 0.999997 is achieved for a pattern resembling an LG01 mode with a calculated light-usage efficiency of 41.5%. Possible applications of our method in optical trapping and ultracold atoms are presented and we show uncorrected experimental realisation of our patterns with F = 0.97 and 7.8% light efficiency.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Authigenic carbonates from the Cascadia subduction zone and their relation to gas hydrate stability

Authigenic carbonates are intercalated with massive gas hydrates in sediments of the Cascadia margin. The deposits were recovered from the uppermost 50 cm of sediments on the southern summit of the Hydrate Ridge during the RV Sonne cruise SO110. Two carbonate lithologies that differ in chemistry, mineralogy, and fabric make up these deposits. Microcrystalline high-magnesium calcite (14 to 19 mol% MgCO3) and aragonite are present in both semiconsolidated sediments and carbonate-cemented clasts. Aragonite occurs also as a pure phase without sediment impurities. It is formed by precipitation in cavities as botryoidal and isopachous aggregates within pure white, massive gas hydrate. Variations in oxygen isotope values of the carbonates reflect the mineralogical composition and define two end members: a Mg-calcite with δ18O =4.86‰ PDB and an aragonite with δ18O =3.68‰ PDB. On the basis of the ambient bottom-water temperature and accepted equations for oxygen isotope fractionation, we show that the aragonite phase formed in equilibrium with its pore-water environment, and that the Mg-calcite appears to have precipitated from pore fluids enriched in 18O. Oxygen isotope enrichment probably originates from hydrate water released during gas-hydrate destabilization

Giant planet migration, disk evolution, and the origin of transitional disks

We present models of giant planet migration in evolving protoplanetary disks. Our disks evolve subject to viscous transport of angular momentum and photoevaporation, while planets undergo Type II migration. We use a Monte Carlo approach, running large numbers of models with a range in initial conditions. We find that relatively simple models can reproduce both the observed radial distribution of extra-solar giant planets, and the lifetimes and accretion histories of protoplanetary disks. The use of state-of-the-art photoevaporation models results in a degree of coupling between planet formation and disk clearing, which has not been found previously. Some accretion across planetary orbits is necessary if planets are to survive at radii <~1.5AU, and if planets of Jupiter mass or greater are to survive in our models they must be able to form at late times, when the disk surface density in the formation region is low. Our model forms two different types of "transitional" disks, embedded planets and clearing disks, which show markedly different properties. We find that the observable properties of these systems are broadly consistent with current observations, and highlight useful observational diagnostics. We predict that young transition disks are more likely to contain embedded giant planets, while older transition disks are more likely to be undergoing disk clearing.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

On the uniqueness of solutions to the periodic 3D Gross-Pitaevskii hierarchy

In this paper, we present a uniqueness result for solutions to the Gross-Pitaevskii hierarchy on the three-dimensional torus, under the assumption of an a priori spacetime bound. We show that this a priori bound is satisfied for factorized solutions to the hierarchy which come from solutions of the nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation. In this way, we obtain a periodic analogue of the uniqueness result on $\mathbb{R}^3$ previously proved by Klainerman and Machedon, except that, in the periodic setting, we need to assume additional regularity. In particular, we need to work in the Sobolev class $H^{\alpha}$ for $\alpha>1$. By constructing a specific counterexample, we show that, on $\mathbb{T}^3$, the existing techniques don't apply in the endpoint case $\alpha=1$. This is in contrast to the known results in the non-periodic setting, where the these techniques are known to hold for all $\alpha \geq 1$. In our analysis, we give a detailed study of the crucial spacetime estimate associated to the free evolution operator. In this step of the proof, our methods rely on lattice point counting techniques based on the concept of the determinant of a lattice. This method allows us to obtain improved bounds on the number of lattice points which lie in the intersection of a plane and a set of radius $R$, depending on the number-theoretic properties of the normal vector to the plane. We are hence able to obtain a sharp range of admissible Sobolev exponents for which the spacetime estimate holds.Comment: 42 page

Total synthesis of dehaloperophoramidine using a highly diastereoselective Hosomi-Sakurai reaction

The authors would like to acknowledge EPSRC for PhD funding through the Doctoral Training Schemes.The synthesis of dehaloperophoramidine, a non-halogenated derivative of the marine natural product perophoramidine, is reported. The key steps included a [3,3]-Claisen rearrangement and an epoxide opening/allylsilylation (modified Hosomi-Sakurai) reaction to install the contiguous all-carbon quaternary stereocentres with the required relative stereochemistry. The first five steps were carried out on seventy gram scale without the need for chromatography. Resolution of the [3,3]-Claisen product gave samples of the highly enantiomerically-enriched ketones which are flexible starting points for the synthesis of a number of complex ring structures. A regio- and diastereo-selective iodocyclisation was then used to differentiate between two allyl groups enabling the synthesis of the target molecule by two different routes. A detailed comparison of the trifluoroacetic acid salt of the synthetic dehaloperophoramidine with authentic material was carried out including a key doping experiment. Biological testing showed that (±)-dehaloperophoramidine was cytotoxic to HCT116, HT29 and LoVo colorectal carcinoma cells with comparable activity to that reported for the halogenated perophoramidine. This demonstrated for the first time that the halogens are not essential for the biological activity of this alkaloid class.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe