The demand for sports and exercise: Results from an illustrative survey

Funding from the Department of Health policy research programme was used in this study.There is a paucity of empirical evidence on the extent to which price and perceived benefits affect the level of participation in sports and exercise. Using an illustrative sample of 60 adults at Brunel University, West London, we investigate the determinants of demand for sports and exercise. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews that covered indicators of sports and exercise behaviour; money/time price and perceived benefits of participation; and socio- economic/demographic details. Count, linear and probit regression models were fitted as appropriate. Seventy eight per cent of the sample participated in sports and exercise and spent an average of £27 per month and an average of 20 min travelling per occasion of sports and exercise. The demand for sport and exercise was negatively associated with time (travel or access time) and ‘variable’ price and positively correlated with ‘fixed’ price. Demand was price inelastic, except in the case of meeting the UK government’s recommended level of participation, which is time price elastic (elasticity = −2.2). The implications of data from a larger nationally representative sample as well as the role of economic incentives in influencing uptake of sports and exercise are discussed.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund

The FXII c.-4T > C Polymorphism as a Disease Modifier in Patients With Hereditary Angioedema Due to the FXII p.Thr328Lys Variant

Background: Hereditary angioedema due to the Thr328Lys variant in the coagulation factor XII (HAE-FXII) affects mainly women in whom the symptomatology is dependent on high estrogen levels. Clinical variability and incomplete penetrance are challenging features that hinder the diagnosis and management of HAE-FXII. The c.-4T>C Kozak polymorphism is the only common variation accounting for FXII plasma levels and was previously shown to modify the course of HAE due to C1-Inhibitor deficiency. Objectives: To assess the influence of the c.-4T>C polymorphism on disease expression in 39 Spanish HAE-FXII index patients. Methods: The c.-4T>C polymorphism was sequenced by the standard Sanger method, and HAE severity was calculated according to the score by Cumming et al. (2003) The activation of the contact system was quantified by the kallikrein-like activity of plasma in chromogenic assays upon activation with high-molecular-weight dextran sulfate. Results: The c.-4CC genotype was overrepresented in the studied cohort: 82% were CC-homozygous (expected frequency = 59%) and 18% were CT-heterozygous (expected frequency = 39%) (p = 0.001). Patients with a c.-4CC genotype exhibited higher kallikrein-like activity (0.9659 +/- 0.1136) than those with a c.-4TC genotype (0.7645 +/- 0.1235) (p = 0.024) or healthy donors. Moreover, the polymorphism influenced HAE-FXII severity score (c.-4CC = 4.43 +/- 2.28 vs c.-4TC = 2.0 +/- 1.15; p = 0.006) but not the degree of estrogen dependence or time until remission. Conclusion: The c.-4T>C polymorphism is overrepresented in a Spanish HAE-FXII cohort and significantly influences the degree of contact system activation and the clinical severity of the disease

Rethinking ecosystem service indicators for their application to intermittent rivers

In these times of strong pressure on aquatic ecosystems and water resources due to climate change and water abstraction, intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) (rivers that periodically cease to flow and/or dry) have become valuable assets. Indeed, not only do they supply water but they also offer services for humanity. Despite a growing recognition towards IRES, information for assessing their ecosystem services (ES) remains scarce. In a first step, an international interdisciplinary group of researchers developed a methodological framework to acknowledge ES provided by IRES using 109 indicators. A subset of selected ES indicators was then applied to two case studies: the Rio Seco in the Algarve (Portugal) and the Giofyros River in Crete (Greece). This paper discusses the applicability of these indicators, including the temporal and spatial variability of IRES flow regimes. Aspects of the framework, such as the methods and time required for data collection, the nature (demand or supply) and functionality of each indicator are discussed. The new framework accounts for flow intermittence in ES analyses and can help scientists and water managers to i) increase the ease and justification for IRES use in management approaches and ii) improve their conservation and restoration with a comprehensive set of appropriate indicators for IRES. In addition, the comprehensive nature of the proposed indicators ensures that they can be understood by a broad audience and easily applicable. Since they were designed through a public participation process, the setting has been prepared for holistic stakeholder analysis and education around IRES functions and associated ES. From a management point of view, it would be particularly relevant to perform an economic evaluation with this new framework to understand the value of each ES category and their trade-offs. For the scientific community, however, it is important to consider public preferences to design socially accepted policies. The proposed indicators can successfully bridge these elements, hereby establishing a solid basis for the assessment of ES provided by IRES.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a few TW Ti:Sa laser system at 100 Hz for proton acceleration

[EN] We report the development of a table-top high peak power Titanium:Sapphire (Ti:Sa) CPA laser working at 100 Hz capable of delivering 205 mJ, 55 fs pulses. Every amplification stage is pumped by Nd-doped solid-state lasers and fully powered by diodes. Thermal effects in the Ti:Sa amplifiers are compensated passively with optics. This system is intended to be used for proton acceleration experiments at high repetition rates.Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI, Spain) within the INNPRONTA program, Grant no. IPT-20111027.Lera, R.; Bellido-Millán, PJ.; Sánchez, I.; Mur, P.; Seimetz, M.; Benlloch Baviera, JM.; Roso, L.... (2019). Development of a few TW Ti:Sa laser system at 100 Hz for proton acceleration. Applied Physics B. 125(1):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-018-7113-8S181251P. Zeitoun, G. Faivre, S. Sebban, T. Mocek, A. Hallou, M. Fajardo, D. Aubert, P. Balcou, F. Burgy, D. Douillet, S. Kazamias, G. de Lachèze-Murel, T. Lefrou, S. le Pape, P. Mercère, H. Merdji, A.S. Morlens, J.P. Rousseau, C. Valentin, Nature 431(7007), 426–429 (2004)V. Malka, S. Fritzler, E. Lefebvre, M.-M. Aleonard, F. Burgy, J.-P. Chambaret, J.-F. Chemin, K. Krushelnick, G. Malka, S.P.D. Mangles, Z. Najmudin, M. Pittman, J.-P. Rousseau, J.-N. Scheurer, B. Walton, A.E. Dangor, Science 298(5598), 1596–1600 (2002)H. Daido, M. Nishiuchi, A.S. Pirozhkov, Rep. Progress Phys. 75(5), 056401 (2012)A. Macchi, M. Borghesi, M. Passoni, Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 751–793 (2013)T. Tajima, J.M. Dawson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 267–270 (1979)M. Noaman-ul Haq, H. Ahmed, T. Sokollik, L. Yu, Z. Liu, X. Yuan, F. Yuan, M. Mirzaie, X. Ge, L. Chen, J. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 20, 041301 (2017)D. Strickland, G. Mourou, Opt. Commun. 53(3), 219–221 (1985)G. Cheriaux, B. Walker, L.F. Dimauro, P. Rousseau, F. Salin, J.P. Chambaret, Opt. Lett. 21(6), 414–416 (1996)P. Tournois, Opt. Commun. 140(4), 245–249 (1997)R. Soulard, A. Brignon, S. Raby, E. Durand, R. Moncorgé, Appl. Phys. B 106(2), 295–300 (2012)J. Liu, L. Ge, L. Feng, H. Jiang, H. Su, T. Zhou, J. Wang, Q. Gao, J. Li, Chin. Opt. Lett. 14(5), 051404 (2016)A. Maleki, M.K. Tehrani, H. Saghafifar, M.H.M. Dindarlu, H. Ebadian, Laser Phys. 26(2), 025003 (2016)R. Lera, F. Valle-Brozas, S. Torres-Peiró, A.R. de-la Cruz, M. Galán, P. Bellido, M. Seimetz, J.M. Benlloch, L. Roso, Appl. Opt. 55(33), 9573–9576 (2016)R. Lausten, P. Balling, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 20(7), 1479–1485 (2003)I. Nam, M. Kim, T.H. Lee, S.W. Lee, H. Suk, Curr. Appl. Phys. 15(4), 468–472 (2015)E. Treacy, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 5(9), 454–458 (1969)A. Trisorio, S. Grabielle, M. Divall, N. Forget, C.P. Hauri, Opt. Lett. 37(14), 2892–2894 (2012)Y.-H. Cha, Y.-W. Lee, S.M. Nam, J.M. Han, Y.J. Rhee, B.D. Yoo, B.C. Lee, Y.U. Jeong, Appl. Opt. 46(28), 6854–6858 (2007)P. Bellido, R. Lera, M. Seimetz, A.R. de la Cruz, S. Torres-Peiró, M. Galán, P. Mur, I. Sánchez, R. Zaffino, L. Vidal, A. Soriano, S. Sánchez, F. Sánchez, M. Rodríguez-Álvarez, J. Rigla, L. Moliner, A. Iborra, L. Hernández, D. Grau-Ruiz, A. González, J. García-Garrigos, E. Díaz-Caballero, P. Conde, A. Aguilar, L. Roso, J. Benlloch, J. Instrum. 12(05), T05001 (2017

Spectral characterization of laser-accelerated protons with CR-39 nuclear track detector

CR-39 nuclear track material is frequently used for the detection of protons accelerated in laser-plasma interactions. The measurement of track densities allows for determination of particle angular distributions, and information on the kinetic energy can be obtained by the use of passive absorbers. We present a precise method of measuring spectral distributions of laser-accelerated protons in a single etching and analysis process. We make use of a one-to-one relation between proton energy and track size and present a precise calibration based on monoenergetic particle beams. While this relation is limited to proton energies below 1 MeV, we show that the range of spectral measurements can be significantly extended by simultaneous use of absorbers of suitable thicknesses. Examples from laser-plasma interactions are presented, and quantitative results on proton energies and particle numbers are compared to those obtained from a time-of-flight detector. The spectrum end points of continuous energy distributions have been determined with both detector types and coincide within 50-100 keV

Towards an improved understanding of biogeochemical processes across surface-groundwater interactions in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams

Surface-groundwater interactions in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), waterways which do not flow year-round, are spatially and temporally dynamic because of alternations between flowing, non-flowing and dry hydrological states. Interactions between surface and groundwater often create mixing zones with distinct redox gradients, potentially driving high rates of carbon and nutrient cycling. Yet a complete understanding of how underlying biogeochemical processes across surface-groundwater flowpaths in IRES differ among various hydrological states remains elusive. Here, we present a conceptual framework relating spatial and temporal hydrological variability in surface water-groundwater interactions to biogeochemical processing hotspots in IRES. We combine a review of theIRES biogeochemistry literature with concepts of IRES hydrogeomorphology to: (i) outline common distinctions among hydrological states in IRES; (ii) use these distinctions, together with considerations of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles within IRES, to predict the relative potential for biogeochemical processing across different reach-scale processing zones (flowing water, fragmented pools, hyporheic zones, groundwater, and emerged sediments); and (iii) explore the potential spatial and temporal variability of carbon and nutrient biogeochemical processing across entire IRES networks. Our approach estimates the greatest reach-scale potential for biogeochemical processing when IRES reaches are fragmented into isolated surface water pools, and highlights the potential of relatively understudied processing zones, such as emerged sediments. Furthermore, biogeochemical processing in fluvial networks dominated by IRES is likely more temporally than spatially variable. We conclude that biogeochemical research in IRES would benefit from focusing on interactions between different nutrient cycles, surface-groundwater interactions in non-flowing states, and consideration of fluvial network architecture. Our conceptual framework outlines opportunities to advance studies and expand understanding of biogeochemistry in IRES

Gaia-ESO Survey: massive stars in the Carina Nebula. A new census of OB stars

The Gaia-ESO survey sample of massive OB stars in the Carina Nebula consists of 234 stars. The addition of brighter sources from the Galactic O-Star Spectroscopic Survey and additional sources from the literature allows us to create the most complete census of massive OB stars done so far in the region. It contains a total of 316 stars, being 18 of them in the background and four in the foreground. Of the 294 stellar systems in Car OB1, 74 are of O type, 214 are of non-supergiant B type and 6 are of WR or non-O supergiant (II to Ia) spectral class. We identify 20 spectroscopic binary systems with an O-star primary, of which 6 are reported for the first time, and another 18 with a B-star primary, of which 13 are new detections. The average observed double-lined binary fraction of O-type stars in the surveyed region is 0.35, which represents a lower limit. We find a good correlation between the spectroscopic n-qualifier and the projected rotational velocity of the stars. The fraction of candidate runaways among the stars with and without the n-qualifier is 4.4% and 2.4%, respectively, although non resolved double-lined binaries can be contaminating the fast rotators sample.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 62 pages, 8 figure