Public Perception of Risk Management in Environmental Controversies: A U.K. Case Study

Drs. Simosi and Allen focus on issues arising from an environmental dispute in the U.K. Their case study findings are discussed in the context of existing environmental decision-making procedures in the U.K

A national UK survey of peripatetic support teams for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disability who display challenging behaviour

Background: The service provision model of peripatetic support teams for people with intellectual disabilities who present challenging behaviour has been well established in the United Kingdom, with a small but growing evidence base. The current context in the UK would appear to indicate an ever-increasing role for such teams, in order to support people in their own communities and reduce the reliance on out-of-area placements. This study sought to establish the current position of such teams within the UK. Method and materials: 46 teams were given the opportunity to complete an online questionnaire regarding the team's day to day functioning. Results: 20 services responded to the survey providing a range of data. The results suggested that the services were mainly targeted towards adults, had a range of working practices and therapeutic orientations, with broadly successful outcomes (albeit self reported). The data would also suggest that this type of provision had diminished in recent years. Conclusions: The implications of the survey are discussed within the context of the current policy in the UK. In particular, the lack of provision for children, the use of evidence based practice and what appears to be a diminishing resource just at the time when it is most needed are explored

Spatial de-correlation of the UTRA-FDD radio channel

For smart antenna deployment in Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) applications the downlink weight vector can be derived from the uplink steering vector, assuming a degree of correlation between these channels. It is shown here that de-correlation between uplink and downlink power azimuth spectrums (PAS) is significant for frequency offsets as small as 5MHz in urban environments. Results reported here are computed from measured data taken within the UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Interface) frequency band for cluttered urba

Response of Saddled Prominent (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) Pupae to Desiccation, Cold Treatment, and Post-Cold Treatment Incubation Temperature

Saddled prominent, Heterocampa guttivitta, pupae were placed at 1.5oC for 50 to 200 days, then incubated at one of four post-cold temperatures ranging from 10° to 26.7°C. Adults emerged from pupae exposed to all cold treatment periods. A few adults also emerged from pupae that were not exposed to cold. The time required for adult emergence following cold treatment declined with longer periods of cold treatment and higher post-cold incubation temperature. The interaction between these two main effects was also significant. Adult morphogenesis begins immediately after pupation, and continues until interrupted by cold temperature. When pupae were subjected to desiccating conditions prior to cold treatment, weight loss due to desiccation was accompanied by increased mortality. Desiccation occurred faster at IS.6° than at 18.0°C. Our results identify a physical factor which might contribute to pupal overwintering mortality: prolonged excessive drought conditions between time of pupation and the onset of cold

An agent-based model for energy service companies

The residential housing sector is a major consumer of energy accounting for approximately one third of carbon emissions in the United Kingdom. Achieving a sustainable, low-carbon infrastructure necessitates a reduced and more efficient use of domestic energy supplies. Energy service companies offer an alternative to traditional providers, which supply a single utility product to satisfy the unconstrained demand of end users, and have been identified as a potentially important actor in sustainable future economies. An agent-based model is developed to examine the potential of energy service companies to contribute to the large scale upgrading of household energy efficiency, which would ultimately lead to a more sustainable and secure energy infrastructure. The migration of households towards energy service companies is described by an attractiveness array, through which potential customers can evaluate the future benefits, in terms of household energy costs, of changing provider. It is shown that self-financing is a limiting factor to the widespread upgrading of residential energy efficiency. Greater reductions in household energy costs could be achieved by committing to longer term contracts, allowing upgrade costs to be distributed over greater time intervals. A steadily increasing cost of future energy usage lends an element of stability to the market, with energy service companies displaying the ability to retain customers on contract expiration. The model highlights how a greater focus on the provision of energy services, as opposed to consumable products, presents a viable approach to reducing future energy costs and usage

Multi-utility service companies: a complex systems model of increasing resource efficiency

Domestic households account for a significant portion of energy consumption and carbon emissions in the United Kingdom. Gains in energy and resource efficiency are undermined by the continuing rise in consumption. A multiutility service company (MUSCo) could enable households to make efficiency improvements through energy technologies and demand management, thus reducing overall consumption. We present a system dynamics model for the domestic energy demand and supply system in the United Kingdom, in which MUSCos compete with traditional utility providers. The market transition toward a leasing contracted service is examined and various potential business models explored