Simulating star formation in molecular cloud cores IV. The role of turbulence and thermodynamics

We perform SPH simulations of the collapse and fragmentation of low-mass cores having different initial levels of turbulence (alpha_turb=0.05,0.10,0.25). We use a new treatment of the energy equation which captures the transport of cooling radiation against opacity due to both dust and gas (including the effects of dust sublimation, molecules, and H^- ions). We also perform comparison simulations using a standard barotropic equation of state. We find that -- when compared with the barotropic equation of state -- our more realistic treatment of the energy equation results in more protostellar objects being formed, and a higher proportion of brown dwarfs; the multiplicity frequency is essentially unchanged, but the multiple systems tend to have shorter periods (by a factor ~3), higher eccentricities, and higher mass ratios. The reason for this is that small fragments are able to cool more effectively with the new treatment, as compared with the barotropic equation of state. We find that the process of fragmentation is often bimodal. The first protostar to form is usually, at the end, the most massive, i.e. the primary. However, frequently a disc-like structure subsequently forms round this primary, and then, once it has accumulated sufficient mass, quickly fragments to produce several secondaries. We believe that this delayed fragmentation of a disc-like structure is likely to be an important source of very low-mass hydrogen-burning stars and brown dwarfs.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication by A&

Arresting woodland bird decline in Australian agricultural landscapes: potential application of the European agri-environment model

This paper considered the applicability of the European model of land stewardship payments, in particular its support for biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes, to an Australian context. More broadly, the research approach described in the paper may also be applied to assessing the suitability of overseas stewardship schemes to the provision of any ecoservice in Australia, such as carbon sequestration and floodwater regulation

Irish County Incomes in 1960. ESRI General Research Series Paper No. 16, September 1963

This paper owes its inception to a problem which the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Mr. Se~n F. Lemass, T.D., at the Opening Ceremony on 6 June, 196I, asked the Institute to examine, in the following terms:-- "The Minister for Finance has already raised the questions whether the present system is adequate or appropriate to deal with the increasing activities of local bodies or whether a more rational or more effective system could be devised. There is a situation developing in local authority operations, and their financing, which requires consideration. Investigations, under the auspices of the Institute, of certain aspects, including the economic aspects, of the incidence of local taxation covering such matters as the effect of the local rate charge on enterprise and development, and the possibilities of providing Local Authorities with new sources of income, will provide some basic material which will be invaluable in the review of local finance which the Minister for Local Government intends to undertake"

Irish County Incomes in 1960. ESRI General Research Series Paper No. 16, September 1963

This paper owes its inception to a problem which the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Mr. Se~n F. Lemass, T.D., at the Opening Ceremony on 6 June, 196I, asked the Institute to examine, in the following terms:-- "The Minister for Finance has already raised the questions whether the present system is adequate or appropriate to deal with the increasing activities of local bodies or whether a more rational or more effective system could be devised. There is a situation developing in local authority operations, and their financing, which requires consideration. Investigations, under the auspices of the Institute, of certain aspects, including the economic aspects, of the incidence of local taxation covering such matters as the effect of the local rate charge on enterprise and development, and the possibilities of providing Local Authorities with new sources of income, will provide some basic material which will be invaluable in the review of local finance which the Minister for Local Government intends to undertake"

Exploring equity in primary-care-based physical activity interventions using PROGRESS-Plus: a systematic review and evidence synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about equity effects in primary care based physical activity interventions. This review explored whether differences in intervention effects are evident across indicators of social disadvantage, specified under the acronym PROGRESS-Plus (place of residence, race/ethnicity, occupation, gender, religion, education, social capital, socioeconomic status, plus age, disability and sexual orientation). METHODS: Six bibliographic databases were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of physical activity interventions conducted in primary care. Harvest plots were used to synthesize findings from RCTs reporting subgroup or interaction analyses examining differences in intervention effects across levels of at least one PROGRESS-Plus factor. RESULTS: The search yielded 9052 articles, from which 173 eligible RCTs were identified. Despite PROGRESS-Plus factors being commonly measured (N = 171 RCTs), differential effect analyses were infrequently reported (N = 24 RCTs). Where reported, results of equity analyses suggest no differences in effect across levels or categories of place of residence (N = 1RCT), race (N = 4 RCTs), education (N = 3 RCTs), socioeconomic status (N = 3 RCTs), age (N = 16 RCTs) or disability (N = 2 RCTs). Mixed findings were observed for gender (N = 22 RCTs), with some interventions showing greater effect in men than women and others vice versa. Three RCTs examined indicators of social capital, with larger post-intervention differences in physical activity levels between trial arms found in those with higher baseline social support for exercise in one trial only. No RCTs examined differential effects by participant occupation, religion or sexual orientation. CONCLUSION: The majority of RCTs of physical activity interventions in primary care record sufficient information on PROGRESS-Plus factors to allow differential effects to be studied. However, very few actually report details of relevant analyses to determine which population subgroups may stand to benefit or be further disadvantaged by intervention efforts.The work was undertaken by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence (RES-590-28-0002). Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged. The work was additionally supported by the Medical Research Council [Unit Programme number: MC_UU_12015/7]

The environmental stewardship program: lessons on creating long-term agri-environment schemes

The conservation of biodiversity on private land is both a high priority and a considerable challenge. An effective response to this challenge requires a combination of legislative and incentive mechanisms, coupled with preparedness by government to review and revise administrative arrangements. Preliminary results from the Environmental Stewardship Program, established by the Australian Government, highlight that there is a role for market-based approaches. However, implementation of this program through a Commonwealth bureaucracy was not without its challenges. Here we provide an overview of the program’s implementation from 2007 to 2012, followed by discussion of some key lessons learned

A step-by-step framework to assess benefits of established temperate marine protected areas

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been advocated as a solution to the challenges of both conservation and modern fishery management, but their application remains controversial, partly because there are only general guidelines for evaluating their effectiveness. We propose a framework to specifically evaluate established MPAs in six steps. We tested the approach by reviewing published research and unpublished information on the Goukamma MPA in the centre of the South African temperate south coast. Information reviewed included effects on the structure of fish populations, catch and abundance indices of fish species, and ecosystem effects. We investigated factors that determine the usefulness of a MPA in fisheries management, including the movement behaviour of adult fishes, larval dispersal and fisher-displacement patterns. We found that differences in the rates of exploitation across the MPA border resulted in differences in abundance, size and condition of the main target species, roman (Chrysoblephus laticeps). The diversity and abundance of non-target fish species, and the composition of the benthic invertebrate community, were affected by the cessation of fishing. The potential for ‘spillover’ of adult roman might be limited to the vicinity of the MPA by their small home range, but there is potential for self-seeding and dispersal of roman eggs and larvae over wider areas. These theoretical considerations were confirmed by an analysis of catch data from before and after MPA implementation. The framework presented here may help to identify and fill gaps in the knowledge of established MPAs along South Africa’s temperate south coast

Biological Channeling of a Reactive Intermediate in the Bifunctional Enzyme DmpFG

It has been hypothesized that the bifunctional enzyme DmpFG channels its intermediate, acetaldehyde, from one active site to the next using a buried intermolecular channel identified in the crystal structure. This channel appears to switch between an open and a closed conformation depending on whether the coenzyme NAD(+) is present or absent. Here, we applied molecular dynamics and metadynamics to investigate channeling within DmpFG in both the presence and absence of NAD(+). We found that substrate channeling within this enzyme is energetically feasible in the presence of NAD(+) but was less likely in its absence. Tyr-291, a proposed control point at the channel's entry, does not appear to function as a molecular gate. Instead, it is thought to orientate the substrate 4-hydroxy-2-ketovalerate in DmpG before reaction occurs, and may function as a proton shuttle for the DmpG reaction. Three hydrophobic residues at the channel's exit appear to have an important role in controlling the entry of acetaldehyde into the DmpF active site