Spatial determinants of local government action on climate change: an analysis of local authorities in England

The engagement of UK local authorities is vital if national government is to meet its climate change commitments. However, with no mandatory targets at local government level, other drivers must explain engagement. Using a Geographic Information System, this study compares the spatial distribution of action on climate change based on past actions and stated intentions to a suite of relevant independent variables. The Action Index created is among the first to quantify climate change engagement beyond a simple binary measure and provides a useful comparative study to recent work in the US. The Index enables investigation of both mitigation and adaptation, which show different trends in relation to some variables. The study shows that action is strongest where the voting habits of the local population suggest environmental concern and where neighbouring local authorities are also engaging in action on climate change. Physical vulnerability to the effects of climate change is a motivator for action only where the dangers are obvious. Action is less likely where other resource intensive issues such as crime and housing exist within a local authority area

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of contact line motion in a liquid-gas system

We use a lattice Boltzmann algorithm for liquid-gas coexistence to investigate the steady state interface profile of a droplet held between two shearing walls. The algorithm solves the hydrodynamic equations of motion for the system. Partial wetting at the walls is implemented to agree with Cahn theory. This allows us to investigate the processes which lead to the motion of the three-phase contact line. We confirm that the profiles are a function of the capillary number and a finite size analysis shows the emergence of a dynamic contact angle, which can be defined in a region where the interfacial curvature tends to zero.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A (Proceedings of the Xth International Conference on Discrete Simulation of Fluid Dynamics.

Scheme for teleportation of quantum states onto a mechanical resonator

We propose an experimentally feasible scheme to teleport an unkown quantum state onto the vibrational degree of freedom of a macroscopic mirror. The quantum channel between the two parties is established by exploiting radiation pressure effects.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, in press on PR

Managing the social impacts of austerity Britain: the cultural politics of neo-liberal 'nudging'

Elements of this book assess the media and the part it plays in the process of maintaining the status quo and contra-narratives particularly in drama

Integrated chronological control on an archaeologically significant Pleistocene river terrace sequence: the Thames-Medway, eastern Essex, England

Late Middle Pleistocene Thames-Medway deposits in eastern Essex comprise both large expanses of Palaeolithic artefact-bearing river sands/gravels and deep channels infilled with thick sequences of fossiliferous fine-grained estuarine sediments that yield valuable palaeoenvironmental information. Until recently, chronological control on these deposits was limited to terrace stratigraphy and limited amino-acid racemisation (AAR) determinations. Recent developments in both this and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating make them potentially powerful tools for improving the chronological control on such sequences. This paper reports new AAR analyses and initial OSL dating from the deposits in this region. These results will help with ongoing investigation of patterns of early human settlement. Using AAR, the attribution by previous workers of the interglacial channel deposits to both MIS 11 (Tillingham Clay) and MIS 9 (Rochford and Shoeburyness Clays) is reinforced. Where there are direct stratigraphic relationships between AAR and OSL as with the Cudmore Grove and Rochford Clays and associated gravels, they agree well. Where OSL dating is the only technique available, it seems to replicate well, but must be treated with caution since there are relatively few aliquots. It is suggested on the basis of this initial OSL dating that the gravel deposits date from MIS 8 (Rochford and Cudmore Grove Gravels) and potentially also MIS 6 (Dammer Wick and Barling Gravels). However, the archaeological evidence from the Barling Gravel and the suggested correlations between this sequence and upstream Thames terraces conflict with this latter age estimate and suggest that it may need more investigation

2D photonic-crystal optomechanical nanoresonator

We present the optical optimization of an optomechanical device based on a suspended InP membrane patterned with a 2D near-wavelength grating (NWG) based on a 2D photonic-crystal geometry. We first identify by numerical simulation a set of geometrical parameters providing a reflectivity higher than 99.8 % over a 50-nm span. We then study the limitations induced by the finite value of the optical waist and lateral size of the NWG pattern using different numerical approaches. The NWG grating, pierced in a suspended InP 265 nm-thick membrane, is used to form a compact microcavity involving the suspended nano-membrane as end mirror. The resulting cavity has a waist size smaller than 10 $\mu$m and a finesse in the 200 range. It is used to probe the Brownian motion of the mechanical modes of the nanomembrane

Cauchy theory for general kinetic vicsek models in collective dynamics and mean-field limit approximations

In this paper we provide a local Cauchy theory both on the torus and in the whole space for general Vicsek dynamics at the kinetic level. We consider rather general interaction kernels, nonlinear viscosity, and nonlinear friction. Particularly, we include normalized kernels which display a singularity when the flux of particles vanishes. Thus, in terms of the Cauchy theory for the kinetic equation, we extend to more general interactions and complete the program initiated in [I. M. Gamba and M.-J. Kang, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 222 (2016), pp. 317--342] (where the authors assume that the singularity does not take place) and in [A. Figalli, M.-J. Kang, and J. Morales, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 227 (2018), pp. 869--896] (where the authors prove that the singularity does not happen in the spatially homogeneous case). Moreover, we derive an explicit lower time of existence as well as a global existence criterion that is applicable, among other cases, to obtain a long time theory for nonrenormalized kernels and for the original Vicsek problem without any a priori assumptions. On the second part of the paper, we also establish the mean-field limit in the large particle limit for an approximated (regularized) system that coincides with the original one whenever the flux does not vanish. Based on the results proved for the limit kinetic equation, we prove that for short times, the probability that the dynamics of this approximated particle system coincides with the original singular dynamics tends to one in the many particle limit

Breakdown of Scaling in the Nonequilibrium Critical Dynamics of the Two-Dimensional XY Model

The approach to equilibrium, from a nonequilibrium initial state, in a system at its critical point is usually described by a scaling theory with a single growing length scale, $\xi(t) \sim t^{1/z}$, where z is the dynamic exponent that governs the equilibrium dynamics. We show that, for the 2D XY model, the rate of approach to equilibrium depends on the initial condition. In particular, $\xi(t) \sim t^{1/2}$ if no free vortices are present in the initial state, while $\xi(t) \sim (t/\ln t)^{1/2}$ if free vortices are present.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Quantifying the Energetics and Length Scales of Carbon Segregation to Fe Symmetric Tilt Grain Boundaries Using Atomistic Simulations

Segregation of impurities to grain boundaries plays an important role in both the stability and macroscopic behavior of polycrystalline materials. The research objective in this work is to better characterize the energetics and length scales involved with the process of solute and impurity segregation to grain boundaries. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to calculate the segregation energies for carbon within multiple grain boundary sites over a database of 125 symmetric tilt grain boundaries in Fe. The simulation results show that the majority of atomic sites near the grain boundary have segregation energies lower than in the bulk. Moreover, depending on the boundary, the segregation energies approach the bulk value approximately 5-12 \AA\ away from the center of the grain boundary, providing an energetic length scale for carbon segregation. A subsequent data reduction and statistical representation of this dataset provides critical information such as about the mean segregation energy and the associated energy distributions for carbon atoms as a function of distance from the grain boundary, which quantitatively informs higher scale models with energetics and length scales necessary for capturing the segregation behavior of impurities in Fe. The significance of this research is the development of a methodology capable of ascertaining segregation energies over a wide range of grain boundary character (typical of that observed in polycrystalline materials), which herein has been applied to carbon segregation in a specific class of grain boundaries in iron

Ranking hospitals based on preventable hospital death rates:a systematic review with implications for both direct measurement and indirect measurement through standardized mortality rates

Objectives There is interest in monitoring avoidable or preventable deaths measured directly or indirectly through standardized mortality rates (SMRs). We reviewed studies that use implicit case note reviews to estimate the range of preventable death rates observed, the measurement characteristics of those estimates, and the measurement procedures used to generate them. We comment on the implications for monitoring SMRs and illustrate a way to calculate the number of reviews needed to establish a reliable estimate of preventability of one death or the hospital preventable death rate. Design Systematic review of the literature supplemented by re-analysis of authors previously published and un-published data and measurement design calculations. Data source Searches in PubMed, MEDLINE (OvidSP) and Web of Knowledge in June 2012, updated December 2017. Eligibility criteria Studies of hospital-wide admissions from general and acute medical wards where preventable deaths rates are provided or can be estimate and which can provide inter- observer variations. Results Twenty-four studies were included from 1983-2017. Recent larger studies suggest consistently low rates of preventable deaths (3.0-6.5% since 2012). Reliability of a single review for distinguishing between individual cases with regard to the preventability of death had a Kappa rate of 0.27-0.50 for deaths and 0.24-0.76 for adverse events. A Kappa of 0.35 would require an average of 8-17 reviews of a single case to be precise enough to have confidence about high stakes decisions to change care procedures or impose sanctions within a hospital as a result. No study estimated the variation in preventable deaths across hospitals, although we were able to re-analyse one study to obtain an estimate. Based on this estimate, 200-300 total case-note reviews per hospital could be required to reliably distinguish between hospitals. The studies display considerable heterogeneity: 13/24 studies defined preventable with a threshold of ≥4 in a six-category Likert scale; 11/24 involved a two-stage screening process with nurses at the first stage and physicians at the second. Fifteen studies provided expert clinical review support for reviewer disagreements, advice, or quality control. A ‘generalist/internist’ was the modal physician specialty for reviewers and they received 1-3 days of generic tools orientation and case-note review practice. Methods did not consider the influence of human or environmental factors. Conclusions The literature provides limited information about the measurement characteristics of preventable deaths that suggests substantial numbers of reviews may be needed to create reliable estimates of preventable deaths at the individual or hospital level. Any operational program would require population specific estimates of reliability. Preventable death rates are low, which is likely to make it difficult to use SMRs based on all deaths to validly profile hospitals. The literature provides little information to guide improvements in the measurement procedures. Systematic review registration The systematic review was conceived prior to PROSPERO, and so has not been registered