Second generation of AVTIS FMCW millimeter wave radars for mapping volcanic terrain

The second generation AVTIS ground-based millimeter wave instruments designed for monitoring topography of volcanic lava domes are solid state 94 GHz FMCW rastered, real beam radars operating at ranges of up to ~7 km with a range resolution of ~2.5 m. Operating ten times faster than the prototype with reduced power consumption suitable for battery powered portable use as well as installation at a telemetered site under solar power, we examine their performance as tools for monitoring topography over time and report on the operational statistics both as a radar sensor and as a means of generating digital elevation maps.Publisher PD

Submillimetre wave 3D imaging radar for security applications

There is ongoing worldwide interest in finding solutions to enhance the security of civilians at airports, borders and high risk public areas in ways which are safe, ethical and streamlined. One promising approach is to use submillimetre wave 3D imaging radar to detect concealed threats as it offers the advantages of high volumetric resolution (~1 cm3) with practically sized antennas (<0.5 m) such that even quite small objects can be resolved through clothing. The Millimetre Wave Group at the University of St Andrews has been developing submillimetre wave 3D imaging radars for security applications since 2007. A significant goal is to achieve near real-time frame rates of at least 10 Hz, to cope with dynamic scenes, over wide fields of view at short range with high pixel counts. We review the radar systems we have developed at 340 and 220 GHz and the underpinning technologies which we have employed to realise these goals.PostprintNon peer reviewe

Impacts of aquaculture on social networks in the mangrove systems of northern Vietnam

Mangrove systems are one of the most complex and productive ecosystems on Earth, providing crucial livelihood support to coastal communities in developing countries. However, mangrove systems are being degraded and lost at an alarming rate globally. In Vietnam, the principal threat to mangrove systems is their conversion to aquaculture. Historically, mangrove system dependent communities (MSDC) have responded to change through their livelihoods and social networks, using social capital to self-organise and access crucial livelihood resources. However, little is known about the impact of different degrees of aquaculture on MSDC livelihoods and social networks, and what this means for the resilience of these communities and their ability to self-organise in response to change. Using a quantitative approach based on empirical household survey data, we assess the association between aquaculture and the livelihoods and social networks of three coastal communities of northern Vietnam. Results indicate that greater degrees of aquaculture are associated with: greater income inequality and lower livelihood diversity; and larger and less dense social networks. The increased influence of market-based relations associated with greater degrees of aquaculture has implications for resilience through the socio-economic differentiation and fragmentation of MSDC networks, which reduces social capital and the ability to self-organise in response to change. A diversity of network ties is required in order to connect various groups within MSDC. This can enable shared identification and understanding of the issues facing mangrove systems in order to facilitate self-organisation, and foster the resilience necessary for the sustainable governance of mangrove systems

Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) 2015: advancing efficient methodologies through community partnerships and team science

It is well documented that the majority of adults, children and families in need of evidence-based behavioral health interventionsi do not receive them [1, 2] and that few robust empirically supported methods for implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) exist. The Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) represents a burgeoning effort to advance the innovation and rigor of implementation research and is uniquely focused on bringing together researchers and stakeholders committed to evaluating the implementation of complex evidence-based behavioral health interventions. Through its diverse activities and membership, SIRC aims to foster the promise of implementation research to better serve the behavioral health needs of the population by identifying rigorous, relevant, and efficient strategies that successfully transfer scientific evidence to clinical knowledge for use in real world settings [3]. SIRC began as a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded conference series in 2010 (previously titled the “Seattle Implementation Research Conference”; $150,000 USD for 3 conferences in 2011, 2013, and 2015) with the recognition that there were multiple researchers and stakeholdersi working in parallel on innovative implementation science projects in behavioral health, but that formal channels for communicating and collaborating with one another were relatively unavailable. There was a significant need for a forum within which implementation researchers and stakeholders could learn from one another, refine approaches to science and practice, and develop an implementation research agenda using common measures, methods, and research principles to improve both the frequency and quality with which behavioral health treatment implementation is evaluated. SIRC’s membership growth is a testament to this identified need with more than 1000 members from 2011 to the present.ii SIRC’s primary objectives are to: (1) foster communication and collaboration across diverse groups, including implementation researchers, intermediariesi, as well as community stakeholders (SIRC uses the term “EBP champions” for these groups) – and to do so across multiple career levels (e.g., students, early career faculty, established investigators); and (2) enhance and disseminate rigorous measures and methodologies for implementing EBPs and evaluating EBP implementation efforts. These objectives are well aligned with Glasgow and colleagues’ [4] five core tenets deemed critical for advancing implementation science: collaboration, efficiency and speed, rigor and relevance, improved capacity, and cumulative knowledge. SIRC advances these objectives and tenets through in-person conferences, which bring together multidisciplinary implementation researchers and those implementing evidence-based behavioral health interventions in the community to share their work and create professional connections and collaborations

Data underpinning - The use of Composite Pulses for improving DEER signal at 94 GHz

Raw data output from the spectrometer for DEER, refocused echo and field swept echo experiments as detailed in the paper. All fields can be opened using a text editor

Zubryckis point: Amongst Equals, utilitarian film in the Australian labour movement

A film history project on the Australian trade union movement commissioned in the late 1980s for Australias bicentennial year, 1988, came to grief over differing views of the labour movements past and contention around the rights and ethics of the filmmaker when a work is commissioned or sponsored. In the political context of the late 1980s there had been a decade of collaboration between trade unions and artists, but in this case filmmaker Tom Zubrycki was caught in a web of intrigue and complex agendas as he sought to complete this sponsored film. Zubrycki challenged the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) for the right to finish and distribute Amongst Equals, but without success. The struggle to resolve the Amongst Equals dispute continued for years and flared into a heated public debate. This case study illustrates dilemmas facing the artist, historian or filmmaker making sponsored work. A feature-length version of the unfinished film, not seen since 1991with inter-titles identifying scenes that the ACTU wanted revised or deleted was screened by Melbourne Cinematheque in October 2018, marking 30 years since the Australian bicentennial

Social Exclusion, Risk and the UK Youth Labour Market.

This chapter presents empirical evidence on the labour market experiences of marginalised youth in the UK, and thus the relevance of policies that rely on labour market participation to overcome social exclusion. It is based on research carried out using extensive qualitative data collection and analysis. The findings suggest that social exclusion of young people in local settings is reinforced by their reliance on local labour market structures, attendant incomes, and family sources and welfare agencies. The chapter first discusses the evolution of social exclusion policies in the UK, presenting the principles of current policies oriented towards tackling social exclusion via labour market participation. Secondly, it explicates the experiences of young socially excluded people in fragmented labour markets and trapped in the low income cycle. In addition, the chapter shows how household income and family structures play a central role in shaping young people’s choices in the labour market. Furthermore, this part will discuss the relatively limited role of welfare agencies, contrasting it with the influence of informal networks. Finally, the chapter emphasises the implications of the findings, presenting the limits of individualised youth social polic