The smoking ban: Perceptions of safety on Edinburgh’s scene

The smoking ban was introduced in Scotland on the 26th March, 2006 making smoking in enclosed public places illegal (Haw et al., 2006). Generally the ban has the support of the majority of Scotland’s population. For example, of the 1,040 individuals interviewed, 73% thought that the ban had been very successful or successful. A number of strategies have been set in motion to assess the significant health gains that the ban entails for the population of Scotland. However, one aspect of health that has not been considered in the evaluative process is that of personal safety as a consequence of standing outside public venues (Clearingtheairscotland.com, 2007). In Scotland, those studies aimed at evaluating the impact of the smoking ban have, to all intents and purposes, ignored members of Scotland’s LGB population, focusing primarily upon the impact of the ban for families and children. Thus, LGBs represent a silent group in this nationwide evaluation. Consequently, the aim of this exploratory (qualitative) study is to understand the effects of the new social regime on LGBs who smoke

Criteria for vibration testing

Systematic application of response spectral analysis and other analyses determine damping sensitivity of flight environment and candidate laboratory tests. Computerized comparison is made between response spectrum for flight environment, or enveloping spectra for collection of flight events, and response spectrum for candidate laboratory test

The distribution of ctenophora in the Patuxent estuary during the summer of 1958

Investigation of Ctenophores in the Chesapeake Bay area, includes some aspects of their life history, growth, reproduction, feeding and food habits, abundance and distribution. the purpose of the entire project is to supplement and add to the biological knowledge and understanding of ctenophores as a group and of the several individual species found int he area to be studied. Includes possible factors involved and implications also being looked at. (PDF contains 33 pages

Autonomous model protocell division driven by molecular replication

The coupling of compartmentalisation with molecular replication is thought to be crucial for the emergence of the first evolvable chemical systems. Minimal artificial replicators have been designed based on molecular recognition, inspired by the template copying of DNA, but none yet have been coupled to compartmentalisation. Here, we present an oil-in-water droplet system comprising an amphiphilic imine dissolved in chloroform that catalyses its own formation by bringing together a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic precursor, which leads to repeated droplet division. We demonstrate that the presence of the amphiphilic replicator, by lowering the interfacial tension between droplets of the reaction mixture and the aqueous phase, causes them to divide. Periodic sampling by a droplet-robot demonstrates that the extent of fission is increased as the reaction progresses, producing more compartments with increased self-replication. This bridges a divide, showing how replication at the molecular level can be used to drive macroscale droplet fission

A biomechanical analysis of the heavy sprint-style sled pull and comparison with the back squat

This study compared the biomechanical characteristics of the heavy sprint-style sled pull and squat. Six experienced male strongman athletes performed sled pulls and squats at 70% of their 1RM squat. Significant kinematic and kinetic differences were observed between the sled pull start and squat at the start of the concentric phase and at maximum knee extension. The first stride of the heavy sled pull demonstrated significantly (

Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Spot Welded Sheet Metal Beams

Although widely employed as structural components in the auto industry, spot welded sheet metal beams manifest static and dynamic behavior that is not well characterized. For the present study, sample beams of three representative cross-sections—hat, box and box with partition—were fabricated of sheet steel. The spacing between the spot welds that hold these sections together was varied from 25.4 mm (1 in.) to 203.2 mm (8 in.) using a 25.4 mm (1 in.) increment. The beams were subjected to static bending and static torsion tests, and bending and torsional stiffnesses were determined as functions of spot weld spacing. The beams were then vibrated, and significant lower natural frequencies were determined as functions of spot weld spacing. Mode shapes were also observed for these frequencies. Pains were taken throughout the testing to ensure that the results obtained were of good statistical quality. Work was also done to distinguish the effect on results of beam length and end conditions from that of spot weld spacing. As part of the study finite element models of the beams were constructed. The results of finite element analysis (FEA) and experiment are compared, and insights are offered concerning the appropriate modeling of such structures. © 1995 ASME

Bourgeois queens and high stakes games in the ant Aphaenogaster senilis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many animals face some form of conflict over reproductive opportunities. Queen selection in social insect colonies represents a high-stakes conflict where competition occurs among multiple queens for a few or a single reproductive role(s). The outcome of the contest is critical to the fitness of all colony individuals as most are sterile, and thus represents a conflict at multiple levels. <it>Aphaenogaster senilis </it>is a monogynous, monandrous, fission performing ant, in which queen selection occurs during colony fission and when replacement queens are produced to overcome orphaning. First-born queens are usually behaviourally dominant over subsequent queens, and eventually inherit the colony. We investigated the importance of physical dominance in queen selection in orphaned groups by manipulating the fighting ability of first-born queens via mandibular ablation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>First emerged queens were heavier than second emerged queens, performed almost all aggression, were behaviourally dominant 92% of the time, and prevailed in 76% of groups after co-existing for 16 days on average. Mandibular ablation had no effect on queen behaviour or contest outcome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Aggression is probably ritualised and contests are decided by workers based on relative queen fertility. First-born queens thus have an inherent advantage over second-born queens as they have more time to develop ovaries. Subordinates never retaliated against aggression from dominants and this lack of retaliation can be interpreted as a form of bourgeois strategy as dominants were almost always first-born. However, the lack of alternative reproductive options makes not-fighting effectively a form of suicide. High relatedness between full-sister queens means that subordinates may be better off sacrificing themselves than risking injury to both queens by fighting.</p

Self-sacrifice in 'desperado' contests between relatives

Intra-specific competition occurs in all animal species and can lead to escalated conflict. Overt fighting entails the risk of injury or death, and is usually avoided through the use of conventions or pre-fight assessments. However, overt fighting can be expected when value of the contest outweighs the value of the future, as contestants have little or nothing to lose. In these situations, respect for conventions and asymmetries between contestants can break down, and overt fighting becomes more likely (the desperado effect). Such conditions can arise in contests between queens over colony ownership in social insects, because the value of inheriting a colony of potentially thousands of helpers is huge and queens may have very limited alternative reproductive options. However, in social species the balance of possible outcomes may be influenced by inclusive fitness, as contestants are often relatives. Here we present a simple model based on social insects, which demonstrates that not fighting can be selectively advantageous when there is a risk posed by fighting to inclusive fitness, even when not fighting is likely to result in death. If contestants are related, a loser can still gain indirect fitness through the winner, whereas fighting introduces a risk that both queens will die and thereby obtain zero inclusive fitness. When relatedness is high and fighting poses a risk of all contestants dying, it can be advantageous to cede the contest and be killed, rather than risk everything by fighting

Learning in stomatopod crustaceans

The stomatopod crustaceans, or mantis shrimps, are marine predators that stalk or ambush prey and that have complex intraspecific communication behavior. Their active lifestyles, means of predation, and intricate displays all require unusual flexibility in interacting with the world around them, implying a well-developed ability to learn. Stomatopods have highly evolved sensory systems, including some of the most specialized visual systems known for any animal group. Some species have been demonstrated to learn how to recognize and use novel, artificial burrows, while others are known to learn how to identify novel prey species and handle them for effective predation. Stomatopods learn the identities of individual competitors and mates, using both chemical and visual cues. Furthermore, stomatopods can be trained for psychophysical examination of their sensory abilities, including demonstration of color and polarization vision. These flexible and intelligent invertebrates continue to be attractive subjects for basic research on learning in animals with relatively simple nervous systems

Effects of Parkinson’s disease on optic flow perception for heading direction during navigation

Visuoperceptual disorders have been identified in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and may affect the perception of optic flow for heading direction during navigation. Studies in healthy subjects have confirmed that heading direction can be determined by equalizing the optic flow speed (OS) between visual fields. The present study investigated the effects of PD on the use of optic flow for heading direction, walking parameters, and interlimb coordination during navigation, examining the contributions of OS and spatial frequency (dot density). Twelve individuals with PD without dementia, 18 age-matched normal control adults (NC), and 23 young control adults (YC) walked through a virtual hallway at about 0.8 m/s. The hallway was created by random dots on side walls. Three levels of OS (0.8, 1.2, and 1.8 m/s) and dot density (1, 2, and 3 dots/m2) were presented on one wall while on the other wall, OS and dot density were fixed at 0.8 m/s and 3 dots/m2, respectively. Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected, and lateral drift, walking speed, stride frequency and length, and frequency, and phase relations between arms and legs were calculated. A significant linear effect was observed on lateral drift to the wall with lower OS for YC and NC, but not for PD. Compared to YC and NC, PD veered more to the left under OS and dot density conditions. The results suggest that healthy adults perceive optic flow for heading direction. Heading direction in PD may be more affected by the asymmetry of dopamine levels between the hemispheres and by motor lateralization as indexed by handedness.Published versio