The optical and near-infrared properties of nearby groups of galaxies

We present a study of the optical (BRI) and near-infrared (JHK) luminosity fuctions (LFs) of the GEMS sample of 60 nearby groups of galaxies between 0<z<0.04, with our optical CCD photometry and near-IR photometry from the 2MASS survey. The LFs in all filters show a depletion of galaxies of intermediate luminosity, two magnitudes fainter than L*, within 0.3 R{500} from the centres of X-ray faint groups. This feature is not as pronounced in X-ray bright gropus, and vanishes when LFs are found out to R{500}, even in the X-ray dim groups. We argue that this feature arises due to the enhanced merging of intermediate-mass galaxies in the dynamically sluggish environment of low velocity-dispersion groups, indicating that merging is important in galaxy evolution even at z~0.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the ESO workshop "Groups of Galaxies in the Nearby Universe", Santiago, Dec 5-9, 2005. Eds. I. Saviane, V. Ivanov, & J. Borissova (Springer Verlag); 5 page

External walls partially filled with insulation, and the potential to "top-up" the residual cavity.

This review found that the connecting voids in partially filled cavity walls leads to considerable variation in thermal performance. Whilst photographic records found considerable evidence of gaps in the insulation resulting from poor site practice and installation, research also shows that relatively small breaks between insulation sheets or gaps between the wall and insulation result in a thermal bypass. As the gaps and connecting voids increase air circulation, convection currents and pressure induced exchanges reduce the effectiveness of the thermal barrier. Where effective installation is possible, the topping up of partially filled cavity walls with insulation shows potential to improve the thermal performance of the wall. In the cases reviewed, the installation of blown mineral wool fill reduced variation in heat flow and increased thermal performance. By filling the voids with insulation the passage of air and thermal bypasses were restricted

Plasma deposition of constrained layer damping coatings

Plasma techniques are used to generate constrained layer damping (CLD) coatings on metallic substrates. The process involves the deposition of relatively thick, hard ceramic layers on to soft polymeric damping materials while maintaining the integrity of both layers. Reactive plasma sputter-deposition from an aluminium alloy target is used to deposit alumina layers, with Young's modulus in the range 77-220GPa and thickness up to 335 μ, on top of a silicone film. This methodology is also used to deposit a 40 μ alumina layer on a conventional viscoelastic damping film to produce an integral damping coating. Plasma CLD systems are shown to give at least 50 per cent more damping than equivalent metal-foil-based treatments. Numerical methods for rapid prediction of the performance of such coatings are discussed and validated by comparison with experimental results

Maternal legacy: Unraveling the crucial role of the parental population against larval nutrition and its profound impact on developmental trajectories and morphological outcomes in Pseudechinus huttoni (Echinoidea: Temnopleuridae) larvae

This study examined the relative contribution of parental population and larval diet on development and larval characteristics in Pseudechinus huttoni. We further investigated the effects of parental population on egg traits. Two populations of sea urchins were selected—shallow and deep—with a known difference in nutritional history, where the deep population showed poor nutritional condition and lower egg size. However, eggs from both populations had the same nutritional content. However, larvae from the lower-nutrition population were more advanced in growth and development, and their body shape was more flexible. More rapid growth and development and flexibility in body shape were seen in the larvae reared with high-plankton food. More importantly, the parental population contributed more towards variations in larval growth and shape than to the diet received by larvae. Additionally, larvae from the low-nutrition parental population were nutritionally increased, which could indicate that this parental effect is more than just a simple change in egg composition

The neural correlates of emotion regulation by implementation intentions

Several studies have investigated the neural basis of effortful emotion regulation (ER) but the neural basis of automatic ER has been less comprehensively explored. The present study investigated the neural basis of automatic ER supported by ‘implementation intentions’. 40 healthy participants underwent fMRI while viewing emotion-eliciting images and used either a previously-taught effortful ER strategy, in the form of a goal intention (e.g., try to take a detached perspective), or a more automatic ER strategy, in the form of an implementation intention (e.g., “If I see something disgusting, then I will think these are just pixels on the screen!”), to regulate their emotional response. Whereas goal intention ER strategies were associated with activation of brain areas previously reported to be involved in effortful ER (including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), ER strategies based on an implementation intention strategy were associated with activation of right inferior frontal gyrus and ventro-parietal cortex, which may reflect the attentional control processes automatically captured by the cue for action contained within the implementation intention. Goal intentions were also associated with less effective modulation of left amygdala, supporting the increased efficacy of ER under implementation intention instructions, which showed coupling of orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala. The findings support previous behavioural studies in suggesting that forming an implementation intention enables people to enact goal-directed responses with less effort and more efficiency

A framework for power analysis using a structural equation modelling procedure

BACKGROUND: This paper demonstrates how structural equation modelling (SEM) can be used as a tool to aid in carrying out power analyses. For many complex multivariate designs that are increasingly being employed, power analyses can be difficult to carry out, because the software available lacks sufficient flexibility. Satorra and Saris developed a method for estimating the power of the likelihood ratio test for structural equation models. Whilst the Satorra and Saris approach is familiar to researchers who use the structural equation modelling approach, it is less well known amongst other researchers. The SEM approach can be equivalent to other multivariate statistical tests, and therefore the Satorra and Saris approach to power analysis can be used. METHODS: The covariance matrix, along with a vector of means, relating to the alternative hypothesis is generated. This represents the hypothesised population effects. A model (representing the null hypothesis) is then tested in a structural equation model, using the population parameters as input. An analysis based on the chi-square of this model can provide estimates of the sample size required for different levels of power to reject the null hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS: The SEM based power analysis approach may prove useful for researchers designing research in the health and medical spheres

Infrastructure Management: Development of a Business Model for Transport Infrastructure Interdependencies Management

There is ongoing debate about the value of the benefits of infrastructure systems (specifically those of energy, water & wastewater, transport, waste, and communications) and how to prioritize infrastructure investments to encompass considerations of social, economic and environmental wellbeing. The use of the term ‘infrastructure system’ is related to interdependencies. Infrastructure systems operating in different countries and cities are interrelated in different ways, but all have a strong relationship to ‘transport’ – there is a cost and a utility associated with movement. Infrastructure systems are ultimately created to serve individuals, who place a value on them. In order to explore all forms of value realisation – what is commonly termed a business model – the relationship between an individual and the transport system needs to be established. The hypothesis being tested in this paper is that it is possible to identify both the full range of value interdependencies required, and hence to establish a robust business model, for transport infrastructure interdependencies management in terms of social, economic and environmental wellbeing with the other four national infrastructure sectors in the UK (see above). Different research methods were used for each type of value: economic and environmental value were analysed through Pearson correlation coefficient of secondary data, social value was analysed through statistical analysis (mean, median, mode) of primary data. The new business model challenges the monodirectional value creation of more traditional business models by considering the interdependent bidirectional value creation