Mathematical model of bursting in dissociated Purkinje neurons

In vitro, Purkinje cell behaviour is sometimes studied in a dissociated soma preparation in which the dendritic projection has been cleaved. A fraction of these dissociated somas spontaneously burst. The mechanism of this bursting is incompletely understood. We have constructed a biophysical Purkinje soma model, guided and constrained by experimental reports in the literature, that can replicate the somatically driven bursting pattern and which hypothesises Persistent Na+ current (INaP) to be its burst initiator and SK K+ current (ISK) to be its burst terminator

Generation of attenuation corrected images from lidar data

The interpretation of data generated by aerosol backscatter lidars is often facilitated by presentation of RHI and PPI images. These pictures are especially useful in studies of atmospheric boundary layer structure where convective elements, stratifications and aerosol laden plumes can be easily delineated. Procedures used at the University of Wisconsin to generate lidar images on a color enhanced raster scan display are described

The MICE luminosity monitor

The MICE experiment will provide the first measurement of ionisation cooling, a technique suitable for reducing the transverse emittance of a tertiary muon beam in a future neutrino factory accelerator facility. MICE is presently in the final stages of commissioning its beam line. The MICE luminosity monitor has proved an invaluable tool throughout this process, providing independent measurements of particle rate from the MICE target, normalisation for beam line detectors and verification of simulation codes

Analysis of Qualitative Variables

A variety of qualitative dependent variable models are surveyed with attention focused on the computational aspects of their analysis. The models covered include single equation dichotomous models; single equation polychotomous models with unordered, ordered, and sequential variables; and simultaneous equation models. Care is taken to illucidate the nature of the suggested "full information" and "limited information" approaches to the simultaneous equation models and the formulation of recursive and causal chain models.

The relationship between betting and lottery play: a high frequency time-series analysis

The substitutability of different gambling products is an important concern for any jurisdiction contemplating deregulation of its gambling sector. We apply a novel daily time-series data set of daily turnover from one of Britain's leading bookmakers to analyse potential substitution between lottery play and bookmaker betting. We find some evidence that bettors do substitute away from horse race, dog race and numbers betting when the effective price of lottery tickets is unusually low, i.e. when there is a rollover or Superdraw. This substitution has a highly specific pattern of timing that varies by sector. Our results further suggest that bettors rationally engage in forward-looking substitution within their betting portfolios.

Taxation and regulation of smoking, drinking and gambling in the European Union

Smoking is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the European Union accounting for over half a million deaths each year. One in ten of all 11-year olds have been drunk twice or more times, possibly causing lasting physical and mental harm. Electronic gaming machines are the crack cocaine of gambling. Consumer sovereignty, on the other hand, indicates that people should be allowed to smoke as long as they do not harm others. There is sound medical evidence, furthermore, that a drink each day keeps the doctor away, while recreational gambling can be an enjoyable form of entertainment for many people. These and other salient facts about the harmful and positive effects of smoking, drinking and gambling provide the background for a dispassionate economic analysis of the taxation and regulation of these activities. The main message the studies convey is that it would be unrealistic to rely solely on duty levels and differentiation to curb abusive use. Duty levels do have a clear impact in restraining consumption by children and young adults - an important priority for policy. But complementary policies - including direct regulation and provision of information - also have a meaningful role to play in each of the markets for tobacco, alcohol and gambling.

Gallium arsenide quantum well-based far infrared array radiometric imager

We have built an array-based camera (FIRARI) for thermal imaging (lambda = 8 to 12 microns). FIRARI uses a square format 128 by 128 element array of aluminum gallium arsenide quantum well detectors that are indium bump bonded to a high capacity silicon multiplexer. The quantum well detectors offer good responsivity along with high response and noise uniformity, resulting in excellent thermal images without compensation for variation in pixel response. A noise equivalent temperature difference of 0.02 K at a scene temperature of 290 K was achieved with the array operating at 60 K. FIRARI demonstrated that AlGaAS quantum well detector technology can provide large format arrays with performance superior to mercury cadmium telluride at far less cost