6,180 research outputs found
Emissions Trading and the Convergence of the Australian Electricity and Transport Markets
Bottom up partial equilibrium modelling of the energy sector has tended to focus on the electricity sector given its typically large share of total emissions, the deregulation of that market in many countries and the relatively well understood technology options. In contrast, this paper employs a model of the energy sector to investigate the proportion electricity and transport may contribute given the relative cost of abatement in those sectors, for specified emission targets. A related issue is the potential convergence of the two sectors through greater uptake of electrically powered transport.Energy, Emissions trading, Electricity and transport, integrated modelling, Environmental Economics and Policy, Public Economics,
DNA methyltransferase candidate polymorphisms, imprinting methylation, and birth outcome
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: The nearby supermassive black hole mass function
We highlight the correlation between a galaxy's supermassive black hole mass
and the Sersic-index of the host spheroid or bulge component. From our
bulge-disk decompositions of 10 095 galaxies, drawn from the Millennium Galaxy
Catalogue, we construct the local (z < 0.18) mass function of supermassive
black holes. We compare our results to those of McLure & Dunlop (2004) and
conclude that the mass density of supermassive black holes may be marginally
higher than previously supposed. This increase is predominantly due to the
inclusion of low mass and later-type bulges. More details will be presented in
a forthcoming paper.Comment: Contributed article to the Fabulous Destiny of Galaxies meetin
Characterisation of dispersions within annealed HVOLF thermally sprayed AlSnCu coatings
High velocity oxy-liquid fuel (HVOLF) AlSnCu coatings are characterised following annealing for up to 5 hours at 300°C. A combination of statistical analysis of BSE images and TEM observations demonstrate the decrease in the number of sub-micron and nanoscale Sn particles with annealing, commensurate with a decrease in the coating microhardness. TEM evidence further suggests the coarsening of nanoscale Sn through a mechanism of a liquid phase migration within the Al matrix. EELS and EFTEM additionally allow the identification of the precipitation of theta'
Breast cancer risk and imprinting methylation in blood
Date of Acceptance: 17/08/2015 Acknowledgements This study was supported by the Breast Cancer Campaign (2008MayPR46) and Fraserburgh Moonlight Prowl Breast Cancer Charity. PH, GH and GWH acknowledge the support of the Scottish Government. We would like to thank Val Bain and Michela Donnarumma for help with the data and sample collection.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Separating baryons and dark matter in cluster cores: a full 2-D lensing and dynamic analysis of Abell 383 and MS2137-23
(abridged) We utilize existing imaging and spectroscopic data for the galaxy
clusters MS2137-23 and Abell 383 to present improved measures of the
distribution of dark and baryonic material in the clusters' central regions.
Our method, based on the combination of gravitational lensing and dynamical
data, is uniquely capable of separating the distribution of dark and baryonic
components at scales below 100 kpc. We find a variety of strong lensing models
fit the available data, including some with dark matter profiles as steep as
expected from recent simulations. However, when combined with stellar velocity
dispersion data for the brightest member, shallower inner slopes than predicted
by numerical simulations are preferred. For Abell 383, the preferred shallow
inner slopes are statistically a good fit only when the multiple image position
uncertainties associated with our lens model are assumed to be 0\farcs5, to
account for unknown substructure. No statistically satisfactory fit was
obtained matching both the multiple image lensing data and the velocity
dispersion profile of the brightest cluster galaxy in MS2137-23. This suggests
that the mass model we are using, which comprises a pseudo-elliptical
generalized NFW profile and a brightest cluster galaxy component may
inadequately represent the inner cluster regions. This may plausibly arise due
to halo triaxiality or by the gravitational interaction of baryons and dark
matter in cluster cores. However, the progress made via this detailed study
highlights the key role that complementary observations of lensed features and
stellar dynamics offer in understanding the interaction between dark and
baryonic matter on non-linear scales in the central regions of clusters.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Low-threshold organic laser based on an oligofluorene truxene with low optical losses
A blue-emitting distributed feedback laser based on a star-shaped oligofluorene truxene molecule is presented. The gain, loss, refractive index, and (lack of) anisotropy are measured by amplified spontaneous emission and variable-angle ellipsometry. The waveguide losses are very low for an organic semiconductor gain medium, particularly for a neat film. The results suggest that truxenes are promising for reducing loss, a key parameter in the operation of organic semiconductor lasers. Distributed feedback lasers fabricated from solution by spin-coating show a low lasing threshold of 270 W/cm(2) and broad tunability across 25 nm in the blue part of the spectrum
Multimorbidity and socioeconomic deprivation in primary care consultations
Purpose: The influence of multimorbidity on the clinical encounter is poorly understood, especially in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation where burdensome multimorbidity is concentrated. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of multimorbidity on general practice consultations, in areas of high and low deprivation.
Methods: We conducted secondary analyses of 659 video-recorded routine consultations involving 25 general practitioners (GPs) in deprived areas and 22 in affluent areas of Scotland. Patients rated the GPâs empathy using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure immediately after the consultation. Videos were analyzed using the Measure of Patient-Centered Communication. Multilevel, multi-regression analysis identified differences between the groups.
Results: In affluent areas, patients with multimorbidity received longer consultations than patients without multimorbidity (mean 12.8 minutes vs 9.3, respectively; P = .015), but this was not so in deprived areas (mean 9.9 minutes vs 10.0 respectively; P = .774). In affluent areas, patients with multimorbidity perceived their GP as more empathic (P = .009) than patients without multimorbidity; this difference was not found in deprived areas (P = .344). Video analysis showed that GPs in affluent areas were more attentive to the disease and illness experience in patients with multimorbidity (P < .031) compared with patients without multimorbidity. This was not the case in deprived areas (P = .727).
Conclusions: In deprived areas, the greater need of patients with multimorbidity is not reflected in the longer consultation length, higher GP patient centeredness, and higher perceived GP empathy found in affluent areas. Action is required to redress this mismatch of need and service provision for patients with multimorbidity if health inequalities are to be narrowed rather than widened by primary care
The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: The connection between close pairs and asymmetry; implications for the galaxy merger rate
We compare the use of galaxy asymmetry and pair proximity for measuring
galaxy merger fractions and rates for a volume limited sample of 3184 galaxies
with -21 < M(B) -5 log h < -18 mag. and 0.010 < z < 0.123 drawn from the
Millennium Galaxy Catalogue. Our findings are that:
(i) Galaxies in close pairs are generally more asymmetric than isolated
galaxies and the degree of asymmetry increases for closer pairs. At least 35%
of close pairs (with projected separation of less than 20 h^{-1} kpc and
velocity difference of less than 500 km s^{-1}) show significant asymmetry and
are therefore likely to be physically bound.
(ii) Among asymmetric galaxies, we find that at least 80% are either
interacting systems or merger remnants. However, a significant fraction of
galaxies initially identified as asymmetric are contaminated by nearby stars or
are fragmented by the source extraction algorithm. Merger rates calculated via
asymmetry indices need careful attention in order to remove the above sources
of contamination, but are very reliable once this is carried out.
(iii) Close pairs and asymmetries represent two complementary methods of
measuring the merger rate. Galaxies in close pairs identify future mergers,
occurring within the dynamical friction timescale, while asymmetries are
sensitive to the immediate pre-merger phase and identify remnants.
(iv) The merger fraction derived via the close pair fraction and asymmetries
is about 2% for a merger rate of (5.2 +- 1.0) 10^{-4} h^3 Mpc^{-3} Gyr^{-1}.
These results are marginally consistent with theoretical simulations (depending
on the merger time-scale), but imply a flat evolution of the merger rate with
redshift up to z ~1.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, emulateapj format. ApJ, accepte
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