Sources of shore sediment on the north coast of Tasmania

Following a conclusion that beach sands on the north coast of Tasmania have been subjected to little longshore translocation, an attempt is made to establish their immediate provenance by examining a range of sedimentological characters. It is concluded that most of the sand body was immediately derived from the shelf at and after the postglacial marine transgression. Almost all of the remainder was supplied in the last 6000 years by erosion of coastal bedrock or accession of biogenic carbonate, with little or no contribution from the rivers

Are Recent Peculiar Velocity Surveys Consistent?

We compare the bulk flow of the SMAC sample to the predictions of popular cosmological models and to other recent large-scale peculiar velocity surveys. Both analyses account for aliasing of small-scale power due to the sparse and non-uniform sampling of the surveys. We conclude that the SMAC bulk flow is in marginal conflict with flat COBE-normalized Lambda-CDM models which fit the cluster abundance constraint. However, power spectra which are steeper shortward of the peak are consistent with all of the above constraints. When recent large-scale peculiar velocity surveys are compared, we conclude that all measured bulk flows (with the possible exception of that of Lauer & Postman) are consistent with each other given the errors, provided the latter allow for `cosmic covariance'. A rough estimate of the mean bulk flow of all surveys (except Lauer & Postman) is ~400 km/s towards l=270, b=0.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Proceedings of the Cosmic Flows Workshop, Victoria, B. C., Canada, July 1999, eds. S. Courteau, M. Strauss, and J. Willic

Mechanism and function of drosophila capa GPCR: a desiccation stress-responsive receptor with functional homology to human neuromedinU receptor

The capa peptide receptor, capaR (CG14575), is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) for the D. melanogaster capa neuropeptides, Drm-capa-1 and -2 (capa-1 and -2). To date, the capa peptide family constitutes the only known nitridergic peptides in insects, so the mechanisms and physiological function of ligand-receptor signalling of this peptide family are of interest. Capa peptide induces calcium signaling via capaR with EC50 values for capa-1 = 3.06 nM and capa-2 = 4.32 nM. capaR undergoes rapid desensitization, with internalization via a b-arrestin-2 mediated mechanism but is rapidly re-sensitized in the absence of capa-1. Drosophila capa peptides have a C-terminal -FPRXamide motif and insect-PRXamide peptides are evolutionarily related to vertebrate peptide neuromedinU (NMU). Potential agonist effects of human NMU-25 and the insect -PRLamides [Drosophila pyrokinins Drm-PK-1 (capa-3), Drm-PK-2 and hugin-gamma [hugg]] against capaR were investigated. NMU-25, but not hugg nor Drm-PK-2, increases intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels via capaR. In vivo, NMU-25 increases [Ca2+]i and fluid transport by the Drosophila Malpighian (renal) tubule. Ectopic expression of human NMU receptor 2 in tubules of transgenic flies results in increased [Ca2+]i and fluid transport. Finally, anti-porcine NMU-8 staining of larval CNS shows that the most highly immunoreactive cells are capa-producing neurons. These structural and functional data suggest that vertebrate NMU is a putative functional homolog of Drm-capa-1 and -2. capaR is almost exclusively expressed in tubule principal cells; cell-specific targeted capaR RNAi significantly reduces capa-1 stimulated [Ca2+]i and fluid transport. Adult capaR RNAi transgenic flies also display resistance to desiccation. Thus, capaR acts in the key fluid-transporting tissue to regulate responses to desiccation stress in the fly

Inspiratory Muscle Training Enhances Recovery Post COVID-19: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Many people recovering from COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, particularly breathlessness. We urgently need to identify safe and effective COVID-19 rehabilitative strategies. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential rehabilitative role of inspiratory muscle training (IMT).Methods: 281 adults (46.6±12.2 years; 88% female) recovering from self-reported COVID-19 (9.0±4.2 months post-acute infection) were randomized 4:1 to an eight-week IMT or a “usual care” wait list control arm. Health-related quality of life and breathlessness questionnaires (King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease (KBILD) and Transition Dyspnoea Index (TDI)), respiratory muscle strength and fitness (Chester Step Test) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The primary endpoint was KBILD total score, with the KBILD subdomains and TDI being key secondary outcomes. Results: According to intention to treat (ITT), there was no difference between groups in KBILD total score post-intervention (Control: 59.5±12.4; IMT: 58.2±12.3; P<0.05) but IMT elicited clinically meaningful improvements in the KBILD subdomains of breathlessness (Control: 59.8±12.6; IMT: 62.2±16.2; P<0.05) and chest symptoms (Control: 59.2±18.7; IMT: 64.5±18.2; P<0.05), along with clinically meaningful improvements in breathlessness according to TDI (Control: 0.9 ± 1.7 vs. 2.0 ± 2.0; P<0.05). IMT also improved respiratory muscle strength and estimated aerobic fitness. Conclusions: IMT may represent an important home-based rehabilitation strategy for wider implementation as part of COVID-19 rehabilitative strategies. Given the diverse nature of long-COVID, further research is warranted on the individual responses to rehabilitation - the withdrawal rate herein highlights that no one strategy is likely to be appropriate for all

Quantum stochastic differential equations for boson and fermion systems -- Method of Non-Equilibrium Thermo Field Dynamics

A unified canonical operator formalism for quantum stochastic differential equations, including the quantum stochastic Liouville equation and the quantum Langevin equation both of the It\^o and the Stratonovich types, is presented within the framework of Non-Equilibrium Thermo Field Dynamics (NETFD). It is performed by introducing an appropriate martingale operator in the Schr\"odinger and the Heisenberg representations with fermionic and bosonic Brownian motions. In order to decide the double tilde conjugation rule and the thermal state conditions for fermions, a generalization of the system consisting of a vector field and Faddeev-Popov ghosts to dissipative open situations is carried out within NETFD.Comment: 69 page

Quantum stochastic equation for test particle interacting with dilute Bose gas

We use the stochastic limit method to study long time quantum dynamics of a test particle interacting with a dilute Bose gas. The case of arbitrary form-factors and an arbitrary, not necessarily equilibrium, quasifree low density state of the Bose gas is considered. Starting from microscopic dynamics we derive in the low density limit a quantum white noise equation for the evolution operator. This equation is equivalent to a quantum stochastic equation driven by a quantum Poisson process with intensity $S-1$, where $S$ is the one-particle $S$ matrix. The novelty of our approach is that the equations are derived directly in terms of correlators, without use of a Fock-antiFock (or Gel'fand-Naimark-Segal) representation. Advantages of our approach are the simplicity of derivation of the limiting equation and that the algebra of the master fields and the Ito table do not depend on the initial state of the Bose gas. The notion of a causal state is introduced. We construct master fields (white noise and number operators) describing the dynamics in the low density limit and prove the convergence of chronological (causal) correlators of the field operators to correlators of the master fields in the causal state.Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, published version (few improvements

Amplifying Quiet Voices: Challenges and Opportunities for Participatory Design at an Urban Scale

Many Smart City projects are beginning to consider the role of citizens. However, current methods for engaging urban populations in participatory design activities are somewhat limited. In this paper, we describe an approach taken to empower socially disadvantaged citizens, using a variety of both social and technological tools, in a smart city project. Through analysing the nature of citizens’ concerns and proposed solutions, we explore the benefits of our approach, arguing that engaging citizens can uncover hyper-local concerns that provide a foundation for finding solutions to address citizen concerns. By reflecting on our approach, we identify four key challenges to utilising participatory design at an urban scale; balancing scale with the personal, who has control of the process, who is participating and integrating citizen-led work with local authorities. By addressing these challenges, we will be able to truly engage citizens as collaborators in co-designing their city

The Peculiar Motions of Early-Type Galaxies in Two Distant Regions VI: The Maximum Likelihood Gaussian Algorithm

The EFAR project is designed to measure the properties and peculiar motions of early-type galaxies in two distant regions. Here we describe the maximum likelihood algorithm we developed to investigate the correlations between the parameters of the EFAR database. One-, two-, and three-dimensional gaussian models are constructed to determine the mean value and intrinsic spread of the parameters, and the slopes and intrinsic parallel and orthogonal spread of the Mgb'-Mg2, Mg2-sigma, Mgb'-sigma relations, and the Fundamental Plane. In the latter case, the cluster peculiar velocities are also determined. We show that this method is superior to ``canonical'' approaches of least-squares type, which give biased slopes and biased peculiar velocities. We test the algorithm with Monte Carlo simulations of mock EFAR catalogues and derive the systematic and random errors on the estimated parameters. We find that random errors are always dominant. We estimate the influence of systematic errors due to the way clusters were selected and the hard limits and uncertainties in the selection function parameters for the galaxies. We explore the influence of uniform distributions in the Fundamental Plane parameters and the errors. We conclude that the mean peculiar motions of the EFAR clusters can be determined reliably. In particular, the placement of the two EFAR sample regions relative to the Lauer and Postman dipole allows us to strongly constrain the amplitude of the bulk motion in this direction.Comment: 43 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Body Reprogramming for fibromyalgia and central sensitivity syndrome: A preliminary evaluation

Objectives: Central sensitivity syndrome disorders such as fibromyalgia, provoke continued debate, highlighting diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainty. The Hyland model provides a way of understanding and treating the medically unexplained symptoms of central sensitivity syndromes using complexity theory and principles of adaption in network systems. The body reprogramming is a multi-modal intervention based on the Hyland model designed for patients living with medically unexplained symptoms. This preliminary, naturalistic and single-arm service evaluation set out to evaluate outcome after attending a body reprogramming course in patients living with fibromyalgia or central sensitivity syndrome. Methods: Patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia or central sensitivity syndrome were recruited. The body reprogramming courses consisting of eight sessions, each 2.5 h in length, were run at two study sites in England. Data were collected at baseline, post course and 3-months post course using questionnaires assessing symptomatology (FIQR/SIQR), Depression (PHQ9), Anxiety (GAD7) and quality of life (GQoL). Repeated measures t-tests were used, and all comparisons were conducted on an intention to treat basis. Results: In total, 198 patients with a mean age of 47.73 years were enrolled on the body reprogramming courses. Statistically and clinically significant improvement were observed in the FIQR from baseline to post course (mean change: 11.28) and baseline to follow-up (mean change: 15.09). PHQ9 scores also improved significantly from baseline to post course (mean reduction 3.72) and baseline to follow-up (mean reduction 5.59). Conclusions: Our study provides first evidence that the body reprogramming intervention is an effective approach for patients living with fibromyalgia or central sensitivity syndromes on a variety of clinical measures. Besides these promising results, important limitations of the study are discussed, and larger randomized controlled trials are clearly warranted