Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor Stars in the Inner and Outer Halo Components of the Milky Way

(Abridged) Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in the halo components of the Milky Way are explored, based on accurate determinations of the carbon-to-iron ([C/Fe]) abundance ratios and kinematic quantities for over 30000 calibration stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Using our present criterion that low-metallicity stars exhibiting [C/Fe] ratios ("carbonicity") in excess of [C/Fe]$= +0.7$ are considered CEMP stars, the global frequency of CEMP stars in the halo system for \feh\ $< -1.5$ is 8%; for \feh\ $< -2.0$ it is 12%; for \feh\ $<-2.5$ it is 20%. We also confirm a significant increase in the level of carbon enrichment with declining metallicity, growing from $\sim +1.0$ at \feh\ $= -1.5$ to $\sim +1.7$ at \feh\ $= -2.7$. The nature of the carbonicity distribution function (CarDF) changes dramatically with increasing distance above the Galactic plane, $|$Z$|$. For $|$Z$|$ $< 5$ kpc, relatively few CEMP stars are identified. For distances $|$Z$|$ $> 5$ kpc, the CarDF exhibits a strong tail towards high values, up to [C/Fe] $>$ +3.0. We also find a clear increase in the CEMP frequency with $|$Z$|$. For stars with $-2.0 <$ [Fe/H] $< -$1.5, the frequency grows from 5% at $|$Z$|$ $\sim 2$ kpc to 10% at $|$Z$|$ $\sim 10$ kpc. For stars with [Fe/H] $< -$2.0, the frequency grows from 8% at $|$Z$|$ $\sim 2$ kpc to 25% at $|$Z$|$ $\sim 10$ kpc. For stars with $-2.0 <$ [Fe/H] $\sim +1.0$ for 0 kpc $<$ $|$Z$|$ $<$ 10 kpc, with little dependence on $|$Z$|$; for [Fe/H] $< -$2.0, $\sim +1.5$, again roughly independent of $|$Z$|$.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, 32 pages, 15 figure

Developing the Warwick Patient Experiences Framework (WaPEF): Utilising patient-based evidence to shape clinical guidelines International Journal of Quality in Healthcare

Objective This paper presents the development of the Warwick Patient Experiences Framework (WaPEF) and describes how it informed the development of the NICE Guidance and Quality Standard, ‘Patient experience in adult NHS services: improving the experience of care for people using adult NHS services’. Design The WaPEF was developed using a thematic qualitative overview that utilized a systematic review approach. Search strategies were developed, inclusion and exclusion criteria developed and data extracted from papers. Results The WaPEF identifies seven key generic themes that are important to a high-quality patient experience: patient as active participant, responsiveness of services, an individualized approach, lived experience, continuity of care and relationships, communication, information and support. Conclusions The WaPEF is the first patient experiences framework with an explicit link to an underpinning patient evidence base, linking themes and sub-themes with specific references. The WaPEF informed the structure and content of the NICE Patient Experiences Guidance. The guidance, published in February 2012, will form a key part of the NHS Outcomes Framework in the UK for the future evaluation of health and social care. The proposed framework could be adapted to other country contexts and settings

A pragmatic cluster randomised trial evaluating three implementation interventions

Background Implementation research is concerned with bridging the gap between evidence and practice through the study of methods to promote the uptake of research into routine practice. Good quality evidence has been summarised into guideline recommendations to show that peri-operative fasting times could be considerably shorter than patients currently experience. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of three strategies for the implementation of recommendations about peri-operative fasting. Methods A pragmatic cluster randomised trial underpinned by the PARIHS framework was conducted during 2006 to 2009 with a national sample of UK hospitals using time series with mixed methods process evaluation and cost analysis. Hospitals were randomised to one of three interventions: standard dissemination (SD) of a guideline package, SD plus a web-based resource championed by an opinion leader, and SD plus plan-do-study-act (PDSA). The primary outcome was duration of fluid fast prior to induction of anaesthesia. Secondary outcomes included duration of food fast, patients' experiences, and stakeholders' experiences of implementation, including influences. ANOVA was used to test differences over time and interventions. Results Nineteen acute NHS hospitals participated. Across timepoints, 3,505 duration of fasting observations were recorded. No significant effect of the interventions was observed for either fluid or food fasting times. The effect size was 0.33 for the web-based intervention compared to SD alone for the change in fluid fasting and was 0.12 for PDSA compared to SD alone. The process evaluation showed different types of impact, including changes to practices, policies, and attitudes. A rich picture of the implementation challenges emerged, including inter-professional tensions and a lack of clarity for decision-making authority and responsibility. Conclusions This was a large, complex study and one of the first national randomised controlled trials conducted within acute care in implementation research. The evidence base for fasting practice was accepted by those participating in this study and the messages from it simple; however, implementation and practical challenges influenced the interventions' impact. A set of conditions for implementation emerges from the findings of this study, which are presented as theoretically transferable propositions that have international relevance. Trial registration ISRCTN18046709 - Peri-operative Implementation Study Evaluation (POISE

Examining the demographic profile and attitudes of citizens, in areas where organised crime groups proliferate

Whilst studies refer to the community impact of Organized Crime (OC), no survey currently exists to examine the views of those citizens who reside in areas where Organized Crime Groups (OCGs) proliferate. 431 questionnaires from households co-existing in high density OCGs areas were analysed in relation to: a) demographic information; b) views on the community and the police; and c) how they expected other residents to react to illegal incidents. Overall respondents thought the average citizen would refuse to intervene in 10% - 48% of illegal incidents, with the specific case influencing whether and how they would respond. The analysis then compared three communities who lived in high density OCG areas with a control community (n=343). The ‘OCG’ communities were more likely to report low collective efficacy and were least likely to expect their neighbours to confront a crime in action. Conversely, whilst the control group showed higher levels of collective efficacy and expected the average resident more likely to confront illegal behaviour, this trend did not extend to street drug dealing and serious crime associated with OC. The study discusses the unreported intimidation associated with OCGs and the challenges of policing hostile environments

Low-mass suppression of the satellite luminosity function due to the supersonic baryon--cold-dark-matter relative velocity

We study the effect of the supersonic baryon--CDM flow, which has recently been shown to have a large effect on structure formation during the dark ages 10 <~ z <~ 1000, on the abundance of luminous, low-mass satellite galaxies around galaxies like the Milky Way. As the supersonic baryon--CDM flow significantly suppresses both the number of halos formed and the amount of baryons accreted onto such halos of masses 10^6 < M_{halo} / M_solar < 10^8 at z >~ 10, a large effect results on the stellar luminosity function before reionization. As halos of these masses are believed to have very little star formation after reionization due to the effects of photo-heating by the ultraviolet background, this effect persists to the present day. We calculate that the number of low-mass 10^6 < M_{halo} / M_solar < 10^8 halos that host luminous satellite galaxies today is typically suppressed by 50 percent, with values ranging up to 90 percent in regions where the initial supersonic velocity is high. We show that this previously-ignored cosmological effect resolves most of the tension between the observed and predicted number of low-mass satellites in the Milky Way, obviating the need for any other mass-dependent star-formation suppression before reionization.Comment: ApJ, submitte

LAMOST Experiment for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (LEGUE) The survey science plan

We describe the current plans for a spectroscopic survey of millions of stars in the Milky Way galaxy using the Guo Shou Jing Telescope (GSJT, formerly the Large Area Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope - LAMOST). The survey will obtain spectra for 2.5 million stars brighter than $r<19$ during dark/grey time, and 5 million stars brighter than $r<17$ or $J<16$ on nights that are moonlit or have low transparency. The survey will begin in fall of 2012, and will run for at least four years. The telescope design constrains the optimal declination range for observations to $10^\circ<\delta<50^\circ$, and site conditions lead to an emphasis on stars in the direction of the Galactic anticenter. The survey is divided into three parts with different target selection strategies: disk, anticenter, and spheroid. The resulting dataset will be used to study the merger history of the Milky Way, the substructure and evolution of the disks, the nature of the first generation of stars through identification of the lowest metallicity stars, and star formation through study of open clusters and the OB associations. Detailed design of the LEGUE survey will be completed after a review of the results of the pilot survey in summer 2012.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in RA

An Orbit Fit for the Grillmair Dionatos Cold Stellar Stream

We use velocity and metallicity information from SDSS and SEGUE stellar spectroscopy to fit an orbit to the narrow $63^\circ$ stellar stream of Grillmair and Dionatos. The stars in the stream have a retrograde orbit with eccentricity $e = 0.33$ (perigalacticon of 14.4 kpc and apogalacticon of 28.7 kpc) and inclination approximately $i \sim 35^\circ$. In the region of the orbit which is detected, it has a distance of about 7 to 11 kpc from the Sun. Assuming a standard disk plus bulge and logarithmic halo potential for the Milky Way stars plus dark matter, the stream stars are moving with a large space velocity of approximately $276 \rm km s^{-1}$ at perigalacticon. Using this stream alone, we are unable to determine if the dark matter halo is oblate or prolate. The metallicity of the stream is [Fe/H] $= -2.1\pm0.1$. Observed proper motions for individual stream members above the main sequence turnoff are consistent with the derived orbit. None of the known globular clusters in the Milky Way have positions, radial velocities, and metallicities that are consistent with being the progenitor of the GD-1 stream.Comment: 44 pages, 4 tables, 14 figures. Accepted for publication into Astrophysical Journa

Risk management to prioritise the eradication of new and emerging invasive non-native species

Robust tools are needed to prioritise the management of invasive non-native species (INNS). Risk assessment is commonly used to prioritise INNS, but fails to take into account the feasibility of management. Risk management provides a structured evaluation of management options, but has received little attention to date. We present a risk management scheme to assess the feasibility of eradicating INNS that can be used, in conjunction with existing risk assessment schemes, to support prioritisation. The Non-Native Risk Management scheme (NNRM) can be applied to any predefined area and any taxa. It uses semi-quantitative response and confidence scores to assess seven key criteria: Effectiveness, Practicality, Cost, Impact, Acceptability, Window of opportunity and Likelihood of re-invasion. Scores are elicited using expert judgement, supported by available evidence, and consensus-building methods. We applied the NNRM to forty-one INNS that threaten Great Britain (GB). Thirty-three experts provided scores, with overall feasibility of eradication assessed as ‘very high’ (8 species), ‘high’ (6), ‘medium’ (8), ‘low’ (10) and ‘very low’ (9). The feasibility of eradicating terrestrial species was higher than aquatic species. Lotic freshwater and marine species scored particularly low. Combining risk management and existing risk assessment scores identified six established species as priorities for eradication. A further six species that are not yet established were identified as priorities for eradication on arrival as part of contingency planning. The NNRM is one of the first INNS risk management schemes that can be used with existing risk assessments to prioritise INNS eradication in any area

Securing the Downside Up: Client and Care Factors Associated with Outcomes of Secure Residential Youth Care

Although secure residential care has the potential of reducing young people's behavioral problems, it is often difficult to achieve positive outcomes. Research suggests that there are several common success factors of treatment, of which the client's motivation for treatment and the quality of the therapeutic relationship between clients and therapists might be especially relevant and important in the context of secure residential care. The objective of the present study was to explore the association of these potential success factors with secure residential care outcomes. A repeated measures research design was applied in the study, including a group of adolescents in a secure residential care center that was followed up on three measurements in time. Interviews and questionnaires concerning care outcomes in terms of adolescents' behavior change during care were administered to 22 adolescents and 27 group care workers. Outcomes in terms of adolescents' treatment satisfaction were assessed by the use of questionnaires, which were completed by 51 adolescents. Adolescents reported some positive changes in their treatment motivation, but those who were more likely to be motivated at admission were also more likely to deteriorate in treatment motivation from admission to departure. Treatment satisfaction was associated with better treatment motivation at admission and with a positive adolescent-group care worker relationship. The results suggest that outcomes can be improved by a more explicit treatment focus on improving the adolescent's treatment motivation and the quality of the adolescent-care worker relationship during secure residential care

Worm Grunting, Fiddling, and Charming—Humans Unknowingly Mimic a Predator to Harvest Bait

Background: For generations many families in and around Florida’s Apalachicola National Forest have supported themselves by collecting the large endemic earthworms (Diplocardia mississippiensis). This is accomplished by vibrating a wooden stake driven into the soil, a practice called ‘‘worm grunting’’. In response to the vibrations, worms emerge to the surface where thousands can be gathered in a few hours. Why do these earthworms suddenly exit their burrows in response to vibrations, exposing themselves to predation? Principal Findings: Here it is shown that a population of eastern American moles (Scalopus aquaticus) inhabits the area where worms are collected and that earthworms have a pronounced escape response from moles consisting of rapidly exiting their burrows to flee across the soil surface. Recordings of vibrations generated by bait collectors and moles suggest that ‘‘worm grunters’ ’ unknowingly mimic digging moles. An alternative possibility, that worms interpret vibrations as rain and surface to avoid drowning is not supported. Conclusions: Previous investigations have revealed that both wood turtles and herring gulls vibrate the ground to elicit earthworm escapes, indicating that a range of predators may exploit the predator-prey relationship between earthworms and moles. In addition to revealing a novel escape response that may be widespread among soil fauna, the results sho