Nonlinear dynamics of filaments in free space and fluids

The purpose of this paper is to study a straight rod, held at both ends, with a known twist and tension or compression. We study the stability of this steady state when the system is dominated either by inertia or drag. In order to do this, we first replicate the work of Goriely and Tabor to look at the case with inertia, without drag. After conducting the analysis for that case, we then apply their framework to perform a linear stability analysis of a model that is without inertia, but with hydrodynamic drag. Our motivation is the study of locomotion of C. elegans and other long, slender organisms such as bacterial flagella, cilia, and DNA

London’s street markets: the shifting interiors of informal architecture

This paper examines London’s street markets as overlooked sites of consumer modernity, ‘complex interiors’ that were contested and contradictory spaces within the city. It asks whether the street markets can be seen as ‘architecture’, arguing that, despite their outdoor locations, shifting form, and lack of built infrastructure, the street markets achieved a sense of enclosure and interiority through the particular qualities of their lights, sounds and their crowded occupation of space. The street markets produced complexity as a result of their informality, as a-legal and organic outbreaks of micro-entrepreneurship. The paper covers the 1850-1939 period, and examines the specific example of Chrisp Street market in Poplar. In the post-war period, this was formalised as Lansbury Market, and relocated into a planned market square. It thus usefully casts light back on the earlier period, as an example of what happened when street markets moved from informal to planned status

Smoking during Pregnancy Affects Speech-Processing Ability in Newborn Infants

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking during pregnancy is known to adversely affect development of the central nervous system in babies of smoking mothers by restricting utero–placental blood flow and the amount of oxygen available to the fetus. Behavioral data associate maternal smoking with lower verbal scores and poorer performance on specific language/auditory tests. OBJECTIVES: In the current study we examined the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on newborns’ speech processing ability as measured by event-related potentials (ERPs). METHOD: High-density ERPs were recorded within 48 hr of birth in healthy newborn infants of smoking (n = 8) and nonsmoking (n = 8) mothers. Participating infants were matched on sex, gestational age, birth weight, Apgar scores, mother’s education, and family income. Smoking during pregnancy was determined by parental self-report and medical records. ERPs were recorded in response to six consonant–vowel syllables presented in random order with equal probability. RESULTS: Brainwaves of babies of nonsmoking mothers were characterized by typical hemisphere asymmetries, with larger amplitudes over the left hemisphere, especially over temporal regions. Further, infants of nonsmokers discriminated among a greater number of syllables whereas the newborns of smokers began the discrimination process at least 150 msec later and differentiated among fewer stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke in otherwise healthy babies is linked with significant changes in brain physiology associated with basic perceptual skills that could place the infant at risk for later developmental problems

Motherhood and Me (Mom-Me): The Development of an Acceptance-Based Group for Women with Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Symptoms

Untreated postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) place women and their families at risk for negative biopsychosocial sequelae. Innovative and tailored treatments are needed to address potential disruptions in maternal functioning. Third-wave cognitive-behavioral approaches, including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), hold promise for optimizing functioning given the focus on values-based living, rather than symptom reduction. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of an innovative psychotherapy group for women with symptoms of PMADs. Methods: This seven-session group, Motherhood and Me (Mom-Me), includes selected skills training from ACT, DBT, and Emotion-Centered Problem-Solving Therapy. Results: Mom-Me group sessions are described, and an outline of key information (session goals, content, and homework assignments) is provided to facilitate practical implementation. Conclusion: In line with third-wave approaches, this group was developed to enhance maternal functioning, which, in turn, may help women cope with psychological distress during the transition to motherhood

Opinion piece: non-traditional practical work for traditional campuses

Traditional practical work for higher education in STEM subjects is under pressure from rising student numbers and adesired increase in active learning. Investing in more buildings and staff is financially challenging, while stretching existing resources affects outcomes, health, and participation. A more pragmatic approach is to embrace a less instrumentalist view of practical work in physical spaces and instead adopt a critical post-humanist approach which mixes both humanity and technology to achieve a sum greater than the parts, not bound by the limits of either. We share the experiences of leading UK exponents of non-traditional laboratories in the four main categories of simulation, virtual laboratories, real-asynchronous, and real- synchronous activities, as well as experts in scaling digital education initiatives for university-wide adoption. We foreshadow opportunities, challenges and potential solutions to increasing the opportunity for active learning by students studying at traditional campuses, via the complementary addition of non-traditional practical work