The SCUBA-2 850 μm\mu m follow-up of WISE-selected, luminous dust-obscured quasars

Hot dust-obscured galaxies (Hot DOGs) are a new population recently discovered in the \wise All-Sky survey. Multiwavelength follow-up observations suggest that they are luminous, dust-obscured quasars at high redshift. Here we present the JCMT SCUBA-2 850 $\mu m$ follow-up observations of 10 Hot DOGs. Four out of ten Hot DOGs have been detected at $>3\sigma$ level. Based on the IR SED decomposition approach, we derive the IR luminosities of AGN torus and cold dust components. Hot DOGs in our sample are extremely luminous with most of them having $L_{\rm IR}^{\rm tot}>10^{14} L_\odot$. The torus emissions dominate the total IR energy output. However, the cold dust contribution is still non-negligible, with the fraction of the cold dust contribution to the total IR luminosity $(\sim 8-24\%)$ being dependent on the choice of torus model. The derived cold dust temperatures in Hot DOGs are comparable to those in UV bright quasars with similar IR luminosity, but much higher than those in SMGs. Higher dust temperatures in Hot DOGs may be due to the more intense radiation field caused by intense starburst and obscured AGN activities. Fourteen and five submillimeter serendipitous sources in the 10 SCUBA-2 fields around Hot DOGs have been detected at $>3\sigma$ and $>3.5\sigma$ levels, respectively. By estimating their cumulative number counts, we confirm the previous argument that Hot DOGs lie in dense environments. Our results support the scenario in which Hot DOGs are luminous, dust-obscured quasars lying in dense environments, and being in the transition phase between extreme starburst and UV-bright quasars.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figures, PASP accepte

Using model systems to investigate the effects of captivity on phenotypic variation: implications for captive breeding programmes

Captive breeding programmes (CBPs) offer a method for preventing the extinction of threatened species by assisting with species recovery, primarily by generating animals for reintroduction and supplementing wild populations. However, CBPs often have difficulty establishing self-sustaining populations, unable to maintain consistent reproduction and survivorship in captivity for reintroducing animals back into the wild. A contributing factor leading to this issue may be captive conditions producing phenotypes that differ from wild phenotypes. These phenotypic changes may lead to captive individuals having reduced survivorship, as well as reduced reproductive success, both in captivity and following reintroduction. Ultimately, a range of factors will determine the success of reintroductions; however, the phenotypic changes occurring in captivity, and how this may impact reintroduction success remains largely unknown. In this thesis, I outline how an animal’s phenotype may contribute to the success or failure of CBPs, and in turn, reintroduction success. I used a mammalian and an amphibian species as models to examine phenotypic changes in captivity and specifically looked at developmental, morphological and behavioural phenotypes

Responsibility messages in alcohol advertising - just one more selling tool?

Abstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2013, 24-27 November 2013, Brisbane, Australi

Go home? the politics of immigration controversies

"The 2013 Go Home vans marked a turning point in government-sponsored communication designed to demonstrate control and toughness on immigration. In this study, the authors explore the effects of this toughness: on policy, public debate, pro-migrant and anti-racist activism, and on the everyday lives of people in Britain. Bringing together an authorial team of eight respected social researchers, alongside the voices of community organisations, policy makers, migrants and citizens, and with an afterword by journalist Kiri Kankhwende, this is an important intervention in one of the most heated social issues of our time.

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review

Background: Current literature supports the comprehensive health benefits of exposure to nature and green environments on human systems. The aim of this state-of-the-art review is to elucidate empirical research conducted on the physiological and psychological effects of Shinrin-Yoku (or Forest Bathing) in transcontinental Japan and China. Furthermore, we aim to encourage healthcare professionals to conduct longitudinal research in Western cultures regarding the clinically therapeutic effects of Shinrin-Yoku and, for healthcare providers/students to consider practicing Shinrin-Yoku to decrease undue stress and potential burnout. Methods: A thorough review was conducted to identify research published with an initial open date range and then narrowing the collection to include papers published from 2007 to 2017. Electronic databases (PubMed, PubMed Central, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Scopus) and snowball references were used to cull papers that evaluated the use of Shinrin-Yoku for various populations in diverse settings. Results: From the 127 papers initially culled using the Boolean phrases: “Shinrin-yoku” AND/OR “forest bathing” AND/OR “nature therapy”, 64 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this summary review and then divided into “physiological,” “psychological,” “sensory metrics” and “frameworks” sub-groups. Conclusions: Human health benefits associated with the immersion in nature continue to be currently researched. Longitudinal research, conducted worldwide, is needed to produce new evidence of the relationships associated with Shinrin-Yoku and clinical therapeutic effects. Nature therapy as a health-promotion method and potential universal health model is implicated for the reduction of reported modern-day “stress-state” and “technostress.”

Finding our way : opinions of New Zealand library staff regarding the exhibiting of their special collections

The aim of the present study was to address the void in the LIS literature regarding principles and practices of exhibiting Special Collections in New Zealand libraries by exploring the opinions of library staff using an ethnographic research design. The study explored four main areas: the extent to which Special Collections were believed to contribute to the cultural heritage of New Zealand; the purpose of exhibiting in New Zealand libraries; whether or not guidelines were considered to be important when exhibiting Special Collections; and the extent to which web technology was utilised to identify, publish or publicise Special Collection in New Zealand libraries. Three methods of data collection were employed: an online questionnaire, focus groups and Web site evaluations. The study found that library staff strongly agreed that material held in Special Collections contributes to cultural heritage. Exhibiting was found to provide many benefits to libraries, their staff, the community and the nation through access to collections, education, collection development, and research. Although the study did not uncover much evidence of guidelines in New Zealand libraries, the results of the study indicate that these are desirable and library staff would be more inclined to exhibit if they existed. Web technology was not highly utilised by libraries, however the potential was widely recognised and many participants in the study indicated they saw potential to take advantage of Web technologies to promote and provide access to materials in Special Collections in the future

Do university work-based learning short courses widen access to higher education and powerful knowledge?

With Welsh Government and European Structural Fund (ESF) support, Welsh universities have been incentivised to engage regional employers in ‘upskilling’ working adults and encourage non-traditional routes into higher education. Participating universities have provided short accredited courses through work-based learning projects in subject areas identified as having skills deficits. Such instrumental curricula brought with them the need for tailored pedagogies and assessment strategies to support the achievement of higher education credits for these non-traditional university students. It is here that the link to the thesis’ theoretical framing is established. It draws on sociological curriculum theory that distinguishes and assigns power differentials to curriculum and which cautions against an overemphasis on skills-based knowledge within vocational curriculum. The premise is proposed that the knowledge type inherent to these work-based learning courses is very different to mainstream university curriculum and distances itself from theoretical ‘powerful’ knowledge (Young 2008) to the point it becomes powerless. Questions of curriculum equity within higher education are thus raised and considered in view of these courses as a recognised form of widening access to higher education activity. The empirical component of the thesis is qualitative and relates the experiences of work-based learning university lecturers and course participants to curriculum theory and the epistemic access (Morrow 2009) to which course participants were exposed. Twelve semi-structured interviews with university lecturers from three Welsh universities were undertaken along with six focus groups comprising work-based learning course participants. Findings reveal that characteristics associated with both widening access and powerful knowledge were apparent but inconsistent. For many stakeholders, the raison d'etre of the courses was the tangible ‘upskilling’ offered. Such views problematised the accredited higher education component of the courses. Conclusions offer that the approach taken by individual course participants and the lecturers’ pedagogic practice were key determinants in how courses were delivered, received and the extent to which powerful knowledge could be identified. This individual orientation similarly determined the potential for these courses to be transformative educational experiences