Reduced density matrix approach to ultracold few-fermion systems in one dimension

The variational determination of the two-fermion reduced density matrix is described for trapped, ultracold few-fermion systems in one dimension with equal spin populations. This is accomplished by formulating the problem as a semi-definite program, with the two-fermion reduced density matrix being subject to the D, Q, G, T1, and T2 $N$-representability conditions. The ground-state energies of $N=2,4$, and $8$ fermion systems are found by utilising an augmented Lagrangian method for semi-definite programming. The ground-state energies are found to match extremely well to those determined by full-configuration interaction and coupled-cluster calculations. This demonstrates the utility of the reduced density matrix approach to strongly correlated, ultracold few-fermion systems.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Working with Children with Learning Disabilities and/or who Communicate Non-verbally: Research experiences and their implications for social work education, increased participation and social inclusion

Social exclusion, although much debated in the UK, frequently focuses on children as a key 'at risk' group. However, some groups, such as disabled children, receive less consideration. Similarly, despite both UK and international policy and guidance encouraging the involvement of disabled children and their right to participate in decision-making arenas, they are frequently denied this right. UK based evidence suggests that disabled children's participation lags behind that of their non-disabled peers, often due to social work practitioners' lack of skills, expertise and knowledge on how to facilitate participation. The exclusion of disabled children from decision-making in social care processes echoes their exclusion from participation in society. This paper seeks to begin to address this situation, and to provide some examples of tools that social work educators can introduce into pre- and post-qualifying training programmes, as well as in-service training. The paper draws on the experiences of researchers using non-traditional qualitative research methods, especially non-verbal methods, and describes two research projects, focusing on the methods employed to communicate with and involve disabled children, the barriers encountered and lessons learnt. Some of the ways in which these methods of communication can inform social work education are explored alongside wider issues of how and if increased communication can facilitate greater social inclusion

Energy transitions and uncertainty: creating low carbon investment opportunities in the UK electricity sector

This paper examines how actors in the UK electricity sector are attempting to deliver investment in low carbon generation. Low carbon technologies, because of their relative immaturity, capital intensity and low operational costs, do not readily fit with existing electricity markets and investment templates which were designed for fossil fuel based energy. We analyse key electricity market and infrastructure policies in the UK and highlight how these are aimed at making low carbon technologies ‘investable’ by reducing uncertainty, managing investment risks and repositioning actors within the electricity socio-technical ‘regime’. We argue that our study can inform contemporary debates on the politics and governance of sustainability transitions by empirically investigating the agency of incumbent regime actors in the face of uncertainty and by offering critical insights on the role of markets and finance in shaping socio-technical change

The feasibility of an online platform delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with chronic respiratory disease

Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Introduction SARS-CoV-2 has restricted access to face-to-face delivery of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR). Evidence suggests that telehealth-PR is non-inferior to outpatient PR. However, it is unknown whether patients who have been referred to face-to-face programmes can feasibly complete an online-PR programme. Methods This service evaluation used a mixed-methods approach to investigate a rapid PR service remodelling using the University of Gloucestershire eLearn Moodle platform. Quantitative baseline demographic and PR outcome data were collected from online-PR participants, and semi-structured interviews were completed with PR staff and participants. Results Twenty-five individuals were eligible from a PR waiting list. Thirteen declined participation and fourteen completed PR. Significant Pre-post online PR improvements were achieved in 1-minute sit-to-stand (Confidence interval (CI) 2.1 - 9 (p = 0.004)), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (CI -0.3 - -2.6(p = 0.023)), Primary Health Questionnaire-9 (CI -5.1 - -0.3 (p = 0.029)), Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire dyspnoea (CI 0.5 - 1.3 (p = 0.001)), Fatigue (CI 0.7 - 2 (p = 0.0004)), Emotion (CI 0.7 - 1.7 (p = 0.0002)), Mastery (CI 0.4 - 1.3(p = 0.001)). Interviews indicated that patient PR inclusion was made possible with digital support and a PR introduction session improved participant engagement and safety. Incremental progression of exercise was perceived as more successful online compared to face-to-face PR. However, perceptions were that education sessions were less successful. Online-PR required significant staff time resource. Discussion Online-PR improves patient outcomes, is feasible and acceptable for individuals referred for face-to-face PR in the context of a requirement for social distancing. Face-to-face programmes can be adapted in a rapid fashion with both staff and participants perceiving benefit. Future pragmatic trials are now warranted comparing online-PR including remote assessments to centre-based PR with suitably matched outcomes, and patient and staff perceptions sought regarding barriers and facilitators of online delivery.The University of Gloucestershire, Sport, Exercise, Health and Wellbeing Internal Research Grant Programme 2019-2020The University of Gloucestershire, Sport, Exercise, Health and Wellbeing Internal Research Grant Programme 2019-2020, for £8047

Theoretical Study of the Effect of Ionospheric Return Currents on the Electron Temperature

An electron heat flow can occur in a partially ionized plasma in response to either an electron temperature gradient (thermal conduction) or an electron current (thermoelectric heat flow). The former process has been extensively studied, while the latter process has received relatively little attention. Therefore a time-dependent three-dimensional model of the high-latitude ionosphere was used to study the effect of field-aligned ionospheric return currents on auroral electron temperatures for different seasonal and solar cycle conditions as well as for different upper boundary heat fluxes. The results of this study lead to the following conclusions: (1) The average, large-scale, return current densities, which are a few microamps per square meter, are too small to affect auroral electron temperatures. (2) Current densities greater than about 10−5 A m−2 are needed for thermoelectric heat flow to be important. (3) The thermoelectric effect displays a marked solar cycle and seasonal dependence. (4) Thermoelectric heat transport corresponds to an upward flow of electron energy. (5) This energy flow can be either a source or sink of electron energy, depending on the altitude and geophysical conditions. (6) Thermoelectric heat transport is typically a sink above 300 km and acts to lower ambient electron temperatures by as much as 2000 K for field-aligned return current densities of the order of 5 × 10−5 A m−2. For this case, the electron temperature decreases with altitude above 300 km with a gradient that can exceed 1 K km−1. Also, the electron temperature can drop below both the ion and neutral temperatures in the upper F region owing to thermoelectric cooling. (7) A downward magnetospheric heat flux in combinations with an upward thermoelectric heat flux can produce steep positive electron temperature gradients in the topside ionosphere

Single-Molecule Analysis of the Human Telomerase RNA·Dyskerin Interaction and the Effect of Dyskeratosis Congenita Mutations†

It has been proposed that human telomerase RNA (hTR) interacts with dyskerin, prior to assembly of the telomerase holoenzyme. The direct interaction of dyskerin and hTR has not been demonstrated and is an experimentally challenging research problem because of difficulties in expressing and purifying dyskerin in quantities that are useful for biophysical analysis. By orthogonally labeling dyskerin and hTR, we have been able to employ single-molecule two-color coincidence detection (TCCD) to observe directly the formation of a dyskerin·hTR complex. By systematic deletion of hTR subdomains, we have gained insights into the RNA sites required for interaction with dyskerin. We then investigated mutated forms of hTR and dyskerin that are associated with dyskeratosis congenita (DC), on the basis of clinical genetics studies, for their effects on the dyskerin·hTR interaction. Dyskerin mutations associated with X-linked DC resulted in significant impairment of the dyskerin·hTR interaction, whereas mutations in hTR associated with autosomal dominant (AD) DC did not affect the interaction. We propose that disruption of the dyskerin·hTR interaction may contribute to X-linked DC