Financing entrepreneurship in times of crisis:Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the market for entrepreneurial finance in the United Kingdom

This commentary explores the manner in which the current COVID-19 crisis is affecting key sources of entrepreneurial finance in the United Kingdom. We posit that the unique relational nature of entrepreneurial finance may make it highly susceptible to such a shock owing to the need for face-to-face interaction between investors and entrepreneurs. The article explores this conjecture by scrutinising a real-time data source of equity investments. Our findings suggest that the volume of new equity transactions in the United Kingdom has declined markedly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears that seed finance is the main type of entrepreneurial finance most acutely affected by the crisis, which typically goes to the most nascent entrepreneurial start-ups facing the greatest obstacles obtaining finance. Policy makers can utilise these real-time data sources to help inform their strategic policy interventions to assist the firms most affected by crisis events.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Vegetation studies in the Humansdorp region of the Fynbos Biome

Bibliography: leaves 111-127.This thesis comprises five papers dealing with syntaxonomy, history, species diversity and growth form distribution in Cape shrublands and non-Cape vegetation types (subtropical thicket, Afromontane forest) in the Humansdorp region of the Fynbos Biome. The first paper is a re-evaluation of vegetation concepts in the study area and, more generally, in the Fynbos Biome and adjacent biomes. Syntaxa are characterized in terms of floristics (including biogeographical affinities and patterns of endemism), structure and dynamics. In the second paper both descriptive and historical approaches are used to generate hypotheses to explain vegetation history during the last glacial to Holocene sequence. The third paper investigates, and seeks explanations for, diversity relations in the vegetation types of the study area. Both historical and ecological factors are used to predict patterns of species diversity. In the fourth paper patterns in the relative importance of structural attributes and growth forms along fynbos and non-fynbos coenoclines are studied. An appendix paper focusses on the distribution of C₃ and C₄ grasses in the Cape shrublands of the study area. It was concluded that descriptive studies such as this have much value in clarifying vegetation concepts and generating hypotheses to explain variations in community structure. However, as management and conservation are the major aims of the Fynbos Biome Project, future studies should concentrate on the reproductive biology and regeneration niches of plants in the fire-prone Cape shrublands. From the results of such studies a predictive knowledge of Cape shrubland dynamics will emerge - the key to judicious management

Hardy's uncertainty principle on semisimple groups

A theorem of Hardy states that, if f is a function on R such that |f(x)|≤ C e−α|x|2 for all x in R and |f(ξ)|≤ C e−β|ξ|2 for all ξ in R, where α > 0, β > 0, and αβ > 1∕4, then f = 0. Sitaram and Sundari generalised this theorem to semisimple groups with one conjugacy class of Cartan subgroups and to the K-invariant case for general semisimple groups. We extend the theorem to all semisimple groups

Lp Fourier multipliers on compact Lie groups

In this paper we prove Lp multiplier theorems for invariant and non-invariant operators on compact Lie groups in the spirit of the well-known Hormander-Mikhlin theorem on Rn and its variants on tori Tn. We also give applications to a-priori estimates for non-hypoelliptic operators. Already in the case of tori we get an interesting refinement of the classical multiplier theorem.Comment: 22 pages; minor correction

Phenology of fynbos, renosterveld and subtropical thicket in the south eastern Cape

Qualitative and quantitative phenological observations were made on 173 species in eight communities in climatically similar sites. Results indicated that in species growing on different substrates, soil type had a minimal effect on phenophases. Phenophase patterns were analyzed by grouping species into growth form classes. Geophytes and annuals grew from autumn to spring. The majority of restioids and C3 grasses grew most in the cool wet seasons. C4 grass species showed either a summer growth season or an additional cooler growth season; the former species do not occur westwards in the winter rainfall region while the latter do. Most succulents grew in autumn and spring while two species also grew in summer. Small leaved sclerophyll shrubs grew throughout the year and/or showed a summer growth peak. The former pattern is consistent with a ‘generalist strategy’ but the latter is not readily explained because of summer drought conditions. Subtropical large leaved sclerophyll shrubs showed irregular growth and reproduction whereas large leaved proteoid shrubs grew in summer and autumn. In all shrub growth forms maximum leaf loss occurred in summer. Phenophase patterns were explained in terms of ecophysiological factors but biological and historical factors were also considered

Balian-Low Theorems in Several Variables

Recently, Nitzan and Olsen showed that Balian-Low theorems (BLTs) hold for discrete Gabor systems defined on $\mathbb{Z}_d$. Here we extend these results to a multivariable setting. Additionally, we show a variety of applications of the Quantitative BLT, proving in particular nonsymmetric BLTs in both the discrete and continuous setting for functions with more than one argument. Finally, in direct analogy of the continuous setting, we show the Quantitative Finite BLT implies the Finite BLT.Comment: To appear in Approximation Theory 16 conference proceedings volum

Access to primary care and the route of emergency admission to hospital: retrospective analysis of national hospital administrative data

BACKGROUND: The UK government is pursuing policies to improve primary care access, as many patients visit accident and emergency (A and E) departments after being unable to get suitable general practice appointments. Direct admission to hospital via a general practitioner (GP) averts A and E use, and may reduce total hospital costs. It could also enhance the continuity of information between GPs and hospital doctors, possibly improving healthcare outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether primary care access is associated with the route of emergency admission-via a GP versus via an A and E department. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of national administrative data from English hospitals for 2011-2012. Adults admitted in an emergency (unscheduled) for ≥1 night via a GP or an A and E department formed the study population. The measure of primary care access-the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt-was derived from a large, nationally representative patient survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate associations, adjusting for patient and admission characteristics. RESULTS: The analysis included 2 322 112 emergency admissions (81.9% via an A and E department). With a 5 unit increase in the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt, the adjusted odds of GP admission (vs A and E admission) was estimated to increase by 15% (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.17). The probability of GP admission if ≥95% of appointment attempts were successful in each general practice was estimated to be 19.6%. This probability reduced to 13.6% when <80% of appointment attempts were successful. This equates to 139 673 fewer GP admissions (456 232 vs 316 559) assuming no change in the total number of admissions. Associations were consistent in direction across geographical regions of England. CONCLUSIONS: Among hospital inpatients admitted as an emergency, patients registered to more accessible general practices were more likely to have been admitted via a GP (vs an A and E department). This furthers evidence suggesting that access to general practice is related to use of emergency hospital services in England. The relative merits of the two admission routes remain unclear

The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on psychological distress in refugee children : A systematic review

Objective To systematically review existing research exploring the effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing symptoms of distress amongst refugee and asylum-seeker children. Method Six databases were searched to identify English studies presenting original empirical quantitative data (published before September 2022) testing the efficacy of psychological interventions for children from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. Quality of studies were assessed through the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies as well as the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Relevant data were extracted to facilitate a narrative synthesis. Results Seventy-one eligible articles were identified (n > 10,000). A number of cognitive-behavioral, psychosocial, and trauma-focused interventions that catered specifically to children and their families were identified. A synthesis of these results suggest that interventions may assist in the reduction of various psychopathologies, although the effects were mixed across intervention types. Conclusions While the review yielded promising findings, most findings were derived from small pilot and empirical studies, leading to difficulties with drawing conclusions. There remains a need for studies using more rigorous research methodologies to expand and ratify this valuable knowledge base. Clinical significance: Forced displacement is at an all-time high. Many children are being forced to seek asylum and refuge, and they become vulnerable to the development of poor mental health, with limited understanding surrounding how to appropriately intervene. This review aims to equip clinicians with increased knowledge and confidence in working therapeutically alongside clients from refugee or asylum-seeking background, with the goal of fostering positive mental health and wellbeing

Experimental Identification of the Kink Instability as a Poloidal Flux Amplification Mechanism for Coaxial Gun Spheromak Formation

The magnetohydrodynamic kink instability is observed and identified experimentally as a poloidal flux amplification mechanism for coaxial gun spheromak formation. Plasmas in this experiment fall into three distinct regimes which depend on the peak gun current to magnetic flux ratio, with (I) low values resulting in a straight plasma column with helical magnetic field, (II) intermediate values leading to kinking of the column axis, and (III) high values leading immediately to a detached plasma. Onset of column kinking agrees quantitatively with the Kruskal-Shafranov limit, and the kink acts as a dynamo which converts toroidal to poloidal flux. Regime II clearly leads to both poloidal flux amplification and the development of a spheromak configuration.Comment: accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter