Absolute continuity and spectral concentration for slowly decaying potentials

We consider the spectral function $\rho(\mu)$ $(\mu \geq 0)$ for the Sturm-Liouville equation $y^{''}+(\lambda-q)y =0$ on $[0,\infty)$ with the boundary condition $y(0)=0$ and where $q$ has slow decay $O(x^{-\alpha})$ $(a>0)$ as $x\to \infty$. We develop our previous methods of locating spectral concentration for $q$ with rapid exponential decay (JCAM 81 (1997) 333-348) to deal with the new theoretical and computational complexities which arise for slow decay

Extensions of a New Algorithm for the Numerical Solution of Linear Differential Systems on an Infinite Interval

This paper is part of a series of papers in which the asymptotic theory and appropriate symbolic computer code are developed to compute the asymptotic expansion of the solution of an n-th order ordinary differential equation. The paper examines the situation when the matrix that appears in the Levinson expansion has a double eigenvalue. Application is made to a fourth-order ODE with known special function solution

Alcohol and healthy ageing: a challenge for alcohol policy

Objectives: This paper presents findings of a qualitative study of older people's use of alcohol during retirement and identifies ways that an improved understanding of older people's drinking can inform policy approaches to alcohol and active and healthy ageing. Study design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with a self-selecting sample of retired people. Methods: Participants were recruited from three geographical locations in the West of Scotland. A quota sampling design was used to ensure a broad spread of participants in terms of socio-economic position, age and gender. In total 40 participants were interviewed and the data analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's (2006) approach. Results: Amongst those who used alcohol, it was most often framed in terms of pleasure, relaxation, socialising and as a way to mark the passage of time. Alcohol was often associated with social occasions and interactions both in private and in public spaces. There were also many examples of the use of imposed routines to limit alcohol use and of a decreasing volume of alcohol being consumed as participants aged. This suggests that older people are often active in constructing what they regard as ‘healthier’ routines around alcohol use. However, processes and circumstances associated with ageing can lead to risk of social isolation and/or increased alcohol consumption. Such processes include retirement from paid work and other ‘biographical disruptions’ such as caring for a partner, bereavement and/or loss of social networks. Conclusions: These findings highlight processes that can result in changes in drinking habits and routines. Whilst these processes can be associated with a reduction or cessation of alcohol use as people age, they can also be associated with increased risk of harmful alcohol consumption. Fractured or disrupted routines, particularly those associated with bereavement or the burden of caring responsibilities, through increasing the risk of loneliness and isolation, can construct increased risk of harmful alcohol consumption. These findings reframe the pathway of risk between ageing and alcohol-related harm by highlighting the vulnerability to harmful drinking practices brought by fracture or sudden change of routine. The findings point to a role for public health in supporting the reconstruction of routines that provide structure and meaning and can be used to actively manage the benefits and harms associated with drinking

Environmental tolerances and drivers of deepwater seagrass change: implications and tools for coastal development management

While research has focused on shallow water coastal seagrasses over the last 20 years, little is known of the ecological role, tolerances and drivers of their deepwater (>10) counterparts. Within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, deepwater seagrasses are estimated to occupy more than 35,000 km2 of the reef lagoon. These deepwater meadows are often within the footprint of port and shipping activity where dredging, associated plumes and ship movements are major threats to their long term survival. We present initial findings from an ongoing research program to determine the drivers of seasonal and inter-annual change in deepwater tropical seagrasses. Seagrass abundance, seed bank status and recruitment, productivity, irradiance and temperature along with detailed spectral profiles have been measured in three geographically distinct deepwater seagrass meadows since early 2012. Manipulative lab experiments were initiated in mid-2013 to assess the adaptive photophysiological characteristics of the plants. This research will identify key environmental cues which will be used in developing local management strategies for mitigating coastal developmental impacts along the Great Barrier Reef

Environmental tolerances and drivers of deepwater seagrass change: implications and tools for coastal development management

While research has focused on shallow water coastal seagrasses over the last 20 years, little is known of the ecological role, tolerances and drivers of their deepwater (>10) counterparts. Within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, deepwater seagrasses are estimated to occupy more than 35,000 km2 of the reef lagoon. These deepwater meadows are often within the footprint of port and shipping activity where dredging, associated plumes and ship movements are major threats to their long term survival. We present initial findings from an ongoing research program to determine the drivers of seasonal and inter-annual change in deepwater tropical seagrasses. Seagrass abundance, seed bank status and recruitment, productivity, irradiance and temperature along with detailed spectral profiles have been measured in three geographically distinct deepwater seagrass meadows since early 2012. Manipulative lab experiments were initiated in mid-2013 to assess the adaptive photophysiological characteristics of the plants. This research will identify key environmental cues which will be used in developing local management strategies for mitigating coastal developmental impacts along the Great Barrier Reef

Ecological Effects of Fear: How Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity in Predation Risk Influences Mule Deer Access to Forage in a Sky‐Island System

Forage availability and predation risk interact to affect habitat use of ungulates across many biomes. Within sky‐island habitats of the Mojave Desert, increased availability of diverse forage and cover may provide ungulates with unique opportunities to extend nutrient uptake and/or to mitigate predation risk. We addressed whether habitat use and foraging patterns of female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) responded to normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), NDVI rate of change (green‐up), or the occurrence of cougars (Puma concolor). Female mule deer used available green‐up primarily in spring, although growing vegetation was available during other seasons. Mule deer and cougar shared similar habitat all year, and our models indicated cougars had a consistent, negative effect on mule deer access to growing vegetation, particularly in summer when cougar occurrence became concentrated at higher elevations. A seemingly late parturition date coincided with diminishing NDVI during the lactation period. Sky‐island populations, rarely studied, provide the opportunity to determine how mule deer respond to growing foliage along steep elevation and vegetation gradients when trapped with their predators and seasonally limited by aridity. Our findings indicate that fear of predation may restrict access to the forage resources found in sky islands

Transport Anomalies and the Role of Pseudogap in the "60-K Phase" of YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-\delta}

We report the result of our accurate measurements of the a- and b-axis resistivity, Hall coefficient, and the a-axis thermopower in untwinned YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{y} single crystals in a wide range of doping. It is found that both the a-axis resistivity and the Hall conductivity show anomalous dependences on the oxygen content y in the "60-K phase" below the pseudogap temperature T^*. The complete data set enables us to narrow down the possible pictures of the 60-K phase, with which we discuss a peculiar role of the pseudogap in the charge transport.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PR