PAH emission from Nova Cen 1986

The discovery of broad emission features between 3.2 and 3.6 microns were reported in the spectrum of Nova Cen 1986 (V842 Cen) some 300 days following outburst and remaining prominent for several months. The general characteristics of these features are similar to those attributed to polycyclic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules in other dusty sources, although the relative strengths are different, and these observations provide the first clear evidence for molecular constituents other than graphite particles in the ejecta of novae

The environmental "trade balance" between Scotland and the rest of the UK : an inter-regional input-output and SAM analysis

We use an inter-regional input-output (IO) and social accounting matrix (SAM) pollution attribution framework to serve as a platform for sub-national environmental attribution and trade balance analysis. While the existence of significant data problems mean that the quantitative results of this study should be regarded as provisional, the inter-regional economy-environment IO and SAM framework for Scotland and the rest of the UK (RUK) allows an illustrative analysis of some very important issues. There are two key findings. The first is that there are large environmental spillovers between the regions of the UK. This has implications in terms of the devolution of responsibility for achieving targets for reductions in emissions levels and the need for policy co-ordination between the UK national and devolved governments. The second finding is that whilst Scotland runs an economic trade deficit with RUK, the environmental trade balance relationship for the main greenhouse gas, CO2, runs in the opposite direction. In other words, the findings of this study suggest the existence of a CO2 trade surplus between Scotland and the rest of the UK. This suggests that Scotland is bearing a net loss in terms of pollutants as a result of inter-union trade. However, if Scotland can carry out key activities, such as electricity generation, using less polluting technology, it is better for the UK as a whole if this type of relationship exists. Thus, the environmental trade balance is an important part of the devolution settlement

Attitude of students towards peers with disabilities: The effect of including students from an education support centre in an inclusive middle school setting

This research examines the attitudes of middle school students towards their peers with disabilities. The opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in inclusive education in Western Australia has increased steadily in recent years. The impact of inclusion on stakeholders within the education arena is, therefore, an important area of research. As part of this increased demand for inclusive education a trial inclusion program was set-up at a middle school in regional Western Australian. The target group for this study was all Year 8 (N = 199) students at that school. The attitude of the Year 8 students towards students with disabilities was measured using the Peer Attitudes Toward the Handicapped Scale (PATHS), (Bagley & Greene, 1981). The PATHS questionnaire was administered at the beginning and end of Semester 1 in 2003. Teacher perspectives of student attitude were also assessed via a focus group discussion after the second PATHS administration. Analysis of variance of the pre-test data showed the frequency of participant\u27s prior classroom contact with students with a disability to have a significant impact on acceptance. Gender differences at the pre-test stage also proved to be significantly different in several measures. Although a repeated measures analysis showed no statistically significant change after one semester of the trial inclusion program, data trends and the focus group discussion indicated an increased acceptance of students with disabilities by their mainstream peers. The implications of these results and recommendations for future research are discussed

Who pollutes in Scotland? A prelude to an analysis of sustainability policies in a devolved context

The notion of sustainable development has begun to figure prominently in the regional, as well as the national, policy concerns of many industrialized countries. Indicators have typically been used to monitor changes in economic, environmental and social variables to show whether economic development is on a sustainable path. This paper focuses on pollution in Scotland and analyses the sustainability policies in a devolved political context

Calcitonin receptor-like receptor is expressed on gastrointestinal immune cells

Background/Aims: Pharmacological and morphological studies suggest that the gut mucosal immune system and local neuropeptide-containing neurones interact. We aimed to determine whether gut immune cells are targets for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has potent immune regulatory properties. Methods: Using density gradient centrifugation, rat lamina propria mononuclear cells (LP-MNCs) and intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) were isolated. RT-PCR was employed for the detection of mRNA of rat calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR), which is considered to represent the pharmacologically defined CGRP receptor-1 subtype, as well as mRNA of the receptor activity-modifying proteins, which are essential for CRLR function and determine ligand specificity. A radioreceptor assay was employed for the detection of specific CGRP binding sites. Results: RT-PCR and DNA sequencing showed that LP-MNCs and IELs express CRLR. Incubation of isolated LP-MNCs with radiolabelled alphaCGRP revealed the existence of specific binding sites for CGRP. Conclusion: These novel data indicate that mucosal immune cells of the rat gut are a target for CGRP and provide significant evidence that CGRP functions as an immune regulator in the gut mucosa. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

The Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS)

This paper describes the Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) under construction at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) of the Australian National University (ANU) for the ANU 2.3m telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory. WiFeS is a powerful integral field, double-beam, concentric, image-slicing spectrograph designed to deliver excellent thoughput, wavelength stability, spectrophotometric performance and superb image quality along with wide spectral coverage throughout the 320-950 nm wavelength region. It provides a 25x38 arcsec. field with 0.5 arcsec. sampling along each of twenty five 38X1 arcsec slitlets. The output format is optimized to match the 4096x4096 pixel CCD detectors in each of two cameras individually optimized for the blue and the red ends of the spectrum, respectively. A process of "interleaved nod-and-shuffle" will be applied to permit quantum noise-limited sky subtraction. Using VPH gratings, spectral resolutions of 3000 and 7000 are provided. The full spectral range is covered in a single exposure at R=3000, and in two exposures in the R=7000 mode. The use of transmissive coated optics, VPH gratings and optimized mirror coatings ensures a throughput (including telescope atmosphere and detector) > 30% over a wide spectral range. The concentric image-slicer design ensures an excellent and uniform image quality across the full field. To maximize scientific return, the whole instrument is configured for remote observing, pipeline data reduction, and the accumulation of calibration image libraries.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Science, 16 pages, 14 figure

Sublinear Estimation of Weighted Matchings in Dynamic Data Streams

This paper presents an algorithm for estimating the weight of a maximum weighted matching by augmenting any estimation routine for the size of an unweighted matching. The algorithm is implementable in any streaming model including dynamic graph streams. We also give the first constant estimation for the maximum matching size in a dynamic graph stream for planar graphs (or any graph with bounded arboricity) using $\tilde{O}(n^{4/5})$ space which also extends to weighted matching. Using previous results by Kapralov, Khanna, and Sudan (2014) we obtain a $\mathrm{polylog}(n)$ approximation for general graphs using $\mathrm{polylog}(n)$ space in random order streams, respectively. In addition, we give a space lower bound of $\Omega(n^{1-\varepsilon})$ for any randomized algorithm estimating the size of a maximum matching up to a $1+O(\varepsilon)$ factor for adversarial streams

Exposure factors leading to establishment of OJD infection and clinical disease : epidemiology of OJD-1.

This study was conducted in order to provide answers for owners of OJD-infected sheep flocks who wish to minimise the economic and biological impact of the disease on their sheep enterprises. The study has demonstrated that careful management of young sheep can reduce the level of OJD in the flock and reduce the death rate. One key finding is that steps taken to limit the degree of exposure of pre-weaned lambs to infection from pastures will lead to reduced rates of severe infection in those sheep in later years. A second key finding is that continuous exposure to OJD bacteria throughout early life results in higher infection rates than exposure which is limited to either the pre-weaning or the post-weaning period alone. A critical factor in management is to provide ‘low risk’ pastures to young sheep at weaning to give them a break from exposure to infection which occurs in the lambing paddocks. We also found that weaned lambs and adult ewes remain susceptible to infection and that there is little evidence for an age-related resistance to OJD

Exposure factors leading to establishment of OJD infection and clinical disease : epidemiology of OJD-1.

This study was conducted in order to provide answers for owners of OJD-infected sheep flocks who wish to minimise the economic and biological impact of the disease on their sheep enterprises. The study has demonstrated that careful management of young sheep can reduce the level of OJD in the flock and reduce the death rate. One key finding is that steps taken to limit the degree of exposure of pre-weaned lambs to infection from pastures will lead to reduced rates of severe infection in those sheep in later years. A second key finding is that continuous exposure to OJD bacteria throughout early life results in higher infection rates than exposure which is limited to either the pre-weaning or the post-weaning period alone. A critical factor in management is to provide ‘low risk’ pastures to young sheep at weaning to give them a break from exposure to infection which occurs in the lambing paddocks. We also found that weaned lambs and adult ewes remain susceptible to infection and that there is little evidence for an age-related resistance to OJD