Background-independent charges in Topologically Massive Gravity

We construct background-independent Noether charges in Topologically Massive Gravity with negative cosmological constant using its first-order formulation. The procedure is carried out by keeping track of the surface terms in the variation of the action, regardless the value of the gravitational Chern-Simons coupling $\mu$. In particular, this method provides a definition of conserved quantities for solutions at the chiral point $\mu l = 1$ ($l$ is the AdS radius) that contain logarithmic terms (Log Gravity). It is also shown that the charge formula gives a finite result for warped AdS black holes without the need for any background-substraction procedure.Comment: 23 pages; appendix and a few references added; final version for JHE

Optimisation of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation paradigm for targeted strengthening of an intrinsic foot muscle

The intrinsic foot muscles stabilise and stiffen the foot during posture and locomotion. Since they are placed under continued load, these muscles merit training to meet the weight-bearing demands of everyday activities. Their strengthening is however a largely neglected area and furthermore, the occurrence of common foot-related pathologies is associated with their dysfunction. Indeed, atrophy and dysfunction of the strongest intrinsic foot muscle, abductor hallucis (AbH), is symptomatic to pes planus and Hallux Valgus. AbH’s oblique mechanical action along with an inability for its voluntary activation in many individuals limits the strengthening capacity of existing training modalities. Due to the superficial location of AbH, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) offers a solution to this problem; however, its efficacy for muscle strength gains relies on high stimulation-intensity protocols, which are uncomfortable and limit participant adherence. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to develop an optimised NMES paradigm that is tolerable and efficacious for a targeted strengthening intervention of AbH. The studies reported in this thesis were undertaken with the overarching aim to systematically establish a tolerable and low stimulation-intensity NMES paradigm to train AbH. With this motivation in mind, four sequential experimental studies were designed to identify the optimal mode of NMES application (muscle vs nerve) and stimulation pulse duration (Chapter 3), pulse frequency and train duration (Chapter 4), training stimulus intensity (Chapter 5), and duty-cycle (Chapter 6), respectively. A major finding from the work undertaken in this thesis was the prevalent inability to voluntary activate AbH that exists in healthy participants. Since this inability also limits the measurement of voluntary force generation following an intervention, this thesis also developed a methodological approach that overcomes this limitation. Collectively, the studies in this thesis demonstrated that NMES successfully evokes contractions from AbH irrespective of ability for its voluntary activation and can therefore be used as a training modality. The optimised NMES paradigm presented in this thesis targets the motor point of AbH using 22s-trains of 1ms pulses at 20-100-20Hz with an intensity of 200% motor threshold and a 1:4 duty-cycle. This wide-pulse, high-frequency, low-intensity paradigm promotes adherence and has the potential to depolarise sensory axons due to their lower rheobase, and evoke contractions with a contribution of the central nervous system. When delivered using long trains and an alternating frequency pattern, it can take advantage of post-tetanic potentiation to produce force, which is then preserved across trains using a duty-cycle with long rest periods. This thesis intended to bind the aforementioned experimental chapters together with a final chapter investigating the effectiveness of the developed NMES paradigm instrengthening AbH following long-term exposure. However, the implementation of this study was not possible in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and is therefore not reportedin this thesis. Nevertheless, future work in this area can benefit from the extensive methodological work undertaken in this thesis and implement a longitudinal study to better understand the clinical implications for targeted AbH strengthening via NMES

Finite-temperature properties of frustrated classical spins coupled to the lattice

We present extensive Monte Carlo simulations for a classical antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with both nearest ($J_1$) and next-nearest ($J_2$) exchange couplings on the square lattice coupled to the lattice degrees of freedom. The Ising-like phase transition, that appears for $J_2/J_1>1/2$ in the pure spin model, is strengthened by the spin-lattice coupling, and is accompanied by a lattice deformation from a tetragonal symmetry to an orthorhombic one. Evidences that the universality class of the transition does not change with the inclusion of the spin-lattice coupling are reported. Implications for ${\rm Li_2VOSiO_4}$, the prototype for a layered $J_1{-}J_2$ model in the collinear regime, are also discussed.Comment: 6 pages and 8 figure

WHAT MEASURES CAN BELIZE IMPLEMENT TO ADDRESS THE EMERGENCE OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION NEAR ITS BORDER?

Belize, as a nation-state, has mostly been reactive in creating policies that do not directly affect the country. Events such as the Central American migrant caravans are an immigration concern for Belize that the country has yet to address since it lacks a comprehensive migrant policy to manage such events. The Central American migrant caravans are only near its borders, and it is not currently a direct conventional threat; however, the country is vulnerable to becoming an alternative destination or transit state, thus the purpose of this thesis. The thesis reviews the migration policies of four countries (the United States, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Turkey) from three geopolitical regions (North America, Europe, and Asia) facing mass migration issues and the methodology they are utilizing to control this global phenomenon. Studying these countries, two developing and two developed democracies, allows Belize to consider what methods it can utilize in developing and subsequently implementing a comprehensive national migration policy to control any such events that can threaten the erosion of its border management system. The thesis further evaluates the existing immigration challenges in Belize and offers recommendations for how these challenges can be overcome through a synthesized comparative analysis via a case study of the migration policies of the countries researched.Major, ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Implementing a subnational results-oriented management and budgeting system. Lessons from Medellín, Colombia.

"The purpose of this paper is to describe the budget process reform implemented in Medellín, and to analyze its actual performance and evaluate its success. The reform is changing the way public resources are allocated and executed, while gradually institutionalizing supply and demand-side practices beyond the government´s political cycles.This paper describes and analyzes how the RoB was designed and implemented, and the achievements of the system to date, in terms of resource allocation and the policy-making process. The following section describes the context of Medellín: political and economic trends, and the objectives of the budget reform. The third section presents the state of the budget process in Medellín as it was diagnosed before implementation. Section four describes the implementation process of the system, and section five addresses its major achievements. A final section includes some policy recommendations, which can be divided into two parts: (i) recommendations for consolidating the system as a main support tool of a RoM approach, and (ii) recommendations for replicating the system in other municipalities and subnational governments".Budget process reform, Budget reform, Medellín, Colombia

Designing Online Dictionaries of Economics: Two Opposing Views

This paper supports the argument that a dictionary of Economics in the broad sense of the word is any information tool that contains structured data - e.g. dictionary articles, outer texts, hyperlinks, etc. – which can be used for retrieving information on economic concepts, economic language, economic instructions, and/or economic operations. Some of these are on the Internet and are accessed by individuals for concrete consultation in one or more situations. This definition is based on the tenets of the Function Theory of Lexicography, the theoretical construction initiated at the Aarhus School of Business in the 1990s which has since worked on the theory and practice of dictionaries (Bergenholtz/Tarp 2002, 2003, 2004; Tarp 2008; Fuertes-Olivera/Tarp 2014). This has resulted in a specific approach to dictionary making, which is identifi ed in this chapter as a lexicography-based approach. On the other hand, some scholars espouse a different view, which is basically rooted in the theories and methods of (Applied) Linguistics (Rundell 2012a) and identified here as a linguistics-based approach. Both views are discussed and illustrated in relation to three specific issues: (a) the concept of a dictionary of Economics; (b) the sources of lexicographic data used in different dictionaries of Economics; (c) access to data and data presentation in several online dictionaries of Economics