Alfven solitons in the solar wind

A nonlinear Alfven soliton solution of the MHD equations is presented. This solution represents the final state of modulationally unstable Alfven waves. A model of the expected turbulent spectrum due to a collection of such solitons is briefly described

Preference versus performance: Investigating the dissociation between objective measures and subjective ratings of usability for schematic metro maps and intuitive theories of design

Three experiments are reported in which objective measures and subjective ratings of schematic metro map usability were investigated. Experiment 1 used a within-subjects design to compare octolinear and curvilinear Paris Metro maps. This replicated and extended Roberts et al. (2013); the curvilinear map was associated with faster journey planning times, and yet preference between the two was unrelated to this measure. In Experiment 2, nine matched versions of the London Underground map were rated for usability and attractiveness, and a clear octolinear bias was displayed. It was also possible to identify individuals who held a simplicity theory of effective design, versus an octolinearity theory. Experiment 3 investigated the relationship between usability ratings and journey planning times for three Berlin network maps, all optimized for simplicity of line trajectories. No differences in times were found, and yet usability ratings after experience at using the maps differed significantly, in line with the findings for the London designs in Experiment 2. Overall, the dissociation between objective measures of performance and subjective ratings of usability is robust, and appears to reflect expectations and prejudices concerning effective design. The octolinearity as a gold standard conjecture for achieving optimum usability continues to be refuted

A Survey on Transit Map Layout – from Design, Machine, and Human Perspectives

Transit maps are designed to present information for using public transportation systems, such as urban railways. Creating a transit map is a time‐consuming process, which requires iterative information selection, layout design, and usability validation, and thus maps cannot easily be customised or updated frequently. To improve this, scientists investigate fully‐ or semi‐automatic techniques in order to produce high quality transit maps using computers and further examine their corresponding usability. Nonetheless, the quality gap between manually‐drawn maps and machine‐generated maps is still large. To elaborate the current research status, this state‐of‐the‐art report provides an overview of the transit map generation process, primarily from Design, Machine, and Human perspectives. A systematic categorisation is introduced to describe the design pipeline, and an extensive analysis of perspectives is conducted to support the proposed taxonomy. We conclude this survey with a discussion on the current research status, open challenges, and future directions

Improving reintroduction success in large carnivores through individual-based modelling: How to reintroduce Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) to Scotland

Globally, large carnivores have been heavily affected by habitat loss, fragmentation and persecution, sometimes resulting in local extinctions. With increasing recognition of top-down trophic cascades and complex predator- prey dynamics, reintroductions are of growing interest for restoration of ecosystem functioning. Many re- introductions have however failed, in part due to poor planning and inability to model complex eco-evolutionary processes to give reliable predictions. Using the case study of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), a large predator being considered for reintroduction to Scotland, we demonstrate how an individual-based model that integrates demography with three distinct phases of dispersal (emigration, transfer and settlement) can be used to explore the relative suitability of three geographically-distant potential reintroduction sites, multi-site reintroductions and two founding population sizes. For a single-site reintroduction of 10 lynx, our simulation results show a clear hierarchy of suitability across all metrics. Reintroduction in the Kintyre Peninsula (west coast) consistently performed best, with a probability of population persistence at year 100 of 83%, and the Scottish component of Kielder Forest (southern Scotland) worst, with only a 21% chance of population persistence to year 100. Simultaneous two-site reintroduction in the Kintyre Peninsula and in Aberdeenshire (near the east coast) of 32 lynx gave a 96% persistence at 100 years. Our model was highly sensitive to survival, particularly of adults, highlighting this parameter's importance for reintroduction success. The results strongly indicate the potential viability of Eurasian lynx reintroduction to Scotland given the current cover of suitable woodland habitat. More generally, our work demonstrates how emerging modelling approaches incorporating increased realism in re- presenting species' demography, ecology and dispersal can have high value for quick, inexpensive assessment of likely reintroduction success and for selection between alternative strategies.REF Compliant by Deposit in Stirling's Repositor

A variable heart rate multi-compartmental coupled model of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems

Peer reviewe

A variable heart rate multi-compartmental coupled model of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems

Current mathematical models of the cardiovascular system that are based on systems of ordinary differential equations are limited in their ability to mimic important features of measured patient data, such as variable heart rates (HR). Such limitations present a significant obstacle in the use of such models for clinical decision-making, as it is the variations in vital signs such as HR and systolic and diastolic blood pressure that are monitored and recorded in typical critical care bedside monitoring systems. In this paper, novel extensions to well-established multi-compartmental models of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are proposed that permit the simulation of variable HR. Furthermore, a correction to current models is also proposed to stabilize the respiratory behaviour and enable realistic simulation of vital signs over the longer time scales required for clinical management. The results of the extended model developed here show better agreement with measured bio-signals, and these extensions provide an important first step towards estimating model parameters from patient data, using methods such as neural ordinary differential equations. The approach presented is generalizable to many other similar multi-compartmental models of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems

Nanoscale wafer patterning using SPM induced local anodic oxidation in InP substrates

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) assisted local anodic oxidation (LAO) offers advantages over other semiconductor fabrication techniques as it is a low contamination method. We demonstrate the fabrication of deep and highly reproducible nanohole arrays on InP using LAO. Nanohole and nano-oxide mound radius and depth are controlled independently by altering AFM tip bias and humidity, with a maximum nanohole depth of 15.6 ± 1.2 nm being achieved. Additionally, the effect of tip write speed on oxide line formation is compared for n-type, p-type and semi-insulating substrates, which shows that n-type InP oxidizes at a slower rate that semi-insulated or p-type InP. Finally, we calculate the activation energy for LAO of semi-insulating InP to be 0.4 eV, suggesting the oxidation mechanism is similar to that which occurs during plasma oxidation

Stock structure of exploited shark species in north-eastern Australia

The project has provided management and other stakeholders with information necessary to make informed decisions about the management of four of the key exploited shark species caught in the Queensland inshore net fishery and northern New South Wales line fishery. The project has determined that spatial management of milk sharks within Queensland, and scalloped hammerhead, common black tip and Australian black tip sharks within Queensland and New South Wales is appropriate. The project has determined that both black tip shark species are likely to require co-operative management arrangements between Queensland and New South Wales. For scalloped hammerheads separate stocks between the two jurisdictions were identified from the fisheriesdependent samples, however genetic exchange across borders is likely to be facilitated by movement of adult females and perhaps larger males to a lesser extent. This information will greatly assist compliance with the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) for shark fisheries in north-eastern Australia by providing the necessary basis for robust assessment of the status of stocks of the study species, thereby helping to deliver their sustainable harvest. It also helps to achieve objectives of the Australian National Shark Plan. The project provides the appropriate spatial framework for future monitoring and assessment of the study species. This is at a time when shark fisheries are receiving close attention from all sectors and when monitoring programs are being implemented, aimed at better assessment of stock status. This project has provided the crucial information for developing an appropriate monitoring design as well as the necessary basis for making statements about stock status. The project has addressed research priorities identified by the Queensland Fisheries Research Advisory Board, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Fisheries. Previously management has assumed a single stock for each species on the east coast of Queensland, and management of shark fisheries in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland has been independent of one another. The project has been able to enhance and develop links between research, management and industry. Strong positive relationships with commercial fishers were crucial in the collection of samples throughout the study area and fisheries managers were part of the project team throughout the study period. During the project the study area was extended to include both Queensland and NSW waters, creating mutualistic and positive links between the States’ research and management agencies. Extension of project results included management representatives from NSW and Queensland, as well as the Northern Territory where similar shark fisheries operate and similar species are targeted. The project was able to provide significant human capital development opportunities providing considerable value to the project outcomes. Use of vertebral microchemistry and life history characteristics as stock determination methods provided material for two PhD students based at James Cook University: Ron Schroeder, vertebral chemistry; and Alastair Harry, life history characteristic. The project has developed novel research methods that have great capacity for future application, including: • Development of a simple and rapid genetic diagnostic tool (RT-HRM-PCR assay) for differentiating among the black tip shark species, for which no simple morphological identifier exists; and • Development of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) methods for analysing and interpreting microchemical composition of shark vertebrae. The study has provided further confirmation of the effectiveness of using a holistic approach in stock structure studies and justifies investment into such studies

Ten years on: Geophysical survey on the ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’ World Heritage Area

2009 marks an important landmark in the use of geophysical survey on Orkney, as it is now 10 years since the first work was undertaken on the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Area.  This work began with a gradiometer survey of a few fields around the Stones of Stenness in 1999, which evolved into the WHA Inner Buffer Zone project in 2002.  By 2009 the area investigated has expanded to cover almost 300ha of detailed gradiometer survey. Data has been collected at 1 m by 0.25 m intervals..

Population structure and connectivity of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) across the Indo-Pacific Ocean basin

Population genetic structure using nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci was assessed for the tiger shark () at seven locations across the Indo-Pacific, and one location in the southern Atlantic. Genetic analyses revealed considerable genetic structuring ( > 0.14,