The monitoring and review process in English regional planning

This study investigates the trajectory of regional planning in England in the light of the reforms to the planning system since 1997. It looks in particular into a key element of these reforms, namely the introduction of what will be called a Plan, Monitor and Manage (PMM) approach to regional planning. The concept of PMM first emerged in regional planning debates in relation to housing but a central argument in this research is that with the revision of PPG11 in the late 1990s/early 2000s a 'mainstreaming' of PMM has occurred insofar as key ideas and elements of PMM have become the formula for regional planning as a whole. In a nutshell, the current PMM approach envisages a continuous planning process of strategy making, implementation, monitoring and review which is to increase the responsiveness of planning, bring about more up-to-date strategies and enhance implementation. Against this backdrop, the research sets out to examine and explain the operation and implications of the PMM approach to regional planning. The investigation is carried out at two interconnected levels. On the one hand, the study examines the 'practical' side of PMM, its functioning and implications as regards technical, organisational and governance matters as well as substantive outcomes. On the other hand, the operation of PMM and its implications are linked to wider theoretical debates about political ideologies, governmental agendas, public sector, planning and state reform. The empirical element of the study combines an overarching analysis of the situation across England with two detailed case studies of the practice of PMM in two English regions, namely the West Midlands and South East of England. The analysis of the operation and implications of PMM in regional planning produces a fairly ambiguous picture. On the one hand, the study shows the progress which has been made so far and identifies potential and concrete benefits of the PMM model, e.g. a planning system which is responsive to change and draws more widely on monitoring. On the other hand, the current PMM model entails major problems and challenges. Some of these could be described as the 'teething problems' of a new system, some are operational problems and others are methodological and conceptual limitations such as the difficulties in achieving responsiveness through strategy review. However, many of the problems which have been identified can be assigned to structural limitations in the way the current PMM model is designed and resourced, inherent tensions and conflicting or essentially incompatible requirements. In the light of these findings, the study develops recommendations for improved national policy and regional practice of PMM

Gravity-induced birefringence within the framework of Poincare gauge theory

Gauge theories of gravity provide an elegant and promising extension of general relativity. In this paper we show that the Poincar\'e gauge theory exhibits gravity-induced birefringence under the assumption of a specific gauge invariant nonminimal coupling between torsion and Maxwell's field. Furthermore we give for the first time an explicit expression for the induced phaseshift between two orthogonal polarization modes within the Poincar\'e framework. Since such a phaseshift can lead to a depolarization of light emitted from an extended source this effect is, in principle, observable. We use white dwarf polarimetric data to constrain the essential coupling constant responsible for this effect.Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication by Physical Review

Constraining Gravitational Theories by Observing Magnetic White Dwarfs

Under the assumption of a specific nonminimal coupling of torsion to Under the assumption of a specific nonminimal coupling of torsion to electromagnetism, spacetime is birefringent in the presence of a gravitational field leading to depolarization of light emitted from extended astrophysical sources. We use polarimetric data of the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853 to set for the very first time constraints on the essential coupling constant for this effect, giving k^2 <22 m^2. electromagnetism, spacetime is birefringent in the presence of a gravitational field leading to depolarization of light emitted from extended astrophysical sources. We use polarimetric data of the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853 to set for the very first time constraints on the essential coupling constant for this effect, giving k^2 <22 m^2.Comment: 4 pages, 1 Figure, to appear in the proceedings of the 14th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, eds. D. Koester and S. Moehler, ASP Conf. Serie

An astronomical search for evidence of new physics: Limits on gravity-induced birefringence from the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853

The coupling of the electromagnetic field directly with gravitational gauge fields leads to new physical effects that can be tested using astronomical data. Here we consider a particular case for closer scrutiny, a specific nonminimal coupling of torsion to electromagnetism, which enters into a metric-affine geometry of space-time. We show that under the assumption of this nonminimal coupling, spacetime is birefringent in the presence of such a gravitational field. This leads to the depolarization of light emitted from extended astrophysical sources. We use polarimetric data of the magnetic white dwarf ${RE J0317-853}$ to set strong constraints on the essential coupling constant for this effect, giving k^2 \lsim (19 {m})^2 .Comment: Statements about Moffat's NGT modified. Accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.

Functionalization of Supramolecular Polymers by Dynamic Covalent Boroxine Chemistry

Molecular scaffolds that enable the combinatorial synthesis of new supramolecular building blocks are promising targets for the construction of functional molecular systems. Here, we report a supramolecular scaffold based on boroxine that enables the formation of chiral and ordered 1D supramolecular polymers, which can be easily functionalized for circularly polarized luminescence. The boroxine monomers are quantitatively synthesized in situ, both in bulk and in solution, from boronic acid precursors and cooperatively polymerize into 1D helical aggregates stabilized by threefold hydrogen-bonding and π–π stacking. We then demonstrate amplification of asymmetry in the co-assembly of chiral/achiral monomers and the co-condensation of chiral/achiral precursors in classical and in situ sergeant-and-soldiers experiments, respectively, showing fast boronic acid exchange reactions occurring in the system. Remarkably, co-condensation of pyrene boronic acid with a hydrogen-bonding chiral boronic acid results in chiral pyrene aggregation with circularly polarized excimer emission and g-values in the order of 10−3. Yet, the electron deficiency of boron in boroxine makes them chemically addressable by nucleophiles, but also sensitive to hydrolysis. With this sensitivity in mind, we provide first insights into the prospects offered by boroxine-based supramolecular polymers to make chemically addressable, functional, and adaptive systems.</p

Diffusion-weighted MRI reflects proliferative activity in primary CNS lymphoma

Purpose: To investigate if apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values within primary central nervous system lymphoma correlate with cellularity and proliferative activity in corresponding histological samples. Materials and Methods: Echo-planar diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images obtained from 21 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma were reviewed retrospectively. Regions of interest were drawn on ADC maps corresponding to the contrast enhancing parts of the tumors. Biopsies from all 21 patients were histologically analyzed. Nuclei count, total nuclei area and average nuclei area were measured. The proliferation index was estimated as Ki-67 positive nuclei divided by total number of nuclei. Correlations of ADC values and histopathologic parameters were determined statistically. Results: Ki-67 staining revealed a statistically significant correlation with ADCmin (r = -0.454, p = 0.038), ADCmean (r = -0.546, p = 0.010) and ADCmax (r = -0.515, p = 0.017). Furthermore, ADCmean correlated in a statistically significant manner with total nucleic area (r = -0.500, p = 0.021). Conclusion: Low ADCmin, ADCmean and ADCmax values reflect a high proliferative activity of primary cental nervous system lymphoma. Low ADCmean values—in concordance with several previously published studies—indicate an increased cellularity within the tumor

Virtual Environments. Seminar - Sommersemester 2003

Dieser Bericht stellt die Ergebnisse des Seminars Virtual Environments (VE) zusammen. Ein wichtiges Ziel von VE ist die Immersion, die Einbindung des Benutzers als aktiven Teilnehmer in eine computergenerierte Welt. Voraussetzung dafür sind Techniken zur Simulation von Lebendigen virtuellen Welten, also zur Simulation von 3D-Szenen mit realistischem Verhalten. Es geht dabei um Kollisionserkennungsalgorithmen, haptisches Rendering, Navigations- und Interaktionstechniken, programmierbare Grafik-Hardware, verteilte virtuelle Welten bis hin zur Modellierung und Simulation von virtuellen Menschen. Die virtuelle Realität hat sich inzwischen in verschiedenen Anwendungsbereichen durchgesetzt und wird auch im Rahmen des SFB 588 Humanoide Roboter - Lernende und kooperierende multimodale Roboter für die Simulation des humanoiden Roboters und die Evaluierung der Mensch-Roboter-Schnittstelle eingesetzt

A model of semimetallic behavior in strongly correlated electron systems

Metals with values of the resistivity and the Hall coefficient much larger than typical ones, e.g., of sodium, are called semimetals. We suggest a model for semimetals which takes into account the strong Coulomb repulsion of the charge carriers, especially important in transition-metal and rare-earth compounds. For that purpose we extend the Hubbard model by coupling one additional orbital per site via hybridization to the Hubbard orbitals. We calculate the spectral function, resistivity and Hall coefficient of the model using dynamical mean-field theory. Starting from the Mott-insulating state, we find a transition to a metal with increasing hybridization strength (``self-doping''). In the metallic regime near the transition line to the insulator the model shows semimetallic behavior. We compare the calculated temperature dependence of the resistivity and the Hall coefficient with the one found experimentally for $\rm Yb_4As_3$. The comparison demonstrates that the anomalies in the transport properties of $\rm Yb_4As_3$ possibly can be assigned to Coulomb interaction effects of the charge carriers not captured by standard band structure calculations.Comment: 9 pages RevTeX with 7 ps figures, accepted by PR

Structural Insights into Pseudokinase Domains of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases

Despite their apparent lack of catalytic activity, pseudokinases are essential signaling molecules. Here, we describe the structural and dynamic properties of pseudokinase domains from the Wnt-binding receptor tyrosine kinases (PTK7, ROR1, ROR2, and RYK), which play important roles in development. We determined structures of all pseudokinase domains in this family and found that they share a conserved inactive conformation in their activation loop that resembles the autoinhibited insulin receptor kinase (IRK). They also have inaccessible ATP-binding pockets, occluded by aromatic residues that mimic a cofactor-bound state. Structural comparisons revealed significant domain plasticity and alternative interactions that substitute for absent conserved motifs. The pseudokinases also showed dynamic properties that were strikingly similar to those of IRK. Despite the inaccessible ATP site, screening identified ATP-competitive type-II inhibitors for ROR1. Our results set the stage for an emerging therapeutic modality of "conformational disruptors" to inhibit or modulate non-catalytic functions of pseudokinases deregulated in disease.Peer reviewe