Mechanosensitive channels: what can they do and how do they do it?

While mechanobiological processes employ diverse mechanisms, at their heart are force-induced perturbations in the structure and dynamics of molecules capable of triggering subsequent events. Among the best characterized force-sensing systems are bacterial mechanosensitive channels. These channels reflect an intimate coupling of protein conformation with the mechanics of the surrounding membrane; the membrane serves as an adaptable sensor that responds to an input of applied force and converts it into an output signal, interpreted for the cell by mechanosensitive channels. The cell can exploit this information in a number of ways: ensuring cellular viability in the presence of osmotic stress and perhaps also serving as a signal transducer for membrane tension or other functions. This review focuses on the bacterial mechanosensitive channels of large (MscL) and small (MscS) conductance and their eukaryotic homologs, with an emphasis on the outstanding issues surrounding the function and mechanism of this fascinating class of molecules

Ecophysiological traits of grasses: resolving the effects of photosynthetic pathway and phylogeny

C4 photosynthesis is an important example of convergent evolution in plants, having arisen in eudicots, monocots and diatoms. Comparisons between such diverse groups are confounded by phylogenetic and ecological differences, so that only broad generalisations can be made about the role of C4 photosynthesis in
determining ecophysiological traits. However, 60% of C4 species occur in the grasses (Poaceae) and molecular phylogenetic techniques confirm that there are between 8 and 17 independent origins of C4 photosynthesis in the Poaceae. In a screening experiment, we compared leaf physiology and growth traits across several major
independent C3 & C4 groups within the Poaceae, asking 1) which traits differ consistently between photosynthetic
types and 2) which traits differ consistently between clades within each photosynthetic type

Voluntary and community welfare

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of a chapter published in Understanding the Mixed Economy of Welfare. Details of the definitive published version and how to purchase it are available online at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/understanding-the-mixed-economy-of-welfare-1 For re-use please see publisher's terms and conditions.Voluntary organisations and community groups have long been involved providing welfare support and services in different fields, although over time their relationships with state, commercial and informal welfare have changed. It is unlikely that their role in the mixed economy of welfare will diminish in the near future. This chapter provides an outline of the nature and scope of voluntary and community welfare, a historical overview of its role, and examines the current context, challenges and prospects faced by voluntary organisations and community groups

Young people’s engagements with heritage: tackling inequality & other opportunities for public policy

This is a chapter from a research report: Social and cultural infrastructure for people and policy: discussion papers published by The British Academy under a Creative Commons licence. The full report can be accessed on the British Academy website: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications/social-and-cultural-infrastructure-for-people-and-policy-discussion-papers

Young people’s engagements with heritage: Tackling inequality & other opportunities for public policy

This is a research report commissioned by Historic England. All rights are reserved.In 2021 Historic England commissioned Arts Connect and the Institute for Community Research and Development to investigate and report on the value and impact of young people’s engagements with heritage. We had observed that there are clear signs of increasing interest in heritage amongst young people across both informal and extracurricular settings such as social media and in the street. Whilst some research has shown that programmes designed to engage young people do support a range of personal, social, health, and learning benefits, existing evidence was thin in regard to the impact that a focus on heritage – especially outside of school – has in these areas. Our research was given additional urgency by the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and the renewed focus on place, particularly those that are described as being ‘left behind’. In this context, understanding the role and value of heritage in generating positive social, economic, and health outcomes is vital in order to inform future activities, to influence public policy, and to better make the case for public investments into the heritage sector. We hope this research will be useful to those working as policymakers and practitioners in heritage and youth work.Funded by Historic Englan

The diagnostic value of the stump impingement reflex sign for determining anterior cruciate ligament stump impingement as a cause of knee locking

BACKGROUND: The stump impingement reflex is a subtle bounce to the knee thought to be caused by hamstring contraction when the knee is brought into extension and the torn ACL stump impinges between the distal femur and the tibial plateau. We have studied the diagnostic value of this sign. FINDINGS: From Feb 2008-Feb 2009, we audited 30 patients who underwent urgent arthroscopy for acutely locked knees. The presence of the stump impingement reflex prior to surgery was compared with the intra-operative findings. The diagnostic values of the stump impingement sign were found to be: Sensitivity 58%, Specificity 81%, Positive predictive value 70%, Negative predictive value 72% and Accuracy 71%. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the stump impingement reflex is a specific sign for ACL stump impingement as a cause of knee locking. We recommend close inspection for this sign when examining locked knees

The value and meaning of young people's engagements with heritage

Institute for Community Research & Development with Arts Connect report commissioned by Historic England.Historic Englan

High-purity microwave generation using a dual-frequency hybrid integrated semiconductor-dielectric waveguide laser

We present an integrated semiconductor-dielectric hybrid dual-frequency laser operating in the 1.5 $\mu$m wavelength range for microwave and terahertz (THz) generation. Generating a microwave beat frequency near 11 GHz, we observe a record-narrow intrinsic linewidth as low as about 2 kHz. This is realized by hybrid integration of a single diode amplifier based on indium phosphide (InP) with a long, low-loss silicon nitride (Si$_3$N$_4$) feedback circuit to extend the cavity photon lifetime, resulting in a cavity optical roundtrip length of about 30 cm on a chip. Simultaneous lasing at two frequencies is enabled by introducing an external control parameter for balancing the feedback from two tunable, frequency-selective Vernier mirrors on the Si$_3$N$_4$ chip. Each frequency can be tuned with a wavelength coverage of about 80 nm, potentially allowing for the generation of a broad range of frequencies in the microwave range up to the THz range

Increased dispersion of oil from a deep water seabed release by energetic mesoscale eddies

Hydrodynamics play a critical role in determining the trajectory of an oil spill. Currents, stratification and mesoscale processes all contribute to how a spill behaves. Using an industry‑leading oil spill model, we compare forecasts of oil dispersion when forced with two different hydrodynamic models of the North-West European Shelf (7 km and 1.5 km horizontal resolution). This demonstrates how the trajectory of a deep water (>1000 m) release in the central Faroe-Shetland Channel is influenced by explicitly resolving mesoscale processes. The finer resolution hydrodynamic model dramatically enhances the horizontal dispersion of oil and transports pollutant further afield. This is a consequence of higher mesoscale variability. Stratification influences the depth of subsurface plume trapping and subsequently the far-field transport of oil. These results demonstrate that the choice of hydrodynamic model resolution is crucial when designing particle tracking or tracer release experiments