Underperforming policy networks : the biopesticides network in the United Kingdom

Loosely integrated and incomplete policy networks have been neglected in the literature. They are important to consider in terms of understanding network underperformance. The effective delivery and formulation of policy requires networks that are not incomplete or underperforming. The biopesticides policy network in the United Kingdom is considered and its components identified with an emphasis on the lack of integration of retailers and environmental groups. The nature of the network constrains the actions of its agents and frustrates the achievement of policy goals. A study of this relatively immature policy network also allows for a focus on network formation. The state, via an external central government department, has been a key factor in the development of the network. Therefore, it is important to incorporate such factors more systematically into understandings of network formation. Feedback efforts from policy have increased interactions between productionist actors but the sphere of consumption remains insufficiently articulated

Observations of lightning processes using VHF radio interferometry

A single station, multiple baseline radio interferometer was used to locate the direction of VHF radiation from lightning discharges with microsec time resolution. Radiation source directions and electric field waveforms were analyzed for various types of breakdown events. These include initial breakdown and K type events of in-cloud activity, and the leaders of initial and subsequent strokes to ground and activity during and following return strokes. Radiation during the initial breakdown of a flash and in the early stages of initial leaders to ground is found to be similar. In both instances, the activity consists of localized bursts of radiation that are intense and slow moving. Motion within a given burst is unresolved by the interferometer. Radiation from in-cloud K type events is essentially the same as that from dart leaders; in both cases it is produced at the leading edge of a fast moving streamer that propagates along a well defined, often extensive path. K type events are sometimes terminated by fast field changes that are similar to the return stroke initiated by dart leaders; such K type events are the in-cloud analog of the dart leader return stroke process

Intrinsic carrier mobility of multi-layered MoS2_2 field-effect transistors on SiO2_2

By fabricating and characterizing multi-layered MoS$_2$-based field-effect transistors (FETs) in a four terminal configuration, we demonstrate that the two terminal-configurations tend to underestimate the carrier mobility $\mu$ due to the Schottky barriers at the contacts. For a back-gated two-terminal configuration we observe mobilities as high as 125 cm$^2$V$^{-1}$s$^{-1}$ which is considerably smaller than 306.5 cm$^2$V$^{-1}$s$^{-1}$ as extracted from the same device when using a four-terminal configuration. This indicates that the intrinsic mobility of MoS$_2$ on SiO$_2$ is significantly larger than the values previously reported, and provides a quantitative method to evaluate the charge transport through the contacts.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, typos fixed, and references update

The analysis of solar models: Neutrinos and oscillations

Tests of solar neutrino flux and solar oscillation frequencies were used to assess standard stellar structure theory. Standard and non-standard solar models are enumerated and discussed. The field of solar seismology, wherein the solar interior is studied from the measurement of solar oscillations, is introduced

Weak gravitational lensing with DEIMOS

We introduce a novel method for weak-lensing measurements, which is based on a mathematically exact deconvolution of the moments of the apparent brightness distribution of galaxies from the telescope's PSF. No assumptions on the shape of the galaxy or the PSF are made. The (de)convolution equations are exact for unweighted moments only, while in practice a compact weight function needs to be applied to the noisy images to ensure that the moment measurement yields significant results. We employ a Gaussian weight function, whose centroid and ellipticity are iteratively adjusted to match the corresponding quantities of the source. The change of the moments caused by the application of the weight function can then be corrected by considering higher-order weighted moments of the same source. Because of the form of the deconvolution equations, even an incomplete weighting correction leads to an excellent shear estimation if galaxies and PSF are measured with a weight function of identical size. We demonstrate the accuracy and capabilities of this new method in the context of weak gravitational lensing measurements with a set of specialized tests and show its competitive performance on the GREAT08 challenge data. A complete C++ implementation of the method can be requested from the authors.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, fixed typo in Eq. 1

From algebra to logic: there and back again -- the story of a hierarchy

This is an extended survey of the results concerning a hierarchy of languages that is tightly connected with the quantifier alternation hierarchy within the two-variable fragment of first order logic of the linear order.Comment: Developments in Language Theory 2014, Ekaterinburg : Russian Federation (2014

A retrospective study of cognitive function in doctors and dentists with suspected performance problems: an unsuspected but significant concern.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance assessments and cognitive function of practitioners referred to the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS). DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Practitioners referred to NCAS for performance assessment due to suspected performance problems. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and nine practitioners over the age of 45 years referred to NCAS between 1 September 2008 and 30 June 2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reasons for referral of practitioners and their characteristics; details of their assessments including screening for cognition using Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R); outcome of the process. RESULTS: Reasons for referral included 'clinical difficulties' and 'governance or safety issues'. Eighty-seven practitioners scored above 88 on ACE-R. Twenty-two were found to have an ACE-R score of ≤88. On further assessment, 14 of these 22 practitioners were found to have cognitive impairment. The majority of all practitioners were found to be performing below the expected level of practice for someone at their grade and specialty. Of those scoring ≤88 on the screening, only seven continued in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of practitioners scoring poorly on ACE-R were found to have cognitive impairment following detailed neuropsychological testing, the youngest aged 46 years. Many were working in isolation. Nearly all practitioners scoring poorly on ACE-R were international medical graduates; reasons for this are unclear. Performance assessment results showed persisting failings in the practitioners' record keeping and in their assessment of patients. Our findings highlight the need for increased vigilance and training of responsible officers to recognise performance problems and emphasise the importance of comprehensive assessment

Drawing On College Student Attitudes and Behaviors to Instigate Energy Efficiency Improvements in Rental Housing

Improving the energy efficiency of residential rental properties has been a priority of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. However, traditional educational programming has had limited effectiveness due to a split incentive dynamic between landlords and tenants relative to property upgrades. We demonstrate that college students have broad interest in but limited knowledge of energy efficiency and are willing to pay a premium for relevant improvements. Our findings indicate that there is strong potential for Extension professionals to engage off-campus housing offices, students, and landlords in the development of modified leases and to facilitate educational programming that specifically addresses rental housing energy efficiency

Atmospheric extinction coefficients in the Ic\mathrm{I_c} band for several major international observatories: Results from the BiSON telescopes, 1984 to 2016

Over 30 years of solar data have been acquired by the Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON), an international network of telescopes used to study oscillations of the Sun. Five of the six BiSON telescopes are located at major observatories. The observational sites are, in order of increasing longitude: Mount Wilson (Hale) Observatory (MWO), California, USA; Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), Chile; Observatorio del Teide, Iza\~{n}a, Tenerife, Canary Islands; the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Sutherland, South Africa; Carnarvon, Western Australia; and the Paul Wild Observatory, Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia. The BiSON data may be used to measure atmospheric extinction coefficients in the $\mathrm{I_c}$ band (approximately 700-900 nm), and presented here are the derived atmospheric extinction coefficients from each site over the years 1984 to 2016.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables. Accepted by Astronomical Journal: 2017 July 2