Excess or wasteful commuting assessed by sex and socio-economic group: London, Birmingham and Manchester, England

This research considers the application of an urban zonal travel optimisation model to the actual commuting patterns between residences and workplaces in the three largest English cities in 1981 and 1991. The model produces an estimate of the average commuting distance required if individuals could exchange residences and workplaces to minimise distance travelled. In contrast to previous work published by these authors (Transportation Research) individuals in this paper are classified separately by socio-economic group and by sex. Residences and workplaces can be matched only by persons of the same socio-economic group or sex. The proportion of the actual commuting distance above the optimum is defined as excess or wasteful commuting. The existing literature using this methodology can be criticised on the grounds that individuals of different socio-economic groups (essentially based on employment type) have had their residences and workplaces coupled prior to the excess commuting calculations. This is certainly not how urban labour markets work. This paper is the first example to undertake the matching by separate segments of the labour force and as a consequence achieve a better approximation of reality. The results are surprising and counterintuitive - there appears to greater wasteful commuting (according to this methodology) for individuals travelling shorter distances - most often equated with women and lower socio-economic groups.

Block Versus Traditional Scheduling in High School: Teacher and Student Attitudes

The focus of this study was to identify the preferred schedule type (block or traditional) for students and teachers in high schools. Additionally, the purpose of the study was to explore why high schools should assess how time is used during the school day. Survey responses about time management practices of students and teachers at one high school were reported, and implications for how to construct a schedule based on the survey responses were explored. Students and teachers with experience in block and traditional scheduling formats were surveyed for the study. Participants received an online survey and were asked to respond to statements regarding their attitudes and perceptions of block and traditional scheduling. Teachers felt that students were more productive and experienced greater academic growth in block scheduling. Students strongly believed there were more opportunities for academic growth in block scheduling. Twenty-five percent of the teachers felt students had greater accommodations for learning styles in a block schedule. Seventy-two percent of the teachers strongly agreed the school climate was more positive in a block schedule. Students (22%) also felt there was a more positive climate in the block schedule environment. The findings of this study provide school decision makers with evidence of the preferred learning schedule of students and teachers

Data report: Seismic structure beneath the North Cascadia drilling transect of IODP Expedition 311

Between 1999 and 2004, new seismic data became available for the study of gas hydrates on the northern Cascadia margin. These data consist of multi- and single-channel data with two- and partly three-dimensional subsurface coverage and were acquired and used in support of the proposal for Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 311 carried out in 2005. The working area lies across the continental slope off the coast of central Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, with water depths ranging from 2600 m in the trench to 500 m on the upper slope, where it is well above the minimum depth for gas hydrate stability. This paper gives the details of the data acquisition and conventional processing and then focuses on describing the new data at six individual sites along a transect across the gas hydrate zone. Five of the sites were drilled during the Expedition 311. The transect of sites commences at the almost undeformed incoming sediments seaward of the region where gas hydrates are observed; these ocean basin sediments were drilled at a site 40 km southeast during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 146. The transect continues up the continental slope into the area of hydrate stability, with a site on top of the frontal accretionary ridge where normal faulting indicates margin parallel extension; a site in the first slope basin overlying a buried ridge near a reflectivity wipe-out zone; a site adjacent to Site 889 of Leg 146 and therefore acting as a tie hole; the most landward site at the shallowest end of the hydrate stability field; and a cold vent site at one of several blank zones close to a bright spot region in the seismic records

Evaluation Factors for Multi-Stakeholder Broadband Visual Communication Projects

This paper presents a summary of multifaceted evaluation factors that we have identified through our research with Broadband Visual Communication (BVC) projects involving multiple stakeholders. The main benefit of these evaluation factors is that they provide a general evaluation framework for multiple stakeholder projects. The factors are social infrastructure, technical infrastructure, physical space, interaction style and content

Tidally controlled gas bubble emissions: A comprehensive study using long-term monitoring data from the NEPTUNE cabled observatory offshore Vancouver Island

Long-term monitoring over one year revealed high temporal variability of gas emissions at a cold seep in 1250 m water depth offshore Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Data from the North East Pacific Time series Underwater Networked Experiment observatory operated by Ocean Networks Canada were used. The site is equipped with a 260 kHz Imagenex sonar collecting hourly data, conductivity-temperature-depth sensors, bottom pressure recorders, current meter, and an ocean bottom seismograph. This enables correlation of the data and analyzing trigger mechanisms and regulating criteria of gas discharge activity. Three periods of gas emission activity were observed: (a) short activity phases of few hours lasting several months, (b) alternating activity and inactivity of up to several day-long phases each, and (c) a period of several weeks of permanent activity. These periods can neither be explained by oceanographic conditions nor initiated by earthquakes. However, we found a clear correlation of gas emission with bottom pressure changes controlled by tides. Gas bubbles start emanating during decreasing tidal pressure. Tidally induced pressure changes also influence the subbottom fluid system by shifting the methane solubility resulting in exsolution of gas during falling tides. These pressure changes affect the equilibrium of forces allowing free gas in sediments to emanate into the water column at decreased hydrostatic load. We propose a model for the fluid system at the seep, fueled by a constant sub-surface methane flux and a frequent tidally controlled discharge of gas bubbles into the ocean, transferable to other gas emission sites in the world's oceans

Digital Media Player Controls Supporting Music Education

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A repeat cross-sectional study examining the equitable impact of nutritional standards for school lunches in England in 2008 on the diets of 4-7y olds across the socio-economic spectrum

BACKGROUND: The 2008 nutritional standards for primary school lunch in England improved nutritional content. The impact on socio-economic inequalities is unknown. We examine the impact of the nutritional standards on children’s nutrient intake at lunchtime and in total diet by level of deprivation. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional studies in 12 English primary schools before and after legislation. Dietary intake was recorded for 4-7y olds using a validated, prospective four-day food diary. Socio-economic status was estimated using the Index of Multiple Deprivation; three groups of approximately equal sizes were created. Linear, mixed-effect models explored the effect of year, lunch type (school or home-packed lunch), level of deprivation and the interaction(s) between these factors on children’s diets. RESULTS: 368 and 624 children participated in 2003–4 and 2008–9 respectively. At lunchtime, between 2003–4 and 2008–9, the increase in non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) intake was larger in the least compared to the most deprived group (difference in mean change 0.8 mg; 95% CI 0.4, 1.3). There were similar differences in mean changes for iron (0.3 mg; 0.2, 0.4) and zinc (0.3 mg; 0.1, 0.5). In total diet, differential effects were observed for NSP, iron and zinc; we found no evidence these changes were associated with lunch type. Lunch type was associated with changes in per cent energy from non-milk-extrinsic sugars (NMES) and vitamin C. Per cent energy from NMES was lower and vitamin C intake higher in school lunches in 2008–9 compared with 2003–4. The corresponding differences in home-packed lunches were not as marked and there were subtle but statistically significant effects of the level of deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: By 2008–9, NMES at lunchtime and in total diet was lower for children consuming a school lunch; this change was equitable across the deprivation groups. Vitamin C intake increased more for children in the most deprived group, narrowing the socio-economic inequality. A range of significant differential effects of the nutritional standards were observed and important socio-economic inequalities in dietary intake remain. Additional interventions to promote equitable nutrition in children are needed to support legislative measures and maximise their impact

Designing with and for people living with visual impairments: audio-tactile mock-ups, audio diaries and participatory prototyping

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. Methods used to engage users in the design process often rely on visual techniques, such as paper prototypes, to facilitate the expression and communication of design ideas. The visual nature of these tools makes them inaccessible to people living with visual impairments. In addition, while using visual means to express ideas for designing graphical interfaces is appropriate, it is harder to use them to articulate the design of non-visual displays. In this article, we present an approach to conducting participatory design with people living with visual impairments incorporating various techniques to help make the design process accessible. We reflect on the benefits and challenges that we encountered when employing these techniques in the context of designing cross-modal interactive tools

A variational interpretation of Restricted Additive Schwarz with impedance transmission condition for the Helmholtz problem

In this paper we revisit the Restricted Additive Schwarz method for solving discretized Helmholtz problems, using impedance boundary conditions on subdomains (sometimes called ORAS). We present this method in its variational form and show that it can be seen as a finite element discretization of a parallel overlapping domain decomposition method defined at the PDE level. In a fourthcoming paper, the authors have proved certain contractive properties of the error propagation operator for this method at the PDE level, under certain geometrical assumptions. We illustrate computationally that these properties are also enjoyed by its finite element approximation, i.e., the ORAS method

Superficial femoral artery eversion endarterectomy: A useful adjunct for infrainguinal bypass in the presence of limited autogenous vein

AbstractPurpose: To evaluate, in a group of technically high-risk patients, the results of infrainguinal revascularization using a conduit constructed with endarterectomized superficial femoral artery (SFA) and available arm or saphenous vein.Methods: Of 237 consecutive lower extremity vein graft bypass procedures performed in 195 patients from July 1992 through August 1996, 15 SFA eversion endarterectomies (in 10 men and five women; median age, 70 years) were performed and used as a composite bypass conduit with available autogenous vein for the treatment of limb-threatening ischemia. In each case, an occluded SFA was divided 8 to 15 cm distal to its origin, proximally endarterectomized, and sewn end-to-end to a segment of vein to provide adequate conduit length for bypass grafting. Indications for this technique were unavailability of vein as a result of failed previous bypass grafting (n = 10) or previous coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 5). Veins were sewn distally to a below-knee popliteal artery (n = 4; 27%) or tibial artery (n = 11; 73%).Results: Primary patency, secondary patency, and limb salvage rates at 36 months by life table analyses for the 237 grafts were 62.3%, 81.0%, and 77.2%, respectively. The 15 composite SFA-vein bypass grafts had 36-month primary patency, secondary patency, and limb salvage rates of 60.0%, 72.0%, and 65.9%, respectively (mean follow-up, 15 months). Currently, eight of these patients (53%) have patent bypass grafts; two (13%) died at 4 and 18 months after the operation with patent grafts; two (13%) underwent amputations for progressive foot gangrene despite a patent bypass graft; and three (20%) had grafts that thrombosed at 4, 5, and 10 months. Typical hyperplastic intrinsic graft-threatening stenoses developed in two patients (13%) in the SFA segment at 4 and 8 months; they were discovered by routine duplex scan surveillance.Conclusion: Composite SFA eversion endarterectomy/vein graft conduits yield acceptable results, behave similarly to other autogenous conduits used for technically high-risk infrainguinal revascularization, and are beneficial when autogenous vein is limited