Local authorities as niche actors: the case of energy governance in the UK

This paper draws from work conducted under the NERC-funded project 'Understanding energy governance at local and community levels'(Project Reference: NE/H013598/1). This project was a 24 month study carried out in collaboration with the UK Energy Research Council which began in April 2010. The particular workpackage from which these interviews were drawn specifically explores the role of local authorities in emerging energy and environmental responsibilities, paying particular attention to current institutional structures and how external forces and actors influence local authorities on their decision making and practices. It is concluded that whilst the role of local authorities has been changing in response to energy and environmental ‘landscape’ issues, their influence on the design and implementation of energy policy in the UK will correspondingly remain as an emerging process for the foreseeable future, with the more progressive local authorities continuing to exert political, social/cultural and technological influence over ways of designing, articulating, and engaging with energy governance at the local level

Cognitive Training Transfer Using A Personal Computer-based Game:a Close Quarters Battle Case Study

Developers of Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) gaming software are making remarkable strides in increasing the realism of their software. This realism has caught the attention of the training community, which has traditionally sought system and operational replication in training systems such as flight simulators. Since games are designed and marketed for entertainment and not designed for training of tasks, questions exist about the effectiveness of games as a training system in achieving the desired transfer of skills to the actual environment. Numerous studies over the past ten years have documented that PC-based simulation training environments can offer effective training for certain types of training, especially aircraft piloting tasks. Desktop games have been evaluated from a case study approach for use in aviation training (Proctor, et al., 2004) and education planning and evaluating small unit tactics) (Proctor, et al., 2002) with positive results. Based on the review of selected studies in this area, PC-based simulator platforms have been found to have a positive training impact on cognitive skills (as opposed to psycho-motor skills). Specifically, the literature review has identified that skill sets involved in team resource management, intra- and inter-team coordination, and tactical team maneuvers have been shown to benefit from the use of PC-based simulation training. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the training transfer associated with a Tactical Decision-making game, using Close Combat: First to Fight as a case study. The null hypothesis tested was that traditional field training is equivalent to virtual training combined with field training. Measurements of the subjects\u27 performance in live training were recorded. Additionally, self assessment questionnaires were administered

Visualising interoperability : ARH, aggregation, rationalisation and harmonisation

This paper proposes a visualisation of interoperability to assist real-world deployment of metadata. For some time, resource managers in many organisations have been acting on faith, creating 'standards compliant' metadata with the aim of exposing their resources to provide interoperability in discovery activities. In some cases, their faith has led them to miss the very essence of the work they are doing, and they have not got what they worked for. The authors report a case study involving government agencies in Victoria, Australia. A number of departmental agencies have implemented, more or less, the DC-based Australian Government Locator Service (AGLS) application profile, at least for their web resources. They have done this with care and precision, with the long-term aim of developing a fully interoperable system. In the case study, typical would-be records for seven government departments were studied and it was shown that the tiniest, and typical, variation in use of the standard can be expected to thwart the aimsof interoperability in significant ways. In the context of the government’s move to seeking interoperable metadata for all resources, including those within document management systems, the authors make visible how a small 'creep' can lead away from interoperability and how it might be contained in the future. They use a 3-step approach of 'aggregation, rationalisation and harmonisation' to expose the problems with 'nearly good enough' interoperability and the benefits of good interoperability, and encourage true harmonisation

Axial length changes during accommodation in myopes and emmetropes

Purpose: To investigate the influence of accommodation upon axial length (and a comprehensive range of ocular biometric parameters), in populations of young adult myopic and emmetropic subjects. Methods: Forty young adult subjects had ocular biometry measured utilizing a non-contact optical biometer (Lenstar LS 900) based upon the principle of optical low coherence reflectometry, under three different accommodation demands (0 D, 3 D and 6 D). Subjects were classified as emmetropes (n=19) or myopes (n=21) based upon their spherical equivalent refraction (mean emmetropic refraction -0.05 ± 0.27DS and mean myopic refraction -1.82 ± 0.84 DS). Results: Axial length changed significantly with accommodation, with a mean increase of 11.9 ± 12.3 µm and 24.1 ± 22.7 µm for the 3 D and 6 D accommodation stimuli respectively. A significant axial elongation associated with accommodation was still evident even following correction of the axial length data for potential error due to lens thickness change. The mean ‘corrected’ increase in axial length was 5.2 ± 11.2 µm, and 7.4 ± 18.9 µm for the 3 D and 6 D stimuli respectively. There was no significant difference between the myopic and emmetropic populations in terms of the magnitude of change in axial length with accommodation, regardless of whether the data were corrected or not. A number of other ocular biometric parameters, such as anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and vitreous chamber depth also exhibited significant change with accommodation. The myopic and emmetropic populations also exhibited no significant difference in the magnitude of change in these parameters with accommodation. Conclusions: The eye undergoes a significant axial elongation associated with a brief period of accommodation, and the magnitude of this change in eye length increases for larger accommodation demands, however there is no significant difference in the magnitude of eye elongation in myopic and emmetropic subjects

Interleukin-10 Mediated Autoregulation of Murine B-1 B-Cells and Its Role in \u3cem\u3eBorrelia hermsii\u3c/em\u3e Infection

B cells are typically characterized as positive regulators of the immune response, primarily by producing antibodies. However, recent studies indicate that various subsets of B cells can perform regulatory functions mainly through IL-10 secretion. Here we discovered that peritoneal B-1 (B-1P) cells produce high levels of IL-10 upon stimulation with several Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. High levels of IL-10 suppressed B-1P cell proliferation and differentiation response to all TLR ligands studied in an autocrine manner in vitro and in vivo. IL-10 that accumulated in cultures inhibited B-1P cells at second and subsequent cell divisions mainly at the G1/S interphase. IL-10 inhibits TLR induced B-1P cell activation by blocking the classical NF-kappaB pathway. Co-stimulation with CD40 or BAFF abrogated the IL-10 inhibitory effect on B-1P cells during TLR stimulation. Finally, B-1P cells adoptively transferred from the peritoneal cavity of IL-10-/- mice showed better clearance of Borrelia hermsii than wild-type B-1P cells. This study described a novel autoregulatory property of B-1P cells mediated by B-1P cell derived IL-10, which may affect the function of B-1P cells in infection and autoimmunity

Temporal changes in allele frequencies in two reciprocally selected maize populations

The effects of breeding on allele frequency changes at 82 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) loci were examined in two maize (Zea mays L.) populations undergoing reciprocal recurrent selection, Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic and Iowa Corn Borer Synthetic #1. After 12 cycles of selection, approximately 30% of the alleles were extinct and 10% near fixation in each population. A test of selective neutrality identified several loci in each population whose allele frequency changes cannot be explained by genetic drift; interpopulation mean expected heterozygosity increased for that subset of 28 loci but not for the remaining 54 loci. Mean expected heterozygosity within the two subpopulations decreased 39%, while the between-population component of genetic variation increased from 0.5% to 33.4% of the total. Effective population size is a key parameter for discerning allele frequency changes due to genetic drift versus those resulting from selection and genetic hitchhiking. Empirical estimates of effective population size for each population were within the range predicted by the breeding method

Molecular Genetic Diversity after Reciprocal Recurrent Selection in BSSS and BSCB1 Maize Populations

Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic (BSSS) and Iowa Corn Borer Synthetic #1 (BSCB1) are undergoing reciprocal recurrent selection as part of Iowa\u27s Federal-State maize (Zea mays L.) breeding program. This study focused on molecular genetic variation in BSSS(R) and BSCBI(R) cycle 0 (CO) and cycle 12 (C12) populations, as well as the inbred progenitor lines (P) used to synthesize BSSS and BSCB1. The objectives were to quantify amounts of genetic variation within populations, to estimate what proportion remained after selection, and to compare genetic diversities between BSSS and BSCB1 populations. Genotypic data for 82 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) loci were collected from 100 randomly sampled individuals from each CO and C12 population, 16 BSSS(R) progenitors, and 12 BSCBI(R) progenitors. Progenitor lines were highly homozygous as expected. No single progenitor made excessive genetic contributions to CO or C12. The BSSS and BSCB1 progenitor populations were initially genetically similar (Nei\u27s genetic distance = 0.07). After 12 cycles of selection, they substantially diverged (Nei\u27s distance = 0.66). Gene diversity (expected heterozygosity under random mating) across progenitor populations was very broad (mean gene diversity = 0.6) and remained at that level to C12. Within both populations, the polymorphism level decreased from about 99 to 75%, and gene diversity decreased from about 0.6 to 0.3 between P and C12. The mean number of alleles per locus dropped from about four to less than three. Assuming an effective population size as the mean number of selected S1 lines over 12 cycles, the observed loss of variation was consistent with theoretical expectations resulting from genetic drift of neutral alleles

Serum vitamin D decreases during chemotherapy: an Australian prospective cohort study

Background and Objectives: Vitamin D plays an important role in bone and muscle function, and cell prolifera-tion. The impact of chemotherapy and associated behavioural changes such as fatigue and sun avoidance on vit-amin D (25(OH) D) is unknown. This study aims to evaluate variations in serum vitamin D during chemotherapy and the predictive value of latitude, season and pre-existing vitamin D deficiency. Methods and Study Design: A 12-week prospective cohort study was conducted in chemotherapy-naïve patients in two Australian locations with different sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as ≤ 25 nmol/L and insufficiency 26-50 nmol/L 25(OH) D. Demographics, chemotherapy regimen, nutritional status, sun exposure, geographic location, and sea-son were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after commencing chemotherapy. Results: Eighty-five patients (μ55.3±13.4 years of age; 49% female) were recruited, 96% Caucasian. Fifty-four patients were treated with cura-tive intent (mostly for breast [n=29] or colorectal [n=12] cancers). At baseline, 10 patients were vitamin D defi-cient and 33 were insufficient. Mean serum 25(OH) D (nmol/L) was higher at latitude -27.5o (Brisbane) than lati-tude -34.9o (Adelaide) (μ61.9±22.1 vs μ42.2±19.2, p < 0.001) and varied according to season (spring: μ46.9±20.3, summer: μ50.8±18.2, autumn: μ76.4±25.2, winter: μ36.5±15.7, p < 0.001). Serum 25(OH) D decreased with chemotherapy (baseline: μ49.2±22.3, 6-weeks: μ40.9±19.0, 12-weeks: μ45.9±19.7, p=0.05), with a significant and more rapid decline in winter and autumn (p=0.03). Conclusions: Chemotherapy is associated with a decrease in serum vitamin D, particularly during winter and autumn. Investigations into the underlying mechanism and as-sociated potential outcomes with this decrease requires further investigation