Biomechanical demands differentiate transitioning vs. continuous stair ascent gait in older women

Background Stair ascent mechanics change with age, but little is known about the differing functional demands of transitioning and continuous ascent. Work investigating the risky transition from gait to ascent is sparse, and the strategies that older adults adopt to achieve these demanding tasks have not been investigated. Methods This study compared the biomechanics of a 2-step transitional (floor-to-step2) and continuous ascent cycle (step1-to-step3) and investigated the role of limb preference in relation to dynamometer-derived knee strength during this transition. A biomechanical analysis of 36 women (60–83 years) ascending a 3-step staircase was conducted. Findings The 2-step transitioning cycle was completed quicker, with a larger range of motion, increased forces, larger knee flexor and dorsiflexor moments and ankle powers (P ≤ 0.05), but reduced hip and knee flexion, smaller hip extensor moments and hip and knee powers compared to continuous ascent. During the transition, 44% of the participants demonstrated a consistent limb preference. In these cases large between-limb extensor strength differences existed (13.8%) and 71% of these participants utilised the stronger limb to execute the 2-step transitional cycle. Interpretation The preferential stronger-limb 2-step transitioning strategy conflicts with previous recommendations of a stronger lead limb for frail/asymmetric populations. Our findings suggest that most healthy older women with large between-limb differences utilise the stronger limb to achieve the considerable propulsion required to redirect momentum during the 2-step transition. The biomechanical demands of ascent, relative to limb strength, can inform exercise programmes by targeting specific muscle groups to help older adults maintain/improve general functioning

Reconnaissance excavations on early historic fortifications and other royal sites in Scotland, 1974-84: 3, excavations at Dundurn, Strathearn, Perthshire

As part of a long-term programme of research on historically documented fortifications, excavations were carried out in 1976-77 at Dundurn, Strathearn, principally on the defences. A complicated sequence, spanning the sixth to the ninth centuries AD, was revealed in the citadel and encircling terrace rampart. The printed report gives a synthesis of the excavation results, and discusses the classification of hierarchically-organized forts and the material culture and economy of Dundurn

LMC Self-lensing from a new perspective

We present a new analysis on the issue of the location of the observed microlensing events in direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This is carried out starting from a recently drawn coherent picture of the geometrical structure and dynamics of the LMC disk and by considering different configurations for the LMC bar. In this framework it clearly emerges that the spatial distribution of the events observed so far shows a near--far asymmetry. This turns out to be compatible with the optical depth calculated for the LMC halo objects. In this perspective, our main conclusion, supported by a statistical analysis on the outcome of an evaluation of the microlensing rate, is that self lensing can not account for all the observed events. Finally we propose a general inequality to calculate quickly an upper limit to the optical depth along a line of view through the LMC center.Comment: revised version (minor changes) Accepted for publication in A&

Can global learning raise standards within pupils' writing in the primary phase?

This study was primarily undertaken by teachers for teachers, and focuses on the potential contribution of global learning and development education (DE) methodologies to a core aspect of curriculum provision, namely writing. The aim of the study is to explore whether using global learning and DE methodologies can have an impact on pupils’ achievement within writing at the primary phase. We also want to show how a school can build its own understanding, knowledge and skill base in global learning and DE methodologies in order to embed this work within the curriculum in a sustainable way. The study uses an action research methodology in one Primary school. In 2013 the school had received an Ofsted Inspection rating as Requires Improvement (RI), with a particular need to improve pupils’ writing. The project aimed to see if global learning and DE methodologies could support this. An outside facilitator was used to carry out interventions to support teachers’ ability to use global learning and development education to support children’s writing. As a result, teachers made changes to lesson planning, teaching and the classroom environments. Impacts can be seen through reviewing staff selfevaluations of CPD, lesson observations, pupils’ work, topic evaluations and progress/attainment data in relation to national age related expectations. In 2015 the school was re-inspected by Ofsted and graded as Good. ‘Rapid school improvement’ was noted and within writing the majority of pupils were judged to be making good progress. The Ofsted inspector noted: ‘the school uses global learning (global education themes) very effectively’ with the result that learning was ‘more relevant and interesting’ with ‘pupils able to apply their knowledge and skills to real-life problems’ (Ofsted, 2015: 4, 6). The inspection also reaffirmed that the school ‘promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and British Values well. Pupils are valued and supported as individuals, while also being helped to see themselves as part of a diverse community’ (Ofsted, 2015: 4)

What do mathematicians mean by proof? A comparative-judgement study of students’ and mathematicians’ views

We present a study in which mathematicians and undergraduate students were asked to explain in writing what mathematicians mean by proof. The 175 responses were evaluated using comparative judgement: mathematicians compared pairs of responses and their judgements were used to construct a scaled rank order. We provide evidence establishing the reliability, divergent validity and content validity of this approach to investigating individuals’ written conceptions of mathematical proof. In doing so, we compare the quality of student and mathematician responses and identify which features the judges collectively valued. Substantively, our findings reveal that despite the variety of views in the literature, mathematicians broadly agree on what people should say when asked what mathematicians mean by proof. Methodologically, we provide evidence that comparative judgement could have an important role to play in investigating conceptions of mathematical ideas, and conjecture that similar methods could be productive in evaluating individuals’ more general (mathematical) beliefs

Finding outlier light-curves in catalogs of periodic variable stars

We present a methodology to discover outliers in catalogs of periodic light-curves. We use cross-correlation as measure of ``similarity'' between two individual light-curves and then classify light-curves with lowest average ``similarity'' as outliers. We performed the analysis on catalogs of variable stars of known type from the MACHO and OGLE projects and established that our method correctly identifies light-curves that do not belong to those catalogs as outliers. We show how our method can scale to large datasets that will be available in the near future such as those anticipated from Pan-STARRS and LSST.Comment: 16 pages, 24 figure

A major outburst from the X-ray binary RX J0520.5-6932

We report on the analysis of 8 years of MAssive Compact Halo Objects (MACHO) data for the source RX J0520.5-6932. A regular period of 24.4 days has been confirmed, however this is manifest almost entirely in the red part of the spectrum. A major outburst, lasting approximately 200 days, was observed which increased the apparent brightness of the object by approximately 0.15 magnitudes without significantly altering its V-R colour index. This outburst was also seen in X-ray data. The evidence from this analysis points to the identification of this object as a Be/X-ray binary with a periodically variable circumstellar disk and a very early optical counterpart.Comment: Paper has been accepted by MNRA

First Order Quark-Gluon/Hadron Transition May Affect Cosmological Nucleosynthesis

In the model of a first order quark-gluon/hadron phase transition in which the hadronic phase is considered as vacuum bubbles growing in the quark-gluon background with chiral symmetry broken inside the bubble, we find the estimate for the length scale associated with inhomogeneities originated during the transition, $10$ m $\;\stackrel{<}{\sim }\ell \stackrel{<}{\sim }40$ m, being sufficient to produce significant effects on cosmological nucleosynthesis.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, to appear in Phys. Lett. B, 199