Striking the right balance and supporting social aspirations: how agency and choice play out in a recovery-oriented mental health service

Introduction There has been an increasing drive for a transformation of the mental health system towards recovery orientation, with research identifying a series of key recovery principles. It has been argued that these principles remain rhetoric rather than routine practice, and it remains unclear how these are operationalised and promoted within inpatient settings. Aim To address the knowledge gap of how staff and service-users enact recovery principles during the daily workings of an inpatient mental health service. Method Twenty-one interviews were conducted with staff and service-users at a recovery-oriented inpatient service in the United Kingdom. Data was analysed using framework analysis. Findings Analysis of research interview data identified three subcategories grouped under the category of choice. These categories were: a delicate balancing act, acceptability of choices, and social issues impacting choice. Discussion Staff were uncertain of their role in promoting choice, resulting in service-users feeling unsupported in their recovery. Staff had to adopt a titrated approach to social inclusion, to protect service-users from discrimination and rejection. Implications Mental health professionals need to take a more proactive role in enabling service-users to realise their social aspirations, as well as managing any adverse impacts of stigma and discrimination

High Redshift Λ\LambdaCDM Cosmology: To Bin or not to Bin?

We construct observational Hubble $H(z)$ and angular diameter distance $D_{A}(z)$ mock data with baseline Planck $\Lambda$CDM input values, before fitting the $\Lambda$CDM model to study evolution of probability density functions (PDFs) of best fit cosmological parameters $(H_0, \Omega_m, \Omega_k)$ across redshift bins. We find that PDF peaks only agree with the input parameters in low redshift ($z \lesssim 1$) bins for $H(z)$ and $D_{A}(z)$ constraints, and in all redshift bins when $H(z)$ and $D_{A}(z)$ constraints are combined. When input parameters are not recovered, we observe that PDFs exhibit non-Gaussian tails towards larger $\Omega_m$ values and shifts to (less pronounced) peaks at smaller $\Omega_m$ values. This flattening of the PDF is expected as $H(z)$ and $D_{A}(z)$ observations only constrain combinations of cosmological parameters at higher redshifts, so uniform PDFs are expected. Our analysis leaves us with a choice to bin high redshift data in the knowledge that we may be unlikely to recover Planck values, or conduct full sample analysis that biases $\Lambda$CDM inferences to the lower redshift Universe.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figure

Putting Flat Λ\LambdaCDM In The (Redshift) Bin

Flat $\Lambda$CDM cosmology is specified by two constant fitting parameters in the late Universe, the Hubble constant $H_0$ and matter density (today) $\Omega_m$. In the cosmology literature, one typically \textit{assumes} that there is no redshift evolution of cosmological parameters when one fits data sets. Here, in mock observational Hubble data we demonstrate evolution in distributions of best fit parameters with effective redshift. As a result, considerably different $(H_0, \Omega_m)$ best fits from Planck-$\Lambda$CDM cannot be precluded in high redshift bins. We explore if observational Hubble data, Type Ia supernovae and standardisable quasar samples exhibit redshift evolution of best fit $\Lambda$CDM parameters. In all samples, we confirm an increasing $\Omega_m$ (decreasing $H_0$) trend with increasing bin redshift. Through comparison with mocks, we confirm that similar behaviour can arise randomly within the flat $\Lambda$CDM model with probabilities as low as $p = 0.0021$ ($3.1 \, \sigma$).Comment: 5 pages, 10 figures; v2 added explanations and appendi

Quantum Interference Phenomena in the Local Polarization Dynamics of Mesoscopic Systems: An NMR Observation

It was predicted that local spin polarization in a ring of five dipolar coupled spins should present a particular fingerprint of quantum interferences reflecting both the discrete and finite nature of the system [Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 (1995) 4310]. We report its observation for the proton system of a (C$_5$H$_5$)$_2$Fe molecule using a rare $^{13}$C as {\it local probe}. Novel high frequency ($\simeq 60k$Hz) polarization oscillations appear because incomplete $^{13}$C-$^1$H cross-polarization transfer {\it splits} the polarization state, in a portion that wanders in the proton system and one that remains in the $^{13}$ C. They interfere with each other after rejoining.Comment: 12 pages, RevTex, 4 Figures available upon request, to appear in Chemical Physics Letter

Effect of Different Amounts of Volcanic Ash from the Taal Volcano Eruption to the Growth of Ocimum basilicum (Basil)

Volcanic eruptions have a tremendous impact on an area that often leads to the destruction of the environment, human injuries, and even death. However, this research emphasizes one specific outcome unique to volcanic eruptions. The study aims to shed light upon the beneficial applications of volcanic ash to determine whether or not volcanic ash has advantageous botanical properties that could potentially enhance the growth of Ocimum basilicum (basil). In 8 weeks, four different concentrations (VA-0, VA-0.5, VA-1, and VA-2) of volcanic ash-loam soil composition were tested on basil plants. Three parameters were utilized to measure the plant\u27s growth: plant height, leaf count, and leaf surface area. Pot VA-1 achieved the highest plant height and leaf count increase among the four concentrations. As for the leaf surface area, VA-1 and VA-2 both yielded the highest growth from week 1 to week 8. Results support a beneficial relationship between volcanic ash and acid-loving plant

Identification and reciprocal introgression of a QTL affecting body mass in mice

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a QTL in different genetic backgrounds. A QTL affecting body mass on chromosome 6 was identified in an F2 cross between two lines of mice that have been divergently selected for this trait. The effect of the QTL on mass increased between 6 and 10 weeks of age and was not sex-specific. Body composition analysis showed effects on fat-free dry body mass and fat mass. To examine the effect of this QTL in different genetic backgrounds, the high body mass sixth chromosome was introgressed into the low body mass genetic background and vice versa by repeated marker-assisted backcrossing. After three generations of backcrossing, new F2 populations were established within each of the introgression lines by crossing individuals that were heterozygous across the sixth chromosome. The estimated additive effect of the QTL on 10-week body mass was similar in both genetic backgrounds and in the original F2 population (i.e., ~0.4 phenotypic standard deviations); no evidence of epistatic interaction with the genetic background was found. The 95% confidence interval for the location of the QTL was refined to a region of approximately 7 cM between D6Mit268 and D6Mit123

Quasar standardization : overcoming selection biases and redshift evolution

Quasars (QSOs) are extremely luminous active galactic nuclei currently observed up to redshift z = 7.642. As such, they have the potential to be the next rung of the cosmic distance ladder beyond Type Ia supernovae, if they can reliably be used as cosmological probes. The main issue in adopting QSOs as standard candles (similarly to gamma-ray bursts) is the large intrinsic scatter in the relations between their observed properties. This could be overcome by finding correlations among their observables that are intrinsic to the physics of QSOs and not artifacts of selection biases and/or redshift evolution. The reliability of these correlations should be verified through well-established statistical tests. The correlation between the ultraviolet and X-ray fluxes developed by Risaliti & Lusso is one of the most promising relations. We apply a statistical method to correct this relation for redshift evolution and selection biases. Remarkably, we recover the the same parameters of the slope and the normalization as Risaliti & Lusso. Our results establish the reliability of this relation, which is intrinsic to the QSO properties and not merely an effect of selection biases or redshift evolution. Hence, the possibility to standardize QSOs as cosmological candles, thereby extending the Hubble diagram up to z = 7.54

Translocal imagination of Hong Kong connections: the shifting of Chow Yun-Fat's star image since 1997

Anyone who is interested in Hong Kong cinema must be familiar with one name: Chow Yun-fat (b. 1955). He rose to film stardom in the 1980s when Hong Kong cinema started to attract global attention beyond East Asia. During his early screen career, Chow established a star image as an urban citizen of modern Hong Kong through films such as A Better Tomorrow/Yingxiong bense (John Woo, 1986), City on Fire/Longhu fengyun (Ringo Lam, 1987), All About Ah-Long/A Lang de gushi (Johnnie To, 1989), God of Gamblers/Du shen (Wong Jing, 1989), and Hard Boiled/Lashou shentan (John Woo, 1992)

Palladium nanoparticles in catalytic carbon nanoreactors: the effect of confinement on Suzuki-Miyaura reactions

We explore the construction and performance of a range of catalytic nanoreactors based on palladium nanoparticles encapsulated in hollow graphitised nanofibres. The optimum catalytic material, with small palladium nanoparticles located almost exclusively at the graphitic step-edges within nanoreactors, exhibits attractive catalytic properties in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Confinement of nanoparticles at the step-edges facilitates retention of catalytic centres and recycling of catalytic nanoreactors without any significant loss of activity or selectivity over multiple catalytic cycles. Furthermore, careful comparison of the catalytic properties of palladium nanoparticles either on or in nanoreactors reveals that nanoscale confinement of catalysts fundamentally affects the pathways of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, with the yield and selectivity for the cross-coupled product critically dependent on the steric properties of the aryl iodide reactant, whereas no effects of confinement are observed for aryl boronic acid reactants possessing substituents in different positions. These results indicate that the oxidative addition step of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction occurs at the step-edge of nanofibres, where the mechanisms and kinetics of chemical reactions are known to be sensitive to nanoscale confinement, and thus the extent of confinement in carbon nanoreactors can be discretely controlled by careful selection of the aryl iodide reactant