Lancaster University

About: Lancaster University is a education organization based out in Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 13080 authors who have published 44563 publications receiving 1692277 citations. The organization is also known as: The University of Lancaster & Lancaster University.

Fine-mapping inflammatory bowel disease loci to single-variant resolution

Abstract: Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Genome-wide association studies have identified 200 inflammatory bowel disease-associated loci, but few have been conclusively resolved to specific functional variants. Here we report fine-mapping of 94 inflammatory bowel disease loci using high-density genotyping in 67,852 individuals. We pinpoint 18 associations to a single causal variant with greater than 95% certainty, and an additional 27 associations to a single variant with greater than 50% certainty. These 45 variants are significantly enriched for protein-coding changes (n = 13), direct disruption of transcription-factor binding sites (n = 3), and tissue-specific epigenetic marks (n = 10), with the last category showing enrichment in specific immune cells among associations stronger in Crohn's disease and in gut mucosa among associations stronger in ulcerative colitis. The results of this study suggest that high-resolution fine-mapping in large samples can convert many discoveries from genome-wide association studies into statistically convincing causal variants, providing a powerful substrate for experimental elucidation of disease mechanisms.

Travel time use in the information age

Abstract: This paper, focused primarily on UK data and debates, considers the potential significance of travel time use within past, present and future patterns of mobility. In transport scheme appraisal, savings in travel time typically represent a substantial proportion of the benefits of a scheme—benefits used to justify its often enormous financial costs. Such benefits are founded on the assumption that travel time is unproductive, wasted time in-between ‘real’ activities and which should be minimised. Travel demand analysis treats travel time and activity time as separate, albeit acknowledging an interdependency. The paper challenges these approaches by exploring how travel time can be, and is, being used ‘productively’ as activity time, and what enhancements to time use might be emerging in the ‘information age’. Such undermining of the division between activities and travelling, and between activity time and travel time, may have major implications for future levels of mobility, for the modal distribution of travel, for the validity of current transport appraisal methodology and for the analysis of travelling within the information age. These issues are considered.

The Interpretation of Lava Flow Morphology

Abstract: Summary It is postulated that lavas are non-Newtonian liquids with a yield stress and that it is the yield stress which determines flow dimensions. An appropriate theory was developed for the unconfined flow of ideal Bingham liquids on inclined planes. The occurrence of structures similar to IevCes on lava flows was predicted. The theory was verified by laboratory measurements on flows of suspensions of kaolin. These flows showed similarities to lava flows. Data from lava flows was also found to be in general agreement with the theory which was then used to interpret the shapes of two lunar lava flows. It was possible to estimate yield stresses and flow rates for these lavas. 1. Effects limiting the flow of lava Lava flows show great variations in size, shape and surface features. The final form of a flow must be determined by the physical properties of the lava, its temperature and rate of extrusion and local conditions such as gravitational field strength and topography. The aim of the work presented in this paper is to isolate the parameters which have the greatest effect on flow morphology and to elucidate the relationship between the conditions at the start of a flow and the final form of the flow. At present there is no detailed knowledge of this kind but, were it available, the value of air- and satellite-photographs of lava flows would be greatly enhanced. The hypothesis on which this work is based is that flowing lava is a non-Newtonian liquid and it is its non-Newtonian properties which are mainly responsible for the shapes of flows. If lava were an ideal Newtonian liquid it would flow downhill and would continue to flow even after the supply at the vent had ceased until it ponded in a depression. Furthermore the flow would spread laterally until it was restricted by topography or until surface tension prevented spreading by which time it would be extremely thin. Observations show that lava does not behave like this. Commonly it comes to rest on a slope as soon as the supply of fresh lava ceases and many flow fronts are high and steep although unconfined by topographic features. It is clear that there is some process which limits the flow of lava, brings it to rest on slopes and prevents its lateral spreading. The most obvious and apparently generally accepted process is the solidification of lava due to cooling. For this to be a feasible process the time taken for the development of a strong enough skin to prevent lateral motion must be realistic. The solid skin of a flow experiences an outward force due to the hydrostatic pressure of the lava and this must be balanced by an inward force which is the result of tension in the curved skin. If the skin can withstand the tension the lava will not flow laterally.