Showing papers by "University of Portsmouth published in 1999"
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that cosmological perturbation spectra produced from quantum fluctuations in massless or self-interacting scalar fields during an inflationary era remain invariant under a two parameter family of transformations of the homogeneous background fields.
Abstract: I show that cosmological perturbation spectra produced from quantum fluctuations in massless or self-interacting scalar fields during an inflationary era remain invariant under a two parameter family of transformations of the homogeneous background fields. This relates slow-roll inflation models to solutions which may be far from the usual slow-roll limit. For example, a scale-invariant spectrum of perturbations in a minimally coupled, massless field can be produced by an exponential expansion with $a\ensuremath{\propto}{e}^{\mathrm{Ht}},$ or by a collapsing universe with $a\ensuremath{\propto}(\ensuremath{-}{t)}^{2/3}.$
387 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that partnership and empowerment are not neutral terms but are discursive constructs, the meaning assigned to these terms is thus the result of the exercise of power, which in turn has a crucial role in structuring the discursive context within which urban regeneration partnerships operate.
Abstract: Drawing upon the work of Bourdieu, Foucault and Fairclough, this paper focuses on the discursive construction of partnership and empowerment in the official discourse of contemporary British urban regeneration. The paper argues that partnership and empowerment are not neutral terms but are discursive constructs, the meaning assigned to these terms is thus the result of the exercise of power, which in turn has a crucial role in structuring the discursive context within which urban regeneration partnerships operate. The paper's emphasis on official discourse constructs a top-down view of the regeneration process and the community's role in that process. These issues are investigated through a narrative which focuses on a key official document, Involving Communities in Urban and Rural Regeneration, providing guidance on community participation in urban regeneration partnerships. The paper concludes that the operation of these discursive constructs in urban regeneration reinforces existing social relations.
321 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a meta-analysis was performed on the effects of cognitive interviews on correct and incorrect recall, and it was found that the accuracy rates were almost identical in both types of interviews (85% for the cognitive interview and 82% for standard interviews, respectively).
Abstract: A meta-analysis was performed on the effects of the cognitive interview on correct and incorrect recall. The database comprised 42 studies with 55 individual comparisons involving nearly 2500 interviewees. A strong overall effect size was found for the increase of correctly recalled details with the cognitive interview compared to a control interview (d = 0.87). The overall effect size for the increase in incorrect details, although considerably smaller, was also significant toward the cognitive interview (d = 0.28). However, the accuracy rates (proportion of correct details relative to the total amount of details reported) were almost identical in both types of interview (85% for the cognitive interview and 82% for standard interviews, respectively). Taking methodological factors into consideration it was found that effect sizes for correct details were larger if staged events were used as the to-be-remembered episode (as compared to video films) and if the interviewees actively participated in ...
311 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the importance of microbial consortia and the role of extracellular polymeric substances in biocorrosion is emphasized, as well as the contribution of modern analytical techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, Auger electron, X-ray photoelectron and Mossbauer spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrum analyzer and microsensors, is discussed.
Abstract: Biocorrosion processes at metal surfaces are associated with microorganisms, or the products of their metabolic activities including enzymes, exopolymers, organic and inorganic acids, as well as volatile compounds such as ammonia or hydrogen sulfide. These can affect cathodic and/or anodic reactions, thus altering electrochemistry at the biofilm/metal interface. Various mechanisms of biocorrosion, reflecting the variety of physiological activities carried out by different types of microorganisms, are identified and recent insights into these mechanisms reviewed. Many modern investigations have centered on the microbially-influenced corrosion of ferrous and copper alloys and particular microorganisms of interest have been the sulfate-reducing bacteria and metal (especially manganese)-depositing bacteria. The importance of microbial consortia and the role of extracellular polymeric substances in biocorrosion are emphasized. The contribution to the study of biocorrosion of modern analytical techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, Auger electron, X-ray photoelectron and Mossbauer spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microsensors, is discussed.
307 citations
TL;DR: The study applies multilevel modelling techniques to data from the British Health and Lifestyle Survey and ward (local neighbourhood) level deprivation scores based on four variables from the national Census and suggests that the character of the local neighbourhood plays a role in shaping smoking behaviour.
293 citations
TL;DR: A probabilistic neural network with fewer of these difficulties is proposed, using data from the U.S. oil and gas industry, to produce superior results for bankrupt companies.
268 citations
TL;DR: This article sets the scene for a discussion in this Special Issue about the potential of nested platforms for resource use negotiation in facilitating collective action in the management of complex, multiple-use CPRs.
Abstract: Collective action processes in complex, multiple-use common-pool resources (CPRs) have only recently become a focus of study. When CPRs evolve into more complex systems, resource use by separate user groups becomes increasingly interdependent. This implies, amongst others, that the institutional framework governing resource use has to be re-negotiated to avoid adverse impacts associated with the increased access of any new stakeholders, such as overexploitation, alienation of traditional users, and inter-user conflicts. The establishment of “platforms for resource use negotiation” is a way of dealing with complex natural resource management problems. Platforms arise when stakeholders perceive the same resource management problem, realize their interdependence in solving it, and come together to agree on action strategies for solving the problem (Roling, 1994). This article sets the scene for a discussion in this Special Issue about the potential of nested platforms for resource use negotiation in facilitating collective action in the management of complex, multiple-use CPRs. The article has five objectives. First, we define “collective action” in the context of this paper. Second, we discuss the importance of collective action in multiple-use CPRs. Third, we introduce the concept of platforms to coordinate collective action by multiple users. Fourth, we address some issues that emerge from evidence in the field regarding the role and potential of nested platforms for managing complex CPRs. Finally, we raise five discussion statements. These will form the basis for the collection of articles in this special issue.
220 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors advocate a planned and integrated approach for achieving continuous improvement in an organisation, based on ten essential criteria and supporting elements of "best practice", and the role of senior management in ceaselessly driving the improvement cause is emphasized.
Abstract: This study advocates a planned and integrated approach for achieving continuous improvement in an organisation. A model based on ten essential criteria and supporting elements of “best practice” is provided. The role of senior management in ceaselessly driving the improvement cause is emphasized together with the need to focus on stakeholder requirements, measure performance and learn from results. The underpinning foundations are seen to be a culture for innovation, focusing on critical processes and the involvement of employees, together with the integration of improvement activities throughout the organisation. Use of the proposed model is seen as preparatory for, and complementary to, the more complex models (such as the business excellence model or Baldrige criteria) which are useful where an organisation already has the foundations and culture for improvement and wishes to stretch itself further.
207 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the potential of recent regulatory reforms in the United Kingdom (U.K.), many of which are unique to that country, to strengthen the independence framework.
193 citations
TL;DR: The bulk of recent tourism-environment and sustainable tourism development literature can suggest the application of strong sustainability criteria as discussed by the authors, which is shown to be problematic since even such developmental practices may generate various classes of spillover effects that can frustrate genuine attainment of strong sustainable in tourism concentration, dispersal, or small-scale operation.
166 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the potential of artificial reefs as a tool to aid the rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems from an ecological perspective and explore techniques by which both the benefits and costs of coastal rehabilitation may be monetised, thereby placing them on the same footing as other programmes whose economic returns are more easily quantified.
TL;DR: For example, this article found that trained officers were significantly more likely to use instructions to mentally reinstate context, use different orders, change perspectives and imagery, while untrained officers were less likely to do so.
Abstract: The cognitive interview has been shown to have the potential to enhance witness recall. Consequently, it has been adopted by all police forces in England and Wales. The present paper surveyed 96 police officers trained in the cognitive interview and 65 untrained police officers, using a questionnaire. Officers rated how frequently they used and how useful they found components of the cognitive interview. Trained officers were significantly more likely to use instructions to mentally reinstate context, use different orders, change perspectives and imagery. Amongst trained officers there was a consensus that some components of the cognitive interview were used more frequently and were believed to be more useful than others. Rated as most useful and most frequently used were establish rapport, report everything, encourage concentration, witness compatible questioning, and mental reinstatement of context. Rated as less useful and less frequently used were recall in different orders, imagery, change p...
TL;DR: The growth of marine Pseudomonas sp.
Abstract: The growth of marine Pseudomonas sp. NCIMB 2021 as continuous cultures in the presence of surfaces of AISI 316 stainless steel allowed the isolation and partial chemical characterization of exopolymers released into the culture medium (free exopolymers), as well as capsular and biofilm exopolymers. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of O- and N-acetylation within the carbohydrate moieties and a predominant 310-helical structure of the protein component, highly resistant to hydrogen/deuterium exchange. Differences between the exopolymers were apparent. Relatively less uronic acid residues were detected in the capsular exopolymers compared to either the biofilm or free exopolymers. O- and N-acetylation were greatest in the biofilm exopolymer. SDS-PAGE protein profiles confirmed differences between exopolymers. The secondary structures of proteins determined using FTIR spectroscopy indicated that the capsular exopolymer had reduced helical content and an increased aggregated strand content compared to the biofilm exopolymer. However, the free exopolymer had an increased β-sheet component and a reduced unordered component when compared to the biofilm and capsular exopolymers. These data suggest that exopolymer chemistry varies with cellular mode of growth.
TL;DR: Three applications, maximum likelihood (ML) joint channel and data estimation, infinite-impulse-response (IIR) filter design and evaluation of minimum symbol-error-rate (MSER) decision feedback equalizer (DFE) are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ASA.
12 Apr 1999
TL;DR: This paper describes and discusses the syntax, functionality and performance of mpiJava, an object-oriented Java interface to MPI, and discusses some performance measurements made of communications bandwidth and latency to compare mpi Java on these systems.
Abstract: A basic prerequisite for parallel programming is a good communication API The recent interest in using Java for scientific and engineering application has led to several international efforts to produce a message passing interface to support parallel computation In this paper we describe and then discuss the syntax, functionality and performance of one such interface, mpiJava, an object-oriented Java interface to MPI We first discuss the design of the mpiJava API and the issues associated with its development We then more on to briefly outline the steps necessary to ‘port’ mpiJava onto a range of operating systems, including Windows NT, Linux and Solaris In the second part of the paper we present and then discuss some performance measurements made of communications bandwidth and latency to compare mpiJava on these systems Finally, we summarise our experiences and then briefly mention work that we plan to undertake
TL;DR: Differences in the pattern of sickness responses exhibited by coach travellers suggest habituation through greater travel regularity may occur independently of reductions in travel sickness that occur with age; females are more affected by poor forward visibility than males; and the incidence of travel sickness could be significantly reduced by improving the external visibility afforded to passengers.
Abstract: The aim of this research was to identify personal and environmental factors influencing individual susceptibility to motion sickness during road transport. A questionnaire survey of 3256 coach travellers was conducted. Information on passenger characteristics, travel regularity, activity during travel, use of anti-motion sickness drugs and self-reported motion sickness susceptibility were collected over 56 private hire coach journeys. Details of the travel environment (visibility, temperature and seating) were also recorded. The relationship of these variables with passenger illness and more specific symptoms of motion sickness are examined. Overall, 28.4% of passengers reported feeling ill, 12.8% reported nausea and 1.7% reported vomiting during coach travel. Travel sickness decreased with increasing passenger age and greater travel experience. Females were more likely to report feeling ill during coach travel than males by a ratio of four to three. Poor forward visibility was found to increase sickness. Passenger illness occurrence was approximately three times higher for passengers with no view of the road ahead (mean, 34.6%) compared to passengers who could see the road ahead extremely well (mean, 12.7%). No relationships were found between the occurrence of travel sickness and temperature or time of travel. Differences in the pattern of sickness responses exhibited by coach travellers suggest: (1) habituation through greater travel regularity may occur independently of reductions in travel sickness that occur with age; (2) females are more affected by poor forward visibility than males; and (3) the incidence of travel sickness could be significantly reduced by improving the external visibility afforded to passengers.
TL;DR: Good-quality coatings prepared from poly(methylpropenoxyfluoroalkylsiloxane)s or poly(perfluoroacrylate)s are capable of inhibiting the bacterial colonisation of surfaces.
TL;DR: The rosmarinic and caffeic acid contents of 96 Lamiaceae taxa were investigated using a TLC-densitometric method and, with the exception of 3 Lamioideae species, caffeic Acid was found in measurable quantities in all taxa studied.
TL;DR: The authors assessed the relationship between economic growth, income inequality and poverty using both secondary and household survey data and found that urban/rural divide and spatial inequality are two major factors accounting for overall income inequality; non-wage and non-farm incomes are more unequally distributed than wage and farm incomes; and the incidence of poverty is very sensitive to the changes in per capita income and inequality.
Abstract: China's gross domestic product (GDP) more than quadrupled between 1978 and 1996 under economic reforms. Per capita disposable incomes more than tripled in the cities and almost quadrupled in the rural areas. However, rapid economic growth brought about large income inequality which slowed down poverty reduction. In 1995, there were still 70–170 million people living in poverty. This article aims to assess the relationship between economic growth, income inequality and poverty using both secondary and household survey data. The main findings are (1) urban/rural divide and spatial inequality are two major factors accounting for overall income inequality; (2) non‐wage and non‐farm incomes are more unequally distributed than wage and farm incomes; and (3) the incidence of poverty is very sensitive to the changes in per capita income and inequality.
TL;DR: This review focuses on the applications of neural network methods and their development over the last five years and the early problems encountered with neural networks such as overfitting and overtraining are addressed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the dynamics of the recently proposed model of assisted inflation and show that the potential close to this attractor in the rotated field space is analogous to a hybrid inflation model, but with the vacuum energy having an exponential dependence upon a dilaton field.
Abstract: We investigate the dynamics of the recently proposed model of assisted inflation. In this model an arbitrary number of scalar fields with exponential potentials evolve towards an inflationary scaling solution, even if each of the individual potentials is too steep to support inflation on its own. By choosing an appropriate rotation in field space we can write down explicitly the potential for the weighted mean field along the scaling solution and for fields orthogonal to it. This demonstrates that the potential has a global minimum along the scaling solution. We show that the potential close to this attractor in the rotated field space is analogous to a hybrid inflation model, but with the vacuum energy having an exponential dependence upon a dilaton field. We present analytic solutions describing homogeneous and inhomogeneous perturbations about the attractor solution without resorting to slow-roll approximations. We discuss the curvature and isocurvature perturbation spectra produced from vacuum fluctuations during assisted inflation. PACS number: 98.80.Cq
TL;DR: There was considerable variation in the DHA content of the oil in thraustochytrid isolates from a cold temperate environment, and results indicated that medium with a high C:N ratio stimulated DHA production.
TL;DR: This article found that individuals from ethnic minorities have a greater tendency to stay on in full-time education beyond the compulsory age, and the role of human capital considerations such as earnings and increased employability in this choice was explored.
Abstract: Individuals from ethnic minorities have a greater tendency to stay on in full-time education beyond the compulsory age. There are, however, wide variations between groups, and the paper explores the role for human capital considerations such as earnings and increased employability in this choice. Economic considerations and socioeconomic background are found to be important, but there is evidence for a separate ethnicity effect influencing choice. The method used is to fit a joint leaving and employment equation for males and females aged 18–24 using combined micro data from the British Labour Force Survey and the Sample of Anonymized Records from the 1991 Census.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The results show for the first time that IL-12 is a heparin-binding cytokine, a property common to the other Th1-response-inducing cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-2, thus favoring a paracrine role for IL- 12.
Abstract: Using an ELISA approach, we demonstrate that recombinant human IL-12 (rhIL-12) binds strongly to an immobilized heparin-BSA complex. This binding is completely displaceable with soluble heparin, IC50 approximately 0.1 microg/ml, corresponding to approximately 10 nM. By interpolation with our previous findings, this indicates an affinity for heparin greater than that of antithrombin III and comparable with that of FGF-2, two high-affinity heparin-binding proteins. Recombinant murine IL-12 also binds strongly to heparin. The binding of rhIL-12 to heparin shows specificity because chondroitin sulfates A and C fail to compete, whereas chondroitin B inhibits weakly. A highly sulfated heparan sulfate is a strong competitor, whereas other heparan sulfates show weak or no activity. Small heparin fragments inhibit binding, although activity decreases with size. An octasaccharide pool derived by cleavage of heparin with nitrous acid is a significantly stronger inhibitor than its heparinase I-derived counterpart, further indicating structural specificity in the interaction between rhIL-12 and heparin. The binding of recombinant p40 to heparin appears indistinguishable from that of the IL-12 heterodimer, implying that the heparin binding site is largely if not solely located in this subunit. These results show for the first time that IL-12 is a heparin-binding cytokine, a property common to the other Th1-response-inducing cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-2. Our findings strongly suggest that IL-12 will tend to be retained close to its sites of secretion in the tissues by binding to heparin-like glycosaminoglycans, thus favoring a paracrine role for IL-12.
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the use of multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques in fishery management is presented, and the success and applicability of these techniques to analyzing fisheries management problems are discussed.
Abstract: Management of public resources, such as fisheries, is a complex task. Society, in general, has a number of goals that it hopes to achieve from the use of public resources. These include conservation, economic, and social objectives. However, these objectives often conflict, due to the varying opinions of the many stakeholders. It would appear that the techniques available in the field of multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) are well suited to the analysis and determination of fisheries management regimes. However, to date, relatively few publications exist using such MCDM methods compared to other applicational fields, such as forestry, agriculture, and finance. This paper reviews MCDM applied to fishery management by providing an overview of the research published to date. Conclusions are drawn regarding the success and applicability of these techniques to analyzing fisheries management problems.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of metric and quantum field perturbations on the Doppler peaks in the cosmic background radiation, primordial black hole formation, gravitational waves and nonthermal symmetry restoration are considered.
TL;DR: The results of cytotoxicity and DNA-binding studies indicated that none of the changes made to the A-ring of the PBD system significantly improved either binding affinity or cytot toxicity in comparison to DC-81, which suggests that the superior potency of natural products such as anthramycin, tomaymycin, and sibiromycin is due entirely to differences in C-ring structure.
Abstract: Several A-ring-modified analogues of the DNA-binding antitumor agent DC-81 (5) have been synthesized in order to study structure-reactivity/cytotoxicity relationships. For two molecules (23 and 30) the modifications required the addition of a fourth ring to give the novel dioxolo[4,5-h]- and dioxano[5,6-h]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1, 4]benzodiazepin-11-one (PBD) ring systems, respectively. Another three analogues (34, 38, and 48) have the native benzenoid A-ring replaced with pyridine, diazine, or pyrimidine rings to give the novel pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]pyridodiazepine, pyrrolo[2,1-c][1, 4]diazinodiazepine, and pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]pyrimidinodiazepine systems, respectively. The other new analogues (16a,b) have extended chains at the C8-position of the DC-81 structure. During the synthesis of these compounds, a novel tin-mediated regiospecific cleavage reaction of the dioxole intermediate 18 was discovered, leading to the previously unknown iso-DC-81 (20). In addition, an unusual simultaneous nitration-oxidation reaction of 4-(3-hydroxypropoxy)-3-methoxybenzoic acid (8) was found to produce 3-(4-carboxy-2-methoxy-5-nitrophenoxy)propanoic acid (9), a key intermediate, in high yield. In general, the results of cytotoxicity and DNA-binding studies indicated that none of the changes made to the A-ring of the PBD system significantly improved either binding affinity or cytotoxicity in comparison to DC-81. This result suggests that the superior potency of natural products such as anthramycin (1), tomaymycin (2), and sibiromycin (3) is due entirely to differences in C-ring structure, and in particular exo or endo unsaturation at the C2-position and C2-substituents containing unsaturation. This study also provided information regarding the influence of A-ring substitution pattern on the relative stability of the interconvertible N10-C11 carbinolamine, carbinolamine methyl ether, and imine forms of PBDs.
TL;DR: An exploratory analysis of the impact of current and anticipated parenthood on cohabitation and remarriage among those formerly living in marriage-type relationships demonstrates that parenthood has a statistically significant effect on the likelihood of formerly married women repartnering.
Abstract: This paper is an exploratory analysis of the impact of current and anticipated parenthood on cohabitation and remarriage among those formerly living in marriage-type relationships. The focus on children is embedded within a broader analysis of repartnering which takes account of other factors, including gender. Quantitative and qualitative analyses are used, with a multivariate analysis of repartnering patterns, using data from the General Household Survey, being complemented by in-depth interview data examining the attitudes of the formerly married to future relationships. The paper demonstrates that parenthood has a statistically significant effect on the likelihood of formerly married women repartnering, with a higher number of children being associated with a lower probability of repartnering. The presence of children can work against repartnering in a variety of ways. Children place demands on their parents and can deter or object to potential partners. Parents may see their parental role as more important than, and a barrier to, new relationships. However, mothers are typically looking for partners for themselves rather than fathers for their children. Among formerly married people without children, the desire to become a parent encourages repartnering. The paper concludes that parenthood should be a key consideration in analyses of repartnering.
TL;DR: This study reports the process and findings of a study using grounded theory to explore how nurses are using and developing writing techniques as a tool for facilitating and supporting their development in practice.
TL;DR: Impaired performance and initial cardiorespiratory responses to immersion probably represent the major dangers to immersion victims and treatment should be aimed at symptoms resulting from near-drowning rather than severe hypothermia.