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Signatures and bias assessment of rotation in galaxy cluster members
No full textContext. In dynamically relaxed galaxy clusters, the galactic component is typically assumed to have zero or negligible mean motions.
Aims. We investigate the possible presence of systematic rotation in the member galaxies of a sample of 17 nearby (z < 0.1), rich (at least 80 identified members) Abell clusters. We also assess the extent to which low-number statistics may influence the recovery of the rotation parameters.
Methods. Following the methods often used in the context of globular clusters and of clusters of galaxies, we estimate a representative value of the systematic rotation velocity (vrot) and the position angle of the projected rotation axis for the set of spectroscopically confirmed member galaxies within 1.5 Mpc from the centre of each cluster. We study the robustness of our rotational velocity measurements as a function of the number of galaxies, N, included in the analysis with a bootstrapping technique.
Results. Eight clusters with sufficiently abundant and regular data (A1367, A1650, A2029, A2065, A2142, A2199, A2255, and A2670) exhibit a significantly high rotational velocity, when compared to their velocity dispersion (vrot/σ ≥ 0.15). Interestingly, three of them (A1650, A2029, and A2199) are confirmed to be cool-core, relaxed clusters with no evidence of recent mergers, as is suggested by X-ray observational data. We also find a general tendency to overestimate the value of vrot when the number of galaxies with measured velocities is reduced, for which we put forward an analytical justification. This bias mainly affects slowly rotating clusters: we find that clusters with 0.15 ≤ vrot/σ ≤ 0.20 require at least 120 galaxies with measured velocities to limit the percentage error to less than ∼10%, while for rotating clusters with vrot/σ ≈ 0.25, ∼55 kinematic data points are sufficient to achieve the same accuracy
The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Levels of Subjective Well-being: Evidence from HILDA 2001–2020
No full textAbstract
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic rolled across the world, young people in Australia faced unprecedented challenges in their daily lives. Although the lockdowns and restrictions implemented to contain the pandemic impacted all Australians, young people were particularly affected. Adolescence is the period when young people develop their own social networks, thus, peer relationships become increasingly more important. During the pandemic, young people were isolated from their friends at school, extra-curricular activities were disrupted and life became increasingly uncertain. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated an already complex process. This paper examines whether these disruptions influenced levels of subjective well-being of young people aged 15 to 17 years. Drawing on Social Production Function (SPF) theory, analysis of data collected by the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) project is conducted to examine whether levels of subjective well-being of five cohorts of young people aged 15 to 17 years in 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 varied according to period effects. The findings show that, despite the unprecedented lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 cohort of young people reported similar levels of subjective well-being as previous cohorts
Uncertainty driven decision making and perturbation dynamics in evolutionary games on small-world networks
No full textThe efficiency of models that aim to interpret real world scenarios largely depends on how well they can reproduce empirical data. However, this task is challenged by uncertainties arising from dynamic environments. Recent studies on feedback-evolving games which characterize the interplay between the evolution of strategies and environmental changes, provide a theoretical framework to address this uncertainty problem. While previous studies assumed uncertainty caused by dynamic environments would impact all decisions equally, the proposed model reveals that decision-specific uncertainty influences the behavioral dynamics of a population differently. By introducing uncertainty as perturbations to a 2 × 2 payoff structure, the proposed model represents different aspects of real world uncertainty. This study reveals that perturbations applied to the off diagonal elements promote coexistence among strategies, whereas perturbations spanning the entire payoff matrix enhance cooperative behaviors. In contrast, perturbations introduced through the main diagonal and cost–benefit terms drive the system towards defective behavior. It is also evident that those findings remain consistently across various network structures. Expanding upon these findings, the study was extended to small-world networks, investigating the impact of key parameters such as the average degree (number of neighbors) and rewiring probability. Our results uncover intricate dependencies between these structural parameters and behavioral dynamics over time under various perturbation mechanisms. Overall, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how external dynamics and network structures collectively shape evolutionary dynamics while highlighting the role of game transitions in evolutionary dynamics
Using electricity tariffs and thermal comfort management to promote residential energy decarbonization
No full textHousehold thermal demand supply through electricity could reduce emissions, but also compromise the operation of electricity distribution networks. In this work, suitable electricity tariff designs and household thermal management are investigated, individually and in combination, as ways to enhance network operability, support electrification, and improve system-level performance. Optimization results from eight combinations of building type, vintage, and climates in Australia show considerable social benefits resulting from the measures explored. Electricity tariffs that include a demand charge contain peak loads without increasing household costs. Furthermore, emission and cost savings from looser thermostat setpoints and building pre-heating/cooling are demonstrated. These are also found to reduce the upfront investment in household electrification to levels comparable with current, dual-fuel (electricity and natural gas) practices. Subject to the degree of occupants' acceptance and policy adoption, a significant potential to mitigate, and even avoid, anticipated network strain, while tackling pressing affordability and decarbonization challenges is demonstrated
Moderators and Mediators of Pain and Function Outcomes in a New Service Delivery Model for Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in Primary Care: Secondary Exploratory Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
No full textOBJECTIVE: Our objective was to explore moderators and mediators influenced changes in pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) receiving a new model of primary care service delivery (Optimizing Primary Care Management of Knee Osteoarthritis [PARTNER]), at 12 months (ACTRN: 12617001595303). METHODS: This was a secondary analyses of a cluster randomized controlled trial comparing PARTNER to the usual general practitioner-delivered care (n = 217 patients: 112 PARTNER patients and 105 usual care patients) on knee pain and function. Pain was measured using a numerical rating scale (range 0-10, with a higher score indicating more severe pain), and function was measured using the function subscale of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (range 0-100, with a higher score indicating better outcome). Baseline variables selected as potential moderators included age, sex, body mass index, pain duration, residential state, living arrangements, education, employment status, back pain, and other joint issues. Mediation variables included physical activity, fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, OA self-management, self-efficacy, sleep, fatigue, quality of life, depression, and satisfaction. RESULTS: For change in pain, no moderators influenced the intervention effect. However, age moderated change in function, with intervention participants <50 years demonstrating greater functional improvement than their older counterparts, compared to the control group (50-69 years: coefficient -32.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] -45.02 to -20.74; ≥70 years: coefficient -24.28, 95% CI -36.53 to -12.02). Mediation analysis revealed significant indirect effects of overall, treatment-related, and symptom-related satisfaction on mean change in pain (-0.10, -0.06, and -0.08, respectively) and function (0.09, 0.05, and 0.07, respectively). CONCLUSION: Younger PARTNER participants showed greater functional improvement compared to older age groups (moderating effect). Additionally, indirect mediation effects suggest increased satisfaction across the three satisfaction domains led to reduced knee pain and enhanced function
Novel modelling methods for composite steel-concrete shear walls using shell element
No full textComposite steel plate-concrete infill shear walls (SCSW) are gaining popularity as lateral load-resisting solutions in multi-storey structures due to their significant benefits over traditional reinforced concrete shear walls. This research presents an effective finite element (FE) modelling approach along with a novel material model to predict the structural response of SCSW. The novel material model was developed from a parametric study of 190 shear wall specimens with different parameters using a solid element FE model. The results from the numerical analysis along with experimental results were used to develop a constitutive material model for concrete infill and steel plates. The novel material model implicitly considered the confinement effect due to the interaction between the steel plates and concrete and the stress redistribution via lateral ties and shear studs. The modified model was able to successfully incorporate the effect of steel yielding, local buckling, active/passive confinement, composite action, concrete and steel damage and fracture. A novel FE modelling method for SCSW using single composite shell element across the cross section has been proposed which requires lower computing resources with similar precision as compared to solid elements. The modified material model was successfully implemented in the proposed shell element modelling criteria using the software package Abaqus. Good agreement between the proposed methodology and experimental results was observed for non-linear analysis subjected to monotonic and cyclic lateral loading. The proposed methodology was able to accurately predict the response of SCSW with different sections such as rectangular, C-shaped and T-shaped sections
New Zealand osteopaths and the management of sport-related injury: outcomes from a practice-based research network
No full textBACKGROUND: Sports injuries are a significant burden to the health care system. Osteopaths situated in New Zealand regularly treat such injuries, yet little is understood about the practise characteristics of those who treat sports injuries often. METHODS: The results were derived from a secondary analysis of data from a New Zealand practice-based research network (ORC-NZ). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to identify pertinent demographic, patient, practice and management characteristics associated with often managing sports injuries. Binary logistic regression with backward elimination was used to identify statistically significant practice characteristics associated with often treating sports injuries. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-one osteopaths (n = 141, 50.9 %) reported often to managing patients with sporting injuries. Statistically significant practice characteristics associated with often managing sport-related injuries were: often using sport taping (ORa 7.10), exercise prescription (ORa 2.51) and dry needling (ORa 7.59), as well as often treating work-related injury (ORa 8.00) and post-surgery (ORa 3.60) patients. CONCLUSION: This work is the first to provide insight into the practise characteristics of New Zealand osteopaths who often treat sports injuries. These findings are important to guide future research and policy, as well as inform specific professional development and education programs
The Failure of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia’s Strategy in Establishing Khilafah: Advice for the Government Policies
No full textAbstract
The objective of this study is to analyze the shortcomings of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia’s strategy in establishing an Islamic caliphate within the country. This research employs a qualitative approach through content analysis and field studies, which include interviews with prominent figures associated with Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) activities. The findings indicate that while HTI executed all phases of their strategy, they ultimately failed to establish a caliphate in Indonesia, concomitant with their decline in presence within the nation. This failure can be attributed to the significant rejection of the caliphate concept by the majority of Islamic community organizations in Indonesia. Furthermore, HTI’s strategy exhibited a lack of depth, as evidenced by a conceptual inconsistency between their approach and divine promises. This research opens avenues for future inquiries into HTI’s physical political movements and their systemic implications. Additionally, it elucidates the manner in which HTI implemented each stage of their strategy and provides insights into the reasons behind their inability to establish the caliphate. The study aims to enhance public awareness regarding the strategies employed by Islamic political groups operating in Indonesia. From a social perspective, the findings serve as reference material for political policies in Indonesia, particularly concerning transnational ideologies that have gained traction in recent decades. Previous studies have failed to adequately explore the execution and outcomes associated with HTI’s strategic implementation; this study specifically addresses the deficiencies in HTI’s strategy execution
TESOL in Context: English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) and Initial Teacher Education
No full textA number of issues and pressures are currently converging in the area of teacher education for EAL/D specialists. These include a time of increased challenges in recruiting teachers to schools across Australian schools and systems; and concurrently, increased government and public attention to the nature of teacher education programs in Australian universities. With the suggestion of a 'multilingual turn' in applied linguistics being raised a decade ago, it is valuable to consider how this is reflected in contemporary teacher education, in relation to developing a multilingual stance and preparing pre-service teachers for multilingual pedagogies in EAL/D teaching. This multilingual turn, which recognises the pedagogical value of students’ full linguistic repertoires, provides a crucial lens through which to examine the papers in this collection, each of which grapples with how teacher education can move beyond monolingual assumptions.
This special issue brings together papers that examine EAL/D education in Australia, from a wide-angle view at the provision of courses across Australian universities, to discussion of the content of pre-service teacher learning and the approaches used to deliver it, and diverse considerations for pre-service teachers and teacher educators in developing a multilingual stance in classroom practice
Upadacitinib induction is effective and safe in ulcerative colitis patients including those with prior exposure to tofacitinib: a multicenter real-world cohort study
No full textBACKGROUND/AIMS: Upadacitinib is a novel selective Janus kinase inhibitor approved for use in ulcerative colitis. Clinical trials had rigorous criteria and excluded many patient subgroups. Given limited real-world effectiveness data, we examined outcomes of patients treated with upadacitinib for ulcerative colitis in a real-world population. METHODS: Patients that commenced upadacitinib for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis from September 2022 until March 2023 were identified at 13 inflammatory bowel disease centers across Australia. Clinical, biochemical, endoscopic, and intestinal ultrasound outcomes were recorded retrospectively at baseline, week 8, and week 16. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two patients (61 female [40%], median age 38 years [interquartile range, 28-50]) were included. The primary endpoint of clinical remission was met in 79% at week 8, and 84% at week 16. A total of 42 patients (28%) with prior tofacitinib exposure were included. No significant difference in clinical remission was observed by week 16 between tofacitinib experienced compared to tofacitinib naïve patients (86% vs. 84%, P= 0.67). Complete intestinal ultrasound data was available for 36 patients, showing transmural remission in 64% at week 8 and 81% at week 16, with a decrease in median bowel wall thickness of 2.3 mm and 2.4 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Upadacitinib resulted in high rates of clinical remission at 8 and 16 weeks in this large real-world cohort of ulcerative colitis patients. Upadacitinib is effective in patients with prior tofacitinib exposure. Intestinal ultrasound shows significant rates of transmural remission at week 8, sustained through week 16