Effective action approach to cosmological perturbations in dark energy and modified gravity

In light of upcoming observations modelling perturbations in dark energy and modified gravity models has become an important topic of research. We develop an effective action to construct the components of the perturbed dark energy momentum tensor which appears in the perturbed generalized gravitational field equations, {\delta}G_{\mu\nu} = 8{\pi}G{\delta}T_{\mu\nu} + {\delta}U_{\mu\nu} for linearized perturbations. Our method does not require knowledge of the Lagrangian density of the dark sector to be provided, only its field content. The method is based on the fact that it is only necessary to specify the perturbed Lagrangian to quadratic order and couples this with the assumption of global statistical isotropy of spatial sections to show that the model can be specified completely in terms of a finite number of background dependent functions. We present our formalism in a coordinate independent fashion and provide explicit formulae for the perturbed conservation equation and the components of {\delta}U_{\mu\nu} for two explicit generic examples: (i) the dark sector does not contain extra fields, L = L(g_{\mu\nu}) and (ii) the dark sector contains a scalar field and its first derivative L = L(g_{\mu\nu}, {\phi}, \nabla_{\mu}{\phi}). We discuss how the formalism can be applied to modified gravity models containing derivatives of the metric, curvature tensors, higher derivatives of the scalar fields and vector fields.Comment: Version accepted by JCAP. Typos corrected. Covariant decoupling conditions adde

Flesh on the Bones: Animal Bodies in Atlantic Roundhouses

This volume presents the state of research across Europe to illustrate how comparable interpretative frameworks are used by archaeologists working with both prehistoric and historical societies

Rethinking the impact of regeneration on poverty: a (partial) defence of a 'failed' policy

For decades regeneration programmes in England targeted areas where spatial concentrations of poverty exist. These 'area-based initiatives' (ABIs) came under sustained attack, however, from the previous coalition government for being expensive and ineffective. This paper assesses this claim by re-evaluating past evidence on the impact of regeneration on poverty. It finds regeneration did relatively little to transform households' material circumstances but significantly ameliorated negative experiences of living in poverty in relation to housing, community safety and the physical environment. This partially undermines the rationale for the policy shift away from neighbourhood renewal interventions toward the current focus on 'local growth' as the sole remedy for spatial inequalities. It also suggests a need for more nuance in wider critical accounts of regeneration as a deepening form of neoliberalism

Market Characteristics in Economy/Budget Lodging

With so many economy/budget lodging brands and rooms added to the market, it is difficult for consumers to identify differences in the services offered. In addition, industry practitioners need to understand what is expected of them by the consumers they serve. The authors review the economy budget lodging in general and empirically examine this issue

The effect of dietary intake, physical activity and posture on pepsin concentrations detected in the saliva of free-living, healthy individuals

Introduction: Diet and lifestyle are believed to be major causes of gastric reflux. The occurrence of reflux is associated with a number of respiratory, oesophageal and airways conditions. Previous studies have used oesophageal monitoring to assess the occurrence of reflux events. Such measurements may only measure "bulk" rather than "microreflux" events. Such technology is also likely to impact on both habitual dietary intake and physical activity due to the nature of the assessment. Aim: To assess the impact of meal intake and physical activity on pepsin concentrations in saliva collected from free-living individuals throughout the day. Methods: Fifty-one participants (aged 18+, non-smokers with no current chronic or acute respiratory conditions, bloodborne diseases, or diagnosis of reflux disease) provided saliva samples before (< 30 min) and after (< 1 h) meals and physical activity bouts or before and after sleep. Dietary intake and physical activity were monitored by diary over this time. Dietary intake was analyzed using Windiets® software, while physical activity output was calculated from pre-existing tables of energy expenditure. Saliva samples were analyzed for pepsin content using a previously described ELISA methodology. Wilcoxon matched pairs rank sign tests were performed on before- and after-meal/physical activity/sleep samples. Results: Fifty-seven paired pre-and post-meal,48 paired pre- and post-physical activity samples and 168 pre- and post-sleep samples were analyzed. Mean(standard deviation) pepsin concentrations in saliva were significantly higher (P=0.037) in the pre-meal samples (44.2(42.2)) than the post-meal samples (32.8(29.6)). Post-sleep pepsin concentrations (196.4(323.4)) were significantly higher (P< 0.001) than pre-sleep (102.3(152.8)). There was no significant difference (P=0.491) between pre-(45.2(56.8)) and post-(40.8(38.6)) physical activity saliva samples. Conclusions: Analysis of pepsin in saliva is a useful method to assess the impact of lifestyle on reflux event occurrence. Increased preprandial salivary pepsin concentrations may be due to microreflux events driven by the cephalic phase of digestion

An Assessment of the Compatibility of UEFA’s Home Grown Player Rule with Article 45 TFEU

This article provides the results of a European Commission study into the compatibility of UEFA’s "home grown player rule" (the Rule) with EU laws on free movement of workers. The Rule was introduced to increase competitive balance, and improve the training and development of young players in European football, but gives rise to indirect nationality discrimination and has the potential to restrict the ability of EU footballers to be employed by clubs in other Member States. Our analysis indicates that, although UEFA’s aims are legitimate under EU law, the Rule has resulted in only a modest impact and it cannot at this stage be deemed to have satisfied proportionality control. The existence of potentially less restrictive alternatives means that UEFA should engage in social dialogue with its stakeholders to determine if other methods could be employed to achieve these aims without recourse to regulations that are intrinsically liable to infringe rules governing the free movement of EU workers

Prolactin delays hair regrowth in mice

Mammalian hair growth is cyclic, with hair-producing follicles alternating between active (anagen) and quiescent (telogen) phases. The timing of hair cycles is advanced in prolactin receptor (PRLR) knockout mice, suggesting that prolactin has a role in regulating follicle cycling. In this study, the relationship between profiles of circulating prolactin and the first post-natal hair growth cycle was examined in female Balb/c mice. Prolactin was found to increase at 3 weeks of age, prior to the onset of anagen 1 week later. Expression of PRLR mRNA in skin increased fourfold during early anagen. This was followed by upregulation of prolactin mRNA, also expressed in the skin. Pharmacological suppression of pituitary prolactin advanced dorsal hair growth by 3.5 days. Normal hair cycling was restored by replacement with exogenous prolactin for 3 days. Increasing the duration of prolactin treatment further retarded entry into anagen. However, prolactin treatments, which began after follicles had entered anagen at 26 days of age, did not alter the subsequent progression of the hair cycle. Skin from PRLR-deficient mice grafted onto endocrine-normal hosts underwent more rapid hair cycling than comparable wild-type grafts, with reduced duration of the telogen phase. These experiments demonstrate that prolactin regulates the timing of hair growth cycles in mice via a direct effect on the skin, rather than solely via the modulation of other endocrine factors

Do smokers have greater risk of delayed and non-union after fracture, osteotomy and arthrodesis?: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Objectives: Systematic review and meta-analysis of published observational cohort studies. To quantify the increased risk smokers have of experiencing a delayed and/or non-union in fractures, spinal fusion, osteotomy, arthrodesis or established non-unions. Setting: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and Web of Science Core Collection from 1966 to 2015. Study eligibility criteria, participants and interventions: Observational cohort studies that reported adult smokers and non-smokers with delayed and/or non-union or time to union of the fracture, spinal fusion, osteotomy, arthrodesis or established non-union were eligible. Data extraction and outcome measures: 2 authors screen titles, abstracts and full papers. Data were extracted by 1 author and checked independently by a second. The relative risk ratios of smoking versus non-smoking and the mean difference in time to union patients developing a delayed and/or non-union were calculated. Results: The search identified 3013 articles; of which, 40 studies were included. The meta-analysis of 7516 procedures revealed that smoking is linked to an increased risk of delayed and/or non-union. When considered collectively, smokers have 2.2 (1.9 to 2.6) times the risk of experiencing delayed and/or non-union. In all the subgroups, the increased risk was always ≥1.6 times that of non-smokers. In the patients where union did occur, it was a longer process in the smokers. The data from 923 procedures were included and revealed an increase in time to union of 27.7 days (14.2 to 41.3). Conclusions: Smokers have twice the risk of experiencing a non-union after fracture, spinal fusion, osteotomy, arthrodesis or treatment of non-union. Time to union following fracture, osteotomy, arthrodesis or treatment of an established non-union is longer in smokers. Smokers should be encouraged to abstain from smoking to improve the outcome of these orthopaedic treatments