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Expedition 399 summary
Get PDFInternational Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 399 collected new cores from the Atlantis Massif (30°N; Mid-Atlantic Ridge), an oceanic core complex that hosts the Lost City hydrothermal field (LCHF). Studies of the Atlantis Massif and the LCHF have transformed our understanding of tectonic, magmatic, hydrothermal, and microbial processes at slow-spreading ridges. The Atlantis Massif was the site of four previous expeditions (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expeditions 304, 305, and 340T and IODP Expedition 357) and numerous dredging and submersible expeditions. The deepest IODP hole in young (\u3c2 My) oceanic lithosphere, Hole U1309D, was drilled ~5 km north of the LCHF and reached 1415 meters below seafloor (mbsf) through a series of primitive gabbroic rocks. A series of 17 shallow (\u3c16.4 mbsf) holes were also drilled at 9 sites across the south wall of the massif during Expedition 357, recovering heterogeneous rock types including hydrothermally altered peridotites, gabbroic, and basaltic rocks. The hydrologic regime differs between the two locations, with a low-permeability conductive regime in Hole U1309D and a high- (and possibly deep-reaching) permeability regime along the southern wall
Exploring the role of Patient and Public Involvement in Implementation Research using the Study of Implementation of Midwifery Continuity of Carer (SIMCA)
Get PDFBackgroundPatient and Public Involvement (PPI) is a fundamental part of health research. The role of PPI in implementation research, which considers the transfer of evidence into practice, is often less well defined than in studies focussing on recruitment of individual patients and clinical outcomes, and there is limited guidance available. This paper uses an implementation research project, the Study of Implementation of Midwifery Continuity of Carer (SIMCA), to illustrate the types of activities, benefits, challenges and lessons learned to contribute to the development of this growing area.MethodsThe main aim of the PPI work in SIMCA was to embed the service user and community perspective in the study across all phases of the research, from preparation through execution and dissemination. Members of two organisations, one international and one community based, were core members of the study management team and PPI-driven activities were conducted throughout the study, incorporating both process and content focussed input.ResultsThe key contributions of PPI to the study were identified as i) bringing experience and representation ii) providing connectivity between the team and the wider community iii) providing service user perspectives on study-related tasks iv) a developmental impact on the study team, improving awareness and challenging the dominant academic perspective. Several challenges are described, for example the ambiguity of the role.DiscussionThe SIMCA study has been used to illustrate the significant contributions that PPI can make to an implementation study and to the study team culture, in particular the value of having different perspectives within the team to ensure the study does not become too far removed from lived experience. Dilemmas related to the blurring between PPI and data collection and the need for more theoretical understanding of PPI in implementation research to make the findings more generalisable
Targeting MERTK on tumour cells and macrophages: a potential intervention for sporadic and NF2-related meningioma and schwannoma tumours
No full textAlthough schwannomas and meningiomas are generally benign and slow-growing, the mass effect of either tumour within the nervous system causes life-altering symptoms. Individuals with NF2-related schwannomatosis may develop schwannomas and meningiomas, increasing tumour burden. The primary treatment for large or symptomatic schwannomas and meningiomas is surgical resection, which may not be suitable in cases involving tumours located near sensitive neuroanatomy or clinically vulnerable individuals. Not all schwannomas and meningiomas respond to alternative targeted treatments such as stereotactic radiosurgery or the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor bevacizumab. The main objective of this thesis was to investigate targeting of the receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK as a potential pharmacological intervention in schwannomas and meningiomas. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry demonstrated that MERTK is expressed by tumour cells and macrophages in both tumour types. Western blot indicated that protein levels of MERTK, as well as macrophage markers CD163 and CD68, are highest in passage zero of schwannoma and meningioma primary cells. Drug treatment and immunocytochemistry experiments revealed that inhibition of MERTK by the small-molecule inhibitor UNC2025 reduces the number of tumour cells and macrophages present in schwannoma and meningioma cell cultures, simultaneously decreasing proliferation and increasing apoptosis in both cell types. These findings identify MERTK as a promising target for further pre-clinical investigations as a potential pharmacological intervention for schwannomas and meningiomas
Coastal and Rural Digital Exclusion - The Case for Voice AI
Get PDFThe adoption of digital platforms for health and social resources disadvantages vulnerable populations, including older adults and those living in remote or deprived areas. This could be remediated using voice-based conversational AI (Voice AI) systems delivered via landline phone, bypassing the requirement for digital device access or digital skills. British rural and coastal regions often have poorer digital infrastructure and pockets of deprivation, and consequently higher levels of digital exclusion. This study explores digital exclusion in Southwest England and the suitability of Voice AI systems for supporting digital inclusion. Seventeen participants aged 50 years or over were interviewed by telephone and took part in one of two face to face focus groups to identify how digital exclusion impacts access to health and wellbeing resources. The results indicated that digital access was severely impacted by unreliable infrastructure and exacerbated by limited digital skills. Phone-based Voice AI systems could then provide viable solutions to support access to digital health and social resources for digitally marginalised coastal and rural communities
Sustainability considerations for end-of-life fibre-reinforced plastic boats
Get PDFIn the 1950s, glass fibre-reinforced polyester resin (GRP, also known as fibreglass or glassfibre) composites replaced wood and metal as the material for small recreational and work boats. The changes resulted from relative ease of manufacture, durability, and low maintenance. New fibres and resins then became available to create a wider range of Fibre-Reinforced Plastics (FRP). Vessels remain serviceable beyond design life: 10 years for inflatables, 20 years for motorboats and 30 years plus for sailboats. Many vessels have now reached end-of-life (EoL) and become Abandoned or Derelict Vessels (ADV). Given that thermosetting resin is not easy to recycle, these boats exist as slowly rotting hulks. There is a growing cohort of stakeholders from various backgrounds becoming concerned about this issue. This review defines sustainability as the balance of Technical, Economic, Environmental Social and Governance (TEESG) and discusses the TEESG considerations for this waste stream
Approaches to post-tsunami coastal reconstruction: Comparisons across Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan
Get PDFNatural hazards pose significant challenges to affected communities worldwide, yet there remains a lack of comprehensive studies comparing recovery efforts across different countries and cultures. This study addresses the gap by investigating the impact of three devastating tsunami events on four distinct locations: Banda Aceh (Sumatra, Indonesia) and Southern Thailand, both affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 20th anniversary of which provided the initial motivation for the study; the Tohoku region of Japan, affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami; and Palu Bay (Sulawesi, Indonesia) affected by the Palu-Central Sulawesi Earthquake and consequent triple disaster. Data for this research was gathered from recovery missions led by the UK Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT), working in collaboration with local partners (Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Centre, Tadulako University, Mahidol University and the Asian Institute of Technology). Additional material was provided by the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) at Tohoku University. This paper evaluates recovery in terms of spatial planning, the development of design codes, evacuation planning, and the reconstruction development of coastal and port structures. A companion paper considers post-disaster recovery of buildings and other structures in Indonesia. Key findings include a variety of responses to planning enforcement in exclusion zones, a reliance on US tsunami codes for building code development rather than the comprehensive Japanese codes, diverse behavioural responses to the use of vertical evacuation structures, and some similarities in the use of multi-layered protection from tsunamis, inspired by Japanese approaches. The investigation provides insights into recovery and reconstruction efforts for: (i) the affected regions where agencies can compare and contrast their approaches with others, (ii) agencies and communities in similarly-affected locations in other parts of the world, and (iii) those at risk of future tsunami inundation
Future climate-driven habitat loss and range shift of the Critically Endangered whitefin swellshark \u3ci\u3e(Cephaloscyllium albipinnum)\u3c/i\u3e
Get PDFClimate change is driving many species to shift their geographical ranges poleward to maintain their environmental niche. However, for endemic species with restricted ranges, like the Critically Endangered whitefin swellshark (Cephaloscyllium albipinnum), endemic to southeastern Australia, such dispersal may be limited. Nevertheless, there is a poor understanding of how C. albipinnum might spatially adjust its distribution in response to climate change or whether suitable refugia exist for this species in the future. Therefore, to address this gap, this study utilised maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modelling to determine the potential distribution of suitable habitat for C. albipinnum under present-day (2010–2020) climate conditions and for future conditions, under six shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP1-1.9, SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, SSP4-6.0 and SSP5-8.5) for the middle (2040–2050) and end (2090–2100) of the century. Under present-day conditions (2010–2020), our model predicted a core distribution of potentially suitable habitat for C. albipinnum within the Great Australian Bight (GAB), with benthic primary productivity and surface ocean temperature identified as key distribution drivers. However, under all SSP scenarios, future projections indicated an expected range shift of at least 72 km, up to 1,087 km in an east-southeast direction towards Tasmania (TAS). In all future climate scenarios (except SSP1-1.9 by 2100), suitable habitat is expected to decline, especially in the high-emission scenario (SSP5-8.5), which anticipates a loss of over 70% of suitable habitat. Consequently, all future climate scenarios (except SSP1-1.9 by 2100) projected a decrease in suitable habitat within a currently designated marine protected area (MPA). These losses ranged from 0.6% under SSP1-1.9 by 2050 to a substantial 89.7% loss in coverage under SSP5-8.5 by 2100, leaving just 2.5% of suitable habitat remaining within MPAs. With C. albipinnum already facing a high risk of extinction, these findings underscore its vulnerability to future climate change. Our results highlight the urgency of implementing adaptive conservation measures and management strategies that consider the impacts of climate change on this species
Plymfit Pilot -A study to investigate the feasibility of wrist-worn smartwatch use in perioperative care
Get PDFExtended data for a protocol manuscript submission