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Analysis of an InSAR “bog breathing” based classification of peatland condition relative to field observations in Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve
Get PDFThe purpose of this research is to:1. Develop a field survey method that can be used to test the validity of maps of peatland condition that were created using satellite radar measures of peatland surface motion.2. Test and refine a pre-existing peatland condition classification (Bradley et al., 2022) that was based on the relationship between peatland surface motion and condition observed in the Flow Country.Peatland surface motion is a sensitive indicator of peatland condition and resilience. It is a mechanical response to changes in water storage that reflect a range of peatland properties including softness/stiffness, water table depth, plant functional type, land use history and topography. It also provides a measure of the ability of a peatland surface to track changes in the water table and hence minimise the risk posed by variable weather patterns and fire.Previous work for NatureScot (Marshall et al., 2021) demonstrated that high (20 m) resolution maps of peatland condition derived from surface motion, can be created for large areas at low cost from satellite radar data using an interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique. The spatial extent and resolution of the classified data brings with it the need for an appropriate and sustainable validation technique based on easily documented field observations made by an observer walking the land rather than expensive and/or localised field instruments
Piloting a Minimum Data Set (MDS) in English care homes: a qualitative study of professional perspectives on implementation and data use
Get PDFBackgroundDigitalisation within English care homes offers potential to make more effective use of substantial data collected by staff during care planning and recording. A pilot minimum data set was co-designed with stakeholders based on two digital care records with additional structured measures. Our objectives were to explore (1) care home staff opinions and experiences of collecting structured measures of quality of life, cognition and function for residents and (2) how a minimum data set data might be used by staff and other professionals interested in care homes.MethodsBetween June and October 2023 focus groups and interviews involving care home staff and Integrated Care System participants from three regions of England were undertaken. Integrated Care System staff work externally from care homes and support commissioning of services for care homes and reviewing data. We used a semi-structured topic guide. Two waves of care home focus groups were conducted after each wave of minimum data set data capture. A single wave of focus groups/interviews were undertaken with Integrated Care System participants. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop themes.ResultsTwenty-four staff from 22 care homes and 16 staff from 15 care homes participated in five wave one and four wave two focus groups respectively. Ten Integrated Care System participants from two of three study regions participated in one focus group (seven participants) and three individual interviews. Three themes were developed: the care home context and the importance of a minimum data set for care, appropriateness and relevance of quality of life measures to resident care, and data quality and purpose.ConclusionsCare home staff can collect structured measures on resident quality of life, function and cognition using digital care records to contribute to a minimum data set. The data generated can inform and enhance resident care. However, implementation is an evolving process requiring support, trust-building and confidence among those collecting and interpreting data and incorporation as part of routine care
Change in soil macroporosity with land use and its effect on soil respiration
No full textSoil macropores were intensively studied in the 1990s for their role in preferential flow. The renewed interest in macropores is their influence on soil organic carbon dynamics. A common method for measuring soil macropores is tension infiltration, which typically approximates them as a series of hydraulically isolated vertical cylinders. This approach contrasts with findings from imaging studies over the past decade, which suggest a more complex pore connectivity. We present an alternative method for estimating macroporosity based on the Green-Ampt infiltration model. In this approach, macropores are defined as pores that cannot retain water at matric potentials higher than −5 hPa. We applied this method to the long-term Rothamsted experiment that includes permanent grassland, arable land, and bare fallow plots. Macroporosity estimated using this in situ method was compared with values obtained directly from X-ray Computed Tomography. We also examined the influence of soil texture on macropore formation. To assess the effect of macropores on soil organic carbon dynamics, we measured CO2 concentrations at the soil surface and at a depth of 15 cm to calculate CO2 efflux. Our results show that although saturated hydraulic conductivity was similar across treatments, the macroporosity varied significantly. These structural differences had functional consequences: greater macroporosity was associated with higher CO2 efflux. We provide a field-ready, scalable method for assessing macropore networks, which enhances the detection of management-induced changes in soil structure and function. This method offers new opportunities for advancing soil health monitoring under real-world conditions
Toxoplasma gondii PPM3H regulates the parasite virulence and modulates host immune and inflammatory responses in mice
Get PDFToxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes severe illness in infants infected during pregnancy and in immunocompromised individuals. This parasite manipulates host cells through effector proteins that promote its survival and replication. While the phosphatases in the PP2C family have been shown to regulate host immune responses and contribute to the virulence and pathogenicity of various pathogens, the specific biological functions of PPM3H in T. gondii and its role in host-pathogen interactions remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that knockout of ppm3h significantly reduces the virulence and pathogenicity of T. gondii. In contrast, that high expression of ppm3h in the less virulent PRU induced by replacing the ppm3h gene elements of RH strain can enhance its pathogenicity, indicating a direct contribution of PPM3H to virulence in expression-independent manner. Furthermore, PPM3H significantly influenced host gene expression, with differentially expressed genes predominantly enriched in immune and inflammatory pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified host immune genes, including chemokines such as Cx3cl1 and Ccl22, as co-expressed with ppm3h. Also, ppm3h co-expressed with T. gondii rhoptry genes including rop18, a well-known virulence factor, suggesting a role for PPM3H in coordinating host-pathogen interactions. Our findings establish that PPM3H enhances T. gondii virulence by modulating the host immune and inflammatory responses. PPM3H does not impact parasite gene expression, invasion or replication in vitro, supporting its role as an immune modulator rather than a general fitness factor. This suggests that T. gondii's pathogenicity arises not only from immune evasion but also from the active induction of host immune and inflammatory responses mediated by PPM3H
Exploring the interaction between ethnicity, deprivation and the use of CGM on diabetes outcomes—A study from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists
Get PDFAims: Ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in diabetes outcomes persist despite widespread adoption of technologies such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). We examined the independent and interactive effects of ethnicity and area-level deprivation on baseline glycaemic control and CGM effectiveness in a large UK diabetes cohort. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study used data from the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) national audit, including 18,139 adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes initiating FreeStyle Libre. Ethnicity was categorised into White, Black, Indian, Pakistani/Bangladeshi, and Mixed/Other groups. Deprivation was assessed using hospital-level Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) rankings. Baseline and follow-up HbA1c and diabetes distress scores (DDS) were analysed. Linear regression assessed associations between predictors and HbA1c, and interaction effects were evaluated using both regression and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) models, with Friedman's H-statistic quantifying interaction strength. Results: Compared to White individuals, Black participants had significantly higher baseline HbA1c (β = 6.19, SE = 1.87, p 0.05); GBM analysis supported this with a low H-statistic of 0.088. CGM use resulted in significant HbA1c reductions across all IMD groups, most notably in very high deprivation areas (−8.54%, p < 0.001). Reduction was similar across ethnicities (all p = 1.0). Conclusions: Ethnicity and deprivation independently influence glycaemic control. However, CGM yields equitable HbA1c improvements across all subgroups
British Thoracic Society Guideline for the initial outpatient management of pulmonary embolism (PE)
No full textSummary of RecommendationsOutcomes of outpatient care for low-risk pulmonary embolism (PE)Recommendations► Patients with PE should be assessed for suitabilityfor management as outpatients (OPs). Grade B► Patients assessed as low risk and suitable for OPmanagement should be offered treatment in anOP setting where a robust pathway exists forfollow-up and monitoring. Grade
Supporting the professional development of trial managers: how can you help?
Get PDFClinical trial managers are central to the successful design and delivery of clinical trials, making them crucial within the research landscape. Yet, despite their vital contribution, many trial managers report feeling undervalued, under-supported, and insufficiently recognised for the expertise they bring to their teams. Unlike other research roles, there is no clearly defined career pathway for trial managers, and opportunities for professional growth are often limited. In the UK, those working on academic-led trials are usually employed within universities or NHS trusts, frequently based in UKCRC-registered Clinical Trials Units. In this article, we provide practical guidance for both trial managers and their employers on how to strengthen professional development opportunities and better support this essential workforce
Advancing causal inference in ecology: Pathways for biodiversity change detection and attribution
Get PDF1. Understanding the causes of biodiversity change is essential for addressing environmental challenges. While causal attribution has advanced in other fields, ecologists remain cautious about causal claims or misinterpret predictive models as causal. With growing spatio-temporal data, computational power and cross-disciplinary collaboration, discussions on improving attribution methods in ecology are gaining momentum. However, practical guidance remains limited for non-experts. Here, we identify the challenges and decisions involved in detecting and attributing biodiversity change and provide an overview of suitable methods based on available data and specific research questions.2. The first challenge we address pertains to biodiversity and driver data. Unlike controlled experimental data in other disciplines, ecological data often stem from monitoring programs or field samplings with varying degrees of rigour, which complicates the analysis due to sampling biases, interacting drivers, measurement error or spatio-temporal variations. We specifically outline how data structure (e.g. structured vs. opportunistic data) and data coverage along the spatial and temporal scale impact detection and attribution.3. The second challenge involves the ability to detect directional change in the system of interest, which is associated with numerous hurdles. We provide an overview of the most relevant approaches to deal with sampling variability, gaps and biases in the data, non-linearity in the temporal trends and to identify the most appropriate spatio-temporal resolution.4. For the third challenge, causal attribution, we focus on data-driven approaches. We review recent frameworks that draw on methodologies from other disciplines, offering analytical roadmaps and step-by-step guidance for causal inference. These include constructing theoretical causal models a priori, full causal models based on data and theory and posterior causal interpretation tailored to specific data and research questions.5. Moving forward, it is essential to foster interdisciplinary collaboration to adapt and refine methodologies from other fields, ensure robust data collection and sharing practices, promote the integration of advanced computational tools and improve the link between data-driven and theory-driven approaches. This approach will enhance our ability to make robust causal inferences; thereby improving our understanding of biodiversity changes and informing effective conservation strategies
Manager-Analyst Engagement and Stock Return Synchronicity
Get PDFResearch has shown that the market actively interprets information conveyed in question and answer (Q&A) conversations during conference calls. However, previous studies have not clearly indicated how this information influences the market. This study aims to investigate the impact of conversational engagement on stock price informativeness. Conversational engagement is measured by linguistic style matching (LSM) in manager-analyst conversations during the Q&A session of earnings conference calls, while stock return synchronicity serves as a proxy for informativeness. Our findings reveal robust evidence that LSM significantly diminishes stock return synchronicity. Furthermore, the impact of manager-analyst engagement on stock return synchronicity is more pronounced in firms with severe information asymmetry, facing intense competition in the product market or with low levels of institutional ownership. This study highlights that increased engagement facilitates the capitalisation of firm-specific information into stock prices, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the capital market
Sustainability challenges for social enterprises in cultural and creative sectors - A case study of IMPACD CIC
Get PDFThis research explores the sustainability challenges of social enterprises in the cultural and creative sectors, focusing on IMPACD CIC, a grassroots creative organisation in Nottingham, UK. Operating at the intersection of CCIs and social enterprise, such organisations navigate tensions between financial sustainability and social or cultural missions. Existing literature often oversimplifies this conflict, emphasises commercial activity in large organisations, and overlooks the contributions of smaller arts-based enterprises. Using IMPACD as a case study, the research examines challenges including inadequate funding, undervalued creative labour, displacement, and policy misalignments, alongside commitments to inclusion and community engagement. Despite these obstacles, IMPACD employs arts-based practices to combat social exclusion, inequality, and loneliness, demonstrating the potential of creative social enterprises to address marginalisation. While they cannot fully dismantle systemic exclusion, these organisations raise awareness and offer tangible support to marginalised communities. The study highlights the need for greater support and recognition, advocating policies and financial frameworks that enable creative social enterprises to expand their social and cultural impact, contributing to sustainable and inclusive urban environments
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