179566 research outputs found
Sort by
Serum biomarkers in Atlantic salmon for differential diagnosis of cardiomyopathy syndrome and pancreas disease: proteomic identification of serum fibrinogen to enhance troponin immunoassay as optimal diagnostic approach:Proteomics and salmon cardiomyopathy
Get PDFCardiac viral diseases are among the major causes of economic losses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) aquaculture. These include cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) caused by piscine myocarditis virus (PMCV) and pancreas disease (PD) caused by Atlantic salmonid alphavirus (SAV). The resulting cardiomyopathies impact fish stock in terms of mortality, quality, growth performance and economic loss. Diagnosis of these diseases is currently based on clinical signs, histopathology and RT-qPCR. To identify putative biomarkers for use in the health assessment of Atlantic salmon, a quantitative proteomics investigation was undertaken with the aim of differentiating fish with CMS from healthy fish and fish with PD. Serum samples (n = 9/group) were collected during health assessment from pens where clinical CMS or PD were present and compared to serum from healthy Atlantic salmon. There were 34 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in CMS compared to healthy, 66 comparing CMS to PD, and 81 comparing PD to healthy. In relation to healthy samples, most DAPs were shared between CMS and PD, with higher relative abundances observed in PD. An exception to this was serum fibrinogen, which was identified as a putative biomarker for CMS, whereas differentiation of Atlantic salmon with CMS from those with PD was enhanced by the calculation of the ratio of fibrinogen to skeletal troponin C.</p
The influence of occupant behaviour on indoor air quality and COVID-19 risk in refugee shelters and temporary houses
Get PDFThere are growing concerns about poor indoor air quality in refugee shelters, particularly regarding chronic health conditions and the spread of airborne diseases like COVID-19. These issues are influenced by shelter design and occupants’ behaviours, such as cooking and window usage. However, behavioural aspects are often overlooked in shelter design due to the challenges of monitoring occupants, which can be costly and intrusive. To address this, we developed a cost-effective method for assessing shelters that combines self-assessed behavioural data, predicted ventilation rates, and a mathematical model for airborne disease transmission. This approach was tested in temporary housing following the 2020 floods in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Results indicated that indoor CO 2 levels exceeded national thresholds over 70% of the time, suggesting inadequate ventilation to mitigate airborne disease transmission. We estimated a 60–80% risk of COVID-19 transmission under these conditions. Our findings highlight severe health inequalities in forcibly displaced populations and provide: (i) the first comprehensive guide to monitoring indoor conditions and behaviours in these settings; (ii) a new model for assessing airborne disease risk. While the study focuses on COVID-19, the results can be extended to other airborne respiratory diseases through our reproductive number (R 0) estimates. Practical application: This study presents a novel, low-cost method for monitoring indoor air quality and ventilation in temporary shelters and refugee housing, which can be applied by built environment professionals and humanitarian workers without the need for advanced technical skills. By focusing on occupant behaviour and using minimal sensor data, this approach provides practical insights for improving shelter design, reducing airborne disease transmission risks like COVID-19, and enhancing overall indoor environmental quality. The method is particularly relevant for displaced populations, where ensuring healthy and sustainable living conditions is critical to occupant well-being.</p
Iterations and translations:The role of painting as a discursive tool for collaborative colour design practice in architecture
Get PDFColour design for architecture is an iterative process of research, experimentation, testing and adjustment. At every stage individual judgement plays its part in refining and resolving a design, while different opinions will need to be navigated through discussion. The paper will outline the methods, techniques and procedures involved in the evolution of a colour design for the renovation of two brutalist housing blocks from the 1960s in Edinburgh, Scotland. The research methodology for the project is rooted in the experiential, analogue methods developed by the Haus der Farbe in Zurich, Switzerland. in this case however, abstract paintings and collage are used in parallel with digital tools to facilitate the development of a colour design within the conventions of contemporary architectural practice. The focus was to develop a colour strategy that would guide the decisions through subsequent iterations and translations that are an inevitable part of the design process
"No peace in my heart":Exploring psychosocial problems experienced by women in relation to water insecurity and inadequate sanitation in an informal settlement, Kenya
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Social determinants of mental health are recognized as significant contributors to the disproportionate burden of depression and anxiety experienced by women worldwide. This study aimed to explore psychosocial problems experienced by women in relation to water insecurity and inadequate sanitation in an informal settlement in Kenya.METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study employing a phenomenological approach. The study setting was Kaptembwo, an informal settlement in Kenya. Data collection was conducted from March 28, 2023 to April 24, 2023. Twenty-one in-depth interviews were carried out in Swahili with women of reproductive age (18-49 years) selected through purposive sampling and snowballing. Women were approached as they accessed the common water point and sanitation facility at their households and invited to participate. Marrianne Hennik's thematic analysis approach was used to examine patterns, themes, and meanings of data.RESULTS: The key themes that emerged were stresses and social tension; bodily concerns and relational impacts; emotional consequences; and coping strategies. Unreliable and inadequate water and sanitation brought myriad stresses, led to stigma, and threatened social harmony as women struggled to maintain the health and dignity of their families. Women experienced infections and expressed bodily concerns including backpain, urinary problems and vaginal discharge, that fueled discord within their intimate relationships. Emotional consequences included stress, anxiety, shame, discomfort, frustration, embarrassment, and depression. Coping strategies reported by women included attempts to restore social relationships or seek social solutions to gender-based violence, with limited uptake of formal psychosocial care. Women's accounts supported conceptualization of psychosocial problems as a syndemic arising from interconnections between infections, gender disadvantage and environment.CONCLUSION: Future research should focus on longitudinal and ethnographic observational studies to track evolving experiences of women and investigate the hypothesis that psychosocial problems in women in this informal settlement are the best conceptualized as a syndemic.</p
Ru and W isotope systematics in ocean island basalts reveals core leakage
Get PDFThe isotopic composition of lavas associated with mantle plumes has previously been interpreted in the light of core–mantle interaction, suggesting that mantle plumes may transport core material to Earth’s surface1,2,3,4,5. However, a definitive fingerprint of Earth’s core in the mantle remains unconfirmed. Precious metals, such as ruthenium (Ru), are highly concentrated in the metallic core but extremely depleted in the silicate mantle. Recently discovered mass-independent Ru isotope variations (ε100Ru) in ancient rocks show that the Ru isotope composition of accreted material changed during later stages of Earth’s growth6, indicating that the core and mantle must have different Ru isotope compositions. This illustrates the potential of Ru isotopes as a new tracer for core–mantle interaction. Here we report Ru isotope anomalies for ocean island basalts. Basalts from Hawaii have higher ε100Ru than the ambient mantle. Combined with unradiogenic tungsten (W) isotope ratios, this is diagnostic of a core contribution to their mantle sources. The combined Ru and W isotope systematics of Hawaiian basalts are best explained by simple core entrainment but addition of core-derived oxide minerals at the core–mantle boundary is a possibility
Can topic modelling of local newspaper texts enhance understanding of neighbourhood effects on health?
Get PDFSocial attributes of neighborhoods, like heritage, and low-level social disorder, are not reflected in official metrics such as deprivation indices. However, research suggests these attributes are important for understanding spatial variations in health and social outcomes. This exploratory study investigated whether recurring themes in local newspaper articles capture meaningful social characteristics that help explain neighborhood health resilience, defined as a dearth of illness after adjusting for deprivation. Topic modeling of geo-referenced texts identified and quantified 55 themes of commonly occurring words in Edinburgh, which capture salient neighborhood attributes. Correlations between the themes and domains of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) were weak, suggesting that newspaper themes captured characteristics beyond those in the SIMD. Reassuringly, expected correlations were observed between crime metrics from newspapers and the SIMD domains. Stepwise regression modeling revealed theoretically plausible themes associated with neighborhood health resilience/vulnerability. Themes on heritage and community sports identity were positively associated with health resilience, whereas low-level social disorder (e.g., littering, antisocial behavior) and “local politics” were negatively associated. This study underscores the potential of using area-based topic modeling of newspaper texts to capture neighborhood aspects neglected in official statistics but could further explain spatial variations in neighborhood health outcomes
Integrative taxonomy recognises four species within the legume Inga chocoensis (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)
Get PDFThe legume genus Inga is a significant component of Neotropical wet forests. Despite extensive study, the identities and distributions of some species remain contentious. This study focuses on the Inga chocoensis complex, addressing the challenges in species delimitation due to morphological similarity of closely related species. An integrative taxonomic approach was employed, combining morphological and population genetic analyses. Field and herbarium specimens of I. chocoensis s.l. were studied from its entire distribution range. Morphological features were documented, and DNA was extracted and sequenced from 1320 loci using a target-capture approach. Morphological analysis identified consistent differences among groups of specimens of I. chocoensis s.l., suggesting the presence of four distinct species. Key distinguishing features include the number and shape of nectaries on leaflets and the size and shape of fruits. Moreover, a principal component analysis and genetic ancestry admixture analysis of individuals suggest four distinct genetic groups consistent with the species delimited by morphology. Finally, a Mantel test confirms that such genetic differentiation is not due to geographic distance among populations. The four species now delimited are I. chocoensis, I. coprocarpa, and two new species described here, I. calimensis sp. nov. and I. crassinectaria sp. nov. The combination of morphological and genomic data enhanced the accuracy of species delimitation in this clade of recently diverged species. The study underscores the importance of using integrative methods to resolve taxonomic ambiguities in morphologically similar tropical tree species
Short sale:Angel or Devil?
Get PDFA short sale, as opposed to the conventional practice of long positions, is an abnormal creature for investment. It aims to profit from a decline in the market price and involves first the selling of non-owned financial instruments and, subsequently, the purchase of identical instruments to close the positions. The regulation and restriction of short sales has been a highly controversial topic. Questions arise: is the short sale a devil, an angel, or a hybrid? Is it reasonable to completely ban short sales or naked short sales? How can short sales be most effectively regulated? And how should the UK develop its own short sale regime after Brexit? Is the draft Short Selling Regulations 2024 (2024 Draft) an effective statutory instrument? This article attempts to provide regulatory responses to all these questions and provide an imminent examination of the 2024 Draft
Risk factors for development of diabetic foot ulcer disease in two large contemporary UK cohorts
Get PDFAimsDiabetic foot ulcer disease (DFUD) is common, life-changing and associated with a lower 5-Year survival rate than many cancers. However, the risk factors for DFUD have generally been identified in small, single-centre, clinic-based studies, many of which are cross-sectional. This study aims to assess the incidence of DFUD and its related risk factors in two large, contemporary UK cohorts.Materials and MethodsWe investigated common sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting the incidence rates of DFUD in two large representative independent cohorts of people with diabetes in England (CPRD, n = 131 042) and Scotland (Scottish Diabetes Research Network-National Diabetes Dataset [SDRN-NDS] n = 260 748). The methods of case ascertainment differed between the two cohorts: in England, both primary and secondary care data were used, whereas in Scotland, secondary care and foot clinic data were used.Results and ConclusionsIn the English cohort, 4.7% developed DFUD over a median of 4.3years (incidence rate 9.0[95%CI: 8.8–9.2] per 1000 person-years) follow-up; in the Scottish cohort, the equivalent figure was 2.9% over a median of 6.3 years (incidence rate 4.4 [95% CI: 4.3–4.5] per 1000 person-years). Despite different methods of case ascertainment, multivariable analysis in both populations indicated that those who developed DFUD were more likely to be older, male, smokers, of White ethnicity, with higher systolic blood pressure and baseline HbA1c. These findings provide a robust evidence base for identifying people with diabetes at risk of DFUD for targeted efforts for prevention.<br/
Automatic recognition of rodent call types using deep supervectors
Get PDFRats are gregarious rodents who naturally live in diverse social groups and communicate in part through ultrasonic vocalisations (USVs). USVs encode significant information about affective state and play an important role in social behaviour. Monitoring USVs is a non-invasive method of adding richness to data in a variety of experimental paradigms. However, manual analysis of USVs requires a significant amount of human effort. We propose a new method for automatic classification of USVs which could help automate analysis and thus reduce human input. The proposed method introduces a novel approach to USV representation called deep supervectors (DSV), which combines diverse deep embeddings feature sets extracted through our active data representation (ADR) method. The DSV method is evaluated on a multiclass recognition task involving 14 different types of rodent calls. The performance of DSV is compared to that obtained by state-of-the-art deep embeddings (alexNet, googleNet, squeezeNet and resNet). The proposed method achieves an Unweighted Average Recall (UAR) of 32.80% and outperforms both customs (8.07%) and deep embeddings (29.94%). Deep supervectors outperform pre-trained DNN in 6 out of 8 cases and fusion of the top six DSV with the top two deep embeddings improves the UAR to 37.22% in this challenging classification task, showing an improvement of 29% over the majority guess of 8%. By combining related classes, the UAR will reach 51.00%. The context of this application is the automation of the process for life-sciences laboratory technicians and scientists
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Edinburgh Research Explorer? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!